The Inexplicables [Dramatized Adaptation]

Written by Cherie Priest

Narrated by A Full Cast, Scott McCormick, Richard Rohan and 18 more

Rector “Wreck ‘em” Sherman was orphaned as a toddler in the Blight of 1863, but that was years ago. Wreck has grown up, and on his eighteenth birthday, he'll be cast out out of the orphanage. And Wreck's problems aren't merely about finding a home. He's been quietly breaking the cardinal rule of any good drug dealer and dipping into his own supply of the sap he sells. He's also pretty sure he's being haunted by the ghost of a kid he used to know—Zeke Wilkes, who almost certainly died six months ago. Zeke would have every reason to pester Wreck, since Wreck got him inside the walled city of Seattle in the first place, and that was probably what killed him.Maybe it's only a guilty conscience, but Wreck can't take it anymore, so he sneaks over the wall.

The walled-off wasteland of Seattle is every bit as bad as he'd heard, chock-full of the hungry un-dead and utterly choked by the poisonous, inescapable yellow gas. And then there's the monster. Rector's pretty certain that whatever attacked him was not at all human—and not a rotter, either. Arms far too long. Posture all strange. Eyes all wild and faintly glowing gold and known to the locals as simply ""The Inexplicables.""

In the process of tracking down these creatures, Rector comes across another incursion through the wall—just as bizarre but entirely attributable to human greed. It seems some outsiders have decided there's gold to be found in the city and they're willing to do whatever it takes to get a piece of the pie unless Rector and his posse have anything to do with it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: GraphicAudio
• Release date: Jun 3, 2020
• ISBN: 9781648814105

Cherie Priest

Cherie Priest is the author of two dozen books and novellas, including the horror novel The Toll, acclaimed gothic Maplecroft, and the award-winning Clockwork Century series, beginning with Boneshaker. She has been nominated for the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award, and she won the Locus Award for best horror novel. Her books have been translated into nine languages in eleven countries. She lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband and a menagerie of exceedingly photogenic pets.

Reviews for The Inexplicables [Dramatized Adaptation]

[lkayc-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Unlike the fast-moving and exciting BONESHAKER, an irritating and unappealing lead character makes THE INEXPLICABLES a hard slog.

[schlyne · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not as good as the others. I think it's the main characters and the premise of this book isn't as interesting or as exciting to me.

[nnschiller · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I like Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century stories. This one read a wee bit flat to me, but I'm not sure that is the fault of the book. I was distracted as I read it and never really settled fully into it.

It seemed fitting to have a sap addict (recovering) as the protagonist and I really enjoyed seeing Princess Sealth take a more central role. Beyond that, it seemed to just be another visit to the Doornails. This is a good thing, but not as interesting as other gifts Priest has given us in this series.

[1randal-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I have enjoyed Cherie Priest's prior books in this series. I enjoy the characters and their development, and the fast-paced action. However, I believe with this book, like Fonzie on waterski's, the series has "jumped the shark". Was the introduction of a blight-poisoned Sasquatch really necessary? The time spent on this tangent would have been much better applied to a further description of the underground and how it was being rebuilt. Maybe next time?

[jcmontgomery · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have been a huge fan of Cherie Priest since Boneshaker and The Inexplicables just makes my fan crush that much stronger. It was supposed to be the last in the series, but lo and behold another book is out and I can't wait to get my mitts on that one.

[bluesalamanders · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While I like this series as a whole, The Inexplicables is definitely the weakest book. The story and characters just weren't as interesting as the other books, the mystery and explanation of the "inexplicables" didn't seem especially important to the plot and everything seemed to wrap up a bit too quickly and tidily at the end. In short, a disappointing book in an otherwise excellent series.

[thelostentwife · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If there is a series that I am an evangelist for, it's Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century books. The moment any friend expresses an interest, passing or intent, the first word out of my mouth is Boneshaker. I have been reading Priest's books since Boneshaker was released and while some are stronger than others, each of them is enough to fan my addiction to her writing to an even higher level. The Inexplicables is no different.Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Dec. 13, 2013.

