O One, by Chris Roberson

O One puts me very much in mind of the much more complete treatment of this theme in Sean McMullen's Greatwinter triolgy, which precedes it.  O One got a World Fantasy Award nomination for 2004, while Greatwinter was begun in 1999.  In O One we see the failure of Babbage's Analytical Engine once again, this time due to conspiracy by the Head Calculator.  It's a nice story, somewhat predictable, but interesting to recognize the theme.  If you think you would like a story about humans harnessed to calculation, I can recommend the Greatwinter trilogy highly.  I bought it on somewhat of a whim, it being on display for at least two years in a Barnes & Noble I frequented.  It turned out to be highly entertaining.  3 stars for O One.