Book Review – The Light Ages

Author: Ian R. MacLeod
Publisher: ACE
Binding: Hardcover
Publication Date: 2003

Ian R. MacLeod’s “The Light Ages” casts Industrial Revolution-era England in a new mold with a mix of fantasy elements, politics and revolution, and a re-imagined history.

It’s the third Age of Industry in England. The world has been changed forever by the discovery of aether, a precious substance that allows the use of magic. The mining of aether is a flourishing industry and the guilds that hold the political power in England are dependent on it for all manner of purposes including architecture and creating mythical beasts like dragons as pets for the wealthy. As might be expected, the discovery of aether has had consequences including the mutation of some people into “changelings” and an over-dependency on aether.

The story follows Robert Borrows, a young man growing up in the small town of Bracebridge, centered around a major aether mine, where the sound of the aether-extracting engines are a constant companion wherever one goes. After Robert’s mother unexpectedly suffers a long-delayed transformation into a changeling, Robert meets a mysterious young girl named Annalise, with whom he will cross paths in later years.

Upon his flight to London to escape Bracebridge and the curse of aether, Robert becomes a revolutionary, seeking to bring down the dominance of the rich guilds who live well at the expense of the poor lower-class citizens, and usher in a new Age. His quest will eventually bring him into conflict with Annalise who has embraced the upper-class life, even as their purposes become entwined to discover the secrets that lie in their pasts and those of their parents, leading them inevitably back to Bracebridge.

I’ve read comments regarding “The Light Ages” that compare it with China Mieville’s work, and there is a certain amount of truth to this. However, while “The Light Ages” does introduce fantasy elements into the story, they’re not quite so heavily used as with Mieville’s work (this isn’t intended as a slight against either author). “The Light Ages” focuses more on the very real human stories of Robert and Annalise, but the fantasy elements are critical to the story and are woven very well into the overall fabric.

As a whole, I thoroughly enjoyed “The Light Ages”. It’s a very intelligent and complex story that once again proves that fantasy can be literature with a capital L.

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