"Steampunk Fantasy" Examples

[WriterJosh]

I am coming to love Steampunk. I'm reading Gideon Smith and the Mechanical Girl right now and it's great, but the problem is I don't know where to turn next.

What I am curious about are steampunk novels that lean far more to the fantastical side. I mean, yes, heavy technobabble about acutators, pressure gauges, etc. are to be expected, but I'm not just looking for alternate history novels with the only real difference being the existence of marvelous machinery. I am looking for fantasy novels with a heavy steampunk element. Even steampunk worldbuilding would be cool.

Any suggestions?

 

[chrispenycate]

Anyone else for "The iron dragon's daughter" by Michael Swanwick?

 

[WriterJosh]

Anyone else for "The iron dragon's daughter" by Michael Swanwick?

Seems pretty much like what I'm looking for.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

My forthcoming novel Hairy London would fit this. (See 'Ask Me A Question' thread.)

To be honest, though I knew of the term 'steampunk' before, I didn't really know what it meant until last year, when Allen Ashley accepted my short story Xana-La for the Eibonvale anthology Where Are We Going?. This short story is not full-on steampunk I'd say, but it has strong elements - likewise for the forthcoming novel.

Now I know what it is, I like it. Basically a chance for an author to have enormous fun being inventive...

 

[Toby Frost]

Chris Wooding's Retribution Falls and sequels would seem to fit the bill. While there are airships, revolvers and other steampunk things, there are also demons and the living dead.

 

[Randy M.]

If you haven't read it, try Michael Moorcock's The Warlord of the Air. For such a short novel, the world-building is fairly subtle. It's a wonderful read that pre-dates Steampunk, being precursor of the sub-genre.


Randy M.

 

[hitmouse]

Perdido Street Station and The Scar China Mieville. Arguably steampunk fantasy
The Bartimeus Trilogy Jonathon Stroud Very much fantasy end of the spectrum.

Nemesis the Warlock. A comic originally in 2000AD, and the most visual steampunk I have seen. Has a race of aliens whose civilization is inspired by the British Empire.

 

[HareBrain]

Nemesis the Warlock. A comic originally in 2000AD, and the most visual steampunk I have seen. Has a race of aliens whose civilization is inspired by the British Empire.

I remember that one! The Ion Duke and so on. Now I want to read it again.

 

[WriterJosh]

If you haven't read it, try Michael Moorcock's The Warlord of the Air. For such a short novel, the world-building is fairly subtle. It's a wonderful read that pre-dates Steampunk, being precursor of the sub-genre.


Randy M.

I looked for that and couldn't find it.

 

[hitmouse]

I looked for that and couldn't find it.

Amazon is your friend:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1781161453/?tag=brite-21

 

[Randy M.]

Amazon is your friend:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1781161453/?tag=brite-21

Yes. Titan just reissued The Warlord of the Air in the U.S., so it should be available in both the U.S. and the U.K. If you like it, there were two sequels. I haven't read those yet, but by all accounts it's a strong trilogy.


Randy M.

 

[hitmouse]

Yes. Titan just reissued The Warlord of the Air in the U.S., so it should be available in both the U.S. and the U.K. If you like it, there were two sequels. I haven't read those yet, but by all accounts it's a strong trilogy.


Randy M.

All 3 books are good.

 

[nomadman]

Anyone else for "The iron dragon's daughter" by Michael Swanwick?

And its 'sequel' The Dragons of Babel.

 

[A J Dalton]

I'd also recommend the Stephen Hunt stuff (The Kingdom beyond the Waves), etc. Very steampunk. And he's writing a new series for Gollancz Orion (not sure when it's out). At the same time, we shouldn't forget the steampunk classics of Jules Verne. Oo, and then there's Adrian Tchaikovsky's stuff. Depends whether you're into the steam more than the punk really, or viceversa.

 

[Gramm838]

If you haven't read it, try Michael Moorcock's The Warlord of the Air. For such a short novel, the world-building is fairly subtle. It's a wonderful read that pre-dates Steampunk, being precursor of the sub-genre.


Randy M.

This novel was also the basis for some music by BeBop Deluxe - -especially 'Life in the air age':

Life in the air age - Be bop deluxe - YouTube

 

[Danny Franks]

Chris Wooding's Retribution Falls and sequels would seem to fit the bill. While there are airships, revolvers and other steampunk things, there are also demons and the living dead.

This series is wonderful fun.

Lots of engaging, appealing characters, a great world that feels so big, with distinct cultures and races and mythologies. You can see the real world analogues, but they aren't too heavy.

It's an old fashioned series, which fits steampunk well if you ask me. Swashbuckling adventure and romance, and lots of heart, as well as lots of humour.

 

[WriterJosh]

Chris Wooding's Retribution Falls and sequels would seem to fit the bill. While there are airships, revolvers and other steampunk things, there are also demons and the living dead.

Sounds like another good one.

What about the Ministry of Unusual Occurrences books? I just bought the only two that seem to exist so far. Haven't started them yet. Are they any good?

 

[Extollager]

If you haven't read it, try Michael Moorcock's The Warlord of the Air. For such a short novel, the world-building is fairly subtle. It's a wonderful read that pre-dates Steampunk, being precursor of the sub-genre.


Randy M.

I am reading it, and I like it.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Any thoughts here on Mark Hodder's work and also George Mann?

 

[Danny Franks]

Any thoughts here on Mark Hodder's work and also George Mann?

I like George Mann.

His Newbury & Hobbs books are your typical 'steampunk, Victorian world, private investigator and assistant' stories (too many of them around, but I think Mann's are better than others I've read). There's some darkness in them, but I sometimes feel like they were written consciously to appeal to younger readers as much as to adults.

The Ghost books are a fair bit darker and grittier, based on a Batman-like vigilante character. Again, they're good without being particularly noteworthy.