Monthly Archives: January 2011

Anti-Ice by Stephen Baxter

I apologize for a few days off from the ‘book of the day’ series. Back on track today, we have Anti-Ice by Stephen Baxter, which is more in the mold of Verne than any other Steampunk novel I know. The eponymous substance comes from a comet that impacted the moon many centuries earlier (thereby creating a second moon), and is discovered in Antarctica by Josiah Traveller, your basic Victorian millionaire inventor. What makes anti-ice interesting is that it releases massive amounts of energy when warmed. The military implications are quickly explored by the British government in the Crimean War, but by the late 1800s it is being used to fuel all manner of industrialization. The nuclear energy subtext is not buried very deeply, but the exploration of this sort of fuel in the 19th century is what drives the story. Throw in a trip to the moons and the start of an early cold war and you have yourself quite an adventure.

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A Steampunk Tarot

Etsy artist Charissa Drengsen is producing some striking steampunk tarot cards.

Now, some are more steampunk than others. Death is simply beautiful, from the traditional skeleton to the mounted scarabs down the side. Harry Houdini as the Magician seems spot on. On the other hand, Albert Einstein as the Hierophant feels out of place to me, as most of his work was done outside of the conventional steampunk time period. Most of the cards have a rich collage feeling, although a few, such as the ace of cups, look more like stills from one of Terry Gilliam’s Monty Python animations. Whether any of these quibbles detract from your enjoyment or appreciation of the deck is, of course, a matter of individual taste.

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The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling

During a recent #steampunkchat on twitter, the question came up on what book to suggest as a starting point for newcomers to steampunk. The suggestion several of us gave was The Difference Engine.

This book is steampunk that is very close to it science fictional roots, somewhat to be expected given the authors. Following the alternate history tradition, Gibson and Sterling make a small change in the world (Babbage completes his analytic engine) and show us the implications (a mechanical-computer driven revolution in technology). And, because they are both solid writers, we even get a compelling story, part mystery and part thriller.

Official description:

1855: The Industrial Revolution is in full and inexorable swing, powered by steam-driven cybernetic Engines. Charles Babbage perfects his Analytical Engine and the computer age arrives a century ahead of its time. And three extraordinary characters race toward a rendezvous with history—and the future:

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Doctor Grordbort’s Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory by Greg Broadmore

Not a novel today. Instead, we have Greg Broadmore’s wonderfully imaginative catalog of steampunk inventions and confabulations. Everything from rayguns to rocketships is here, beautifully illustrated and described. Throw in a graphic short story (not long enough to be a graphic novel) and you have a unique presentation of a steampunk world.

Official description:

By jingo, by crikey, and by all that’s good in this world, he’s done it! Dr. Grordbort has released his directory of scientific splendor. A catalogue of wondrous contraptions and wave weapons of unprecedented power, this book makes available a myriad of destructive and beneficial devices to any intergalactic explorer: Rayguns, Metal Men, Ironclads, and Rocketships are all presented. Also included is a sequential pictographic essay (also known as a “comic”) on the exploits of world-famous naturalist and adventurer Lord Cockswain. See him uncover the natural mysteries of Venus with several big guns!

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Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

There are, I suppose, some nitpickers who would argue that the 1910s are part of the Dieselpunk era rather than the steampunk era. To them I say: pish posh. Can’t we just get along and enjoy good stories? Luckily, the nitpickers are few in this case, with most happily agreeing to call Leviathan steampunk, regardless of when it takes place.

Leviathan has brought steampunk to the attention of a lot of young adults and continues to do so. It helps that Westerfeld was already a popular young adult author. It also helps that he filled the book with grand adventure in an imaginative alternate history.

Official descriptions:

It is the cusp of World War I, and all the European powers are arming up. The Austro-Hungarians and Germans have their Clankers, steam-driven iron machines loaded with guns and ammunition. The British Darwinists employ fabricated animals as their weaponry. The Leviathan is a living airship, the most formidable airbeast in the skies of Europe.

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