"The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands" | Reviewed by Nelson Appell

“The Cautious Traveller’s Guide to the Wastelands,” by Sarah Brooks, is an intriguing, spooky genre-mashup—a historical fantasy with steampunk elements, the supernatural and, rising above all else, weird eco (system).

             The setup: It is 1899, and the Trans-Siberia Company runs a stempunkish train 4,000 miles between Beijing to Moscow. They have a monopoly, since the train passes through the Siberian Wastelands, a dangerous and mysterious land that changes and behaves in inexplicable ways. Passengers are monitored by train employees to not look out the window too long before they are harmed by the land. Exposure to the environment is deadly.

             On the train’s last journey, something terrible happened, but no passenger—or employee—can remember exactly what occurred. The train’s operation has been temporarily suspended, blame apportioned, and now the Company insists the train resume its profit-making trips.

             All is not right, as you might guess. Marya, daughter of a disgraced glass engineer, boards the train with her own agenda. Several other passengers carry, along with their belongings, plans and agendas. Several mysteries work at once, including “What Happened on the Last Trip?” And of course: “What exactly is the Wastelands and how does it conceal its mysteries? “

             With that, the steampunk train starts its fateful trip.

             Passengers are separated into first and third class, with specialized train cars dividing them. One car has a special observatory built into it for scientific studies of the Wastelands. The Crows—two placid-faced advisors of the company—monitor the entire journey, popping up to ensure the company’s agenda gets first priority. The train’s captain remains separate from the crew and passengers, seldom venturing out into the train.

             Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character. The book is further divided into several sections that comprise days of the trips. We’re on a journey of discovery, right along with the passengers

             Weiwei was my favorite character. She was born on the train and lived her entire life moving back and forth through the Wastelands. Her story intersects with the other stories as she moves freely about the train’s many areas.

             No spoilers here—this is an excellent, slow-burning journey through the Wastelands, filled with complex characters, wonderful writing, and intriguing mysteries. I had no idea how Brooks was going to conclude this journey, and she surprised me with an unexpected yet satisfying ending.

             If you enjoyed Jeff Vandemeer’s popular Southern Reach trilogy, this one is for you.

            Buy the Book.