Steampunk
 

Please recommend me some classic steampunk literature.

I'm not interested in fashion or dressing up like a Victorian chimney-sweep. I just want recommendations for good, high quality reads that define the genre.

I find it's all over the place in current science fiction, that that I've read little of it.

I almost finished Stephen Hunt's Court of the Air, but something about it bored the shit out of me and I couldn't put it into context. That was before I was really aware of the steampunk theme though.

So, any steampunk novels you can direct me towards? New or old releases.

FYI: I have of course already read Jules Verne and Wells, so let's focus on more contemporary works. Things that came out after the term was coined. Currently looking at Cherie Priest. She's from Seattle and is supposed to be good.

Thanks!

What makes you think this is the right place to ask for accurate advice on literature? Does something here indicates that there might be experts on steampunk around here (which doesn't mean we people here are ignorant, but rather that this is mostly a place interesting for other reasons, kudos for trying to spark some conversation about something [sort of silly but] a bit different, though)? Having said that, maybe you'd like to check out an already existing thread about "cyberpunk", even though it wouldn't lead you to find what you are looking for (something called wikipedia entry could be more useful for that), but it still might be entertaining:
http://www.sonicyouth.com/gossip/showthread.php?t=36074

...And, oh fuck, since the thread is already here, I'll mention (in case it has escaped you in your quest) that William Gibson & Bruce Sterling's "The Difference Engine" is supposed to be considered an obligatory read, and responsible in some sense for spreading the term around, so maybe take that as a suggestion to check that out next. It's good (I think) and it has been recognized for its merits.

Last thing related with this concept that I found slightly interesting was the "Steampunk" comic-book series by Joe Kelly & Chris Bachalo: "Catechism", "Manimatron", and "Drama Obscura"; but it was especially due in great part to the highly intricate and detailed graphic work by Bachalo rather than the context, merits, and development of the story. Mentioning this just in case you might wanna check out the comic books, too (there are other, better things to check out in this sense as well).

I think people like Dead-Air and floatingslowly know more about science fiction and might be a lot more familiar with this genre than some others do (myself included, of course), so I'm now interested in seeing where this thread goes, although I'm almost sure it will be ridiculous and funny pretty soon rather than informative. Maybe if you had asked in regards to scatology, you might have been spot-on and very lucky you did that in this place.

I wasn't impressed with The Difference Engine despite the fact that it's as iconic to steampunk as Neuromancer is to the cyber variety.

Of course I've consulted Wiki on the subject. It's just gathering data from multiple sources. Why did I ask here? Because I post here... I don't post anywhere else, and I am already the sci-fi geek among my friends. I'm just asking around, not expecting much, but figuring "what the fuck?". It took all of a minute to inquire here, and it has already yielded results I hadn't though of or encountered before.

Thanks for the suggestion. I've read Gibson before, as many here probably have, and I'll check that book out asap.

Just curious as to why you're so curious about finding a random topic in a forum designed for random topics. Is this in any way more abnormal than any other topic?

And I didn't ask about or refer to "cyberpunk" because it's not what I want to know about. Simple.

Anyway, thanks for the assistance. I appreciate it. I read a lot of fantasy and some sci-fi, but have just never gotten around to investigating this subgenre. However, i'm finding that many books I've read (like Verne, Wells, the Prestige, etc.) are considered "steampunk", whether I knew it or not, so it may be I know more than I think I do. Besides, this is specifically about SP literature. I've seen movies and read comics in the area before. I'm looking for books right now.

I love William Gibson's short story 'The Gernsback Continuum', in his book Burning Chrome, which seem to be dealing with similar ideas, albeit from a slightly different perspective. Of all the Gibson stuff I've read, including his novels, it's probably my favourite.

If you are looking for "classic" steampunk, the Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom series is "ok" and I'm sure given their age, they are available for free over the web.

I think for me, steampunk is more fun too look at than to read.

My god i hate this phone.

Also, most things written to BE steampunk suck fucks.

