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Steampunk: Extraordinary Tales of Victorian Futurism
In these astonishingly forward-thinking science-fiction stories from the steam-shrouded, technology-obsessed Victorian age, the characters look forward to the wonders that new innovations might bring, from chess-playing robots to gravity-defying aerocars, as well as the catastrophic dangers that might ensue. This amazing fiction collection, edited by prolific anthologist Mike Ashley, brings you 14 classic steampunk tales - with perceptive introductions offering biographical, cultural, and critical insights - from the days when everything seemed not only possible, but inevitable.
290 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
9 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Mike Ashley
278 books131 followersMichael Raymond Donald Ashley is the author and editor of over sixty books that in total have sold over a million copies worldwide. He lives in Chatham, Kent.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 16, 2019
Tales from the Victorian Era - with quite possibly the best layout I have seen in some time
I'm not that big of a Steampunk fan, and even though these are classics - just not quite my tales.
But - this collection of tales from the Victorian era is incredible. Mike Ashley fills each short tale with an intro, some art - and most importantly an incredible layout. Every tale has its own style - just incredible.
Even if Steampunk is not your thing, you should check this out - buy a full bok, or go to the library and check it out so you can see it in its full display.
I love eBooks as much as the next person - but this one is worth a physical copy.
I'm not that big of a Steampunk fan, and even though these are classics - just not quite my tales.
But - this collection of tales from the Victorian era is incredible. Mike Ashley fills each short tale with an intro, some art - and most importantly an incredible layout. Every tale has its own style - just incredible.
Even if Steampunk is not your thing, you should check this out - buy a full bok, or go to the library and check it out so you can see it in its full display.
I love eBooks as much as the next person - but this one is worth a physical copy.
September 21, 2018
This was a fun book to read, and I did enjoy it. I opted to read it as I have heard of the term "steampunk" [used in reference to the covers of some John Carter books published in the . . . 1960s? (I think)] and always wondered what "steampunk" was. I think The Two Georges might fit into this genre, but I am not sure. Anyway. Never having knowingly read any steampunk stories [but thoroughly enjoying Disney's Atlantis: the Lost Empire], I thought I would give this book a try.
It is an anthology of stories written in the (primarily) late 1800s and the early 1900s about life in the 'future' as the authors envisioned it. They are based on the scientific beliefs and theories of the time, and many of them see science as helping man triumph over adversity. It felt like the views, mores, and attitudes of the time period are definitely in evidence in some of the stories; that is for certain (I suppose primarily in how people of non-white races were often viewed as being inferior savages; this was not in every story, but it was in a good chunk of them. The treatment of women was a mixed bag - I thought some of the women portrayed were strong women; others, not so in the least. The relationships between the sexes was definitely much chaster than they would probably be portrayed if written today.). It was an interesting mix of stories; there was at least one "horror" story (that strongly reminded me of Edgar Allan Poe's works), a mystery, a couple of disaster stories, some "alien invasion" stories, and an interesting "survival" story. One story had a real emotional punch at the end; I could not believe it ended the way it did - it was a complete shock to me. (Granted, I thought it might go one way, but it ended up going a different way.)
The character development was spotty throughout the book; some of the authors did a good job getting you to care about their characters whereas others, the story did not seem focused on the character as much as it was 'an event.' There were some women who refused to be left on the sidelines while "their man" went off into the great unknown; instead, they demanded to accompany their husband on the journey and to play a 'more active' part than I would have thought otherwise; that being said, I guess these women still needed occasional 'rescuing' from 'their man' from time-to-time in these stories. The majority of the stories take place in England, so the focus is obviously on the island and its inhabitants.
There was one story that really annoyed me at first, but that is okay.
I know I talked about the various stories that were in the book briefly by mentioning the "types," but my attempting to list the story types is not exhaustive by any means. There are fourteen stories in the anthology, and I did enjoy all of them (to varying degrees). Some of the stories did "impact" me more than others, and it was fun to read about how they thought the world might advance based upon the technology and theories of the time. It is equally interesting and "funny" to read about how they could not even conceive of the level of technology that came about in the 1930s and 1940s, let alone how far and fast technology has progressed and is progressing. There are concepts and ideas that were clearly beyond their ability to conceptualize, but that is okay and it make sense. I am sure if mankind is still around for another couple of centuries, those living in the future will be saying the same thing about us.
On a side note, I would say these stories are more "early science fiction" than actual "steampunk" based on the time they were written. I read some other reviews about this book, and many reviewers agree with my assessment. These stories are not 'true steampunk' because they were written by authors who lived during the "time period" of the steampunk-genre, and they were looking forward and attempting to describe what life might be like in 'the future.' Steampunk is written by "modern" (current) authors looking backwards and using the technology and ideas of the time to write stories that are not quite-as-idealistic-or-positive in their outlook. Some of the stories in this anthem are "darker" in nature, per se, but most of them have a positive outlook on life, that technology and science will help mankind triumph 'in the end' (until you get to some of the last stories in the collection, including "The Last Days of Earth" - this was a depressingly sad story, and I loved it!).
