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Best Steampunk Books
Wikipedia defines steampunk as:
"A subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or a presumption of functionality."
Please only add books that fit the steampunk definition.
"A subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or a presumption of functionality."
Please only add books that fit the steampunk definition.
467 books ·
2,484 voters ·
list created August 12th, 2008
by Keely Hyslop (votes) .
Comments (showing 1-31 of 31) (31 new)
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Greyweather
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Aug 12, 2008 04:55pm
If you want anyone to see this, I'd suggest you change the tag "scifi" to "sci-fi"
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There's a great graphic novel called Vogelein: The Clockwork Faerie by Jane Irwin, that should be on this steampunk list; also a #2 Vogelein: Old Ghosts.
I'm surprised Ginn Hale's Wicked Gentlemen isn't higher up on the list. It's a superb example of the genre.
Lamplighter This is a great series (Monster Blood Tattoo) and I can't believe it hasn't gotten more notice!
The Iron King is so NOT steampunk. It is not set in the 19th century nor is it set up in England. It's just a modern fantasy book.
Technically, Steampunk does not have to take place in England, merely the Victorian age.Besides, at the time the British Empire was about a quarter of the globe, so plenty of room there.
Mendy wrote: "The City of Ember is not steam punk. It's dystopian/ post apocalyptic book."I second that.
Snow Crash doesn't belong up there either, it's futuristic sci-fi or cyber-punk or whatever, but there is nothing remotely steam punk about it. I think there should be a button that allows you to vote to remove a book if it doesn't belong.
Cyrus Darian and the Technomicron
Goodreads Giveaway - ends October 1st
Released earlier this month at The Weekend at the Asylum Steampunk Event at Lincoln - this is true steampunk at its finest.
The Technomicron; ancient, deadly, powerful and in 1860s London every seeker of power - natural or supernatural - wants to wield it. And they are prepared to stop at nothing to get it. Enter Cyrus Darian; hedonist, philanderer, alchemist and necromancer, hired by wealthy American Zachariah P. Dedman to find it. Dedman's life, the honour of his beautiful, haughty daughter Athena and the future of the world itself rest in the hands of Cyrus Darian. What could possibly go wrong? Steampunk, sex and magic in a heady mix that will make your head spin.
Search on Google for "Raven Dane" Cyrus Darian The Asylum and then click images - for some great pictures from the event & the book launch.
I don't think Howl's Moving Castle is steampunk; while the movie certainly contains some of those elements, the book is as straight a fantasy as they come.
Whoa, there are so many books on this list that are not steam punk! Temeraire, the Baroque Cycle, the Lies of Locke Lamora just to name a few. Who categorised this list?
I'm in favor of the widest possible definition of steampunk. Genre police are boring. They're a big part of the reason genre fiction doesn't get the respect it deserves. If it has any technology—any, not just steam-powered stuff—that's an extrapolation of Victorian-era technology or Victorian-era notions of where technology was headed, without necessarily having any regard for how plausible or realistic these notions were, I think it's close enough to be included in the genre. Who cares what kind of supernatural, cryptozoological, or anachronistic stuff is added to the story on top of that?
Omg. "Soulless" on the first place. That girlish twilight-like romance book... Is it the best steampunk novel so far?
When I read Clockwork Angel I felt that it was seriously lacking in the steampunk department. Yeah it was set in the right period but having one or two scenes that included automatons doesn't exactly make it steampunk in my opinion.
A great number of these books are not steampunk, such as His Dark Materials and Windup Girl. Some are actually cyberpunk, which has quite a few significant differences from steampunk. While I like both genres and some of other the books here, it'd be a good idea to tweak this list for the genre it's aimed at representing, or change the list title to include cyberpunk, weird fiction, and whatever else is going on here. I'm not trying to be a stickler about genres or anything, it's just that this list has obviously already confused people as to what steampunk actually is. Someone's in for one heck of a surprise if he or she reads something by Neal Stephenson, likes it and thinks it's steampunk, then turns around and reads something by Cherie Priest, who actually writes steampunk.
very true. there are a lot of genres to the whole steam punk world. steampunk
cyberpunk
dieselpunk
weird west
girl genius
yeadie yadie yadie
but do you think that readers who arent as familiar with the who steam cogs gears and clockwork worlds might get a little confused?
But still, once you get into all the similar genres/sub genres, it can get annoying. I mean, what if I want just steam punk?
The Temeraire series is not steampunk. Firstly it's set during the Napoleonic era which proceeded the Victorian era and secondly it's about dragons. No steam of any kind involved.I'd say Howl's Moving Castle isn't either. Yes his castle moves via steam but it's magical, not mechanical. Otherwise the Harry Potter series could qualify as steampunk.
Ummm Neuromancer is cyberpunk. It takes place in the future. There's space travel, cyberspace, computer hacking. Not steampunk. Your list is too confusing. There are so many not-steampunk books here. I can't vote on it.
How is "Blackout" by Connie Willis Steampunk?Most people agree that the Steampunk era ends at the First World War.
Also, there is no steam based technology anywhere in the book.
It's excellent, but not Steampunk.
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