Metamorphosis

The third volume in “The Ehrich Weisz Chronicles” returns to the steampunk tale of multiple universes or dimensions set in a New York City alternate version of our own 1893 New York. The hero, fugitive teenage Ehrich Weisz, is attempting to return his younger brother Dash to their home dimension. Tensions continue to grow between the locals and the Dimensionals who are fugitives fleeing to this world from other war-torn dimensions. Local NYC authorities led by Thomas Edison and his Demon Watch attempt to suppress the flow of refugees and punish any criminal activity. Edison plans to electrocute 54 Dimensionals in retribution for the Oriental Clipper affair.

Ehrich and his friends, Mr. Tesla, Mr. Serenity, and Amina, must act as a counter-balance to Dimensional suppression and stop Edison while attempting to prevent a dangerous inter-dimensional conqueror and destroyer of worlds, Ba Tian, from succeeding in invading and destroying this world. They have already foiled Ba Tian’s first attempt in the second book of the trilogy, Infinity Coil.

Metamorphosis includes quite an assortment of villains including one fiend, Ole Lukoje, whose favorite food is human eyeballs. Our heroes prevail in the final battle, and the trilogy comes to a satisfactory conclusion. The tale is particularly current with its description of the treatment by the local inhabitants of the dimensional refugees who are only seeking a better life.

Metamorphosis is a novel for readers who enjoy complex plots, steampunk settings, and plenty of action. The author makes an effort to provide some background in the early part of the book, but this is one trilogy where it is a definite advantage to read the books in published order to be best able to follow the tale’s twists and turns and track the characters who were introduced in the earlier volumes.