DNF @ 28%
I'm choosing not to give a star rating for the first time ever as it might just be me on this one.

There's lots happening here, with weird science fiction elements, in a very futuristic world. Some intriguing characters and at least one story line I really liked.

So where's the problem?
I just couldn't seem to get into it. I'd have to remind myself my flipping back what was going on and who was who. The only person I could keep track of was Dash.
It just felt busy. I read a lot of fantasy with multiple plots and characters so it shouldn't have been a problem but at the end of the day every time I tried to sit down and really get into it I just couldn't. It didn't hold my attention and eventually I realized I was reading pages and not even registering what was happening.

Now the disclaimer on why I don't one star this like usual. This week has been quite up/down and emotional. So maybe it's just me. So I'm setting this one aside for now and gonna try something else. If the next book also doesn't go well then I'll know it's me for sure.

I found this book charming at first, with its playful melange of elements and homage to classical science fiction. It reminded me of Harry Turtledove's hilarious Case of the Toxic Spell Dump. But the novelty and inventiveness wore thin about a quarter of the way through, and the story felt flat and emotionally shapeless. Despite being initially delightfully whimsical, the characters never developed and failed to engage me. The frequent changes in point of view became annoying.. Sad to say, I gave up rather than plod through "more of the same."

I get that there's a resurgence in this sort of pulpy golden age of sci-fi era thing, but this tries to take a slightly more campy approach that just didn't do it for me about 20% in. For all intents and purposes, I should have loved this, and it just didn't grab me the way I wanted it to. Good for a very specific audience, I think - an audience I am not.

This year seems to be setting the trend for retro-style reads making a comeback. Indeed, if you’re feeling nostalgic for the Golden Age pulps and the thrilling sci-fi classics of the past, then I think you’ll be quite happy with Bradley W. Schenck’s Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom, a rollicking mashup of the old and the new.

Set in a future as imagined by “the world of tomorrow” in the 1939 World’s Fair, the story opens in the megacity of Retropolis, its art deco inspired skyline bestrewed with hover cars and monorail tracks. The hero of our tale is a freelance adventurer named Kelvin Kent, who is sometimes better known by his professional name of “Dash”. Soon, he finds himself hired by Lola Gardner, a woman representing a group of switchboard operators who have all just been fired from their jobs for reasons they don’t understand. Surely a large city like Retropolis with millions of people needing to communicate and access data on their InfoSlates would need the services of switchboard workers to keep on running, which means that another system must have sprung up to take their place, and Lola would like Dash to figure out who is behind this mysterious plan and why.

Enter Howard Pitt, the megalomaniacal civil engineer whose obsession with efficiency has consumed him to the point of madness. No one is quite sure what he is up to, but for some reason he has been buying up vast amounts of inertium, a metal prized for its gravity-defying properties and use in the production of flying cars and personal jetpacks. A transport official named Abner Perkins in on the case, trying to track down where these inertium supplies are going and what Pitt might be trying to do with them. Meanwhile, a silent and unassuming automaton named Rusty comes across the discarded remains of another robot in an alleyway—except unlike all other robots in Retropolis, this one had been constructed with no legs. Troubled and angered by this discovery, Rusty enlists the help of his friend Harry Roy to find out why anyone would design and create a legless robot and for what nefarious purpose. As these various investigations come together, a conspiracy starts to take shape, one that will pit all our heroes against a strange and altogether unexpected threat.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I love books like these because of the passion behind them. Like most homages to the classic science fiction adventures of the 1920s to 1950s, Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom was clearly written for fans by a fan. The story wears its pulp era-inspired roots on its sleeves proudly, riffing on genre tropes with an eye towards faithfulness and good-natured humor. The world and characters are also a testament to Schenck’s familiarity with and enthusiasm for the source materials from which he drew his vision, and this is further confirmed by the author’s own gorgeously rendered illustrations which fill these pages.

Bringing Retropolis to life is perhaps the novel’s strongest achievement. Think ray guns and rocket ships. Pneumatic tube transports. An entire city district ruled by mad scientists where they are free to conduct their dangerous experiments and build whacky inventions. It’s a zany mix of modern technologies fused with the old-fashioned, as illustrated by examples like the tablet-like InfoSlate devices that relay information via the manual efforts of switchboard operators instead of the internet. And of course, the robots of Retropolis also deserve a special nod, as no vision of retro-futurism can be truly complete without them. Sentient and intelligent, they play a significant role in this novel, with the actions of the robot characters influencing the direction of the story in crucial ways.

