Steampunk Central

I'd been thinking a lot about Steampunk just before Christmas and was amused to see that even the Beano Book this year had a Steampunk strip. Billy the Cat had a flashback to his Victorian forbear, William the Cat, in a very steampunky world of giant robots and nefarious adventures. So I was talking on here about what to read, and whether there was a Steampunk canon... and I got some great answers and suggestions. I thought I'd post the list up here, and see if anyone could add any further ideas.

Brian Willis sent me this nice long list...

"'The Anubis Gates' by Tim Powers

'The Time Ships' by Stephen Baxter (a sequel to 'The Time Machine', officially authorised by the Wells estate)

'Homunculus' by James Blaylock

'The Court of the Air', 'The Kingdom Beyond The Waves' and 'The Rise of the Iron Moon' by Stephen Hunt (1st three novels of the 'Jackelian' series)

'Morlock Night' (another 'Time Machine' sequel) and 'Infernal Devices' by K.W. Jeter (who is credited with the invention of the term 'Steampunk')

'The Difference Engine' by William Gibson & Bruce Sterling

'The Space Machine' by Christopher Priest (more stuff inspired by Wells - you think there's a pattern here?)

'Zeppelins West' by Joe R. Lansdale

Also, there's the original graphic novel of 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' by Alan Moore & Kevin O'Neill (avoid the rubbish film, at all costs), the tv series and movie 'The Wild Wild West', and of course numerous Doctor Who episodes - 'Evil of the Daleks','Talons of Weng-Chiang', 'The Unquiet Dead', 'Tooth and Claw', and 'The Next Doctor' being probably the nearest to Steampunk in style.

Probably the best single anthology would be this one, edited by Ann & Jeff Vandermeer"


... and I know and have read about half of these. Blaylock is one of those US -remainders from that favourite bookshop in Darlington I talked about a little while ago. He's one of those fantasy writers who make you feel like you're the only person to find them. I loved the Anubis Gates, of course (though the savage, butchering clown gave me the willies...) and I love the Extraordinary Gentlemen and Christopher Priest's 'Space Machine' is marvellous. That's the one with the flying brass bed, isn't it? Time travelling and bouncing about on the surface of Mars?

Is it all about Wells and Verne and Conan Doyle, then?

Other suggestions - Cavan Scott reminding me about Bryan Talbot's 'Grandville' (which I read on Boxing Day! My beautiful signed and drawn-on copy from Deborah). Also, interestingly, reminding me to look back on the work of the Italian Futurists. Perhaps they're responsible for the look of some of these stories and hypothetical worlds?

Battypip suggested: GW Dahlquist - The Glass Book Eaters (and the not so good sequel The Dark Volume)

Stephen Hunt - The Court of the Air, The Kingdom of the Waves, The Rise of the Iron Moon

and Knife and Spoon said: 'Philip Reeves’ series (in a world where cities scramble round on mechanical legs chasing one another) Mortal Engines is pretty well regarded.'

Interesting to see how many YA novelists embrace the genre.

Mark Clapham suggested Cherie Priest.

So... I've broken my 'No More New Books' resolution already. I've ordered the Vandermeer anthology. But I regard this as proper, necessary research... so I can get away with that, can't I...? Hmmmm.

Maybe more publicists and stuff should send me free books to review on here, then I won't have to break my NY resolutions. What do you think?