Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded

Balfour and Meriwether # in the Adventure of the Emperor

by Ann VanderMeer (Editor), Jeff Vandermeer (Editor)

Blending the romantic elegance of the Victorian era with modern scientific advances, the popular Steampunk genre spotlighted in this collection is innovative and stimulates the imagination. This artfully assembled anthology of original fiction, nonfiction, and art can serve as an introduction to the Steampunk culture or provide dedicated fans with more fuel. Stories of outlandishly imaginative technologies, clockwork contraptions, eccentric heroines, and mad scientists are complemented by canon-defining nonfiction and an array of original illustrations. This collection showcases the most sensational Steampunk talents of the last decade, including Daniel Abraham, John Coulthart, William Gibson, and Margo Lanagan, and demonstrates exactly why the future of the past is so excitingly new.

Contents

Introduction: “What Is Steampunk?” by Jeff and Ann VanderMeer

“The Cast Iron Kid” by Andrew Knighton
“The Steam Dancer (1896)” by Caitlín R. Kiernan
“The Anachronist’s Cookbook” by Catherynne M. Valente
“Tanglefoot” by Cherie Priest
“O One” by Chris Roberson
“Balfour and Meriwether in the Adventure of the Emperor’s Vengeance” by Daniel Abraham
“The Bold Explorer in the Place Beyond” by David Erik Nelson
“The Strange Case of Mr. Salad Monday” by Geoffery D. Falksen
“At the Intersection of Technology and Romance” by Jake von Slatt
“The Future of Steampunk: A Roundtable Interview” by Jeff and Ann VanderMeer
“Dr. Lash Remembers” by Jeffrey Ford
“Lost Pages From The Encyclopdia of Victoriana” by Jess Nevins
“As Recorded on Brass Cylinders: Adagio for Two Dancers” by Lisa Mantchev
“A Serpent in the Gears” by Margaret Ronald
“Machine Maid” by Margo Lanagan
“Which Is Mightier, the Pen or the Parasol?” by Gail Carriger
“The Unbecoming of Virgil Smythe” by Ramsey Shehadeh
“Wild Copper” by Samantha Henderson
“The Mechanical Aviary of Emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar” by Shweta Narayan
“The Unblinking Eye” by Stephen Baxter
“Lovelace & Babbage” by Sydney Padua
“The Persecution Machine” by Tanith Lee
“Flying Fish (Prometheus)” by Vilhelm Bergsøe
“The Gernsback Continuum” by William Gibson

Genres: Steampunk, Anthologies, Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fantasy, Fiction, Alternate History

426 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Ann VanderMeer is an American publisher and editor, and the second female editor of the horror magazine Weird Tales. She is the founder of Buzzcity Press.

Her work as Fiction Editor of Weird Tales won a Hugo Award. Work from her press and related periodicals has won the British Fantasy Award, the International Rhysling Award, and appeared in several year's best anthologies. Ann was also the founder of The Silver Web magazine, a periodical devoted to experimental and avant-garde fantasy literature.

In 2009 "Weird Tales edited by Ann VanderMeer and Stephen H. Segal" won a Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine. Though some of its individual contributors have been honored with Hugos, Nebula Awards, and even one Pulitzer Prize, the magazine itself had never before even been nominated for a Hugo. It was also nominated for a World Fantasy Award in 2009.

Reviews

[Fiona Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's some absolutely brilliant Steampunk stories to be found between these pages - none of which I'd already come across elsewhere, which is always a plus. There was also many more absolutely wonderful stories than I usually find - each anthology is going to have some hits and some misses, but this was hitting much more than normal, and at a really high quality.

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Unblinking Eye by Stephen Baxter ★★★★★
“The Inca consolidated, the great expansion called the Sunrise had begun.”

Inca-Futurism! Oh my wow, my eyes are blurry from not blinking, wide-eyed taking in every word. Now in my top three alternative history stories I’ve ever read, maybe top two!

This is one of those short stories you hope becomes a novel, or a series!


Balfour and Meriwether in the Adventure of the Emperor’s Vengeance by Daniel Abraham ★★★★★
Did you just combine The Mummy, Stargate and Steampunk? This story was a highly entertaining must see SyFy Channel Movie of the Week. Well constructed, imagined, and written with little bits of British humor.

