The latest trend in YA fiction -- Urban dystopian steampunk?

[Teresa Edgerton]

It seems to me that a large percentage of the YA (and younger) SFF that I'm discovering lately deals with urban dystopias, underground cities, airships and air pirates, and either quasi-Baroque or Victorian steampunkishness -- or is it just that these are the books that I am personally attracted to, therefore picking up and taking a closer look, therefore either buying or checking out from the library?

In the wake of J. K. Rowling's success, one would expect a rash of Harry Potter type fantasies, but in fact it seems to me that something very different is going on, and has, in fact, been going on for quite some time (looking at some of the title pages, I'm seeing a lot of copyrights in the 1990s), and gradually gaining momentum.

Chris Wooding's The Haunting of Alaziabel Cray and Marcus Sedgwick's Book of Dead Days are two of the more recent examples we have discussed on this forum. Also Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve. All three excellent books.

But City of Shadows by Celia Rees, Ragboy, Rats, and the Surging Sea, by Alan Temperley, and the early books in The Edge Chronicles have dates of 1998 and 1999 (which means they were written at least a year or two earlier).

Oh yes, and there are the Stravaganza books, by Mary Hoffman, and The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke. What else would fit in with this trend?

[dwndrgn]

So what is steampunk? I recognize The Edge Chronicles (and have read two of them - enjoyed immensely btw) but the term steampunk conjures up visions of, well, I suppose I don't know really. It definitely doesn't conjure up the fantastical imagery and gentleness I found in The Edge Chronicles. I guess I get an image of hard-edged, rage-against-the-machine, defy authority teens in purposefully ragged clothes, held together with safety pins using tommy guns to protect their edgy little "we can smoke and drink without parental supervision" conclave. Or somesuch.

So, 'Lucy, you got some splainin' to do'.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Here is an excerpt from a Wikipedia article on steampunk:

Although many works now considered seminal to the genre were published in the 1960's and 70's, the term "steampunk" originated in the late 80's as a tongue in cheek variant of "cyberpunk". The prototypical "steampunk" stories were essentially cyberpunk tales that were set in the past, using steam-era technology rather than the ubiquitous cybernetics of cyberpunk but maintaining those stories' "punkish" attitudes towards authority figures and human nature. Originally, like cyberpunk, steampunk was typically dystopian, often with noir and pulp fiction themes, as it was a variant of cyberpunk. As the genre developed, it came to adopt more of the broadly appealing utopian sensibilities of Victorian scientific romances.


Steampunk fiction focuses more intently on real, theoretical or cinematic Victorian-era technology, including steam engines, clockwork devices, and difference engines. While much of steampunk is set in Victorian-era settings, the genre has expanded into medieval settings and often delves into the realms of horror and fantasy. Various secret societies and conspiracy theories are often featured, and some steampunk includes significant fantasy elements.

For all the whimsy in the Edge Chronicles, Undertown and Sanctaphrax provide a significant dystopian element and the air ships are certainly typical steampunk machines

Here is an exhaustive list of books and movies that, by the broadest definition, fall under the classifcation of steampunk:

http://republika.pl/steampunk/chrono02.html

(If you look at this chronology around 1991 you will see at least one familiar title.)

And here is a link to a rather interesting article about Steampunk:

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/9094/STEAM60.html

[rune]

Not really sure if Ive read anything like this, yet. Im not sure I would be attracted to it either.

[Culhwch]

I find, like most genres, it depends on the work itself. I loved Reeve's Hungry City Chronicles, which I would say are firmly planted in steampunk, while I ditched Michael Swanwick's (non-YA) The Iron Dragon's Daughter.

[Teresa Edgerton]

rune, but you've read New Weird writers like Mieville, whose works are in a direct line of descent from steampunk. I could probably mention some other adult titles that would be familiar to you, but I'm too busy cudgelling my brains for the kids books.

I'm finally reading Predator's Gold, Culhwch, and I'm liking it as much or more than Mortal Engines. I know there are two more books in the series; have you read those, and if so, do they live up to the first ones?

At least some of the Lemony Snicket books have a steampunk edge, and the world as the unfortunate Beaudelaire orphans experience it is like one long Dickensian nightmare, not to mention that much of humor derives from the vaguely Victorian style of the writing, so I think we could throw "A Series of Unfortunate Events" into this category.

[rune]

Originally Posted by Teresa Edgerton

rune, but you've read New Weird writers like Mieville, whose works are in a direct line of descent from steampunk. I could probably mention some other adult titles that would be familiar to you, but I'm too busy cudgelling my brains for the kids books.

