Over on FaceBook, I have started a Steampunk Book Club. Imagine my surprise, when I did a search and found no such group. There are a few dozen small book clubs, and even a few Steampunk fan sites, but nowhere to discuss my favorite genre with like minded readers.

Please take a moment to head on over and join us, we are GearPunk and SteamHeads. I’ll post the link off to the side to make it easier to find.

Our first selection is The Difference Engine by Willaim Gibson and Bruce Sterling. This is one of the first works to be labeled as Steampunk, and helped to define the genre. It is a classic Victorian era alternate history featuring Edward ‘Leviathon’ Mallory: the man who discovered the Brontosaurus. There is no magic, no supernatural, and no vampires. And no Brontosauri. There are steam powered vehicles and calculating engines and a gritty, dystopian asthetic. This is what I consider First Generation Steampunk. Before us genre-benders got hold of it and started screwing with things.

I am not counting proto-steampunk like Verne and Wells and early pulp adventures like Steam Man of the Prairie. Or even any of the first victorian era gaslight romances. Many fans of Gaslight are still gnashing their teeth in impotent fury that steampunk writers would dare mess with their beloved Victorian Era.

And there are many who insist that their steampunk remain pure. Victorian era with the addition of advanced steam technology and science. No magic. No alternate worlds. No supernatural. Steampunk magazine is among them. And this saddens me. Steampunk is meant to break the bounds of genres and labels. That’s its appeal, and that was the intent of  pioneers like Bruce Sterling, James Blaylock and Tim Powers(the man who first coined the term).

At some time in the 90′s, magic began creeping in. China Mielville and Final Fantasy VII can be credited with broadening steampunk’s appeal to the fantasy crowd. Second Generation steampunk was born. And the purists began gnashing their teeth. I find that ironic.

Most fans of the genre, could care less if the book they are reading is first or second generation, historically accurate or not. Angels, vampires, magic. They don’t care, as long as the steampunk sensibilities are there.

Steampunk is not just about goggles and steam-engines and airships. Its about adventure, exploration and innovation. Its about wallowing in dystopian noir for the sheer angst of it. Its about a rejection of labels and categories. It can be dark and serious, or it can be tongue in check and And its just damned fun to read.

To those of you knew to the genre, I encourage you all to pick up a copy of The Difference Engine and give it a read. It is still highly relevant and quite enjoyable. And for those of you reading this and shouting ‘Why did you not list Moorcock’s Warlord of the Air and you didn’t even mention Paul Philippo!’, well, you should definitely join us and share your wisdom.