[lauriebrown54 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

‘The Inexplicables’ takes us back to the zombie ridden; poison gas saturated Seattle of the late 1800s that Priest brought to life in ‘Boneshaker’. This time, the main protagonist is Rector ‘Wreck ‘em’ Sherman, an orphan who has just turned 18 (or thereabouts) and so is evicted from the orphanage he grew up in. Feeling guilty over helping his friend Zeke enter the deadly Seattle, and thus condemning him to death, the sap addicted Rector himself seeks entry to the walled city. Imagine his surprise to find that not only are there people in the city, but one of them is Zeke, alive and well. But along with its regular woes of zombies and poison gas, Seattle is being haunted by some creatures that aren’t zombies, creatures they dub the Inexplicables. At the same time, something is happening to the city’s zombie population. Are the two things connected? Seattle’s various peoples will have to work together settle things. I love this series and I was glad to see this story set back in Seattle, the place where the characters from all the books congregate. I love its underground world and the characters that live there. While this story isn’t as much flat out action as some of the others, a lot of character development happens and there are still plenty of perilous things happening. I enjoyed seeing some Pacific Northwest mythology come to life, too. A very satisfactory addition to the series.

[exlibrisvita · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Nowhere near as good as Boneshaker. This series had fallen apart and holds almost none of its original charm. This is just a boring book without a lot going for it. I hate to say that because I loved the earlier books.

[shelley.s · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Inexplicables Rate: 3/5My second 'steampunk' novel by Cherie Priest (although its book 5) and i loved it. I love that it had the same characters in it as Boneshaker and they've all come a long way since then, the character development was nice to see. Again its action packed with a new guy, Rector as the main character. Whilst Rector is not massively likable, a sap addict that will nab anything that's not nailed down, the story is gripping enough that you don't really mind. Only thing i would say which was a slight down side is the the 'inexplicable' monster is actually only a small part of the storyline and is kind of irrelevant but again it didnt really take anything away from the story for me. I wish i had read the books in order, sadly Clementine is out of print so i couldn't actually get it and ened up ordering Inexpliacbles instead of Dreadnought by mistake but i really did enjoy it so nothing lost there

[ladycato · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is yet another solid volume in the Clockwork Century series that begins with Boneshaker, and this is the only one other than that first book that fully takes place in walled-off post-apocalyptic Seattle. Though my favorite in the series involves traveling across the prolonged Civil War midwest (Dreadnought), it was great to return to Seattle in this book. Priest has created such a vivid environment, with survivors living in tunnels beneath the city, dodging rotters (aka zombies) in the yellow-fogged streets above, even as conflicts between the subterranean communities of the whites and Chinese threaten to pull everyone apart.The past two books have involved protagonists I don't immediately latch onto. The last book had a madam; this one has a drug addict. However, I found Wreck the sap-addict's story more compelling. He's really a kid who was lost from the start--an original orphan from the Blight, tossed into an orphanage and left largely to his own devices. He has some annoying character quirks--like whining a lot--but it's not too annoying. It makes him sound like a real teenage boy, and one who's had a hard life. Also, I really like how his battle against addiction is woven into the narrative. It sets up a nice conflict when the sap-addict has to confront what sap causes in the end: zombies. I was reminded of before and after pictures of meth users, though this is a tad more extreme.The Inexplicables is a fast, easy read. The stakes don't feel as high as in previous books, and the climax isn't as big, but that was fine by me. It provided adventure and a good escape, and reminds me of why I continue to read the series.

[jeremypreacher · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was a little nervous about this book. I have liked every Clockwork Century better than the one before it, largely because I enjoy the expanding scope of the story, and returning to the literal bubble of Seattle wasn't all that appealing. But I was pleased to find it an excellent, tight adventure with engaging characters that very much reflected the larger picture, even though it stayed within the microcosm of Seattle. I am still dying for some of the major mysteries to be resolved - they very much are not, here - but The Inexplicables was a good enough book that I am prepared to continue to wait.

[silentq_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story in the Clockwork Century world is told from the perspective of a minor character from Boneshaker, and it's nice to get back to Seattle where we started, rotters and all. Or are there any rotters left? They seem to be missing, but a huge scary creature has taken their place in the "watch your back" category. The gas is ever present, but there's less focus on using the gas masks this time around. Lots of familiar faces, a decent mystery, and hints of more to find out as the series progresses. It felt a bit thin though, more in the YA than the adult range of meatiness.