The plot is also just plain fun. Though if I’m to be honest, there were perhaps a few sections I felt were excessively written or too disorganized and drawn out on account of all the different characters and frequent POV switches, but on the whole this is a fast-paced, energetic book. As one would expect, fans of Golden Age and pulp-era adventures will probably get the most out of it, but there is absolutely no prerequisite to enjoying the story. Granted, this particular style of storytelling and the author’s sense of humor can definitely be considered an acquired taste, but as long as you don’t mind the occasional moments of off-the-rails silliness, I think even a casual fan of sci-fi will be able to find plenty to like here.

All in all, Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom was a delightful and entertaining debut by Bradley W. Schenck and I enjoyed every moment of my time spent in weird and wonderful Retropolis. The experience was made even better by the author’s stunning interior artwork (worth the price of admission alone, in my opinion), which made the people and places even more charming and the story even more atmospheric. As they say though, come for the nostalgia, stay for the adventure and mystery; if this sounds like something you’ll enjoy, you’ll definitely want to give this one a try.

The below review was posted on the Castalia House blog on 6/8/17, and will be posted to Every Day Should Be Tuesday, Amazon, and Goodreads on 6/15/17:

My original concept for Throwback SF Thursday was less #PulpRevolution and more a mix of Vintage SF (including Campbellian science fiction) and modern fiction that is self-consciously retro. Maybe it’s Cirsova Magazine or maybe it’s . . . Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom.

Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom: A Novel of Retropolis is one of those self-consciously retro works that pokes fun at the source material. But don’t get the wrong idea. This is entirely done from love. Schenck takes the 1939 World’s Fair vision of the future and the pulps and runs with it, having a hell of a lot of fun in the process, if not quite telling a pulp tale.

(Chapter titles are along the lines of The Drunken Tourists of Deception, Battle in the Pneumatic Wind, and Onslaught of the Rampaging Rockets if you’re wondering how much fun.)

We are immediately introduced to our hero, Kelvin Kent. Better known as Dash. Or occasional Kelvin Dashkent. He parks his rocket on Luna, disables a couple adepts of the Spider God, evades their traps, and rescues the princess. Well, Princess. Princess the Cat. Hey, everybody has to start out at Level 1. Dash picked up his adventuring skills testing out the ideas from stories submitted to his father’s magazine. Old Man Kent was the sort of pedant who didn’t want anything in his stories that wasn’t plausible (anti-Campbellians may boo and hiss at this point in the review).

Catting around doesn’t make for much of an adventure (at least since the death of the left-hand novel), but lucky for Dash, bigger and more Level 2 things are on his horizon. Ok, pause for a little scene setting.

As I mentioned above, Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom is set in a world inspired by a 1939 speculative view of the world. Specifically set in Retropolis, a vaguely located megacity. Where people travel pneumatic tubes and monorails, the science fiction of tomorrow available today in Morgantown, West Virginia. A wee spot of inertium—raw ore mined from asteroids, a lighter than air metal—allows for hover cars and personal rockets. (Leaving the ground level blessedly clear for pedestrians.) An entire district is given over to “Science” (capitalized always), practiced entirely by mad scientists. There is televideo and InfoSlates, but both only work with the help of switchboard operator.

Which is how Dash gets his next job. It seems that after a bit of observation by Howard Pitt, a Robert Moses-type and civil engineer and efficiency expert, the switchboard operators have been found to be entirely redundant. Like any good efficiency expert, he is the villain. They pool their resources to hire Dash to get to the bottom of just how they were replaced.

That is the first of three main mystery threads. Contemporaneously, Abner Perkins discovers that Retropolis supplies of Inertium are negligible due to a series of mysterious purchases. Harry Roy begins investigating a robot left in an alleyway. A robot built with no legs.

A bit about the robots of Retropolis. This is a world without computing, or even robots, in the modern sense. Everything has to be done by hand, even if that hand is robotic. Robots are sapient, and there is broad agreement that there are ethical and legal obligations that come with that. They vary in form, but uniformly robots are manufactured and sold under an indenture. They then work off their indenture for their owner (whose purchase price of course financed the manufacture of the robot) until, at the end, they become free.

Where it goes from there you can guess if you know anything about the economics of indentures. You quickly wind up with a lot more free robots than indentured. Schenck’s take on robots is one of the highlights of the book. It’s a vision of robots as working class, blue collar laborers rather than a reflection of rather more elite science fiction writers. This, too, is in keeping with the pulps, which were much more working class and blue collar oriented than modern SF, being written in a time when people read more and far more of America was working class and blue collar. It also allows for a lot of fun within the story, but I will leave that for the converts.

I have neglected a rather important point. The switchboard operator deputized to hire Dash is Nola. She serves as his feminine foil throughout. She lacks Dash’s skills, but like any good woman, she provides common sense, grounding, and encouragement for Dash. Not to mention grit and pure gall. Heaven help the enemy facing a hero backed by a good woman.

Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom is enormously funny. It pokes fun at its pulp roots. But where it really shines is skewering the more normal side of life, whether it be returning a damaged and warrantied piece of space equipment or dealing with robot middle management. It reminds me of Larry Correia’s Tom Stranger in this, albeit toned way down.

This sort of madcap book, juggling multiple plot threads that all need to come together in the climax, is very difficult to pull off. Richard Kadrey’s The Everything Box is virtuoso in doing so and was one of my favorite books of 2016. The follow-up, The Wrong Dead Guy, was an enormous disappointment in comparison. Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom splits the different, albeit leaning toward the former. The pace is suitably pulp-like at the beginning but loses focus a bit once all of the plot tops have been set spinning. It would have perhaps been better served by a shorter book, but Schenck would not have been able to juggle quite so many plot threads. Those also take away from Dash and Nola, who are the real heart of the story. This is a quite funny book with a solid mystery at its heart and solid action, but all of those are in some tension with the others and none manage to be great, rather than just good. Still, this book is a lot of fun and well worth picking up if it sounds like something up your alley.

Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom is billed as including illustrations also by Schenck but they aren’t in my advance copy. I’m not really a fan of the cover art, especially as a representation of the book. But I can’t hate on anything that so strongly recalls ReBoot.

If I were you, I'd just read this book already. But stick around, if you want to find out why.

So let's ignore the somewhat tacky cover for a bit. (I'm glad I can look past the cover. I'm better than that! But I know that I nearly didn't click 'request' because it's just... well, you can see it.) This book has anything a sci-fi, fantasy or just plain adventure story reader might want! I swear I haven't read anything this fun since my teens – in part, because stories like this are often not written for adults.

It's like only teens can ever get to have any fun. Pfff, right?

There are so many reasons to love this book, I think I want to do it in list form. And I will also not tell you anything about the plot, cause that would just be no fun. Instead, I'll tell you why you'll love it.

So why should any and every sci-fi adventure lover in this world read Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom?

A Retro Future

Imagine a world like Futurama, but with less modern technology. Basically, the future they predicted in the 1960's: robots, rockets, skyscrapers, but no internet, no touchscreens. Info-nets connected by living, human women. Like old phone lines! (This is where the switchboard comes in.) Fascinating. It goes to the point where the story uses almost only old-style names like Abner, Freda, Howard as well! It makes for a completely engrossing experience.

It's As Witty As It Can Get

The author of this one is pretty quick with his prose. Some of the sentences are so witty, boyfriend laughed upon hearing just the one quoted, even out of context. Unfortunately, I can not quote for you as all I have right now is an uncorrected early copy. So you'll just have to take my word on it.

It's Incredibly Paced

This book is paced just right! As of the very beginning, there's no dawdling, things are constantly moving, and that's what makes it particularly cinematic and dynamic. You just feel like you're in the flow! It's part of why I had so much fun reading it. And even despite this wonderful pacing, there is still time to reflect, and to joke around, but in such great portions that you never notice the switch.

The Correct Use Of Cats

I don't know if you're a cat lover. But there's a high chance you are, and if you are... This book has some of the best cat-related jokes and plot twists ever! I mean, cats should basically be talked about as much as possible (#amirite or #amirite?), but even aside from that, some cat related things are just funnier than others. You'll find those here.

Great Character Building

We don't really have too much freedom for character development in this book, as the story spans quite a short amount of time, but the characters are wonderfully built. Even the secondary ones who are just adding to the story! They all have these little quirks, like robots with serious cases of OCD? Half-homicidal crazy twin kids you would not wish on your meanest enemy? I'm not even going to start about the insane miniaturized robot with an actual death ray. That was officially my favorite.

And Yet, Not Lacking In Depth

With all of this witty and fun stuff going on, you might think the book's not that serious. But strangely, it is! The book talks a lot about slavery and its implications, about equality. It gently mocks the blindness of bureaucracy and civil service, the trust of power and money. The characters very gently promote the right kind of values, just by example, which would make it a good book to read with your children.

A New Kind Of Diversity

What I particularly liked about this book is this new, completely unique kind of diversity. Sure, we talk about #diversity a lot in book blogs. But how do we think about it? Can we actually untie ourselves from the confines of skin color, sickness, sexual orientation? IS THERE another kind of diversity, apart from that? This book finds it. It talks about a new way or coexisting with a completely different form of life – artificial life, taken on par with biological life. What happens in a society that starts building mechanical lifeforms, but eventually understands that they are conscious too? That they need to be allowed to earn their right to be free and do as they please? That they need to be able to better themselves and grow up, even if not physically, and make their choices? This is a whole new kind of diversity for me, one where it's not just differences between you and me, both of us being humans – we're talking differences on a scale of who and what we are at all. And what it means to coexist. And I think it was done unbelievably beautifully in this book.

