Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti

Fantasy/Steampunk (I saw it listed as both)

In Clockwork Heart Dru Pagliassotti has created a fascinating world.  Ondinium is a city built around the mountain that contains The Great Engine.  The Great Engine and other lesser engines are computers that run on punch cards and are powered by steam engines.  The population of Ondinium is divided into castes.  The highest caste, the Exalted, remained masked and never speak in public.  There are distinctive marks on the faces of each caste.  Only the Icarus deal will all castes and are considered out of all caste.  The Icarus wear wings that allow them to fly and they are the ones who deliver all messages in Ondinium.  Ondinium is the envy of all of its neighbors, neighbors who spy to try to steal the secret of the engines that allow Ondinium to prosper. 

Taya is an Icarus and Cristof is an out of caste Exalted who has chosen to live and work among the lower castes, keep his face uncovered, and build and repair clocks.  Fate throws the two together as two different plots against Ondinium collide.  The two start out as antagonist but find that they share more than either would have expected. 

In addition to the fascinating world of Ondinium Clockwork Heart has a large supply of great characters and a well-developed plot filled with thrilling action.   Dru Pagliassotti put a great deal of effort into building the world of Ondinium.  I wondered if she was going to write other books set in this world but as far as I can tell Clockwork Heart is the only book set in this world. 

Juno published Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti in 2008.

I purchased Clockwork Heart from Fictionwise.  Yes, this is one of the ebooks that remained unread until I found it in the library.  I’m very glad I did because it is a very good read.