One thing that I did enjoy was how the editor included little historical blurbs before each story. He would relate information about the author or the period when the story was written. He would also mention other authors and other stories that were in a similar vein to the story in the anthology. I thought the historical and biographical intros before each story helped to add some depth to the overall collection, as he shared why he felt each story should be included in this anthology.
I did enjoy reading this book; it was fun to learn about how science-fiction authors from the late 1800s and early 1900s perceived progress and man's "future history." It also made me want to read more of these stories from the early, early days of science fiction, to see what other authors wrote about. I would recommend this collection more for the "historical foundation" of science fiction than I would for steampunk, myself, but if I do get around to reading any more "steampunk" books, I might change my mind. I am glad I took a chance and read this book. As I would rank it between three and four stars, I am going to be generous and give it four stars (as I really liked most of the stories and enjoyed the rest).
It is an anthology of stories written in the (primarily) late 1800s and the early 1900s about life in the 'future' as the authors envisioned it. They are based on the scientific beliefs and theories of the time, and many of them see science as helping man triumph over adversity. It felt like the views, mores, and attitudes of the time period are definitely in evidence in some of the stories; that is for certain (I suppose primarily in how people of non-white races were often viewed as being inferior savages; this was not in every story, but it was in a good chunk of them. The treatment of women was a mixed bag - I thought some of the women portrayed were strong women; others, not so in the least. The relationships between the sexes was definitely much chaster than they would probably be portrayed if written today.). It was an interesting mix of stories; there was at least one "horror" story (that strongly reminded me of Edgar Allan Poe's works), a mystery, a couple of disaster stories, some "alien invasion" stories, and an interesting "survival" story. One story had a real emotional punch at the end; I could not believe it ended the way it did - it was a complete shock to me. (Granted, I thought it might go one way, but it ended up going a different way.)
The character development was spotty throughout the book; some of the authors did a good job getting you to care about their characters whereas others, the story did not seem focused on the character as much as it was 'an event.' There were some women who refused to be left on the sidelines while "their man" went off into the great unknown; instead, they demanded to accompany their husband on the journey and to play a 'more active' part than I would have thought otherwise; that being said, I guess these women still needed occasional 'rescuing' from 'their man' from time-to-time in these stories. The majority of the stories take place in England, so the focus is obviously on the island and its inhabitants.
There was one story that really annoyed me at first, but that is okay.
I know I talked about the various stories that were in the book briefly by mentioning the "types," but my attempting to list the story types is not exhaustive by any means. There are fourteen stories in the anthology, and I did enjoy all of them (to varying degrees). Some of the stories did "impact" me more than others, and it was fun to read about how they thought the world might advance based upon the technology and theories of the time. It is equally interesting and "funny" to read about how they could not even conceive of the level of technology that came about in the 1930s and 1940s, let alone how far and fast technology has progressed and is progressing. There are concepts and ideas that were clearly beyond their ability to conceptualize, but that is okay and it make sense. I am sure if mankind is still around for another couple of centuries, those living in the future will be saying the same thing about us.
On a side note, I would say these stories are more "early science fiction" than actual "steampunk" based on the time they were written. I read some other reviews about this book, and many reviewers agree with my assessment. These stories are not 'true steampunk' because they were written by authors who lived during the "time period" of the steampunk-genre, and they were looking forward and attempting to describe what life might be like in 'the future.' Steampunk is written by "modern" (current) authors looking backwards and using the technology and ideas of the time to write stories that are not quite-as-idealistic-or-positive in their outlook. Some of the stories in this anthem are "darker" in nature, per se, but most of them have a positive outlook on life, that technology and science will help mankind triumph 'in the end' (until you get to some of the last stories in the collection, including "The Last Days of Earth" - this was a depressingly sad story, and I loved it!).
One thing that I did enjoy was how the editor included little historical blurbs before each story. He would relate information about the author or the period when the story was written. He would also mention other authors and other stories that were in a similar vein to the story in the anthology. I thought the historical and biographical intros before each story helped to add some depth to the overall collection, as he shared why he felt each story should be included in this anthology.
I did enjoy reading this book; it was fun to learn about how science-fiction authors from the late 1800s and early 1900s perceived progress and man's "future history." It also made me want to read more of these stories from the early, early days of science fiction, to see what other authors wrote about. I would recommend this collection more for the "historical foundation" of science fiction than I would for steampunk, myself, but if I do get around to reading any more "steampunk" books, I might change my mind. I am glad I took a chance and read this book. As I would rank it between three and four stars, I am going to be generous and give it four stars (as I really liked most of the stories and enjoyed the rest).
July 1, 2014
Bookworm Speaks!
Steampunk: Extraordinary Tales of Victorian Futurism
Edited by Mike Ashley
It is easy to fall under the illusion that the steampunk phenomena is a fairly recent trend, the future past that never was. The truth of the matter is that steampunk has been around for almost a hundred years. It dates all the way back to Victorian England, said to be the birthplace of modern technology. Back then, of course, it was not the future past that never was, it was how they truly believed the future would be like.
This book collects those tales, of the penny dreadfuls and pulp serials of yesteryear.
The Good:
The first thing that stands out about the book is the design of the book itself. The actual book is gorgeous. Hardcover edition, it truly deserves a place on the nice shelf. It is a lovely shade of brown and gold with a nice gloss. Gears and clockwork can be seen throughout and many other styles that scream steampunk. There are many illustrations inside as well which further build up the atmosphere of the stories within.
As for the stories within, they are top notch. Stated in earlier reviews, anthologies can be a mixed bag for readers, that for every story you like, you have to read through the other stories that you don’t really care for. Thankfully, the editor chose well with these stories and they are all enjoyable.
And what stories, they are! All them are very old stories, written during, or by people who remember, Victorian England. In a world obsessed with the next big thing, it is easy to forget that there is whole history of writing out there going back centuries. It is sad that stories that used to be the sole source of entertainment on long journeys have been shuffled into the dustbins of history. Thankfully with editions such as this, we can explore the literature of yesteryear yet again.
The Flaws:
As mentioned above, what makes this book stand out is the design of the book. However, to some readers it could be a little too much. The designs on the interior may distract the readers from what is truly important, the text, and makes the pages too crowded. There several illustrations throughout the book, but the majority of the time they only seem periphally relevant to the story at hand or too stylized to make a lot of sense.
Then they are the stories themselves. They are interesting, but bear in mind, that many of them are nearly a century old if not older. Writing was different back then, as not as many people could read or write back then, as a result the style is very different and could be difficult for a modern reader to get through. The Victorian mind set is very stiff and a little hard to get around.
Final Verdict:
It may have its flaws and may be a tad dated, but Extraordinary Tales of Victorian Futurism is a must for any fan of Steampunk or a fan of speculative fiction in general. It’s almost essential reading. A worthy edition to any collection.
Four out of Five Stars
Steampunk: Extraordinary Tales of Victorian Futurism
Edited by Mike Ashley
It is easy to fall under the illusion that the steampunk phenomena is a fairly recent trend, the future past that never was. The truth of the matter is that steampunk has been around for almost a hundred years. It dates all the way back to Victorian England, said to be the birthplace of modern technology. Back then, of course, it was not the future past that never was, it was how they truly believed the future would be like.
This book collects those tales, of the penny dreadfuls and pulp serials of yesteryear.
The Good:
The first thing that stands out about the book is the design of the book itself. The actual book is gorgeous. Hardcover edition, it truly deserves a place on the nice shelf. It is a lovely shade of brown and gold with a nice gloss. Gears and clockwork can be seen throughout and many other styles that scream steampunk. There are many illustrations inside as well which further build up the atmosphere of the stories within.
As for the stories within, they are top notch. Stated in earlier reviews, anthologies can be a mixed bag for readers, that for every story you like, you have to read through the other stories that you don’t really care for. Thankfully, the editor chose well with these stories and they are all enjoyable.
And what stories, they are! All them are very old stories, written during, or by people who remember, Victorian England. In a world obsessed with the next big thing, it is easy to forget that there is whole history of writing out there going back centuries. It is sad that stories that used to be the sole source of entertainment on long journeys have been shuffled into the dustbins of history. Thankfully with editions such as this, we can explore the literature of yesteryear yet again.
The Flaws:
As mentioned above, what makes this book stand out is the design of the book. However, to some readers it could be a little too much. The designs on the interior may distract the readers from what is truly important, the text, and makes the pages too crowded. There several illustrations throughout the book, but the majority of the time they only seem periphally relevant to the story at hand or too stylized to make a lot of sense.
Then they are the stories themselves. They are interesting, but bear in mind, that many of them are nearly a century old if not older. Writing was different back then, as not as many people could read or write back then, as a result the style is very different and could be difficult for a modern reader to get through. The Victorian mind set is very stiff and a little hard to get around.
Final Verdict:
It may have its flaws and may be a tad dated, but Extraordinary Tales of Victorian Futurism is a must for any fan of Steampunk or a fan of speculative fiction in general. It’s almost essential reading. A worthy edition to any collection.
Four out of Five Stars
April 19, 2018
Good god, this simply took ages to get through. I honestly thought the name was super misleading - this is less steampunk than it is early science fiction from the first decade or two of the 20th century. A couple of these stories are incredibly weak and there's not a single story I can say I really fully enjoyed.
I also take great offense at the way the book is decorated - it looks like the grand majority of the imagery is stock photography edited together. The interior illustrations don't match up well with the stories - and the ones that were clearly created on computer software really irk me.
I also take great offense at the way the book is decorated - it looks like the grand majority of the imagery is stock photography edited together. The interior illustrations don't match up well with the stories - and the ones that were clearly created on computer software really irk me.
August 19, 2019
I love the imagination of these writers from the 1800s. It is interesting to see how their predictions compare to actual event's of the 20th and 21st centuries.
February 10, 2013
Despite the title, this book is not chock full of stories in the steampunk genre. Steampunk is a modern genre in which technocratic characters (or Luddites, for the other side of the coin) are placed in highly romanticized historical settings, with the emphasis on form and texture (the look and feel of things) rather than content or function. The stories contained in this anthology were written more than a century ago, the very era in which modern steampunk writers set up their dystopian pasts. But where steampunk gazes backward, these stories look forward. In a frisson between past, present and future, we read these tales of airships, chess-playing machines and world-conquering anarchists and hear echoes from voices a hundred years in the future. The stories collected by the editor from diverse Edwardian sources are all of an extremely high caliber, though, of course, the styles and sensibilities were different then than they are now, so some seem very dated or have a leaden tone for modern ears, but all are worth reading, and they still do what they were intended by their creators -- entertain; but where the readers of that long-gone age might have read with widened eyes, we now read with nostalgic (or sometimes pained) smiles. Reading the old stories will give you a better appreciation of modern steampunk...not that it is better but that it is not exactly new, that those who write of goggles and aether-ships to Mars hold a debt to the past. The book itself is handsomely produced, with an embossed cover, steampunk-themed frames on every page and highly evocative (but not period) illustrations throughout, a book to be valued not just for content but its form and texture, much like steampunk itself.
December 21, 2016
A pretty good intro to steampunk. Lots of pulpy action and I loved the illustrations. I liked that the editors chose lesser-known writers in this genre rather than the usual lineup.
September 12, 2013
Not quite what I would call steampunk, since these stories were all written in the timeframe steampunk is usually set--late Victorian to Edwardian. But original tales of early sci-fi that both celebrate the possibilities and warn of the dangers of relying on technology too much (such as pulling all the nitrogen out of the air, ground, & water, leading to a too-oxygen-rich environment). Of course, this is a product of the authors' time, and thus jingoism, sexism, prejudice, etc, is also to be found, because as I have discovered, it's hard to imagine cultural mores changing.
March 4, 2013
I wanted to use this as an introduction to steampunk, and it did exactly what I was looking for. Broad spectrum of stories with a lot of different facets of the genre, back at their beginnings. I was never jumping-up-and-down excited to be reading it, because the style of fiction is so foreign and therefore a lot of work to get through, but as a reference book on what steampunk was when it first started out, it was perfect.
March 21, 2013
This is a pretty good collection of stories. Some of them I didn't care for much, but others were quite enjoyable. I wouldn't say that the collection was awe-inspiring. But it was very interesting to read these old stories and what people in the Victorian era thought the future would be like.
Predictably, my favorite story in the collection was the detective fiction one. It read like Sherlock Holmes- just couldn't help but love it.
Predictably, my favorite story in the collection was the detective fiction one. It read like Sherlock Holmes- just couldn't help but love it.
October 19, 2016
Sometimes naive, often melodramatic, but overall an interesting glimpse of the past looking back at us. I think one sentence in the last Victorian short story in this anthology sums it up nicely:
"Can this be A.D. 2016?" she asked wonderingly. "Things like this happen only in books--books of the old days--"
If you find steampunk interesting, you should read this anthology of formative stories in the genre!
"Can this be A.D. 2016?" she asked wonderingly. "Things like this happen only in books--books of the old days--"
If you find steampunk interesting, you should read this anthology of formative stories in the genre!
June 25, 2015
This book saved me on a 8 hour plane ride to London, and a awkward fight/break up. I enjoyed the short stories, mostly because they are works from the Victorian Era. Some of the images are nice, a few are kind of hokie.
February 6, 2016
I put this book aside for quite a while but upon picking it back up I found I enjoyed quite a few of the stories. I was thoroughly impressed with the 'ahead of their time' writers and their futuristic ideas.
April 25, 2014
I liked all the interesting stories, but some of them were very boring. I did enjoy many of them though. Especially the last one!
May 23, 2016
Nice selection of stories, good escape.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews