I need some help from you guys.Tor.com is on a crusade for steampunk fantasy glory for two weeks and The Mad Hatter is on rampage for this sub-genre for the month. I know there been more and more press on this specific niche of literature in the last years and it's getting a lot of love.
Lately I read Farlander and The Last Page. First off, I know, those book could not be categorized as steampunk. There are some elements in Farlander, aka zeppelins, and the same in The Last Page. I enjoyed both of these titles but my reasons for liking them are nowhere near the fact that steampunk elements are included.
However, this brings me to why I need your help. This will probably be slightly in contradiction with my last poll where I stated that I don't feel like getting away from my beloved epic fantasy genre but I'm curious and I want to explore on this a bit. So, what would you recommend for me as a first time reader of steampunk fantasy? Which novel is the best representation of the genre? It doesn't have to be the most accessible steampunk novel...
Thanks in advance!
4 comments:
Hi Phil,
there are several suggested reading lists posted on my Airship Ambassador website - http://www.airshipambassador.com/aa-literature.html - and one link is to a list suggested by Mike Perschon, the Steampunk Scholar, at - http://www.greatsteampunkdebate.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=132&start=0
Two from that list that I've enjoyed are The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 1 - Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill and The Difference Engine by Bruce Sterling and William Gibson.
Happy reading!
Kevin
My first foray into steampunk was earlier this year. I read Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. I really enjoyed it, it was a fast, fun, exciting read. It has an added element of "zombies" if you're into that sort of thing, too.
One of the most accessible is Whitechapel Gods by S.M. Peters. It is also one of my personal favorites. Glad to see you getting down with some steamy goodness.
It isn't technically steampunk (more science fantasy) but that image of the railway station in your post is from the incomparable Perdido Street Station by China Meiville - a contender for my favourite book and fantasy universe ever.
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