Steampunk books

James Crossley · 14 May 2008, 03:58 · from 2008-May.txt.gz

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From: ishmael at drizzle.com (James Crossley)
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 20:58:14 -0700
Subject: (urth) Steampunk books
In-Reply-To: <9f1507fc0805131117j26a0eea0ne9b6ec13acf9beef at mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <C44FB166.6DAF%ishmael at drizzle.com>

To be pedantic for a moment, that's not the whole story.  True steampunk
isn't just an extrapolation of Victorian-era science, but has to include an
element of technology-induced anxiety.  In other words, steampunk, like
cyberpunk, from which it gets its name, shows the discomforts of rapid
advancements in technology, and its mood is usually dystopic.

If a story features atomic zeppelins or steam-powered robots without
attendant tension, it's something else.  Suggested terms include "gaslight
romance" and "retrofuturism."

James

On 5/13/08 11:17 AM, "Kerry Benton" <k.benton at gmail.com> wrote:

> It's basically a sort of homage to Jules Verne, et al in my mind.
> 
> Steampunk fiction tends to anachronisms featuring steam power,
> clockwork, and other Victorian-era technology (and frequently societal
> elements) providing the impetus for machines and devices that are
> firmly in the realm of science fiction (giant walking weapons
> platforms, for example, as in the anime Steamboy).
> 
> That's my quick 2 cent synopsis, anyway ;)
> 
> -k
>

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