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Vacuum Tubes and Airships: Of Steampunk and Novels Obscura. [Book Recommendations]
Buttcleft
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I need some help. I have desperate urge that only you can help me satisfy.... No, not with that.
I am looking for quality steampunk novels, and I need you my friendly sky pirates to help me by recommending me some good books of the genre to read.
I'm okay with anything steampunk, be it semi-realistic or including the magical and those damnable elven tree hippies.
What say you, Arcadia, Can you point me in the right direction and fill my holds with precious literary treasures?
I am looking for quality steampunk novels, and I need you my friendly sky pirates to help me by recommending me some good books of the genre to read.
I'm okay with anything steampunk, be it semi-realistic or including the magical and those damnable elven tree hippies.
What say you, Arcadia, Can you point me in the right direction and fill my holds with precious literary treasures?
Buttcleft on
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Michael Moorcock's "A Nomad of the Time Streams" trilogy is considered a classic of the genre, although it is NOT Victorian Age (though it has many Victorian Age themes)
The first mainstream novel for Steampunk is "The Difference Engine" by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. The two authors are much more well-known for their cyberpunk novels, and they wrote The Difference Engine as "cyberpunk in the Victorian Age", using parallels between cyberpunk themes and the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century.
KW Jeter's "Morlock Night" is a London-centric version of Steampunk. Arthurian Legend, and Morlocks (from the Time Machine)
Naomi Novik's Temeraire series is Napoleonic Wars/Victorian Age with Dragons/Alternate history and is done quite well.
Classic Victorian Age authors of speculative fiction: Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Mark Twain, Mary Shelley
A children's book that my sig other has read: "Larklight" by Philip Reed. In the vein of Verne "From the Earth to the Moon." Very whimsical and fun, with great pictures.
Comics: Phil Foglio's "Girl Genius" and "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"
Fantasy world steampunk: China Miéville's "Perdido Street Station"
Pen and Paper RPG based around Steampunk: Castle Falkenstein. The game is magick + anachronism (basically, Shadowrun in the Victorian Age) and it has excellent Victorian Age resources, specifically the book "Comme Il Faut". If you run ANY Pen and Paper RPG in the Victorian Age, you need to read Comme Il Faut, as one read through that book will give you everything you need, flavor-wise, to roleplay in the Victorian Age.
Video Games: Arcanum, Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends
Others: Tim Powers "The Anubis Gates" (deals more with 19th century magic than steampunk), Susanna Clark's "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell" (also deals more with 19th century magic than steampunk, but it's a very good read)
Also, a nod to two classic shows, "The Wild Wild West" and "The Adventures of Brisco County Jr." (with Bruce Campbell!). Two of the best examples of American-centric Steampunk.
I did, or in other words, I've not read any yet. Which is why I am in search of guidance.
I have, however, played Arcanum and seen Brisco. Loved every minute of both.
and as I said in the Op I'm okay with anything in the vast spectrum, so long as its interesting and well written. So I don't mind if its Anachronistic, Speculative, or Fantastical with high magic as well as steampunk tech.
On that note, Temeraire looks rather interesting, I think I may just pick up book one and see how she goes from there. It is more than just dragons in Napoleonic wars though, right?
Perdido looks interesting too.
Thankyou.
It also would help if you listed in your OP that you have not read any Steampunk novels. Listing off that you are looking for some generally means that "I've read book X and I'm looking for books like it." Even the Arcanum/Brisco information would have been helpful.
Sorry. You went to the trouble of putting in the accent, so when I searched the page for "Mieville" it didn't show you had done it.
Be prepared.