Steampunk can immensely enjoyable and fun, when it is well written. but it doesn’t always have the best reputation. Many of these stories are gaslight fantasy as that is what I tend to gravitate towards. Here you will find steampunk recommendations worth reading.
Because steampunk is set in a pseudo-victorian era setting, there are some inherently problematic elements of that society. Colonialism, classism, sexism, empirelism, racism etc. Some steampunk stories choose to deal with this, some do not – and sometimes it fits the story to do and sometimes it does not. This list has steampunk stories of both persuasions. Some of the stories here takes a hard look at the class, gender, sexuality and race issues of the era. But mostly they are just good stories, that I want you to enjoy as well.
Steampunk stories worth reading
Full length novels
Etiquette & Espionage by Gail Carriger
Young adult
Series: Finishing School
Pub: 2013
Keywords: boarding school, female friendship, spy thriller, mannerpunk
This is really a fun romp of a boarding school spy thriller set in a steampunk version of England. What more do you need to know? Perhaps you need to know that the protagonist is strong willed and willing to break conventions when it suits her. That she will never be a pretty flower in a gentleman’s bouquet and that really unsettles the people around her.
Read my review of the first two books here
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Standalone but it does have a spinoff series
Pub: 2014
Keywords: Goblins, elves, second world fantasy, court life, optimistic
This is really a fun romp of a boarding school spy thriller set in a steampunk version of England. What more do you need to know? Perhaps you need to know that the protagonist is strong willed and willing to break conventions when it suits her. That she will never be a pretty flower in a gentleman’s bouquet and that really unsettles the people around her.
Read my review
The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
Series: The Iron Seas
Keywords: Romance, erotica, airships, secondary world, fantasy
Pub: 2010
An action packed romance in an alternative Europe, where most of Europe is overrun by zombies, where the air is ruled by airships and where industrious people can do anything. The romance is not too annoying, the sex is steamy and the action works very well. It is very much an adventure book with romance.
Brother’s Ruin by Emma Newman (novella)
Series: Industrial Magic
Keywords: Class, gaslight fantasy, magic
Pub: 2017
While so many steampunk stories ignore the class issues in the time period the Industrial Magic series taggles them head on. This is a story about magic, industrialization and mystery. A wonderful and adventure filled story.
Cold Magic by Kate Elliott
Young adult
Series: Spiritwalker
Pub: 2010
Keywords: Second world gaslight fantasy, magic, sisterhood, love, family, obligation
This story is one of a mirror Europe where history went totally differently and Elliott has created a very rich alternative history for most of the world. We visit both England and the Caribbean, which isn’t under European control. It is a story of two sisters’ unconditional love for each other. There is a love story as well, but it is always second to the sister story. The characters are as rich and diverse as the backgrounds and the magical world is really interesting.
Karen Memory by Elizabeth Bear (novella)
Series: Karen Memory
Keywords: Western, prostitute, queer, female friendship
Pub: 2015
Karen’s story is set in a western boom town in a brothel, and Karen manages to have book stock full of prostitutes without having a single sex scene. This book has a ton of female characters as well as many queer characters – all of them rich and fleshed out – a truly diverse cast. The story captured me from the very first page and it was among the best stories I read last year. There is action, romance, friendship, political maneuvering and deep emotion all at once.
Read my full review. NB: Controversial author
Short stories
Both the short stories below have been published in Steam-Powered: Lesbian Steampunk Stories from 2011, which I do recommend.
Brilliant by Georgina Bruce
Two very different women meet on a train though Africa. It is a story about obligations, culture, romance and liberation. I really liked how mysterious the protagonist is about herself. The play between the unnamed protagonist and Brilliant was wonderful and so was the slow way we got a hint of what she was running from.
The Effluent Engine by N.K. Jemisin
A wonderfully paced spy story. Adventure and sweetness. Very much recommended.
As always Jemisin’s characters tackle privilege head on. It’s refreshing. It made me want to know more of Haiti history and of the revolution. A lot of the tension between the protagonist and her love interest has to do with privilege of different kinds, freedom, class etc.
This post was originally posted: April 5, 2016. Updated and edited June 24, 2023. I very much want to add more stories to this list as I have many more recommendations, but that must wait until another day.
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