“His Lordship replied with a slight bow that was a marvel of physical sarcasm.”

RIP Roger Rees, gone but not forgotten.


The Mechanical Aviary of Emperor Jalalud-din Mohammed Akbar by Shweta Narayan ★★★★★
This was a complete, and well executed, steampunk fable. Beautifully envisioned to wind into a flawless ending. Well done!


As Recorded on Brass Cylinders: Adagio for Two Dancers by James L. Grant & Lisa Mantchev ★★★★½
I tried not to cry, I tried not to cry... I cried. For all that it’s written like a stumbling needle on brass, the loss, pain, and endurance of love got through and kicked me right in the feels.


The Steam Dancer (1896) by Caitlín R. Kiernan ★★★★☆
Gorgeous imagery, a lusty and hopeful tale of an orphan who finds happiness after great misfortune.
It also reminded me a little of a maligned Lindsay Lohan movie where she loses an arm and a leg. Ok, it wasn’t a good movie but I just remember being so impressed by her brazen sexuality after being disabled.


A Serpent in the Gears by Margaret Ronald ★★★★☆
”No full automata. No full humans. Only the same Merged calm on every visage.”

Some short stories, like this one, feel like prologues to novels. I enjoyed this world of secret cyborg lands with dragons. It reminded me of The Clockwork Dynasty.


Wild Copper by Samantha Henderson ★★★½☆
The Fae meets Native American folklore with some steampunk (aliens?) thrown in - this was a mashup I enjoyed, even if it lost me at the end.


Machine Maid by Margo Lanagan ★★★½☆
“...the encoded list of Clarissa’s tortures, the list of my own.”
I do enjoy a story where a rapist gets his comeuppance, but this story had some collateral damage and my, it was more graphic than expected. Not necessarily a bad thing, but it felt more awkward ick than sexy graphic.


The Unbecoming of Virgil Smythe by Ramsey Shehadeh ★★★½☆
Multiple characters and multiple realities, it was a big ask and fell short... even if it was imaginative and entertaining.
Plot hole: What does Jeremy Albert Benjamin hope to gain from his act if terrorism? What new reality is he creating that can help his people (if that’s what he did)? It didn’t seem a vengeful act but neither did he reveal the purpose.


O One by Chris Roberson ★★★½☆
“To what uses those solutions might be put by other hands was simply not his concern.”

In an alternate China looking towards star travel and Englishman shows with the first computer. The Chief Computator steps up to the challenge, ignorant of yet aware of the deeper game at play. But what game of power and why is never explained.


Lost Pages from “The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana” by Jess Nevins ★★★½☆
I thought we had entered into the nonfiction portion of the book and was riveted... lol, I guess that’s a pun in Steampunk land.


Tanglefoot (A Clockwork Century Story) by Cherie Priest ★★★½☆
“You’re my friend, aren’t you? Everybody makes friends. I just made you for real.”

An orphan living in the basement of an psychiatric ward is a heartrending scenario. This was my first Cherie Priest story. Combining steampunk and fae mythos was a nice twist.


The Gernsback Continuum by William Gibson ★★★☆☆
A British photographer researching 1930s futurism in American develops, through drug use, the ability to see a different time stream where that future took hold. The utopian Tucson is beautiful and clean and fascinating, but to the author it feels too white power and fills them with dread.

On a lighter note, I found this hilarious!

“...they put Ming the Merciless in charge of designing California gas stations.”




The Cast-Iron Kid by Andrew Knighton ★★★☆☆
This was an ok little weird western.


Dr. Lash Remembers by Jeffrey Ford ★★★☆☆
A brief tale of illness, money, and madness. I enjoyed the author’s introduction to the story, his motivation.


The Strange Case of Mr. Salad Monday by G. D. Falksen ★★★☆☆
Representing all us future computer chatters, cute Cthulhu uses typewriters to talk to a world that would not accept them. The story was longer than needed.


Great Breakthroughs In Darkness by Marc Laidlaw ★★½☆☆
Dark and unpleasant story about an immoral mad scientist.

The Anachronist’s Cookbook by Catherynne M. Valente ★★½☆☆
Rant. Rant. RANT! And maybe a communist utopia on the moon, maybe.