A great fun and highly entertaining with a madcap plot and equally crazy crew of characters.
It was a bit of a slow starter for me, but once I got into the flow I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
Hoping that there's a UK publication.

On first glance Slaves of the Switchboard seems like a fast paced adventure novel, a series of unlikely heroes, who unite against the plans of an efficiency driven civil engineer. However, despite its contagious plot and interwoven parts, there is a deep social commentary beneath the surface that makes this book not only fun to read, but food for thought.

As more and more characters enter our story, the mystery is built upon. Even though the prospect of yet another character’s name and storyline can seem daunting, Schenck manages it in a brilliant and serendipitous way. Their seemingly different lives are woven together, showing us that even those small moments we pass through are all pieces of an intricate puzzle. Speaking of characters, I love each and every single one of these. From the struggling science fiction writer, to a mute robot, to Nola herself, there is no character too small for Schenck. Each are full of personality, history, and humor.

In addition, the heroes are perfect, because they are not your typical heroes. We have Dash, a self-taught passionate adventurer, Nola a former switchboard operator with boundless optimism, and more. There’s Rusty the mute robot who is extremely clever and mysterious. Even Albert the budding engineer who dares to delve deeper. Every single one of our protagonists are unique and colorful in a way that is infectious.

What I loved even more than the characters, is the way that Schenck hides social commentary beneath this high intensity plot. Underneath the impetus of Nola’s lay off, is an underlying desire for the mechanization of human (female) work – something our society has already confronted. At the same time, the same struggles the robots have to break free of their indenture, is closely mirrored in our history. The fear of that annihilation of agency, the looming danger of slavery, is an essential terror rooted in humanity. We have been undergoing conflicts of free will and the necessity of choice for centuries.

(I could go on about the subtle things I loved about this book. For one, Pitt’s relationships with the robots is fantastic. There is a dance that exists between them. There’s a human obsessed with efficiency, and on the other hand we have robots and their own motivations. The dynamic between them is hilarious and indicative of the way that humanity can defeat itself).

I am unsure of which plot tendril I love most, the civil engineer’s descent into efficiency obsession, the formation of robot rights, or the children’s daylong escapade. There are layers upon layers of intrigue, story, and character within this book which make it an absolutely pleasure to read. I could list many reasons why you should read this book: the humor, the intricate plot, the moving heroes, or the social commentary. Pick any one of these, but do read it.

Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom: A Novel of Retropolis by Bradley W. Schenck
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is another in the recently growing trend to update and display the adventuresome glories of the SF of yesteryear!

... and I have to admit that it's a rather fun ride. :)

Dash!

Where else can you find a hero's name quite so dashing? And then there are the funny bits.. and there are quite a few funny bits. I personally LOVED the world's smallest Giant Robot. He not only grew on me, but he became a very cool and well-rounded character in his own right. :)

But mostly, this is all a straight adventure that takes us to through Spider Gods and massive robot slave empires and a perfectly reasonable main plot mystery revolving the lost jobs of the switchboard women who I could almost see wearing hairnets and be being totally 1930's prim.

But most of all, there is a lot of love for all the classic adventures and the time period, the optimism, the sheer delight of funny and sometimes really fascinating personal tech, the excitement and thrill of getting your ear blown off, the sting of rejection letters sent from fiction editors.

Not only is our intrepid hero a dashing private-eye-ish adventure hero, but he also writes. :) Gotta love it. :)

RETROPOLIS! :)

What can I say? I had fun. Very cool SF/mystery mashup that updates the tech but brings us right back into a more hopeful SF time.

An unusual book, in an enjoyable way; full of the tropes of 1930s pulp adventure, and yet told in a matter-of-fact, wry style rather than the hyperbolic manner of the early pulps. The chapter headings are the most hyperbolic thing about it; everything else is, if anything, understated. The hero approaches the problems he faces systematically, drawing on extensive practice, and apart from calling himself "Dash" is almost self-effacing. The main female character is firmly assertive about not being excluded from danger, and Dash is smart enough not to argue too much.

I was concerned early on when a number of short scenes introduced separate characters who were, it seemed at first, pursuing unconnected agendas. This is a style I've seen used before in humourous fiction, and it can easily lead to an overcomplicated plot full of underdeveloped characters - a sure formula for me to lose interest.

The plot was complicated, and the characters were not the deepest I've ever seen, but they were as deep as they needed to be for pulp fiction. And before too long, their stories started to intersect.

I did enjoy the way in which everyone, except the villains, just took it as a basic truth that mechanical people were people just like biological people, and that no right-thinking person would deny them equal rights. There are a large number of good people in this book, and they cooperate very well. Even the Priests of the Spider God have their code of honour. The outright villains are an engineer who wants everything to be tidy, and two small children.

I'm a difficult audience for comedy, and not easily amused, but I was amused by this. Recommended.