Considering wikipedia as only "a gathering of data from multiple sources" might imply you could find some quick references that would lead you on your way to find what you want, in a much faster and efficient way that you would do in a forum which main intent and aspiration is to be the ultimate "soap opera" on the internet or some such shit, according to my own limited and somewhat retarded perception anyway. I am not exactly looking for any confrontation nor against any kind of thread whatsoever, that was just my way of expressing how absurd I do think it is to ask for something in a place with more focus on other themes these days, especially because information is vast, and easy to find, and not exactly prominent in this board if your intent is actually to immerse a little bit deeply in such a branch of art and entertainment. That would be like saying I am interested in quantum physics, and live in a piss-awful neighborhood, but since I'm mostly comfortable with my surroundings and I'm too lazy to go to a library, I reckon I'll just ask that old stinky homeless on the streets (no offense to any of you guys, ha ha). That old bum might be a fucking mastermind able to provide me with the gospel truth on the matter. Maybe your interest is not so serious, though.

Having said that shit, I'm glad you are able to find something useful in this thread (I did too). Even though I reckon I come across as bitter, and I'm really thinking I should have been wiser and avoid posting a mess like this, I do see a bunch of reason in what floatingslowly and demonrail666 have mentioned up to this point and I'm in agreement with their statements even if they seem vaguely contradictory to each other...

Also, my mention of "cyber-punk" was just to acknowledge a knot between the two sub-genres, and just in the same sense of my mention of "The Difference Engine" and also the comic books on the subject, it does imply it might be interesting to explore the forest so to speak, and not only an specific tree. Nothing more than that to it.

Blah, blah. Whatever.

I've done wiki and the library. I guess I'm just looking for a second opinion from someone I trust (even if it's only a little bit ;) )

Basically, I work all day, mostly with condescending over-quailfied but under-educated chauvinistic assholes, and when I'm not working I'm thinking about work. This is an easy access sounding board for someone like me who is too damn busy.

Fair enough. Good luck on your quest.

I don't think I was being contradictory. The story demonrail mentioned is awesome in that it does retroscifi in a way similar to steampunk without falling for the same ol Victorian take on science.

Burroughs can be boring too. I prefer the Martian Chronicals to Barsoom.. although when I.get. myown my aphid farm, it will be called The Bar Soom.Ranch...

Fu kind phone. Is on.the.period. fuckibg..dammit..

I actually said that in regards to this post of yours:


Although of course the rest is true as well, and you just gave a good explanation as to why even if your phone ain't the most cooperative device, or is it your CPU what's failing tonight? :D

Then again, my mind is warped. I might have twisted somehow the meaning of your words.

Anything by Jules Verne.

A great example.

Not enough people cosplay as the Nautilus.

Cuckoo g phone.

Fucking not. Cookoo g. Wtf

The initial wave of literary "Steampunk" in my mind was led by Paul DiFilippo but was preceeded by some books by James Blaylock,Tim Powers and KW Jeter. (Tim Powers (The Anubis Gates, 1983); James Blaylock (Homunculus, 1986); and Jeter (Morlock Night, 1979, and Infernal Devices, 1987)). These are all fun books and mostly out of print. I happen to be selling off reading copies of most of these, maybe I'll spam the list...

Michael Moorcock wrote a steampunk trilogy known collectively as "A Nomad of the Time Streams".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warlord_of_the_Air

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Land_Leviathan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Steel_Tsar

I know this is really a thread about literature, but the movie and TV series Wild Wild West seems to fit quite neatly into the Steampunk genre. Also, the movie version of Alan Moore's League of Extraordinary Gentleman. And while it doesn't really qualify as a whole, some scenes in David Lynch's Dune film might also be seen as being a bit Steampunk-ish.

Also the Final Fantasy games get quite steampunky at times:


.

9! (the next FF on my list.)

Out of print? You sell? Maybe I buy?

PM me.