Lovelace & Babbage: Origins, with Salamander by Sydney Padua ★★☆☆☆
This was less a story and more an advert for a comic book. The text in the images was very hard to read.

The Persecution Machine by Tanith Lee ★★☆☆☆
“An eminent doctor has certified that I am harmlessly mad.”

This could have at least been funny. A ghostly steam monster pursues a crazy old fat man who finally convinced his nephew to see the beast.

There was too much of little matter and not enough of consequence.

Flying Fish “Prometheus” (A Fantasy of the Future) by Vilhelm Bergsøe DNF
From what I read it was better than Jules Verne but still not something that keeps my eyes open.

The Bold Explorer in the Place Beyond by David Erik Nelson DNF
Did not hold my attention, skip.

I finished 20/22 fiction stories that averaged 3.475. I’m happily rounding up to four stars because of the overall quality of the work, the fact it had a love story that brought tears to my eyes, and I’ve never read an anthology with three five-star entries! I skipped the nonfiction.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 2 out of 5]

I ordered this book in a fit of indulgence a couple of years ago, along with a lot of other titles from Thriftbooks. I had never intentionally read steampunk before, but had heard about it and decided this would be a painless introduction.

Well, turned out to be not so painless. Of the 26 stories in this volume, only five held my attention to the end. The others would either be too weird for me to start with or else lost my interest after a few pages. I skimmed the first pages of those other 21 stories, but just couldn't get myself to finish any of them.

Of the five I did finish, Wild Copper by Samantha Henderson was my favorite, with The Cast-Iron Kid by Andrew Knighton a close second.

I'm glad I tried the book, but I'm also glad to put it away. Maybe someday I'll give it another try. I might need to be in the proper mood, who knows.

[Stefan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded is the second steampunk anthology edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, following 2008’s first installment. It contains about twice as many stories as its predecessor, but unlike the first collection the quality is more uneven here, resulting in a less impressive but still fascinating anthology that should please fans of the genre.

While the first anthology only contained one story I was less than happy with, there are at least four or five in Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded that I could have done without. There are also a few stories here that are at best marginally connected to steampunk, although that probably depends more on how you define steampunk. After all, there are probably as many definitions of steampunk as there are readers. Maybe the best way to define the genre is simply not to, instead following the famous old “definition” of obscenity: “I know it when I see it.”

Still, even if you go by that rule, “The Gernsback Continuum” by William Gibson, while a brilliant story that everyone should read, hardly feels like steampunk, unless you consider “any story that imposes science fiction tropes on an earlier period of history” a valid definition. Regardless, it’s hard to complain about a story that’s so famous and so excellent. Another example of a great story that seems to be at best peripheral to steampunk is Stephen Baxter’s “The Unblinking Eye,” which feels more like an elaborate alternate history that happens to have airships in it. Similarly, “The Unbecoming of Virgil Smythe” by Ramsey Shehadeh is a quirky and highly entertaining story that mixes Murder on the Orient Express with trans-dimensional aliens, but if it didn’t happen to be set on a steam train, I doubt anyone would even consider it as steampunk. Still, all three of these stories are excellent, whatever subgenre you stick them in.

Other highlights of the collection that feel more authentically steampunk are Jeffrey Ford’s “Dr. Lash Remembers,” about a steam-borne plague affecting the sufferers’ perception of reality, and Caitlín R. Kiernan’s “The Steam Dancer (1896),” a beautifully written, melancholy tale about a dancer made whole by steam-driven technology.

My single favorite story in this collection is Margo Lanagan’s “Machine Maid,” a steampunk story that feels like a true period piece aside from the steam-powered automata. It features an awkward but unforgettable protagonist and some of the best writing in the collection.

Another excellent story is “As Recorded on Brass Cylinders: Adagio for Two Dancers” by James L. Grant and Lisa Mantchev, describing the meeting of two relics of the steam age in a modern mall. It almost feels like a steampunk version of Kage Baker’s COMPANY universe. While it lays on the emotion a bit too heavily at times, it’s a gorgeous, touching story that employs many of the standard themes and devices of the genre but still comes out looking and feeling original.

