Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction which came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting Speculative fiction is a term used as an inclusive descriptor covering a group of Fiction Genres that speculate about worlds that are unlike the real world in The term denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is still widely used—usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian era England—but with prominent elements of either science fiction or fantasy, such as fictional technological inventions like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or real technological developments like the computer occurring at an earlier date. A steam engine is a Heat engine that performs Mechanical work using Steam as its Working fluid. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 &ndash 13 August 1946 He was an outspoken socialist and a pacifist, his later works becoming increasingly political Jules Gabriel Verne ( February 8 1828 &ndash March 24 1905) was a French Author who pioneered the science-fiction A computer is a Machine that manipulates data according to a list of instructions. Other examples of steampunk contain alternate history-style presentations of "the path not taken" of such technology as dirigibles or analog computers; these frequently are presented in an idealized light, or a presumption of functionality. Alternate history or alternative history is a subgenre of Speculative fiction (or Science fiction) and Historical fiction Terminology In some countries airships are also known as dirigibles from the French (fr ''diriger'' to direct plus -ible) meaning "directable" An analog computer (spelt analogue in British English is a form of Computer that uses continuous physical phenomena such as electrical mechanical

Steampunk is often associated with cyberpunk and shares a similar fanbase and theme of rebellion, but developed as a separate movement (though both have considerable influence on each other). Cyberpunk is a Science fiction genre noted for its focus on " High tech and low life. Apart from time period and level of technological development, the main difference between cyberpunk and steampunk is that steampunk settings usually tend to be less obviously dystopian than cyberpunk, or lack dystopian elements entirely. A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος alternatively cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society

Contents 1 Origin 2 Influences 3 Recent steampunk 4 Categories of steampunk 4.1 Historical steampunk 4.2 Fantasy-world steampunk 4.3 Variants of the steampunk concept 5 Steampunk as a subculture 6 Steampunk as a style of art and design 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 External links 10.1 Coverage in conventional media

Origin

Although many works now considered seminal to the genre were published in the 1960s and 1970s, the term steampunk originated in the late 1980s as a tongue in cheek variant of cyberpunk. Tongue-in-cheek is a term used to refer to humor in which a statement or an entire fictional work is not meant to be taken seriously but its lack of seriousness is subtle Cyberpunk is a Science fiction genre noted for its focus on " High tech and low life. It seems to have been coined by the science fiction author K. W. Jeter, who was trying to find a general term for works by Tim Powers (author of The Anubis Gates, 1983), James Blaylock (Homunculus, 1986) and himself (Morlock Night, 1979 and Infernal Devices, 1987) which took place in a Victorian setting and imitated conventions of actual Victorian speculative fiction such as H. G. Wells's The Time Machine. Kevin Wayne Jeter (born 1950 is an American Science fiction and horror Author known for his literary writing style dark themes and paranoid unsympathetic Timothy Thomas Powers (born February 29, 1952) is an American Science fiction and fantasy author The Anubis Gates ( 1983) is a Time travel Fantasy novel by Tim Powers. James Paul Blaylock (born September 20, 1950) is an American fantasy author Morlock Night is a science fiction novel by K W Jeter. It was published in 1979 and is seen as one of the first Steampunk novels Infernal Devices is a Steampunk Novel by K W Jeter, published in 1987. Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 &ndash 13 August 1946 He was an outspoken socialist and a pacifist, his later works becoming increasingly political The Time Machine is a novella by H G Wells, first published in 1895 and later directly adapted into at least two Feature films of the same name as In a letter to the science fiction magazine Locus, printed in the April 1987 issue, Jeter wrote:

