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Like A Wisp of Steam: Steampunk Erotica
edited by Cecilia Tan and J. Blackmore.
Five erotic steampunk stories. Lust & leaping 'technologie' meet in a Victorian era that never was. Jason Rubis, Thomas S. Roche, Vanessa Vaughn, Peter Tupper, and Kaysee Renee Robichaud create fascinating tales of airships, corsetry, mad scientists, and drama. [ explicit sexuality.]
Five erotic steampunk stories. Lust & leaping 'technologie' meet in a Victorian era that never was. Jason Rubis, Thomas S. Roche, Vanessa Vaughn, Peter Tupper, and Kaysee Renee Robichaud create fascinating tales of airships, corsetry, mad scientists, and drama. [ explicit sexuality.]
93 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2008
5 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
About the author
Cecilia Tan
204 books587 followersSusie Bright says, "Cecilia Tan is simply one of the most important writers, editors, and innovators in contemporary American erotic literature." Since the publication of Telepaths Don't Need Safewords in 1992, she has been on the cutting edge of the erotic form, often combining elements of fantasy and science fiction in her work. She is also founder and editor of Circlet Press.
RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence from GRW in 2013. She has been publishing Daron's Guitar Chronicles as a web serial since 2009 and her Secrets of a Rock Star series (Taking the Lead, Wild Licks, Hard Rhythm) is published by Hachette/Forever. In 2018 Tor Books will launch her urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Vanished Chronicles. In her other life, Cecilia is also the editor of the Baseball Research Journal and publications director for SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won the RT Reviewers Choice Award and the Maggie Award for Excellence from GRW in 2013. She has been publishing Daron's Guitar Chronicles as a web serial since 2009 and her Secrets of a Rock Star series (Taking the Lead, Wild Licks, Hard Rhythm) is published by Hachette/Forever. In 2018 Tor Books will launch her urban fantasy/paranormal series, The Vanished Chronicles. In her other life, Cecilia is also the editor of the Baseball Research Journal and publications director for SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 1, 2016
Like a Wisp of Steam is steampunk erotica, five short stories trying to fill in the gap where few have dared to tread before. An introduction by J Blackmore points out that the corsets and air of rebellion involved in steampunk lend themselves well to high-spirited and sexy adventure, and it's really a wonder there aren't more stories of clockwork sexual aids roaming around.
Peter Tupper's The Innocent's Progress starts off the anthology with the tale of an acting troupe who not only performs erotic shows of seduction in its many forms, but takes assignations from clients after the final curtain to extend those roles in private. The newest actress, Miss Alwyx, is having a hard time finding her niche in spite of her talents, but jaded theatre professional Ricar has a few suggestions.
The strength in this story comes, unexpectedly, from the shy and demure miss Alwyx, who is unwilling to be defined by the expectations of others. The whole thing is told from the perspective of Ricar and has a surprising amount of depth for such a short story, with the hints of the history that has shaped Ricar into who and what he is now. This is more alternate history than steampunk, with a very light dusting of BDSM.
3 1/2 stars.
Jason Rubis's An Extempore Romance is nominally the story of fantasy author Amelia Lessington, but most of the focus is on the chimeras surrounding her, some created to be based on the fanciful creatures in her stories, and some for more, uh, practical reasons.
This is essentially a light romp with naughty not-quite-robots in various forms without the peskiness of having to deal with plot or character development. Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) also makes an appearance as the shy and stuttering daguerrographer.
2 1/2 stars.
Thomas S Roche's Hysterical Friction is a clever story about an unhappy young woman taken to a doctor (and his very enthusiastic assistant) to treat her for her hysteria. That the story is based in historical fact makes it all the more fun. What sounds absurd and far-fetched to modern sensibilities is actually the most realistic part of the anthology.
The characterizations add to the sense of humour Hysterical Friction has about itself, and the bicycle-powered vibrator is worth the read alone.
4 stars.
Vanessa Vaughn's In the Flask features a scientist and his young assistant who must fight their mutual attraction for the sake of Victorian propriety. Until, that is, an experiment gone awry gives them an unexpected opportunity to do as they will without shame or blame.