A true gem, appearing towards the end of the collection, is Catherynne M. Valente’s “The Anachronist’s Cookbook.” Its protagonist — who puts the “punk” back in steampunk in a big way — resembles a Victorian version of Richard K. Morgan’s Quellcrist Falconer. Also riffing on the political side of steampunk, but entirely on the opposite end of the scale in terms of seriousness, is G.D. Falksen’s “The Strange Case of Mr. Salad Monday,” a fun story about a steampunk version of the blogosphere and an intrepid detective trying to catch a suspected socialist dissident.

Cherie Priest contributes “Tanglefoot,” a story set in the same world as her CLOCKWORK CENTURY books, but despite its charm, the story unfortunately goes on a bit too long for my taste. More successfully, Daniel Abraham delivers “The Adventure of the Emperor’s Vengeance”, a solid and entertaining story about Balfour and Meriwether, two agents of the British Empire attempting to stop a curse from the past.

Closing out the fiction portion of the anthology is one of the strangest stories I’ve read in years, “A Secret History of Steampunk” by a collection of writers and artists working under the pseudonym “The Mecha-Ostrich.” It reads somewhat as if Jeff VanderMeer were being remixed by a handful of authors, or possibly vice versa. It cleverly connects to several other stories in the collection, and while it’s not entirely successful, it’s definitely innovative and unique.

The final section of the collection offers two non-fiction pieces about the non-literary side of steampunk (about fashion and the DIY/Maker culture, respectively) and a brief “Roundtable” interview about the future of steampunk. This section makes the anthology relevant not just as collection of stories but as a snapshot of an entire subculture, as does the artwork, which is one of the only aspects where Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded has the upper hand over its otherwise stronger predecessor. There are a few neat Terry Gilliam-circa-1970-style illustrations mixed into the book, and the Mecha-Ostrich story features some especially gorgeous artwork.

Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded is another strong collection of stories from a subgenre that seems to be gaining in popularity every single day. If not for a handful of entries that bring the overall quality of the collection down, this would be another unqualified winner. If you’re new to the genre, I’d still recommend picking up the earlier Steampunk anthology first, but this second collection contains enough excellent stories to make it worth your time if you want to dig a little deeper.

(This review was also published on 11/16/2010 on www.fantasyliterature.com)

[David Brawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
The more steampunk I read, the more I become convinced that it does not deserve to be considered it's own genre. This collection, which seems to have been put together as an attempt to show that it is it's own thing, and in the process manages to do exactly the opposite. A diverse collection, spanning all sorts of genres, where the only thing linking them together is the Victorian ascetic, and even that sometimes feels totally unnecessary and even tacked onto what would otherwise have been a fine story.
While there were a couple of good stories in this too long collection, they were vastly overwhelmed by far too much drek in desperate need of editing.

[Shomeret · Rating 3 out of 5]

As always, when I'm evaluating anthologies, I average what I read. I read six stories and all the non-fiction. Most of the fiction didn't impress me that much and I had disagreements with some of the essays.

I come to steampunk being far more interested in the punk aspect than the steam. This attitude is reflected most in Catherynne Valente's story "The Anachronist's Cookbook" which is in revolt against those in power. I've been cold to longform Valente, but this is the second time I've really responded to one of her short stories.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid steampunk fiction--even better than the first one, in my opinion! My faves are: "Machine Maid" by Margo Lanagan; "The mechanical aviary of Emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar" by Shweta Narayan; "A serpent in the gears" by Margaret Ronald; and "The strange case of Mr. Salad Monday" by G. D. Falksen. But it's all solid! A MUST read for any steampunk fan.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better by far than the first anthology in the set, in spite of doubling up on a story also featured in the Extraordinary Engines anthology edited by Nick Gevers.

[Shel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some I loved, some I could have done without. A collection worth reading, if steampunk interests you. I quite enjoyed the two nonfiction essays at the end, as well.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The usual mix-bag of good, bad and meh stories. I started out enjoying the eclectic feel of the stories, which didn't always (or even usually?) fit into my preconceived notion of what Steampunk is supposed to be. A great many of them tended to veer quite a more into fantasy than expected. Toward the end, however, the slow pace and intentionally archaic language became tedious and I started a lot of skimming.

I picked this volume up because it included, "Tanglewood", a "Clockwork Century" story by Cherie Priest. As expected, it was one of the good ones, though also not what I expected. My favorite was "The Strange Case of Mr. Salad Monday" by G.D. Falksen, with it's odd take on 19th Century social media.

