Steampunk?

[Chrizette]

Could someone please explain what steampunk is? I have seen it mentioned in passing in some treads but have no clue what it could be about. Am I missing something great?

[Keri]

My understanding is that the writer puts something into the story that wouldn't really be there. Such as cell phones in the 1800's. I could be wrong. Actually I'm waiting on from the library. I believe this book is considered to have some steampunk aspect to it. But I haven't actually read anything considered steampunk yet so I'm guessing.

[Brenna]

Steampunk is basically the name for 19th Century (Victorian or western US or similar time frame) with steam-powered fantastical machines worked in. Some good examples? The Will Smith Wild, Wild West... The war machines the Fire Nation uses in Avatar: The Last Airbender... Some of Kirasawa's anime... The League of Extraodinary Gentlemen... Think something along the lines of HG Well's The Time Machine or Jules Verne's work.

Brenna Lyons

[Rachael]

This Books is definitely Steampunk. The Show FireFly is steampunk as well.

Leviathan
by Scott Westerfeld, Keith Thompson (Illustrator)

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Steampunk can also be set in "modern" times. The main difference being that electricity is not used widely, steam is the main means of locomotion (goodbye fossil fuel emissions) and clothing is still somewhat Victorian inspired.

Another description I heard is "cheerful Goth" i.e. vaguely Goth garb but without all the vampire/death fixations. Also, costumes can be other colours than black, white and, well more black.

[Mimi]

As quoted on Cassandras Clare website - "Steampunk is a genre of fiction set somewhere in the 1800’s during the Victorian Era. The fictional part comes in that technology has gone a bit skewed - though the exact methods vary, generally steam-powered devices that would have been impossible or unfeasible at the time are found to exist. Examples include steam-robots, flying castles, under-water bases, moon rockets, time machines etc.”

The first book, , in the second series by Cassandra Clare is set out in that era.

[DarkHeart "Vehngeance"]

is another example

[Pickles]

Here are a few more examples of the genre, if you were interested:

[Lauren]

Thanks for asking this. I've been scratching my head over the term myself.

[EowynRN]

It's really trendy in some geek/convention circles right now. Lots of people make steampunk costumes, so you could google it and find a lot.

[Arcadia]

[Rochelle]

I'm starting Katie MacAlister's today. Definitely Steampunk!