“

Dear Locus, Enclosed is a copy of my 1979 novel Morlock Night; I'd appreciate your being so good as to route it Faren Miller, as it's a prime piece of evidence in the great debate as to who in "the Powers/Blaylock/Jeter fantasy triumvirate" was writing in the "gonzo-historical manner" first. Locus is a monthly American Magazine, subtitled "The Magazine Of The Science Fiction & Fantasy Field" Though of course, I did find her review in the March Locus to be quite flattering. Personally, I think Victorian fantasies are going to be the next big thing, as long as we can come up with a fitting collective term for Powers, Blaylock and myself. Something based on the appropriate technology of the era; like "steampunks," perhaps . . . —K.W. Jeter[1]

”

Some prototypical steampunk stories were essentially cyberpunk tales that were set in the past, using steam-era technology rather than the ubiquitous cybernetics of cyberpunk but maintaining those stories' "punkish" attitudes towards authority figures and human nature. Kevin Wayne Jeter (born 1950 is an American Science fiction and horror Author known for his literary writing style dark themes and paranoid unsympathetic A prototype is an original type form or instance of something serving as a typical example basis or standard for other things of the same category Uses A Steam engine uses the expansion of steam in order to drive a Piston or Turbine to perform Mechanical work. Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the Structure of Complex systems especially Communication processes control mechanisms and Feedback Punk ideologies are a group of varied social and political beliefs associated with the Punk subculture. Human nature is the concept that there are a set of logical characteristics including ways of thinking feeling and acting that all 'normal' human beings have in common Originally, like cyberpunk, steampunk was often dystopian, sometimes with noir and pulp fiction themes as in cyberpunk. Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation Pulp magazines (or pulp fiction; often referred to as "the pulps" were inexpensive Fiction magazines As the genre developed, it came to adopt more of the broadly appealing utopian sensibilities of Victorian scientific romances. Utopia is a name for an ideal community taken from the title of a book written in 1516 by Sir Thomas More describing a fictional Island in the See also History of science fiction Scientific romance is a bygone name for what is now commonly known as Science fiction.

Steampunk fiction focuses more intently on real, theoretical or cinematic Victorian-era technology, including steam engines, clockwork devices, and difference engines. A steam engine is a Heat engine that performs Mechanical work using Steam as its Working fluid. A clockwork is the inner workings of either a mechanical Clock or a device that operates in a similar fashion The Difference Engine was an automatic mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial functions. While much of steampunk is set in Victorian-era settings, the genre has expanded into medieval settings and often delves into the realms of horror and fantasy. Horror fiction is broadly Fiction in any medium intended to scare unsettle or horrify the audience Various secret societies and conspiracy theories are often featured, and some steampunk includes significant fantasy elements. Secret society is a term used to describe a variety of organizations A conspiracy theory attributes the ultimate cause of an event or chain of events (usually Political, Social or Historical events or the concealment Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting There are frequently Lovecraftian, occult and Gothic horror influences as well. Howard Phillips Lovecraft ( August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author of horror, fantasy The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus (clandestine hidden secret referring to "knowledge of the hidden" Gothic fiction (sometimes referred to as Gothic horror) is a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance.

Influences

Steampunk was influenced by, and often adopts the style of the scientific romances of the 19th century, by Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Mark Twain, and Mary Shelley. See also History of science fiction Scientific romance is a bygone name for what is now commonly known as Science fiction. Jules Gabriel Verne ( February 8 1828 &ndash March 24 1905) was a French Author who pioneered the science-fiction Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 &ndash 13 August 1946 He was an outspoken socialist and a pacifist, his later works becoming increasingly political Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Mary Shelley ( Née Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin; 30 August ^[2][3]

A rather dystopian British alternate history featuring steam-based technology may be found in Keith Roberts' 1968 novel Pavane

Harry Harrison's 1972 novel A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah!, which features an alternate history where the US is still a British colony and nuclear powered steam locomotives run under the oceans, is also an early example. Alternate history or alternative history is a subgenre of Speculative fiction (or Science fiction) and Historical fiction Keith Roberts (1935 - 2000 was a British Science fiction author. Pavane by Keith Roberts is an alternate history Science fiction Fix-up novel first published by Rupert Hart-Davis Ltd For the radio personality see Harry Harrison (radio. Harry Harrison (born Henry Maxwell Dempsey, March 12 1925 Tunnel Through the Deeps (also published as A Transatlantic Tunnel Hurrah!) is a 1972 Alternate history / Science fiction novel by