Anyone that is really into this genre will probably find the collection enjoyable. If you're not already a Steampunk fan, the odds are more like 50-50.

[Alexander Gent · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some absolute gems in this book, stories that make me reconsider the genre from the bottom to the top. However, towards the very end is a piece of mosaic fiction that I found turgid. It is a personal point of view, but it knocked the overall shine off the book. The final roundtable interview also had an element of navel gazing that I was not keen on. All that said, this is one of the most adventurous collections of Steampunk I have read, stretching the definition and stoking the heart. The rediscovered Danish tale is also good fun.

[Sarajo Wentling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not a huge short story fan but this collection held my interest more than most. There were a few stories that I loved, some that I had to slog through, and some that left me going "huh?" The two nonfiction selections didn't really seem to fit in my opinion but at least they were short!

[Fleece · Rating 3 out of 5]

really hit and miss and the essays are infuriating

[Juli · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than the first steampunk anthology. I found the stories to be better developed, less pulpy, and generally more enjoyable.

[Tapani Aulu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steampunk ei ole niin mun juttu, mutta kyllä nämä VanderMeerien jutut aina toimivat.

[NinjaMuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steampunk II - Ann and Jeff Vandermeer

In brief: A collection of short steampunk stories and related works.

Thoughts: It’s not often that I find a short story anthology that works the whole way through. I think it’s only happened twice? No dud stories, no questionable narrative choices, stories that flow together, a good breadth of subject matter, and entertaining to boot! And this one came with illustrations. It made me all excited for steampunk again, and sad that both that the movement has fizzled and that few steampunk novels get to the same levels of depth and vibrancy and creativity, at least of the ones I’ve read.

This collection has a little bit of everything: steam-powered robots, fantastical cities, spies, socialist orphans, angry housewives, mad scientists, mad photographers, time travel, mathematical fish, steampunk blogging, horror, whimsy, humour, mysteries, metafiction, and everything in between. I’m not even sure I can name any favourite stories, they were all that good! (Also, it’s been nearly two months. The brain, she forgets things.)

So yeah: if you’re looking for a solid anthology or a lot of fun steampunk, this is a great book to pick up. I’m not sure I’m up for reading another one in the series (there are three total) but I am definitely going to have Vandermeer anthologies on my radar in the future. They’ve served me really well on this one.

To bear in mind: Contains stories that tackle racism, sexism, colonialism, and various other social problems of the 1800s, but in a punching-up sort of way.

9/10

[Andrea Blythe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steampunk Reloaded is a rather good collection of steampunk tales. It has it's ups and downs, but overall the stories are enjoyable. Along with the stories, there are a couple of interesting non-fiction pieces and a round-table interview about the future of steampunk.

Here are a few of the stories that I especially enjoyed:
-- In "The Unblinking Eye" by Stephen Baxter, Europe has advanced steam technology, but has never ventured toward the new world. Rather it is the Incas, who have developed their own advanced technology, and have ventured into lands unknown, colonizing each new territory they come across. come to pay Europe a visit.
-- Caitlin R. Kiernan tells the story of a maimed young woman, who has been outfitted with steam-powered limbs in "The Steam Dancer."
-- "The Mechanical Aviary of Emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar" by Shweta Narayan, presents a new take on a traditional folktale, involving the beautiful clockwork birds of the Emperor's aviary.
-- "Wild Copper" by Samantha Henderson can barely be labeled steampunk genre. It's more of a fairy story, in which a girl offers to serve Oberon to save her brother. Steampunk or not, this is still a great tale.
-- An lonely orphan builds himself a mechanical friend in "Tanglefoot (A Clockwork Century Story)" by Cherie Priest. But his souless begins to take on a life of its own.
-- "The Anachronist's Cookbook" by Catherynne Valente rails against the accepted politics of a steampowered era as it presents the exploits of an angry and vicious young woman.

While there were a couple of stories that I was not a fan of (i.e., "A Secret History of Steampunk" by The Mecha-Ostrich and "Flying Fish Prometheus" by Vilhelm Bergsøe), overall I enjoyed this collection of steampunk fiction and art.

