A friend recently discovered steampunk and would like recommendations. Bear in mind that she has just birthed a baby so her free time may be somewhat limited, so epics and series are probably not the best choices. Thanks.
The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling is probably the first place to start: it’s set in an alternate Victorian England which gets its computer power from Babbage’s Difference Engine: it’s atmospheric, well-written and convincing, though the plot does go a bit Harry Harrison in the last third of the novel.
Probably the Steampunk anthology edited by Jeff Vandermeer
China Mieville - Perdido Street Station
*Homunculus *- James Blaylock
Mainspring - Jay Lake
*The Difference Engine * - William Gibson
One of my all time favorite books that I did not know was Steampunk until well after I read it-- Anubis Gates.
Obligatory Girl Genius Shout out.
It might be worth trying the godfather of steampunk Jules Verne, too. “20,000 Leagues Under The Sea” is probably the best of that lot. “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” is supposed to be excellent as well, but the movie was abysmal.
While a television program, The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne was pretty cool.
I second *Girl Genius. *
I suggested Verne as well. Steampunk before it was steampunk.
I suggested this as well. Is it out on DVD? I’d love to see it again.
I recorded all of them save for The Victorian Candidate. I don’t know if it’s on DVD or not.
Thirded; I opened the thread to mention that.
So, what’s with the stuff falling out of the sky?
Cobble stones.
The bridge is re-assembling itself.
Much easier to see on Fridays strip.
It is and it was. If you can track it down in trade paperback, early books of the early 80’s 2000AD strip Nemesis the Warlock is pure steampunk gold before the term was even coined, particularly Book One {which is almost medievalpunk} and Book Four, which is set on an alien world which has modelled itself on Victorian England: some very tasty art from Kevin O’Neill in both.
A couple of new ones:
Whitechapel Gods by S.M. Peters (A lot of steam, a bit of punk and some magic)
The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters by G.W. Dahlquist (Less steam, more brass gadgets and mystical orgies)
The Etched City by K.J. Bishop (Borderline case, more of weird fantasy but dabbling in the area)
Huh. It seems initials are all the rage.
“Diamond Age” by Neal Stephenson is the one that got me 
. I just finished reading it again.
Some elements of Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere and Stardust, both short reads.
Wild, Wild West
Warren Ellis’ FreakAngels webcomic
The Brass Goggles blog is a good resource.
Echoing reccomends for LEG and GG.
Actually… where would you guys place Philip Pullman’s The Golden Compass on the steampunk-o-meter? Granted, it’s more of an urban fantasy, but it still has the retro gadgets and the science thing going on. On second thought, it’s not Victorian. Ah, I’ll just fling it out there and see what you think.
I’d also recommend Anti-Ice by Stephen Baxter.
And for more stuff actually written during the 19th Century, I remember really liking the collection Science Fiction by Gaslight (one of the many good anthologies edited by Sam Moskowitz).
I’d second Golden Compass.
Any non-fiction? People who live the life?