Must-read books on Victorian intrigue and steampunk fantasy
The Victorian era, marked by industrial and social transformation, has birthed steampunk fantasy. This subgenre fuses historical settings with futuristic technology from science fiction. It typically features adventures and mysteries amidst 19th-century-like worlds. Steampunk invites readers to delve into tales where past and future converge, offering escapes into alternate realities filled with intrigue and mechanical marvels.
'Perdido Street Station'
Perdido Street Station by China Mieville unveils New Crobuzon, a city alive with peculiar beings and hidden sciences. The plot centers on Isaac, a scientist whose creation inadvertently sets loose a nightmare in the metropolis. Mieville masterfully blends sorcery with steampunk innovation, enveloping readers in a vividly constructed world that is both fantastical and mechanically advanced.
'Soulless'
In Soulless, Gail Carriger introduces us to Alexia Tarabotti, a "soulless" woman who deftly navigates a Victorian London populated by vampires and werewolves. As the first entry in The Parasol Protectorate series, the novel follows Alexia's adventures in high society as she cleverly solves supernatural mysteries, all while confronting the era's rigid societal norms.
'The Alchemy Wars'
The Alchemy Wars trilogy begins with Ian Tregillis's The Mechanical. This novel presents an alternate version of France, dominated by Clakkers, sentient clockwork automatons created through alchemy. The narrative delves into the concept of free will when one Clakker becomes self-aware. This revelation occurs against the backdrop of escalating tensions between humans and their automaton counterparts, setting the stage for a gripping conflict.
'Boneshaker'
Boneshaker by Cherie Priest depicts an alternate Seattle, where a disastrous invention releases toxic gas and zombies. The protagonist, Briar Wilkes, faces this perilous world to vindicate her family's name. Combining zombie horror with steampunk gadgetry, Priest delivers an enthralling read. The narrative is richly set against the Civil War era's complex backdrop, adding depth to the action-packed adventure.
