The Difference Engine

William Gibson + Bruce Sterling

Bantam Books 1991
A book review by Danny Yee © 1992 https://dannyreviews.com/
The two leading "cyberpunk" authors have joined together to produce an alternate history novel. The premise is that Charles Babbage did build his Analytical Engine and that a steam-driven information age has developed as a result — and Britain is under the control of capitalists and intellectuals under the leadership of none other than Lord Byron. The Difference Engine is the kind of political/underworld/espionage thriller one would expect from the authors, but while it was a fun read and had some cute ideas it didn't really live up to my expectations. In particular both the beginning and the ending seemed flat.

April 1992

External links:
- buy from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Related reviews:
- books by Bruce Sterling
- more alternative history
%T The Difference Engine
%A Gibson, William
%A Sterling, Bruce
%I Bantam Books
%D 1991
%G ISBN 055329461X
%P 429pp