So, I like where this thread is going. Apologies for being a douchebag before.

tesla69: Spam the list, please.

demonrail666, you are spot-on. That's true in all aspects and it's something I would recommend as well. And I like to add a note in regards to Alan Moore's "League Of Extraordinary Gentleman": The comic-book series is the place to go for properly enjoying this, I think the film adaptation is lame in comparison, even though one would think the technology and budget available, in addition to a great story, would have given a fair amount of chances of producing something really awesome, but that's not the case (no wonder why it was a flop and the initially planned sequel never actually materialized). Alan Moore disowned it and didn't want his name to be attached to the film by any means, even to the point of refusing to get royalties, I think (same thing for all other movies adapted from his work such as "From Hell", and "V For Vendetta", for instance)...

Yeah, I much prefer the comic of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, too. I'm not sure what the film was that turned Alan Moore against Hollywood. I think it was V for Vendetta. It's a shame because while the films generally aren't as good as his original comics they generally aren't bad - League being probably the worst of a fairly OK bunch. V may not be as good as the comic but it's a decent enough film in his own right and I thought the film version of From Hell was very good. He took his name off the credits for Watchmen despite it being a fairly close reading of his comic. But then Moore seems to pick feuds with everyone/thing. He's currently having a bit of an online spat with the comic writer Frank Miller.

Returning to Floatingslowly's earlier point, I tend to agree that Steampunk (at least as an official genre) works better visually than it does in literary form, and that in its written form, it's not as good as the precursors who set out the imagery (Wells and Verne and even Gibson himself, with the Gernsback Continuum).

Here's a good little article by Bruce Sterling, trying to define Steampunk as distinct - but clearly related - to Cyberpunk.

There might also be a musical equivalent. The 'genre'(?) called Hauntology, comprising stuff coming out on the margins of Electronica from groups like Mount Vernon Arts Lab, The Focus Group and much of the output from the Ghostbox label in general, seems to have a quite steampunk inspired approach to by-now obsolete technology, like old analogue computers. A lot of it seems to be paying homage to the old BBC Radiophonic Workshop which, at its time (like the Verne and Wells books) was dealing with quite cutting edge technology and ideas.

Even more tangential, I remember seeing a documentary about the rise and fall of Detroit, a city that grew with advances in technology (associated with its motor trade) and died when that technology and the industry it was tied to collapsed. The upshot was that Detroit has been left as a kind of relic of a bygone, future focused technology that now only evokes a kind of past future vision. If Tokyo and LA are the quintessential cyberpunk cities, then Detroit may be the ultimate Steampunk one (along with Victorian London and Paris, obviously).

Thanks.

I'm a huge Alan Moore fan also. I loved the League comics and the movie doesn't even begin to do them justice. I actually thought V (my favorite of his original comics) was the best film of the bunch. Watchmen was ok, but could have been better.

V reminded me a lot at times of Tim Burton's first Batman film. I'm not sure why exactly. Something about the feel. Hugo Weaving is normally not a favorite of mine, but in this he was fitting.

Head still looks too big for the body, though. And his soliloquies sometimes made me giggle in the film, while they felt foreboding and appropriate in the book.

Watchmen just needed better actors and a better screen adaptation. I dig that they worked with the original writing as best they could, but comic dialogue doesn't translate perfectly to film. So the acting left me dry.

I don't do paypal so I don't think it would be of interest to any of you.

OK, I read the Difference Engine and it was incredible. A really, really great read, and my favorite Gibson book so far. Thanks for that, a million times over.

Tesla, out of the books you listed, which is the best? and are you still selling them? If so I will buy.

......

I'm in a total steampunk mindset now, but nothing satisfies it like literature!! Movies and comics are good, but just aren't what I'm looking for.

More suggestions welcome!!

my brother told me that Rush's next album will be steampunk influenced.

Not exclusively.

By the way, seeing this thread now made me realize I had more things to say regarding the Alan Moore vs Warner Bros. thing. Feeling kind of lazy to dive back in that topic, though.