What is steampunk?
Steampunkers party like it’s 1899--and what happens when Goth’s discover the color brown. Steampunk is set in a world where steam and natural gas, not coal and electricity is still the primary power source. It’s a world abounding with airships, gas lamps, gears, cogs, and brass goggles and populated with mad scientists, philosophers, adventurists, and air pirates. HG Wells and Jules Vernon are huge inspirations for Steampunk. Examples include League of Extraordinary Gentleman, Boneshaker, and the Parasol Protectorate series.
Even though there’s a heavy 19th century influence and feel to Steampunk, there could still be extraordinary technology all done with 19th century materials and in 19th century styles. There can be Steampunk airships, space ships, computers, and brass robots. In my book, Innocent Darkness I have flying cars and hoverboards.
Technology may have simply evolved differently, like in Innocent Darkness where the technology came out of the “American Renaissance”–or maybe a natural (or unnatural disaster) caused society to “regress.” Though Steampunk stories traditionally lack the dystopian/anarchist elements that cyberpunk has.
Steampunk stories can be set in the past, in the future, or on another planet. They can be set in Victorian London, the Wild West, Asia, another world entirely – you are only limited by your imagination. Innocent Darkness takes place in an alternate version of Victorian Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Faerie.
Steampunk Stories can be alternate histories, mysteries with hard-boiled detectives or cozy Victorian ladies, they can be gothic, or horror, or sweet romance. They can be bodice rippers, erotic, or “tame.” Steampunk stories can even feature the supernatural or paranormal elements. My book has Steampunk Faeries!
It is all in the setting, the language, the gadgets, and the characters–who could speak like Victorian ladies or fast-talking American teenagers. Noli, my main character prefers botany and fixing flying cars to balls, which in her world is a bit problematic.
With Steampunk, there’s really a great opportunity to be creative and make amazing worlds ranging from gritty to opulent—which is why I like it so much. Its basis is 19th century in nature, but it’s also fiction so you can do incredible and imaginative things. The variety of Steampunk stories is only limited by the imaginations of those who write them.
Let the adventures begin.
Suzanne Lazear’s young adult Steampunk dark fairytale, Innocent Darkness Book 1 of The Aether Chronicles, will be released from Flux in August of 2012. Visit her website at www.suzannelazear.com. She’s also part of the Steampunk group blog Steamed!
Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock's hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer's eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.