[Dan Sihota · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have never really been a big fan of science fiction or fantasy, and it
wasn't until I began reading ebooks that I first heard of the genre
known as "steampunk". I was curious to read something in this genre,
and quite a few people recommended a good place to start would be by
reading one of the anthologies edited by the husband and wife team, Ann
and Jeff VanderMeer, so when I came across a copy of this book, I
decided to give it a go.

The best thing about anthologies, with so many stories to choose from, is
that you're bound to find something you enjoy. On the downside, there
are going to be stories you enjoy a little less. I won't review each
story individually, just to say that it's a nice good mix of stories
which I enjoyed reading.

On the downside, I didn't enjoy the non-fiction pieces, I'm not even
sure they were even relevant, and the last story in the collection, "The
Mecha-Ostrich: A Secret History of Steampunk", which is over twice the
length of a typical short story, I found to be a little too long,
especially for something I didn't find particularly interesting.

I'm not sure what fans of steampunk will make of this collection, but
for someone like me, someone with little prior knowledge of this genre,
this is a book well worth reading.

[Stutley Constable · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admit, I am fairly new to Steampunk, but I was under the impression that it was a genre of adventure, science, romance and mystery. What I got from this book was a mix of those elements, but generally in a very boring package.

The ideas behind the stories were imaginative enough, but the execution of most of them was dull and lifeless. Some of the stories had no clear link to Steampunk at all. They were more in line with fantasy, and not particularly interesting fantasy.

I was also under the impression that a writer of Steampunk would have an understanding of machinery and the properties of metal and other things related to the Victorian mind set. No, I did not expect a minute technical understanding of metallurgy. But a passing knowledge of what things are made of would have been a good start for a few of the authors who contributed their work to this book.

If you want something to put you to sleep at night, buy this book. There are a couple stories in it worth reading, but don't expect much in the way of a page turner.

[Grady · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somehow, this took me a long time to work my way through. None of the stories were terrible, and some were great. My favorites included: Shweat Narayan, The Mechanical Aviary of Emperor Jalal-ud-din Muhammad Akbar; Stephen Baxter, The Unblinking Eye (which ends inconclusively within the world of the story, but with a great reveal for the reader); and Margaret Ronald, A Serpent in the Gears. At least the first two of these, strictly speaking, reach well beyond steampunk into fantasy, or alternate history; and what makes each so effective is that it has a strong and interesting story/idea at the core. Other stories suffer from the characteristic flaw of weak steampunk - distinctive Victorian trappings, but no heart. One of the last stories in the book, Vilhelm Bergsoe, Flying Fish Prometheus, is reminiscent of a Jules Verne (mis-)adventure. First published in Danish in 1870, and translated into English for the first time in this collection, it compares favorably with the rest of the stories by living authors.

[Cindy Matthews · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded is a good anthology as far as anthologies go, but not all its stories are equal. The inequalities are evident both in entertainment value and even in meeting the very definition of being an actual steampunk story. A rather surprising inclusion is a recently translated piece written in 1870 by Danish author Vilhelm Bergsoe. "The Flying Fish Prometheus" is by far the best of the group. It truly has every element in it that a steampunk story should have--including the Victorian values and social structure along with the wildly creative steam tech. Stories by Cherie Priest of "Boneshaker" fame, G.D. Falksen and Tanith Lee are also outstanding. Artwork that includes "Lovelace and Babbage" and essays on what exactly is the steampunk movement are also strong offerings. A good intro into the genre for those who have stumbled into steampunk through fashion or other creative endeavor.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm torn between 3 & 4 stars. It's a solid 3.5 stars. What do you expect with a collection of stories though? Some are excellent, some bored me to tears and others were just your typical middle of the road stories.

Overall, it's a good book - nice that you aren't tied into an overarching storyline and you can read it in smaller snippets... but somehow missing the overarching storyline (if you know what I mean).

I did enjoy the shorts by authors that I've read recently - they tied in with the varied series that I have completed or am in the midst of, adding a new side to some lesser characters.

If you read steampunk, I recommend this. If you are deciding that you may want to start, this could be a good place. Just be forewarned that you may hate some while loving others.

And yes, I have found a couple of new authors to check out in the hopes of finding these characters again!

