Steampunk Short Story

Cast out of the craft hall in his prime and bitter from his many losses, a blind artificer has taken on an apprentice to make what he no longer can: a device that will enter him into the Grand Competition.

The Artificer’s Apprentice is a short story set in a medieval city where magic and technology blend seamlessly and the Artificer guilds make handsome profits keeping the city's systems running. The leaders of these guilds have complete control over their members, but one man is about to challenge that authority.

The Artificer's Apprentice by DJ Edwardson is a short story with a steampunk theme. Talomai has had his life ripped apart by the guild, only to lose his eyesight as well, but he retains his incredible skill nonetheless. He's bound and determined to exact justice for the wrongs done to him and, instead, exacts something far more valuable.

While the ending is fantastic, I felt like I really had to work to get there. I understand wanting to describe the inventions, but there is an overabundance of descriptions, taking away from the personal aspect of Talomai's conflict. I think this would have been better as flash fiction piece, with more focus on the characters instead of the objects.

As always,
AstraDaemon