For the Love of Steampunk

It’s no secret that Marissa and I are in love with the nineteenth century. Most of our works have been set in that era, and we’ve been gleefully blogging about our obsession with various facets of the history since September 2007. What you’ve probably guessed from some of our posts is that we also have a fascination with science. So what better than a genre that mixes both!

Steampunk is speculative fiction that sets fantastic inventions against a (generally) nineteenth century backdrop. Think Jules Vernes or The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Steamships ply the waters and sail the skies; steam engines propel amazing machines across a landscape populated by gentlemen in Bowler hats and ladies in bustle dresses. If that’s not enough to set you drooling, consider the incredible world-building that goes into creating what is essentially an alternative universe.

Now, some of the steampunk out there is rather dark, and I’m not, so I tend to gravitate to the more adventurous and romantic stories. Some of my favorites are Kenneth Oppel’s Matt Cruse trilogy (Airborn, Skybreaker, and Starclimber) and Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan series (Leviathan, Behemoth, and Goliath). And I have high hopes for The Aeronaut’s Windlass, by Jim Butcher, which is on my to-be-read list.

And then there’s the Magnificent Devices series by Shelley Adina. High society meets creative invention. Young ladies find ways to move from queen of the ballroom to the captain of a dirigible. Be still my heart!

Sound like something you might be interested in too? Well, you’re in luck. Shelley will be our featured author next week on Nineteen Teen! On Tuesday, she takes you into the world of steampunk fashion. And on Friday, we will get her to spill all her secrets, including where the series going next.

Strap on up your aviators and lace up your corsets. Next week, Nineteen Teen goes steampunk!