Science fiction and fantasy author Michael Moorcock made several early contributions to the genre. Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939, in London) is an English writer primarily of Science fiction and fantasy who has also The most noteworthy of these are his The Warlord of the Air and sequels (collectively republished as A Nomad of the Time Streams). The Warlord of the Air is a 1971 British alternate history Science fiction Novel written by Michael Moorcock. A Nomad of the Time Streams is a compilation volume of Michael Moorcock 's influential early Steampunk trilogy which Moorcock began in 1971 with ^[4] Moorcock's works were among the earliest to re-mold Edwardian and Victorian adventure fiction within an ironic futuristic framework, and had a strong influence on the later absorption of fantasy elements into the genre.

Sherlock Holmes' War of the Worlds by Manly Wade Wellman and Wade Wellman, published in 1975 as a novel but previously published as a series of magazine stories, places Arthur Conan Doyle's characters Sherlock Holmes and Professor Challenger (who never met in any of Doyle's works) into the events depicted in H.G. Wells's 1897 novel The War of the Worlds, depicting an invasion of London by Martians. Sherlock Holmes's War of the Worlds is a sequel to The War of the Worlds, written by Manly Wade Wellman and his son Wade Wellman and published Manly Wade Wellman ( May 21, 1903 - April 5, 1986) was an American writer Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle, DL (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930 was an Anglo-Scottish Author most noted for his stories about the Sherlock Holmes is a famous fictional detective of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries who first appeared in Publication in 1887 George Edward Challenger, better known as Professor Challenger, is a Fictional character in a series of Science fiction stories by Sir Arthur Conan Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 &ndash 13 August 1946 He was an outspoken socialist and a pacifist, his later works becoming increasingly political The War of the Worlds (1898 by H G Wells, is an early Science fiction Novel which describes an invasion of England by As an adjective the term "martian" is used to describe anything pertaining to the Planet Mars.

Aside from the fact that he coined the term, K.W. Jeter's 1979 novel Morlock Night(a continuation of Wells's The Time Machine) is cited by most as establishing the genre. Kevin Wayne Jeter (born 1950 is an American Science fiction and horror Author known for his literary writing style dark themes and paranoid unsympathetic Morlock Night is a science fiction novel by K W Jeter. It was published in 1979 and is seen as one of the first Steampunk novels The Time Machine is a novella by H G Wells, first published in 1895 and later directly adapted into at least two Feature films of the same name as However, this novel was preceded by James Blaylock's "The Ape-Box Affair" a decidedly Steampunk story, which appeared in a 1978 edition of Unearth Magazine. James Paul Blaylock (born September 20, 1950) is an American fantasy author

Recent steampunk

William Gibson and Bruce Sterling's 1990 novel The Difference Engine^[5] is often credited with bringing widespread awareness of the genre among science fiction fans (although, as mentioned above, the term was coined by Jeter in 1987. William Ford Gibson (born March 17 1948 is an American - Canadian writer who has been called the "noir prophet" of the Cyberpunk subgenre Michael Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954) is an American Science fiction author, best known for his novels and his seminal work on the Mirrorshades The Difference Engine is an alternate history Novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. ^[6]) This novel applies the principles of Gibson and Sterling's cyberpunk writings to an alternate Victorian era where Charles Babbage's proposed steam-powered mechanical computer, which he called a difference engine (a later, more general-purpose version was known as an analytical engine), was actually built, and led to the dawn of the information age more than a century "ahead of schedule". Cyberpunk is a Science fiction genre noted for its focus on " High tech and low life. Alternate history or alternative history is a subgenre of Speculative fiction (or Science fiction) and Historical fiction The Difference Engine was an automatic mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial functions. The analytical engine, an important step in the History of computers, was the design of a mechanical general-purpose Computer by the British mathematician Charles Information Age is a term that has been used to refer to the present era

Alan Moore's and Kevin O'Neill's 1999 The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen comic book series (and the subsequent 2003 film adaption) greatly popularized the steampunk genre and help propel it into mainstream fiction. Alan Moore (born November 18 1953 in Northampton) is an English Writer most famous for his influential work in Comics, including the acclaimed Kevin O'Neill, born in London in 1953, is a British Comics illustrator best known as the co-creator of Nemesis the Warlock and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a Comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill. A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a 2003 film loosely based on the Comic book Limited series of the same name. There are also numerous instances of the Steampunk subgenre in manga and anime and Japanese video games – famous examples are Fullmetal Alchemist,^[3] Hayao Miyazaki's Laputa as well as the more recent Katsuhiro Otomo's Steamboy,^[3] the latter both Japanese animated features, the last being set in a Victorian England shaped by alternate history. ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly (anime in Japanese, A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. commonly abbreviated as FMA or Hagaren, is an ongoing Japanese Manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. is a (re-titled Castle in the Sky for release in the United States) is a Film written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, released in 1986 is a Japanese Manga artist and director He is perhaps best known for being the creator of the manga Akira and its anime adaptation, which are extremely is a 2004 Japanese animated film produced by Sunrise, and directed and co-written by Katsuhiro Otomo, his second major anime release following (anime in Japanese,

Thierry Gioux's Hauteville House comic book series too are heavily inspired by steampunk. ^[7] The series has been introduced in 2007. Another recent steampunk comic is Het vlindernetwer. ^[8] These latter series have been made by Cecil and Eric Corbeyran.

Author China Miéville has incorporated many steampunk elements, such as steam-driven computers, dirigibles, and Dickensian social commentary, in his novels Perdido Street Station, Iron Council, and The Scar, all of which are set in the fictional world of Bas-Lag. China Tom Miéville (ˈtʃɑinɑ ˈmieɪˌvɪl (born September 6, 1972 in Norwich) is an award-winning English "fantastic fiction" Perdido Street Station is the second novel written by China Miéville, and the first set in New Crobuzon. Iron Council (2004 is the fourth novel by China Miéville, set in the same universe as his previous books Perdido Street Station (2000 The Scar is the third novel written by China Miéville, a self-described " Weird fiction " writer from London England Bas-Lag is the Fictional world in which several of China Miéville 's Novels are set

An anthology of steampunk fiction was released in 2008 by Tachyon Publications; edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer and appropriately entitled Steampunk, it collects stories by James Blaylock, whose "Narbondo" trilogy is typically considered steampunk; Jay Lake, author of the novel Mainspring, sometimes labeled "clockpunk"^[9]; the aforementioned Michael Moorcock; as well as Jess Nevins, famed for his annotations to The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Tachyon Publications is an independent press specializing in science fiction and fantasy books Ann VanderMeer (nee Kennedy is an American publisher and editor Jeffrey Scott VanderMeer (born July 7 1968 is an American writer editor and publisher Steampunk ( 2008) is an Anthology of Steampunk fiction edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, and published by Tachyon James Paul Blaylock (born September 20, 1950) is an American fantasy author Jay Lake (born June 6, 1964) is a Science fiction and Fantasy writer Mainspring is the third Novel from writer Jay Lake. It is a Science fiction novel of the sub genre Steampunk; this novel has also been classified A number of cyberpunk derivatives have become recognized as distinct subgenres in Speculative fiction. John J Nevins, MA/MS is an American author and Librarian, born c The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a Comic book series written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Kevin O'Neill.

