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Space: 1889: 2. The Steppes Of Thoth by James Swallow
01/08/2005 . Source: Paul Hanley 
CD. pub: Noise Monster. Price: £10.99 (UK), $12.20 (non-UK). Serial number: NMPCDSP02. Time: 70 minutes. check out website: www.noisemonster.com
This is a story on CD which, rather like an old-fashioned radio play, is performed by a cast of actors. The CD is in a jewel case and comes complete with a map and a booklet with a little background information, such as pictures of some of the characters and of the terrain. The CD lasts some 70 minutes.
This is the second CD in the 'Space: 1889' series. The background is that Edison, the nineteenth-century inventor, manages to devise a form of spaceship and flies it to Mars which proves inhabited. Very quickly the rival powers are building 'Edison Flyers' and expanding their empires on Mars and the dinosaur inhabited swamps of Venus.
The first and preceding CD, 'Red Devils', sets the scene. It is 1889 and Her Majesty's (space)ship Perbindesh is carrying a variety of Victorian characters to Mars, including Sir Henry Rouledge, newly appointed governor of British colonies on the planet, and Prince Skerrun, a native princeling returning home after completing his education at Oxford University.
The voyage brings out various elements of Victorian prejudice and it is clear that all is not well. The ship is subject to a pirate attack and then destroyed by an imperial German Empire (space)warship. The governor survives but the spaceship is wrecked on the planet's surface in distant, inhospitable terrain. It had been, supposedly secretly, carrying a venerated Martian object to be returned to Mars as a gesture of goodwill by the British government. This is essential to secure the aid of one of the native states to secure Britain's trade routes on the planet against the machinations of the German Empire, who are the villains in the background.
When the known survivors reach the British base, without the precious relic, they discover the ruler and heir apparent of their client state has been assassinated and the Germans are gaining influence. Prince Skerrun would have inherited the throne but he is apparently dead when the wreckage of the spaceship plunged into the Martian dessert. Whilst there is apparently no hope for him or those with him, such as Sir Henry's supposed niece, a half-Chinese girl who may have been a German agent, there is a possibility that the relic survived the crash and on the pretext of rescuing survivors, the British send out an expedition.
At this point the story abruptly stops on CD one, 'Red Devils'. This CD, the second in the series, 'The Steppes Of Thoth', takes up the story at this point.
The hero is Captain St John-Ffolkes, an officer with something of a past apparently, who with his trusty sergeant forms an expedition to try and rescue the relic. Rather against his wishes, they are accompanied by Miss Georgina Golightly, intrepid daughter of one of the missing passengers, as well as an American prospector who acts as guide. In essence, they are off into Indian country with Martian raiders taking the place of Apaches or Commanches.
I have no objection to this as it ought to be great fun. However, the story seems rather flat overall. For example, whilst the accompanying booklet has illustrations of a fearsome lion-like creature and the characters discuss the beast before departing their base, it is not encountered. I think it was Tolstoy who said that if the audience are told of a gun on the mantelpiece in Act 1 it jolly well better have been fired by Act 3. Who am I to disagree with Tolstoy? He was quite right. Such disappointments seem to multiply as the story continues.
Again, they encounter the German's who attack their boat from an airship and it is only the arrival of a British Ariel Gunboat in the nick of time which drives the Germans away.
One adventure follows another until, with the aid of indigenous savages, our heroes and heroines locate not only the relic but survivors.
I like steampunk or Victorian SF, so I am making every effort to enjoy this story. The idea of a radio-play format is a good one as it generates more atmosphere than a simpler book reading would. It can also be listened to in the car.
However, whilst I will soldier on and listen to the third part which is now available I do feel anyone trying to enjoy this story on its own without having heard the previous CD would be confused and disappointed. In retrospect, I liked the idea of the first story so much I was prepared to overlook its faults more. Perhaps because this CD was written by a different person it does not entirely flow on as one larger story which is a problem especially because it is not, in my opinion, complete in itself.
I feel something of an opportunity has been missed but if you like steampunk you may well enjoy this.
Paul Hanley
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