[amandrake_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Yet again Cherie Priest pulls an interesting protagonist out of the bag of tricks that is her "Clockwork Century" novels. Solid, but my least favorite in the series so far.

[deweyever · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

steampunk - very enjoyable. has a story of redemption from addiction hidden in it. will read any sequels

[g33kgrrl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The fifth book in Cherie Priest's Clockwork Century series, The Inexplicables continues the story of Blight-choked Seattle and the communities settling there. Readers are treated to a new narrator but will catch up with old friends from the previous books. This is definitely a continuation of the original Boneshaker, much more so than any of the earlier books. The webs from all the previous books come together, though, and relationships evolve on pace. If you've made it this far in the series, it's a comfortable book to pick up and read. There are a few new and exciting things - animal reactions to the Blight leading to different reactions than humans have - but the main drama in the story is all-too-human: Seattle is being invaded, and anyone who wants to invade a city choked with fumes that turn humans into the walking dead is probably up to no good. I enjoyed this book because Priest writes in an engaging and enjoyable way, with friendly characters and interesting stories, and because by now I'm really invested in the world. This felt like a conjunction of a book to me, though - one that holds two different things together - especially with the question mark of an ending. I liked Clementine for showing an entirely different side of the war and bringing up the hard questions about ongoing slavery and what that means, Ganymede for war-torn New Orleans and ratcheting the tension up to 11, and I loved Dreadnought for the hard-nosed, no-nonsense, sensible but caring nurse who narrated for us (and we glimpse Mercy here and there in The Inexplicables, much to my joy). But there was nothing that particularly made The Inexplicables stand out on its own and really sparkle. Which is ok, honestly - the bar for these books is very high, given Priest's earlier work, and I enjoy her world- and character-building enough I was perfectly happy just to hang out in those places with those people again. I am already looking forward to the next book, though, and hope it stretches things a bit farther. This book also got me a seat on the Blue Line, given up by a fellow fan one night on my way home, so I can definitely recommend it for public transit reading.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the fourth book in the Clockwork Century series. It is a well done steampunk novel, but I had some trouble connecting with the main characters and staying engaged in the story.The main character Wreck, is a sap-addicted orphan who's been thrown out of the orphanage after turning 19. He decides to head beyond the Wall to Seattle to try and find a job dealing sap. When he gets there he meets Zeke and Huey and ends up wrapped up in an adventure to save the city and discover what a strange creature haunting the night really is.This is very well written but just wasn't that engaging to me. Wreck is not a likable character; he is lazy and likes to take advantage of people...this made him hard to engage with. While it was nice to see Zeke in the story (he was in Boneshaker) I still had trouble engaging and relating with any of the characters in this story.The story moves slowly and it takes quite a while to get to the point of the story. I just had a lot of trouble staying engaged in the story up until the last fourth of the book or so. My mind kept wandering. The first part of the book is basically about Wreck getting past the Wall and finding his way around Seattle amidst the zombifying gas and different factions.This book is very steampunk; you have zombies, gas masks, steam driven power, and all things steampunkish. Priest is always spot on with the steampunk elements of her books.The story is fairly predictable and, as I mentioned, I had a tough time staying engaged in what was going on. When it came right down to it the mysterious zombie disappearances and the mysterious creature in the night just weren’t enough to really drive this story and keep it interesting.Overall an okay steampunk read. I thought earlier books in this series were better. Still, if you are a huge steampunk fan you might want to give this a read. The main character is just very hard to relate to. I’d recommend reading Boneshaker over this book, I would also recommend Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan series as an excellent steampunk read.

