The Witches of Chiswick

The Witches of Chiswick follows William Starling, a 23rd-century worker who discovers an anomalous Victorian painting containing an impossible detail - a digital watch. His investigation leads him to consume a drug that allows access to ancestral memories, setting off a chain of events that propels him into Victorian London. In 19th century London, William meets Hugo Rune, his ancestor, and uncovers a hidden version of history where Charles Babbage's mechanical computers revolutionized the British Empire with advanced technology. The pair teams up with notable Victorian figures including Sherlock Holmes and H.G. Wells to investigate a conspiracy involving a powerful witches' cabal and Jack the Ripper. The narrative spans multiple timelines, alternate futures, and features an array of historical and fictional characters as William attempts to preserve both past and future from manipulation by dark forces. A mysterious object called Barry the Sprout Guardian enables travel between time periods. Rankin's novel blends steampunk elements with supernatural horror, exploring themes of historical truth versus manufactured reality while questioning the nature of technological progress and its impact on society.

Readers describe The Witches of Chiswick as a chaotic, meandering story that either delights or frustrates based on one's tolerance for Rankin's style of humor. Readers appreciated: - The absurdist British humor and wordplay - Creative blending of time travel, steampunk, and conspiracy theories - References to Victorian literature and history - Return of recurring Rankin characters Common criticisms: - Plot becomes too convoluted and hard to follow - Humor feels forced and repetitive - Too many tangential asides interrupt the story flow - Characters lack depth beyond serving jokes Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (483 ratings) Amazon UK: 3.9/5 (31 ratings) "Like being trapped in someone else's fever dream," wrote one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads reader noted: "Either you're on board with the madness or you're not - there's no middle ground with Rankin's style."

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🔸 Charles Babbage's Difference Engine, referenced in the book, was a real mechanical computer designed in the 1820s but never fully constructed during his lifetime due to funding issues and technical limitations. 🔸 Robert Rankin has written over 40 novels and is known as one of the pioneers of "Far-Fetched Fiction," a genre that combines humor, fantasy, and science fiction elements with outlandish plots. 🔸 The Victorian era saw a significant rise in interest in spiritualism and occult practices, with many secret societies and mystical orders forming in London during this period. 🔸 H.G. Wells, featured as a character in the book, is credited with popularizing many common science fiction concepts, including time travel, in his 1895 novel "The Time Machine." 🔸 The steampunk genre, which the book partially inhabits, originated from the works of K.W. Jeter, who coined the term in 1987 as a playful variant of cyberpunk to describe Victorian fantasy novels.