Categories of steampunk

While most of the original steampunk works had a historical setting, later works would often place steampunk elements in a fantasy world with little relation to any specific historical era. Historical steampunk tends to be more "science fictional": presenting an alternate history; real locales and persons from history with different technology. Fantasy-world steampunk, on the other hand, presents steampunk in a completely imaginary fantasy realm, often populated by legendary creatures coexisting with steam-era or anachronistic technologies. A fantasy world is a type of Imaginary world, part of a Fictional universe used in Fantasy novels and games A legendary creature is a mythological or folkloric creature (often known as "fabulous creatures" in historical literature An anachronism (from the Greek "ana" " ανά " "against anti-" and "chronos" " χρόνος "

Though this article only lists a few representative examples, a much more extensive listing can be found in the article "List of steampunk works. Following is a list of Steampunk works in the Science fiction and fantasy genres "

Historical steampunk

In general, the category includes any recent science fiction that takes place in a recognizable historical period (sometimes an alternate-history version of an actual historical period) where the Industrial Revolution has already begun but electricity is not yet widespread, with an emphasis on steam- or spring-propelled gadgets. Alternate history or alternative history is a subgenre of Speculative fiction (or Science fiction) and Historical fiction The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the The most common historical steampunk settings are the Victorian and Edwardian eras, though some in this "Victorian steampunk" category can go as early as the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Culture The Victorian fascination with novelty resulted in a deep interest in the relationship between modernity and cultural continuities Class and society Socially the Edwardian era was a period during which the British Class system was very rigid The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the Some examples of this type include the comic book series League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the Disney animated film Atlantis: The Lost Empire,^[3] the novel The Difference Engine, the roleplaying game Space: 1889,^[3] television series such as The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne, and Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water, and the computer game ' Sakura Wars. Atlantis The Lost Empire is the 40th Disney Animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney The Difference Engine is an alternate history Novel by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling. A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. Space 1889 is a Role-playing game of Victorian-era space-faringcreated by Frank Chadwick and originally published by Game Designers' The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne is a 22-episode Science fiction television series in the Steampunk genre that first aired in June 2000 on the is a Japanese animated Television series inspired by the works of Jules Verne, particularly Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and the is a Japanese Media franchise owned by Red Entertainment and Sega; it was created by Ouji Hiroi with original character designs by Kōsuke Fujishima Some, such as the comic series Girl Genius,^[3] have their own unique times and places despite partaking heavily of the flavor of historic times and settings. Girl Genius is an ongoing Comic book series turned Webcomic, written and drawn by Phil and Kaja Foglio and published by their

Karel Zeman's film The Fabulous World of Jules Verne from 1958 is a very early example of cinematic steampunk. Karel Zeman ( November 3, 1910, Ostroměř near Nová Paka, then Austria-Hungary - April 5, 1989, Prague then The Fabulous World of Jules Verne is a film made by Czeckoslovakian-director Karel Zeman. Based on Jules Verne novels which were actually futuristic science fiction when they were written, Zeman's film imagines a past based on those novels which never was. Jules Gabriel Verne ( February 8 1828 &ndash March 24 1905) was a French Author who pioneered the science-fiction ^[10]

There are also "Medieval steampunk" stories set in the Middle Ages, in which steam and industrial technology is developed in the Medieval era, such as Leo Frankowski's Crosstime Engineer series and Mary Gentle's Book of Ash series; and Renaissance stories, such as Erik Svane and Dan Greenberg's General Leonardo graphic novel, in which Leonardo da Vinci's avant-garde war machines are used to start a new Crusade. Leo Frankowski (born February 13, 1943, in Detroit Michigan) is an American writer of Science fiction novels Mary Rosalyn Gentle (born 1956 is a UK Science fiction and Fantasy author The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci ( April 15 1452 – May 2 1519 was an Italian Polymath, having been a scientist Mathematician, Engineer The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents

