The Doomsday Machine (Horatio Lyle) Paperback – International Edition, January 24, 2008

The Doomsday Machine is the sequel to The Obsidian Dagger: Being the Further Extraordinary Adventures of Horatio Lyle, and thus the third book in the Horatio Lyle series. You really need to have read the first book in the series, The Extraordinary and Unusual Adventures of Horatio Lyle, for this to make any sense.In the London of 1865, Special Constable Horatio Lyle sets out to find the scientist Andrew Berwick, when it becomes obvious that his missing friend is the target of an urgent hunt. He stumbles into a plot to eliminate the Tseiqin, a race of sidhe-like beings, using the science he loves and has devoted his life to. He knows better than most the threat the Tseiqin pose to humanity, but genocide? And how can he stop the Machine when the forces opposing him are so strong and are threatening the lives of his friends, Tess and Thomas?The Doomsday Machine has the same strengths as previous entries in the series - engaging and likable characters, an atmospheric setting, a plot with consequences, exciting action sequences and an appropriate ending - but it also has some weaknesses that made it less enjoyable for me. Lin Zi, a Tseiqin woman sent to assist Lyle, is supposed to be quirkily charming but I just found her annoying. Havelock is so very black, and his past history with Lyle so completely lacking in depth, that it's hard to take him seriously as a character at all, let alone the arch-villain. Lyle is put through so much in this book that I almost thought I was reading The Martyrdom of Horatio Lyle. Webb appears to have had an attack of political correctness, throwing in elements lacking from the previous books so 21st-century sensibilities can be demonstrated by the good guys. Thomas' father forgets that he knows perfectly well who Lyle is and has met him before, and his character keeps changing to fit the needs of the moment. Thomas himself simply isn't given enough to do.Yet other readers may not be bothered by these factors at all. The Doomsday Machine maintains the series' positive attitude towards humans and their works and there's a lot of fun and humour to balance the dark moments. Webb's distinctive style won't be to everyone's taste, but this is a very well constructed tale. Due to the complexity of the language, this book is suitable for older children. There's no sex or swearing, and while there's a reasonable amount of violence, there's no lingering over the gory details. Anachronisms do appear and there's no pretence that the language is purely period-accurate. Lame cover, too, which is nowhere near as good as the original.Well worth reading if you're looking for a Victorian adventure with a touch of magic, but it's not a stand-alone.