Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom: A Novel of Retropolis - Hardcover

Schenck, Bradley W.

3.69

141 ratings by Goodreads

9780765383297: Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom: A Novel of Retropolis

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0765383292 ISBN 13: 9780765383297

Publisher: Tor Books, 2017

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ROCKETS. ROBOTS. DEATH RAYS. MAD SCIENCE. THE FUTURE THAT NEVER WAS IS BACK.

If Fritz Lang’s Metropolis somehow mated with Futurama, their mutant offspring might well be Slaves of the Switchboard of Doom. Inspired by the future imagined in the 1939 World Fair, this hilarious, beautifully illustrated adventure by writer and artist Bradley W. Schenck is utterly unlike anything else in science fiction: a gonzo, totally bonkers, gut-busting look at the World of Tomorrow, populated with dashing, bubble-helmeted heroes, faithful robot sidekicks, mad scientists, plucky rocket engineers, sassy switchboard operators, space pirates, and much, much more―enhanced throughout by two dozen astonishing illustrations.

After a surprise efficiency review, the switchboard operators of Retropolis are replaced by a mysterious system beyond their comprehension. Dash Kent, freelance adventurer and apartment manager, is hired to get to the bottom of it, and discovers that the replacement switchboard is only one element of a plan concocted by an insane civil engineer: a plan so vast that it reaches from Retropolis to the Moon. And no one―not the Space Patrol, nor the Fraternal League of Robotic Persons, nor the mad scientists of Experimental Research District, nor even the priests of the Temple of the Spider God, will know what hit them.

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About the Author:

BRADLEY W. SCHENCK is the owner and operator of the web site Retropolis, which showcases his unique retro-futurist artwork. He has been a digital artist, art director, and video game developer. Bradley is the author of The Lair of the Clockwork Book.

Review:

"The situation is anything but simple in this madcap, retro-futurist vision inspired by the 1939 World's Fair view of science and Superman cartoons of that era.
"Interspersed among the pages of scintillating storytelling are two dozen of Schenck's marvelous illustrations depicting a variety of robots, plucky heroes and heroines, juvenile delinquents, tube and monorail transport systems, plus mad (and madder) scientists.
"For fans of Flash Gordon, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, and of Schenck's Retropolis illustrations, this is a wild ride filled with clever invention and nuanced winks."
-- Booklist

"Fans of the comic novels of Jasper Fforde will feel right at home, and the wonderful illustrations by Schenck add to the fun, making this one of the real treats of the year." ― The Toronto Star

"In this madcap homage to the pulp adventures and fanciful inventions of the early to mid-20th century, debut author and artist Schenck takes readers on a tour of Retropolis, an art deco city whose hallmarks include flying cars, pneumatic tube transports, and indentured robots serving numerous functions... A genuine love for the material makes this a strong and entertaining debut."
-- Publishers Weekly

"...a madcap mash-up of retro-sf, full of fearless heroes and heroines dashing about like Flash Gordon meets the Keystone Cops."- Matthew Hughes

"This novel gave me a happy buzz. Remember when SF used to be upbeat and fun? Well, the fun is back and it's right here."-- F. Paul Wilson, New York Times bestselling author of Repairman Jack

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