First published 2011
This anthology cannot be written from inside a single story as it contains fourteen separate tales by different authors. The collection brings together leading speculative fiction writers who take steampunk beyond its typical Victorian boundaries. These stories unfold across diverse landscapes from the mountains of Appalachia to the forums of Ancient Rome, from a reimagined California to the deserts of future Australia. Each tale features the genre's signature elements: elaborate clockwork devices, steam-powered contraptions, and calculating engines that reshape their worlds. The authors craft narratives where inventors and visionaries build societies around mechanical marvels and automated wonders. Romance intertwines with technology as characters navigate worlds where gears and passion drive the action. Two graphic stories add visual storytelling to the mix. The anthology challenges steampunk conventions while celebrating the genre's core appeal: the marriage of historical settings with fantastical technology, creating alternate realities where steam and dreams power human ambition.
Genres: science-fiction, anthologies, fantasy, alternate-history
Vibes: thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: found-family
Setting: Appalachia, Australia, California, Rome
Period: 19th-century, future
432 pages · Paperback · Walker UK