After reading a few of you wistfully talk about steampunk, I realized that I am not all that familiar with the genre. Do you have any recommendations? I'd prefer books, but movies and whatnot are fine too. :)
I just picked up a collection of steampunk stories called Extraordinary Engines, it's quite good so far.
There's any number of anime movies out there (I'm thinking Steam Boy specifically).
Wild Wild West is an example of steampunk (though it might more accurately be termed Weird West), but it's a pretty terrible film otherwise so I wouldn't recommend it. While I'm on the subject of terrible films, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen may be considered steampunk, though it blurs into gaslight romance. Read the graphic novel, it's infinitely better.
Van Helsing and the third Back to the Future film both qualify.
Any of China Mieville's Bas-Lag series of books (Perdito Street Station, Iron Council, etc) technically qualify as steampunk (though they've essentially branched off into their own genre, the New Weird).
Steampunk also encompasses the originators of speculative fiction: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus; the works of H.G.Wells and especially Jules Verne (though personally I don't consider them steampunk since steampunk is more of a revisiting of those times, not actual first-hand accountings of the period - it would be like calling the ruins of the Parthenon 'Neo-Classical').
"Wild Wild West is an example of steampunk (though it might more accurately be termed Weird West), but it's a pretty terrible film otherwise so I wouldn't recommend it."
I'm told the original 60s TV series was much better.
Agreed on the comic book version of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, much better than the film it spawned.
I saw Extraordinary Engines on the shelf t'other day and almost picked it up. May I borrow it when you're done?
(though personally I don't consider them steampunk since steampunk is more of a revisiting of those times, not actual first-hand accountings of the period - it would be like calling the ruins of the Parthenon 'Neo-Classical').
Exactly. They're source material and good to read to get an idea of where it all begins, but they don't precisely classify as steampunk.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2009-01-02 04:49 pm (UTC)There's any number of anime movies out there (I'm thinking Steam Boy specifically).
Wild Wild West is an example of steampunk (though it might more accurately be termed Weird West), but it's a pretty terrible film otherwise so I wouldn't recommend it. While I'm on the subject of terrible films, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen may be considered steampunk, though it blurs into gaslight romance. Read the graphic novel, it's infinitely better.
Van Helsing and the third Back to the Future film both qualify.
Any of China Mieville's Bas-Lag series of books (Perdito Street Station, Iron Council, etc) technically qualify as steampunk (though they've essentially branched off into their own genre, the New Weird).
Steampunk also encompasses the originators of speculative fiction: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus; the works of H.G.Wells and especially Jules Verne (though personally I don't consider them steampunk since steampunk is more of a revisiting of those times, not actual first-hand accountings of the period - it would be like calling the ruins of the Parthenon 'Neo-Classical').
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Date: 2009-01-02 06:12 pm (UTC)I'm told the original 60s TV series was much better.
Agreed on the comic book version of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, much better than the film it spawned.
no subject
Date: 2009-01-02 07:12 pm (UTC)(though personally I don't consider them steampunk since steampunk is more of a revisiting of those times, not actual first-hand accountings of the period - it would be like calling the ruins of the Parthenon 'Neo-Classical').
Exactly. They're source material and good to read to get an idea of where it all begins, but they don't precisely classify as steampunk.
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Date: 2009-01-02 08:27 pm (UTC)Of course! I'll send it along the usual routes if I haven't finished it by the 11th.
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Date: 2009-01-08 01:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-08 01:20 pm (UTC)