Angelmaker

Abstract

Angelmaker follows Joe Spork, the son of a British gangster. He distances himself from his family’s criminal past, and becomes a clockmaker and a restorer of numerous mechanical devices, pursuing a quiet life. During the course of his job, he is visited several times by an elderly lady named Edie Banister, a regular client of his. Suddenly, Joe’s peaceful life is disrupted when he accidentally activates a strange mechanical device which was brought to him for reparation. It is then revealed that this machine is actually a doomsday device – the Apprehension Engine –, capable of causing catastrophic events and the killing of millions of people. It is also revealed that Edie is a retired super-spy, and she and her husband were both responsible for the creation of the Apprehension Engine, which was originally built to create universal truth and harmony. Edie fears that, in the wrong hands, the use of the device could lead to global disaster, and her fear is proved right when Joe’s handling and activation of the device starts to attract a number of powerful and dangerous individuals and organisations. These intend to harness the machine’s power, and include a South Asian dictator who plans to use the device for nefarious purposes, as well as the Ruskinites, a cult-like secret organisation wanting to restore order and control to the world. Edie then allies with Joe to combat those who seek to misuse the device. The novel explores the potential misuse of advanced technologies, and the interests underlying their creation.