When a Metaphor Isn’t
The book kicks off with a metaphor that turns out to not actually be a metaphor, but a term with a much more literal meaning. It is a clever touch, but one that perhaps could only be gotten away in either a science fiction story or a young adult novel. The novel has aspects of science fiction, but also incorporates many other genres so it turns out to be quite up to the job of starting things out by turning the table on a familiar metaphorical phrase:
“My father had a face that could stop a clock. I don’t mean that he was ugly or anything; it was a phrase the ChronoGuard used to describe someone who had the power to reduce time to an ultraslow trickle.”
Do Aerial Sheep Dream of Cotton Candy Clouds?
Apparently, “aerial sheep” is a term that refers to the shape a flock makes when seem from above, most often using a drone to capture the perspective. One must assume this is what the following metaphor implies, though anyone unfamiliar with the concept of aerial sheep might logically leap to the conclusion it is a fantasy term from the alternative timeline where airship travel is commonplace:
“It was a glorious sunny day, and the airship droned past the small puffy clouds that punctuated the sky like a flock of aerial sheep.”
“The first casualty of war is always truth.”
Engaging this particular metaphor on its own would be a very bad idea unless the purpose was to be ironic or satirical. Some metaphorical phrase are so lodged into the public consciousness that they become a potential time bomb that explodes too early for the author and right in his face. Fortunately, the author is obviously aware of this danger because the phrase is introduced with a disclaimer that immediately prefaces it: “Sister dearest, I know this is an old cliché but it’s true…”
“Love is like oxygen, Bowden.”
On the other hand, giving a character this metaphorical observation to state in conversation without at least giving the reader some hint of an allusion to the band Sweet and their song of the same time is most definitely an error in judgement. Unless, of course, the author actually is completely unfamiliar with the 1970’s classic rock standard. While the usage does not perhaps veer into the sphere of overused cliché like the above example, throwing it out there without some not of acknowledgement seems like a some kind of blitz upon the origin or something.
Crimea for the Love of Criminy!
Keep in mind this novel presents an alternative history and in that history, the Crimean War is big stuff. Really big stuff. Like the kind of big that gives rise to metaphors that make absolutely no sense in our own timeline:
“I replied, heart thumping like the artillery in the Crimea.”
“the plasma rifle is about as much use in the Crimea as a broom handle.”
“Compared to the Crimea, this is small beer”