Another common setting is "Western steampunk", being a science fictionalized American Western, as seen in the television shows The Wild Wild West, Legend, and The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.; the films Back to the Future Part III and Wild Wild West^[3]; and the Deadlands role-playing game. The Western is a fiction Genre seen in Film, Television, Radio, Literature, Painting and other Visual arts. Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic The Wild Wild West is an American television series that ran on CBS for four seasons (104 episodes from September 17, 1965 to Legend was a Science fiction Western television show that ran on UPN from April 18 1995 until August 22, 1995 The Adventures of Brisco County Jr is a short-lived western Television series with Science fiction elements set in the 1890s starring Back to the Future Part III is the third installment of the ''Back to the Future'' trilogy. Wild Wild West ( 1999) is a Science fiction action-comedy film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Will Smith, Deadlands is a genre-mixing alternate history Roleplaying game which combines the Western and horror genres A role-playing game ( RPG; often roleplaying game) is a Game in which the participants assume the roles of Fictional characters. See Science fiction Western for a list of fiction combining these two genres. A science fiction Western is a work of Fiction which has elements of Science fiction in a Western setting A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set

Historical steampunk usually leans more towards science fiction than fantasy, but there have been a number of historical steampunk stories that incorporated magical elements as well. For example, Morlock Nights by K. W. Jeter revolves around an attempt by the wizard Merlin to raise King Arthur to save the Britain of 1892 from an invasion of Morlocks from the future, while The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers involves a cabal of magicians trying to raise ancient Egyptian Gods to try to drive the British out of Egypt in the early 19th century. Kevin Wayne Jeter (born 1950 is an American Science fiction and horror Author known for his literary writing style dark themes and paranoid unsympathetic The Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network ( MERLIN) is an Interferometer array of Radio telescopes spread across England and the King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 Morlocks are a fictional species created by H G Wells for his 1895 novel The Time Machine The Anubis Gates ( 1983) is a Time travel Fantasy novel by Tim Powers. Timothy Thomas Powers (born February 29, 1952) is an American Science fiction and fantasy author A cabal is a number of people united in some close design usually to promote their private views and interests in a church, State, or other community often A magician, wizard, sorcerer or a person known under one of many other possible terms in fiction is someone who uses or practices magic Ancient Egyptian religion encompasses the various religious beliefs and rituals practiced in Ancient Egypt from the predynastic period until the adoption of Christianity This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics.

Fantasy-world steampunk

Since the 1990s, the application of the steampunk label has expanded beyond works set in recognizable historical periods (usually the 19th century) to works set in fantasy worlds that rely heavily on steam- or spring-powered technology. China Miéville is one of the better-known fantasy steampunk authors. China Tom Miéville (ˈtʃɑinɑ ˈmieɪˌvɪl (born September 6, 1972 in Norwich) is an award-winning English "fantastic fiction"

Fantasy steampunk settings abound in tabletop and computer role-playing games. Notable examples include the Dungeon Siege role-playing game ^[11], Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends ^[12], Crimson Skies ^[13], the Xbox RPG Sudeki ^[14], the Castle Falkenstein role-playing game, the Ironwolf comic from Howard Chaykin and Mike Mignola, the Thief first-person sneaker series, Squaresoft's Final Fantasy VI, Sega's console RPG Skies of Arcadia^[15], the Wild Arms series, and the PC game Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura,^[3] in which the world is torn between its roots in magic and its steam-driven, industrial future. Dungeon Siege is a Computer role-playing game developed by Gas Powered Games and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Rise of Nations is a Real-time strategy computer game, developed by Big Huge Games and published by Microsoft on May 20 Crimson Skies is a Media franchise and Fictional universe created by Jordan Weisman and Dave McCoy Sudeki is an Action role-playing game which was first released on the Xbox exclusively and ported later for Microsoft Windows. Castle Falkenstein (abbreviated CF) is a Steampunk -themed Fantasy Role-playing game (RPG designed by Mike Pondsmith Howard Victor Chaykin (born October 7, 1950 in Newark, New Jersey) is an American comic book writer and artist famous for his Mike Joseph Mignola (born September 16, 1960) is an American Comic book Artist and Writer, famous for creating the comic Thief is a series of first-person Computer games where the player takes the role of Garrett a Thief in a Fantasy / Steampunk A stealth game is a Video game in which the player needs to avoid detection also known as Final Fantasy III for English audiences when it was first released is a Console role-playing game developed and published by Square (now is a multinational Video game Software and Hardware development company and a former Home computer Skies of Arcadia, released in Japan as, is a Console role-playing game developed by Overworks for the Dreamcast and published is a role-playing game developed by Software company MediaVision and originally released in Japan in 1996 for the Sony Playstation Arcanum Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura (aka Arcanum) is a Computer role-playing game with a Cult following

