If we accept Damon Knight's description of science fiction as 'what we point to when we say it,' then the contents of these volumes must be steampunk.

Perhaps the tools for describing steampunk can be derived from the parent. How has this happened? If we can't rely on the back cover to describe the contents, what can we expect inside? However, what these collections claim doesn't cover all that they contain. The two books' pithy back-cover descriptions of steampunk are nearly identical: 'where the grandeur of Victoriana blends with modern technology' ( Extraordinary Engines) versus 'Victorian elegance and modern technology' ( Steampunk). So it's interesting to see the arrival of two anthologies that aim to shine the spotlight on steampunk as literature.Īt first glance, the definition of the subgenre would appear to be quite clear.

The New York Times recently discussed the subject in its Fashion section with barely a reference to fiction. This ultimate resource, filled with scores of illustrations and photographs, will appeal to aficionados and novices alike as author Jeff VanderMeer takes the reader on a wild ride through the clockwork corridors of Steampunk past, present and future.Steampunk: what is it? Perhaps for many people today it is most easily recognised by (pseudo-)Victorian dress or a laptop encased in brass. Wells, to the key figures who coined the word that would spawn a literary genre, to the vast community of craftsmen and artists who translated that spark into a lifestyle with clothing and accessories such as goggles, corsets, pocket watches, and with an attitude to match. The Steampunk Bible is the first book of its kind, a fully illustrated compendium tracing the roots and history of this subculture, from the work of its godfathers Jules Verne and H.G. The Steampunk aesthetic now permeates movies, comics, fashion, art and more, and has given a distinct flavor to iconic events such as Maker Faire and the Burning Man festival. This subculture celebrates the inventor as an artist and hero, re-envisioning and crafting retro technologies including antiquated airships and steam-powered robots. Over the past fifteen years, Steampunk - a mash-up of Victorian and sci-fi aesthetics with a splash of punk rock attitude - has gone from being a literary movement to a part of pop culture and a way of life.

Steampunk by Jeff VanderMeer