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested this Steampunk II at the library in order to read one story within it, "The Strange Case of Mr. Salad Monday" by G. D. Falksen, and ended up reading beyond Mr. Falksen. Steampunk is a difficult genre to define (is it even a "genre"?) and this book only confirmed how difficult it really is. Science fiction meets Victoriana, with Egyptology, alternate history, and many other odd bits stirred in here and there. The writing that captured me the most included whimsy or a touch of The Twilight Zone. One story blended Pacific NW Native American folklore with the faery kingdom. Oberon and Titania in exile near Puget Sound. Wow.

Anthologies can be a mixed bag. Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded was most assuredly a mix but I enjoyed it. It was a good introduction to the many sides of steampunk short-story fiction.

[Fred Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology contains 22 stories plus the unofficial history of Steampunk. While I recognize some of the authors – Gibson – Priest – Baxter – Kiernan, I was not familiar with them all.

As you would expect there is a cross genre mix of fantasy and science fiction authors.

Each story is preceded by an introduction of the Author and some of their other work. Some stories stick closely to the Steampunk genre while others stretch it into horror and other genres.

It was a pleasant read, and I am always interested in how a group of authors can be brought together with a single goal, and then approach that goal from some many different directs.

Lightly recommended as not the best I have read. George Mann and others do Steampunk better

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished it. As with any anthology, there are stories you like or dislike. I found the following especially noteworthy.
Andrew Knighton's "Cast Iron Kid" steampunk gunfighter. Old west with steam powered appliances, fun.
Margo Lanagan's "Machine Maid" What wickedness you can do with an automaton.
Cherie Priest's "Tanglefoot" evil spirits and steam power. spooky and fun.
Daniel Abraham's "Balfour & Meriwether in the Adventure of the Emperor's Vengence" was just prain fun along the lines of Sherlock Holmes meets the League of Extrodinary Gentlemen.
I always look forward to anything by Gail Carriger and was not disappointed by her "Which is Mightier, Pen or Parasol?" A brief history of steampunk with an eye for fashion. Go Parasol Protectorate.

[Bruce Hesselbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best steampunk collection that I have read. Time portals, a persecution machine, a mechanical mummy, a robotic romance, a steampunk flying fish: it has it all! I especially liked Ramsey Shehadeh (fantastic stylized time maelstrom with an ending that will move you); Shweta Narayan (whose mechanical birds are vividly real); G.D. Falksen (who combines weird with hilarious); Tanith Lee (whose hero gets to ride a steamroller to the rescue, something I've always wanted to do); and I could go on, because the stories here are memorable and exciting. It is wonderful to see how broad a spectrum of fiction they have brought in, with stories set in many different locales. If there is a Steampunk III, and I hope there is, it will be extremely hard to equal this one!

[Jen Sylvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a shelf of books that I've finally completed, but I was inclined to remember to do this book because I was just thinking about it today. I enjoyed the short stories, but moreso, the author's take on steampunk and its 'movement' and longevity. If you like anything Victoriana/Steampunk, and especially creative storytelling, I highly recommend this book. There are three tales that stood out from the rest: Serpent in the Gears, Balfour and Meriwether in the Adventure of the Emperor’s Vengeance, and The Anachronist’s Cookbook.

The remainder of the short stories were enjoyable as well, but it was these three that captured an essence that I felt, viscerally, as I read.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

The quality in this collection was quite inconsistent, and the mess of stuff at the back posing as some kind of veritas steampunk was a big miss for me. Steampunk is a small, narrow genre; it's hard to do justice in an anthology like these. And the big names that jumped out at me on the cover (William Gibson, Stephen Baxter) did not have the best stories. I suspect that they were included just because they were recognizable big-time authors, not because their contributions were actually particularly good. Stephen Baxter in particular specializes in hard scifi, which is a world of difference away from steampunk.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mixed bag, as anthologies often are. They picked the wrong (fiction) story to wrap it up, so my last impression was not favorable, but there were some good stories in here (mostly by the female authors, I noted, so thanks for making sure there was a distribution!).

For my reference, here are my favorites (in approximate declining order):
The Mechanical Aviary...
Serpent in the Gears
Lovelace & Babbage...
The Anachronist's Cookbook
As Recorded on Brass Cylinders...
Balfour & Merriweather...
Wild Copper
Steam Dancer
Machine Maid
The Unblinking Eye
O One
The Bold Explorer in the Place Beyond
The Strange Case of Mr. Salad Monday