Notable, recent additions to Steampunk gaming are the games set in the Warcraft Universe, produced by Blizzard Entertainment. The Warcraft universe is a Fictional universe in which a series of games and books published by Blizzard Entertainment are set Blizzard Entertainment is an American Video game developer and publisher headquartered in Irvine California. There is a vast amount of technology engineered and built by Gnomes, Goblins, and Dwarves that is reminiscent of steampunk. This is most clearly seen in the 'wondrous techno-city of Gnomeregan', a city run primarily by steam engine technology in the game World of Warcraft. World of Warcraft (commonly acronymed as WoW) is a Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG The traditional dwarven tanks are also known as "steam tanks" or "siege engines", with Goblins having created steam or clockwork-powered mechanical suits called "Shredders".

Variants of the steampunk concept

In between the historical and fantasy sub-genres of steampunk is a type which takes place in a hypothetical future or a fantasy equivalent of our future where steampunk-style technology and aesthetics have come to dominate, sometimes (as in Philip Reeve's Mortal Engines) as a result of modern computer-based technology being mysteriously forgotten or completely forbidden. Aesthetics or esthetics ( also spelled æsthetics) is commonly known as the study of sensory or sensori-emotional values sometimes called Philip Reeve (born 1966 in Brighton) is a British author and illustrator Mortal Engines is the first of four novels in Philip Reeve 's quartet of the same name which is also known as the Hungry City Chronicles in the Other examples include Disney's Treasure Planet^[3] film. Treasure Planet is a 2002 Science fiction Animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and released by

John Clute and John Grant have introduced another category: gaslight romance. John Frederick Clute (1940-) is a Canadian born author and critic who has lived in Britain since 1969 John Grant (born 1949 is a Scottish writer and editor of Science fiction, Fantasy, and non-fiction According to them, "steampunk stories are most commonly set in a romanticized, smoky, 19th century London, as are Gaslight Romances. But the latter category focuses nostalgically on icons from the late years of that century and the early years of the 20th century—on Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde, Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes and even Tarzan—and can normally be understood as combining supernatural fiction and recursive fantasy, though some gaslight romances can be read as fantasies of history. "^[16] This category is no longer in use (as well as its distinction from steampunk), with the exception of French fandom.

While not necessarily inspired by or a variation of the Steampunk genre, several other categories have arisen sharing similar naming structures. The most well known of these is dieselpunk, but also includes clockpunk and many others. A number of cyberpunk derivatives have become recognized as distinct subgenres in Speculative fiction. A number of cyberpunk derivatives have become recognized as distinct subgenres in Speculative fiction. Most of these terms were invented as part of the GURPS roleplaying game, and are not used in other contexts^[17]. The Generic Universal RolePlaying System, commonly known as GURPS, is a Role-playing game system designed to adapt to any imaginary gaming

See also: Cyberpunk derivatives. A number of cyberpunk derivatives have become recognized as distinct subgenres in Speculative fiction.