The experiment in question is, ironically, supposed to help repress sexual desires, not such a stretch as a motivation for pseudo-Victorian gentlemen. The question as to how much of an effect the results of the experiment actually has on them is a nice touch, and M/M enthusiasts will enjoy the spice. Spanking involved.
3 1/2 stars.
Kaysee Renee Robichaud's Steam and Iron, Musk and Flesh follows Trista, a brilliant engineer whose passions have a habit of creating trouble for her. Hired to maintain the steam-powered clockwork for a travelling show, Trista runs afoul of some ambitious bank robbers who intend to use the giant clockwork robot for their own purposes.
This is by far the most "steampunk" of the stories, and covers everything from disastrous flying adventures (Trista is rather distracted by her companion) to shoot-outs and mechanical men with plenty of time left over to explore Trista's lesbian relationships.
4 stars.
Peter Tupper's The Innocent's Progress starts off the anthology with the tale of an acting troupe who not only performs erotic shows of seduction in its many forms, but takes assignations from clients after the final curtain to extend those roles in private. The newest actress, Miss Alwyx, is having a hard time finding her niche in spite of her talents, but jaded theatre professional Ricar has a few suggestions.
The strength in this story comes, unexpectedly, from the shy and demure miss Alwyx, who is unwilling to be defined by the expectations of others. The whole thing is told from the perspective of Ricar and has a surprising amount of depth for such a short story, with the hints of the history that has shaped Ricar into who and what he is now. This is more alternate history than steampunk, with a very light dusting of BDSM.
3 1/2 stars.
Jason Rubis's An Extempore Romance is nominally the story of fantasy author Amelia Lessington, but most of the focus is on the chimeras surrounding her, some created to be based on the fanciful creatures in her stories, and some for more, uh, practical reasons.
This is essentially a light romp with naughty not-quite-robots in various forms without the peskiness of having to deal with plot or character development. Charles Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) also makes an appearance as the shy and stuttering daguerrographer.
2 1/2 stars.
Thomas S Roche's Hysterical Friction is a clever story about an unhappy young woman taken to a doctor (and his very enthusiastic assistant) to treat her for her hysteria. That the story is based in historical fact makes it all the more fun. What sounds absurd and far-fetched to modern sensibilities is actually the most realistic part of the anthology.
The characterizations add to the sense of humour Hysterical Friction has about itself, and the bicycle-powered vibrator is worth the read alone.
4 stars.
Vanessa Vaughn's In the Flask features a scientist and his young assistant who must fight their mutual attraction for the sake of Victorian propriety. Until, that is, an experiment gone awry gives them an unexpected opportunity to do as they will without shame or blame.
The experiment in question is, ironically, supposed to help repress sexual desires, not such a stretch as a motivation for pseudo-Victorian gentlemen. The question as to how much of an effect the results of the experiment actually has on them is a nice touch, and M/M enthusiasts will enjoy the spice. Spanking involved.
3 1/2 stars.
Kaysee Renee Robichaud's Steam and Iron, Musk and Flesh follows Trista, a brilliant engineer whose passions have a habit of creating trouble for her. Hired to maintain the steam-powered clockwork for a travelling show, Trista runs afoul of some ambitious bank robbers who intend to use the giant clockwork robot for their own purposes.
This is by far the most "steampunk" of the stories, and covers everything from disastrous flying adventures (Trista is rather distracted by her companion) to shoot-outs and mechanical men with plenty of time left over to explore Trista's lesbian relationships.
4 stars.
June 22, 2014
An acceptable set of stories, nothing special, some just barely fit into the the steampunk category. The last story is the most interesting. Overall the writing is uneven. It would have been nicer with 1-2 more stories.
August 22, 2011
Very little of steampunk the three stars are only for the last short-story "Steam and Iron, musk and flesh" - most of the stories didn't have much steampunk and some even failed in erotic scenes.
November 13, 2012
Not too bad. The second and third strories where actually really good.
April 19, 2014
A mixed bag of goods. The last story in the anthology is definitely more steampunk than the rest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2016
One great story, several 'meh' ones, and the rest were totally pointless.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews