Steampunk

[JAParticipant @ja]

Could someone, possibly a New Zealander, explain Steampunk for me.

Is it likely to arrive in the UK?

JA

[JAParticipant @ja]

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Think it's already here

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Been here well over 100 years

H.G. Wells 'The Time Machine'.

E.M. Forster's 'The Machine Stops'.

Think Moorcock's Oswald Bastable novels.

And people were making brass and ebony computer keyboards in the 1990s.

Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 31/08/2016 18:36:54

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 31/08/2016 18:34:07:

Think Oswald Bastable.

Neil

Who???

[Martin ConnellyParticipant @martinconnelly55370]

Lincoln Castle hosted a steam punk event this past weekend, not for the first time.

Martin

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Brian Hutchings on 31/08/2016 18:35:05:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 31/08/2016 18:34:07:

Think Oswald Bastable.

Neil

Who???

Central character in books like 'The Land Leviathan' and 'The Warlord of the Air' – essentially stories set in the future featuring strong doses of Victorian technology and style, now having evolved into models on such a theme and even a lifestyle.

Neil

[jason udallParticipant @jasonudall57142]

I think a useful explanation is that it is a esthetic movement. .harking to the “look of” engineering of the Victorian /Edwardian era
Think Jules Vern.
H G Wells
Think brass..lots of brass..leather. .feathers ( don’t ask)..
For some reason goggles and Pith helmets.
.

Why steam punk…well this evolved from cyber punk ( a la William Gibson) but powered by steam ( for example. .difference engin…again by W Gibson)

Another fine read “Harms Way”…what would happen if technology made sailing ships to space possible

Edited By jason udall on 31/08/2016 18:53:12

[JAParticipant @ja]

I think I am getting my head round the idea. So would Rowland Emett's railway at Battersea Park in the early 1950s now be considered steampunk?

JA

[Geoff TheasbyParticipant @geofftheasby]

JA, for steampunk, Google:

Novel, Pavane by Keith Roberts

Dance music, YouTube – Whitby Gothic Style

Videos, YouTube – Sir Reginald Pike-Devant Esq., and Professor Elemental

I have the honour to be, your humble and devoted servant, Sir.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

+1 for Pavane. My other forays into Steampunk have been rather disappointing. Any recommendations for well written examples of the genre?

Cheers,

Rod

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Look up 'Steampowered giraffe' on you tube.

Strange but kind of fun.

Everyone to their own

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Several years ago my daughter had 'Mortal Engines' by Phillip Reeve, which is aimed at teenagers and I couldn't help reading it. If you suspend disbelief its a rollicking good tale and I was disappointed she didn't get any others in the series.

The His Dark Materials books are a bit older and have steampunk elements.

I thoroughly enjoyed Moorcock's Oswald Bastable books, but you have to be into his sort of writing to enjoy them.

A steam powered WW1 tank/landship woudl amke a nice steampunk project!

Or how about the Tsar Tank, both real AND steampunk!

Neil

[DanielParticipant @daniel]

Wild Wild West with Will Smith, for a gentle starter. Film, not book.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

This Russian motorcycle is a fine example of steampunk design:

**LINK**

Good steam punk design

MichaelG.

[Geoff TheasbyParticipant @geofftheasby]

 

How's this for a project?

Edited By JasonB on 01/09/2016 07:25:32

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

I have no problem with teen aimed books – I've enjoyed His Dark Materials and of course Harry Potter, which certainly had some steampunkish elements; at least in the design of the films. I'll give Reeve a go.Thanks.

Interesting link Michael:  Is Steampunk defined by polished brass?

Rod

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 31/08/2016 22:41:57

[Geoff TheasbyParticipant @geofftheasby]

How about this, Neil?

Geoff

[JAParticipant @ja]

I am not sure about all this. Perhaps it is outside the scope of the forum.

JA

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Roderick Jenkins on 31/08/2016 22:37:11:

Interesting link Michael: Is Steampunk defined by polished brass?

.

Not exclusively … But surely that bike would fit into many a steampunk scenario.

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by JA on 31/08/2016 22:42:08:

I am not sure about all this. Perhaps it is outside the scope of the forum.

.

Why would you think that

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 31/08/2016 22:47:48.

Not exclusively … But surely that bike would fit into many a steampunk scenario.

Hmmm. I've kind of assumed that Steampunk involves an alternative history where the infernal combustion engine hasn't been invented…

Rod

[John OlsenParticipant @johnolsen79199]

As a New Zealander, I am not sure that coming from here is necessarily likely to confer any special knowledge of steampunk.

I would second the suggestion of reading William Gibsons "The Difference Engine"

Another suggestion would be "A Transatlantic Tunnel, Hurrah!" by Harry Harrison.

The genre grew of of science fiction alternative history but has taken on a life of its own, including artwork and cosplay.

There is another genre called diesel punk which does similar things with early internal combustion technology and fashions.

John

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

So was Heath Robinson our first steampunk?

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

There are some fabulous model steampunk stirling engines about. Check out any of the videos on Youtube by mdevink. Here's a good intro

And some more, on display as art at Oxford, along with a few interesting steampunks in the crowd

 

(Tried to embed videos, too hard.)

 

Edited By Hopper on 01/09/2016 06:56:45

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