The Fascination of Steampunk
This was originally posted on the 6th of August on Once Upon A Time for Clockwork Carnival
Have you ever wondered what Steampunk is exactly?
According to Wikipedia:
“Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features
steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by
industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Therefore,
steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th
century’s British Victorian era or American “Wild West”, in a
post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has regained mainstream
use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power.
Steampunk perhaps most recognizably features anachronistic technologies
or retro-futuristic inventions as people in the 19th century might have
envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era’s perspective on
fashion, culture, architectural style, and art.”
Steampunk is up and coming not only in the YA genre but all over the
place. Since 2009 many great Steampunk series such as Gail Carriger’s
Parasol Protectorate novels (Soulless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless,
Timeless), Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan trilogy (Leviathan, Behemoth,
Goliath) and Cassandra Clare’s The Infernal Devices trilogy (Clockwork
Angel, Clockwork Prince, Clockwork Princess) were published and since
2003 with the release of the movie The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen
the film industry produced many Steampunky movies such as Van Helsing
(2004), The Golden Compass (2007) and both Sherlock Holmes movies
starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law (2009 and 2011 with a third film
that should come out in 2015).
Everywhere
you look Steampunk is a thing right now and everyone knows the term.
Many can name certain books or movies that deal with this theme and
almost everyone knows that Jules Verne’s works could be classified as
Steampunk although he lived from 1828 to 1905.
In my family Steampunk is well known, not only because I read a lot
and there are a fair amount of Steampunk novels on my shelves but also
because my uncle and my cousin’s long-term girlfriend are huge Steampunk
fans. Whenever I see my uncle we start talking about Steampunk and last
year he decided to transform my aunt’s office into a Steampunky one. It
matches their house perfectly and in June I finally had a chance to
look at it and I have to tell you it is fabulous. My cousin’s girlfriend
got Steampunk jewelry for Christmas and when I was talking to Hannah
about her Clockwork Carnival I immediately had an idea for a blog post.
I asked my uncle, my cousin’s girlfriend and Hannah what fascinates them about Steampunk.
Here are their answers:
My uncle, who is so not a reader at all, told me that he is
fascinated by the huge variety of things that can be seen as Steampunk.
The small machines that consist of so many components and are all built
with love and devotion, the different takes on Steampunk films, that
Jules Verne experimented with this genre over a hundred years ago and
that he is seen as the “Godfather of Steampunk”.
My cousin’s girlfriend sees Steampunk as something special and
unique. For her those little hidden gems of Steampunk are those things
that fascinates her the most. There are so many different ways of
expressing your love of Steampunk and so many different people loving
this genre.
I love the variety of Steampunk – it can be found in books, films,
jewelry, fashion, etc. It is a way of life! Exploring all those
different ways the genre expresses itself and stumbling over little
hidden references towards Steampunk is something I appreciate a lot.
Whenever I read a Steampunk novel I can see the story evolve before my
inner eye because all of those I read are written so well and suck you
into their world. Every time someone talks to me about Steampunk I see a
dark, dusty and foggy London and cannot help but smile. For me this
genre lives from the huge variety and the large amount of feelings it
awakens in all of us. Steampunk is unique and combines the love of the
old (aka Victorian times) with modern features (aka the machines and
inventions) and a very special way of transporting them either via
screen or via the pages of a book, which clearly is my favorite way of
experiencing Steampunk.
When I asked Hannah she wrote the following:
”Ooh good question.. Steampunk is unlike any genre out there. You
find it as a setting for fantasy novels, a world in urban fantasy, and
the stories in Science Fiction. It can be subtle and flamboyant and it
is fascinating to see how different authors use it. However, it is also
so much more. For many Steampunkians it is a culture and a way to
express themselves. There are so many aspects to Steampunk and I love to
explore them all.”
And with this wonderful declaration of love to Steampunk I will leave
you now but not without asking you why you are fascinated with this
genre and what is your number one book or film you can recommend me
reading/watching?
