Steamy!
Posted on May 25, 2010 at 9:10 PM
What would you say are some of the iconic/quintessential novels of steampunk? If you were recommending books to someone only passingly familiar with steampunk, who wanted a good window in everything the genre’s about, what books would you recommend?
The Bas-Lag series by China Mieville — while considered not wholly “steampunk” by some genre purists — is essential reading, in my mind. They’re also damn good books. Mieville blends in plenty of Cthulian/Lovecraftian/weird elements into his world, but there is PLENTY of steaminess to go around.
Perdido Street Station
The Scar
Iron Council
I’m just such a person! More suggestions?
The Difference Engine was my introduction to steampunk. Written by WIlliam Gibson, the master of cyberpunk (and bruce Sterling), its only disappointment was a rather weak ending.
The guy managed to put concepts like mechanical video displays and even data compression into the steampunk paradigm though. Still a personal favorite.
The Bas-Lag series by China Mieville — while considered not wholly “steampunk” by some genre purists — is essential reading, in my mind. They’re also damn good books. Mieville blends in plenty of Cthulian/Lovecraftian/weird elements into his world, but there is PLENTY of steaminess to go around.
Perdido Street Station
The Scar
Iron Council