Timekeeper

In an alternate Victorian England, clock towers control time itself, and trained mechanics maintain these towers to keep time flowing properly. Danny Hart, a teenage clock mechanic prodigy, takes an assignment to repair a tower in the distant town of Enfield after recovering from a traumatic incident at another location. Danny discovers that clock spirits - human manifestations of the towers themselves - are real, despite this being considered impossible. His work in Enfield becomes complicated when he develops feelings for the clock spirit there, even though relationships between mechanics and clock spirits are strictly forbidden. As Danny works to fix the damaged tower, he uncovers secrets about the nature of time and the true purpose of the clock towers. His investigation leads him into conflict with those who want to maintain the current system of time control. This steampunk fantasy explores themes of control versus freedom, the fluid nature of time, and the price of progress. Through Danny's story, the novel examines how rules and traditions can both protect and confine society.

Readers describe Timekeeper as a steampunk romance with creative worldbuilding but uneven pacing. The book maintains a 3.8/5 rating on Goodreads (14,000+ ratings) and 4.4/5 on Amazon (200+ ratings). Readers praised: - The Victorian steampunk atmosphere and clock tower mechanics - LGBTQ+ representation in a historical fantasy setting - Character development between Danny and Colton - Original take on time manipulation Readers disliked: - Slow first half with exposition-heavy sections - Romance overshadowing the plot in later chapters - Some plot threads left unresolved - Limited development of secondary characters Multiple reviewers noted the book reads more like a romance novel than fantasy/sci-fi. Several mentioned struggling through the first 100 pages before the story picked up pace. Common feedback highlighted strong chemistry between the main characters but wanted more focus on the time manipulation elements and worldbuilding mechanics.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley A clockmaker in Victorian London becomes entangled with a Japanese watchmaker who can remember the future through mechanical creations.

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab A woman makes a deal with a god of darkness and must navigate time through centuries while unable to leave a mark on the world or be remembered.

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune A timekeeper at a magical bureaucracy discovers love and family while investigating an orphanage of dangerous children.

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar Two agents from opposing factions in a time war communicate through letters hidden across time and space.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Two magicians bound by fate compete through elaborate magical displays in a mysterious circus that appears without warning.

🕰️ Author Tara Sim wrote the first draft of Timekeeper during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), completing it in just 30 days. ⚙️ The book's Victorian steampunk setting was inspired by the author's love of Doctor Who and her fascination with London's historical clocktowers. 🌈 Timekeeper features one of the earliest mainstream YA steampunk novels with an openly LGBTQ+ protagonist. 🗼 The clock towers in the story were inspired by real Victorian-era towers, including London's Big Ben and the Rajabai Clock Tower in Mumbai. 💫 The trilogy's magic system, where clock towers control time itself, was developed from the author wondering what would happen if time was a physical, manipulatable force rather than an abstract concept.