Steampunk as a subculture

Because of the popularity of steampunk with people in the goth, punk, cyber and Industrial subcultures, there is a growing movement towards establishing steampunk or "Steam" as a culture and lifestyle. The goth subculture is a contemporary Subculture found in many countries The punk subculture is based around Punk rock. It emerged from the larger Rock music scene in the mid-to-late-1970s in the United Kingdom, the United Cyber, is the name given to a contemporary Subculture having roots in multiple music and fashion scenes including the European and American Rave / clubbing Industrial music is a loose term for a number of different styles of Experimental music, especially but not necessarily Electronic music. The most immediate form of steampunk subculture is the community of fans surrounding the genre. Others move beyond this, attempting to adopt a "steampunk" aesthetic through fashion, home decor and even music. This movement may also be (more accurately) described as "Neo-Victorianism", which is the amalgamation of Victorian aesthetic principles with modern sensibilities and technologies. Neo-Victorian is an Aesthetic movement which amalgamates Victorian and Edwardian aesthetic sensibilities with modern principles and technologies ^[18]

"Steampunk" fashion has no set guidelines, but tends to synthesize punk, goth and rivet styles as filtered through the Victorian era. This may include Mohawks and extensive piercings with corsets and tattered petticoats, Victorian suits with goggles and boots with large soles and buckles or straps, and the Lolita fashion and aristocrat styles. The Mohawk (or mohican in British English) is a Hairstyle which consists of shaving both sides of the head leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair Lolita is a Fashion Subculture in Japan that is primarily influenced by Victorian children’s clothing as well as costumes from the Rococo Aristocrat (or '''Madam''' when referring to the feminine version of the fashion is a Japanese fashion that is inspired by what is thought to be worn by European Middle Some of what defines steampunk fashion has come from cyberpunk, and cyberlocks are used by some people adopting a steampunk look. Artificial hair integrations add length to Human hair. Types of hair fibers Hair extensions are made from a range of human and synthetic fibers

"Steampunk" music is even less defined, and tends to apply to any modern musicians whose music or stage presence evokes a feeling of the Victorian era or steampunk. This may include such diverse artists as Abney Park and Vernian Process. Abney Park is a Steampunk band based in Seattle. The band mixes elements of Industrial dance, and World music influences in their work Vernian Process is a musical project formed in San Francisco in 2003 by Joshua Pfeiffer ^[19][20]

Steampunk as a style of art and design

Various modern utilitarian objects have been modded by individual craftpersons into a pseudo-Victorian mechanical "steampunk" style. A desktop computer is a Personal computer (PC in a form intended for regular use at a single location as opposed to a mobile Laptop or portable computer Modding is a Slang expression that is derived from the verb " modify " ^[21] Example objects include computer keyboards and electric guitars. In Computing, a keyboard is an Input device partially modelled after the typewriter keyboard which uses an arrangement of buttons or keys An electric guitar is a type of Guitar that uses pickups to convert the vibration of its steel-cored strings into an electrical current which is made louder ^[22] The goal of such redesigns is to employ appropriate materials (such as polished brass, iron, and wood) with design elements and craftsmanship consistent with the Victorian era. ^[4][23]

The artist group Kinetic Steam Works^[24] created a Steampunk Tree House^[25] for Burning Man 2007, and also brought a working steam engine to the event in 2006 and 2007. Burning Man is an annual event held in

See also

List of steampunk works Cyberpunk derivatives Neo-Victorian Retro-futurism

Science fiction Western Steampunk Magazine The Willows Magazine Weird West

Notes

References

External links

• Steampunk - the New Genre: talk delivered by James Roy at the 2003 Children's Book Council of Australia Conference
• Brief Steampunk FAQ at Brass Goggles, a blog about "the lighter side of steampunk"
• Steampunkopedia: compendium of all things steampunk, including Steampunk Chronology, offered by Retrostacja
• Aether Emporium: database of steampunk links in wiki-format
• The New Design Style of Steampunk by Simone Cortez Gray

Coverage in conventional media

• The Age of Steampunk: article from The Boston Globe
• Steam Dream: article from The Phoenix
• Steampunk Moves Between Two Worlds: article from The New York Times

for the New Zealand politician see James Alexander McLean Roy James Roy (born in Trundle, New South Wales, 1968 is an The Boston Globe (and Boston Sunday Globe) is the most widely circulated daily Newspaper in Boston and in New England, The Phoenix is the name of several Alternative weekly Newspapers published by Phoenix Media/Communications Group of Boston

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