I'm finally reading Predator's Gold, Culhwch, and I'm liking it as much or more than Mortal Engines. I know there are two more books in the series; have you read those, and if so, do they live up to the first ones?

At least some of the Lemony Snicket books have a steampunk edge, and the world as the unfortunate Beaudelaire orphans experience it is like one long Dickensian nightmare, not to mention that much of humor derives from the vaguely Victorian style of the writing, so I think we could throw "A Series of Unfortunate Events" into this category.

Right, so Mieville's work falls under this description. What about YA stuff though.

[dwndrgn]

Muchas gracias for explaining for me, allowing me to be lazy and not do the research myself . So I see now how The Edge Chronicles fit, though since the main focus of (at least the first two tales) focus mainly on the main character (sorry the name has completely escaped me at the moment) I didn't even think about the actual anti-authority sidelines. I think that is therefore my criteria. Reading about this genre, I like them only when the focus isn't on the punkish attitude and it is only a sideline. Too much focus there and it would probably be too 'preachy' to me.

Would you classify the Recluce series there? That's one series that so many people like and I just couldn't get into it. I think it was because there was too much of a mix of the magic and industrialization to be realistic to me. Though, thinking about it, I suppose it isn't any less realistic than just plain ol' magic by itself. I guess I just like them separate.

[Teresa Edgerton]

rune, I assume you are asking about YA books that you might have actually read, since I've already mentioned a number of titles. If I remember anything, or if I spot you mentioning anything that I think falls into this category, I'll jump out of hiding with a loud "aha!" and point it out.

dwndrgn, I think the "punk" part was to some extent a joke, since "----punk" was sort of a fashionable term back in the early 90's, as well as an aspect that some people put more or less emphasis on according to what interests them (not to mention in some cases a desire to appear either cutting-edge or -- even more glamorous! -- subversive). For me, it's more of an aesthetic than a political movement.

I haven't read the "Recluce" books, as what I have seen of Modesitt's style doesn't appeal to me, so I can't comment on those.

But I wouldn't say that merely mixing magic and industrialism (or science) together at random is enough, there ought to be an underlying rationale as to how they work together and why they are mingled. Certainly for YA and children's books this would have to be a consistent pattern of logic (or even illogic) that you can sense or intuit, rather than something laid out in boring detail.

[Gladestrider]

The most common pop-culture reference I can think of for "steam-punk" was a movie that came out a few years ago called The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. There was also a Jules Verne series on television in the US, sometime in the late 90's, that had a strong "Steam-punk" feel to it. I seem to remember reading a brief definition somewhere, where the author suggested that the term applies to a fantasy/alternate setting in which steam technology evolved well past electrical technology.

And Teresa, you'll be pleased to know that I can bring our man (James P.) Blaylock in on this as well, since both Homunculus and Lord Kelvins Machine are both widely considered "steam punk." Neither, however, have been marketed as YA.

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by Teresa Edgerton

I'm finally reading Predator's Gold, Culhwch, and I'm liking it as much or more than Mortal Engines. I know there are two more books in the series; have you read those, and if so, do they live up to the first ones?

Yeah, I really liked Predator's Gold. The next one, Infernal Devices, was set a little while later. Not as good as PG, but I enjoyed it, though thinking back I can barely recall what happened. Might have to go back and reread it. The fourth I don't think has been published yet....

[CarlottaVonUberwald]

i know this isn't half as intellectual or as worthwhile as your posts ...isn't the word steampunk just so kool sounding

[Gladestrider]

i know this isn't half as intellectual or as worthwhile as your posts ...

Pfffffffffft, "worthwhile" to me is anything you feel like posting that isn't rude, childish, or violent. And I agree, it is a pretty cool term

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by CarlottaVonUberwald

isn't the word steampunk just so kool sounding

No doubt the very reason the term caught on in the first place.

But not all of the books that are part of this trend fit into the classification of steampunk. Many of them share themes and motifs -- dark urban settings, youthful protagonists who are scrappy, streetwise waifs and strays, etc. -- without the beguiling gadgetry of steampunk.

It may be that authors of YA fiction are not so concerned with sub-genres as their counterparts writing for adults.

[CarlottaVonUberwald]

i had a huge dabate at schoo labout how difficult it would be to accurately put every book into a genre without causing fistfights..( or at least some ansty stares) ESPECIALLY wwith youth fiction where the writers priorities have to lie more in the entertainment ( i'm not implying adult fiction ignores that at all) than in accuracy in appealing t oone very specific target audience