Frank Reade, Jr., and His New Steam Man; Or, The Young Inventor's Trip to the Far West
1894
Frank Reade, Jr., and His New Steam Man; Or, The Young Inventor's Trip to the Far West
1894
This is where American steampunk begins. Before the genre had a name, Luis Senarens was writing Frank Reade Jr. into legend, creating one of the most beloved characters in dime novel history. Frank Jr. has outdone his famous father, building something the world has never seen: a Steam Man, a walking engine of brass and fire that walks the prairie and answers to its creator's command. When Jim Travers, an old friend of Frank Sr., is framed for murder he didn't commit, the young inventor heads west with his creation. The Steam Man becomes detective, protector, and wonder all at once as Frank races to clear Travers' name before the law or vigilantes find him. Cavalry, wily opponents, and the vast frontier stand between innocence and justice. It's a ripping adventure that also captures turn-of-the-century America in all its restless, mechanical, complicated glory.
