At our last meeting I mentioned that I’ll be on some panels at the Ad-Astra science fiction convention (the weekend after Easter), and one of them is going to be about steampunk. So, what is steampunk?

Imagine a dirty dickensian setting, think about brass and clockworks and black iron and steam engines, add some astonishing advanced versions of this kind of heavy and visible machinery (mechanical computers maybe, or steamdriven robots, or cities on railway tracks, or something). Mix in some magic — dirty and mechanical — if you like. And don’t forget the airships! Victorian retro-futurism, usually with a twist of some kind.

This is just to give you an idea of the ingredients, but I refrain from trying to wrap it together to any kind of proper definition of this subgenre — clever people already spend lots of time on definitions.

Yes, it can be a bit nostalgic, often romantic, but also political and edgy.

Issue #2 of Steampunk Magazine had a long article about the history of steampunk. (Download the issue here.) It’s worth taking a look at this magazine:

SteamPunk Magazine is a publication that is dedicated to promoting steampunk as a culture, as more than a sub-category of fiction. It is a journal of fashion, music, misapplied technology and chaos. And fiction.

Some reviews of random steampunky books, some of which I have read:

• K.W. Jeter: Morlock Night
• Tim Powers: The Anubis Gates
• Michael Swanwick: The Iron Dragon’s Daughter
• Ian R MacLeod: The Light Ages

There is of course a Wikipiedia article if you want to dive deeper into steampunk things.

Do you have any steampunk favourites, or thoughts about steampunk? Leave a comment!