[devilwrites · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The premise: ganked from BN.com: Rector “Wreck ‘em” Sherman was orphaned as a toddler in the Blight of 1863, but that was years ago. Wreck has grown up, and on his eighteenth birthday, he’ll be cast out out of the orphanage.And Wreck’s problems aren’t merely about finding a home. He’s been quietly breaking the cardinal rule of any good drug dealer and dipping into his own supply of the sap he sells. He’s also pretty sure he’s being haunted by the ghost of a kid he used to know—Zeke Wilkes, who almost certainly died six months ago. Zeke would have every reason to pester Wreck, since Wreck got him inside the walled city of Seattle in the first place, and that was probably what killed him.Maybe it’s only a guilty conscience, but Wreck can’t take it anymore, so he sneaks over the wall.The walled-off wasteland of Seattle is every bit as bad as he’d heard, chock-full of the hungry undead and utterly choked by the poisonous, inescapable yellow gas. And then there's the monster. Rector's pretty certain that whatever attacked him was not at all human—and not a rotter, either. Arms far too long. Posture all strange. Eyes all wild and faintly glowing gold and known to the locals as simply "The Inexplicables."In the process of tracking down these creatures, Rector comes across another incursion through the wall—just as bizarre but entirely attributable to human greed. It seems some outsiders have decided there's gold to be found in the city and they're willing to do whatever it takes to get a piece of the pie unless Rector and his posse have anything to do with it.My Rating: Good ReadAnother entertaining installment of the Clockwork Century, and one that mixes up the formula a bit from what we're used to. That being said, I'm utterly enjoying this series and will happily lap up whatever Priest chooses to toss my way. I'm getting the feeling that a lot of groundwork was laid behind all the adventure of The Inexplicables, because I can see certain elements and revelations coming back and playing a role in the story at large. Obviously, I'll be around for it, whatever happens. And like all of Priests' A Clockwork Century series, you can read this book without having read any of the previous ones. But it'll mean more to you if you've read the previous ones. Trust me. ;)Spoilers, yay or nay?: Yay, because I have to talk about what the title is referring to, because it's too awesome not to talk about! If you're wanting to remain spoiler-free, do not read the full review at my blog. Everyone else, comments and discussion is most welcome, so feel free to click the link below to go to the full review!REVIEW: Cherie Priest's THE INEXPLICABLESHappy Reading!

[pghdragonman · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I’ve lost track of what volume number in the Clockwork Century Series The Inexplicables represents, but the mind, and pen, of Cherie Priest delivers this installment in a way that is still refreshing. The usual cast of characters is there, plus a new teen protagonist. If this is your first venture into this alternate late nineteenth century, shame on you for not discovering it sooner! No worries, though, as there are enough mild explanations as to who the cast of characters are that you should be up to date in no time. For veterans of this blight filled Seattle, there is more history of revealed.Perhaps because this story comes back inside Seattle, I felt The Inexplicables was the strongest since the original Clockwork Century novel, Boneshaker. The big twist here, without giving away too much, was a guest appearance by Sasquatch. While some may argue that the Sasquatch related elements could be removed without influencing the plot, I have a distinct feeling this character will be back. I’ve come to appreciate Ms Priest’s storytelling and don’t think she would introduce such an element unless there was a really good reason to bring that character in.I am also coming to appreciate some of the underlying social commentary that runs through this Time That Never Was. In addition to advancing the Good Guys vs Bad Guys plot, we have a story of redemption. Rector Sherman, the newest character, lives in an orphanage and makes money on the side selling “Sap” . . . when he’s not sampling from his latest batch. When we meet Rector, he is at the end of his time in the orphanage and possibly near the end of his life because of the drug usage. Through support of friends he finds physical redemption and by the time we leave him, he is well on the road to physical recovery. My compliments to the author for getting this across, without having to hit the reader over the head with this moral, while still advancing the rest of the plot.The action is well paced and the dialog is well done. The development of the main characters is very well done. The flaws lie in the development of secondary characters. For the most part, they are confined to the wings: they are talked about, but there is no real history revealed about them and not much development of these secondary characters. While the science may be somewhat flawed, you just need to remind yourself, this is Steampunk. Science is reinvented and reconceived as needed to fit the times.Despite these misgivings, The Inexplicables is thoroughly enjoyable and a welcome addition to the Clockwork Century. Overall, I’ll go four stars for this work. If you’re a fan of this series, you need it for your collection. If you are new to Steampunk, the American twist is refreshing.