The Sword and Laser discussion

So, I have been looking around on the internet for some good Steampunk novels besides the classics Cheri Priest and Gail Carriger. What is with all the freakin' young adult novels that keep coming up. I don't want young adult. I am getting tired of when I look up any type of steampunk, urban paranormal, magic and such that all I seem to find is young adult fiction. I am glad it's available, but come on, give it it's own section and stop always featuring the Y.A. stuff. I am and adult and I want to read more ADULT fiction, not teen angsty dytopian whatever type novels. I want adult relationships with adult themes. Am I alone in my thinking or do others feel the same way?

If you are looking for steampunk, try out Hard Magic by Larry Correia.. It's both steampunk (lots of zepperliners and stuff), UF(a bit like xmen) and alternate history (1930ish)..

You can try The Affinity Bridge. I didn't care for it--it felt very rote, by-the-numbers and dull to me. Sadly I'm finding a lot of newer adult steampunk that isn't Priest or Carriger to be the same. But you might like it, and if so, it has at least one sequel that I know of.

The Vaginal Fantasy Book Club did The Iron Duke a few months back, and I was surprised at how good it was. I liked it as a steampunk book far better than Affinity Bridge, for sure. If you can deal with a few romance-novel tropes, give it a try.

Some of Ekaterina Sedia's recent work gets lumped in with steampunk. I liked Alchemy of Stone, Heart of Iron less so.

The Dream of Perpetual Motion goes for a very literary/magical realism take on steampunk. I couldn't get into it at the time, but it might be worth a look for you.

There is also this good reads list of the best steam punk novels

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/61...

(Thought it was kind of funny to see H.G. Wells Time Machine there - but after thinking about it, it did make sense)

You might also try this website... http://bookseer.com/

Thanks for all the tips. It just seems like Y.A. is permeating EVERY genre lately. Steampunk, Romance, Urban Paranormal even Sci-Fi, so far Cozies and Mystery seem to be left alone (I give it time though). And, when you look stuff up the first books are Y.A. I know a lot of adults read these, but come on already, lol.

Holly wrote: "Thanks for all the tips. It just seems like Y.A. is permeating EVERY genre lately. Steampunk, Romance, Urban Paranormal even Sci-Fi, so far Cozies and Mystery seem to be left alone (I give it tim..."

Do not give people ideas!!! ;)

The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew don't count as Y.A. Mysteries?

Cozies?

Tamahome wrote: "Cozies?"

Murder mysteries that take place in quaint little English villages.

Also, the Steampunk Scholar just finished his Ph.D in steampunk literature, and his list of Primary Works is a pretty broad survey of the genre.

Leviathan is pretty good though for a YA. Pretty pictures too.

My English professor in a self proclaimed "expert" in the YA area, and she says that YA is just now being accepted as a legitimate genre and that the scope of YA novels is expanding and increasing. So it is only going to get worse. YA is the new "chick lit"

How about 'The Dresden Files'? I go back and forth between whether the series is YA or not. Some of the books are pretty mellow but Butcher does inject some more mature topics in the series.

Regardless, it's one of my favorite series and I look forward to it every year. It's pretty popular but if you don't know it, start with Storm Front and work your way from there ;)

I've never considered Dresden Young Adult.

Dresden Files is definitely not YA.

A new good steam punk series would be The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences by Philippa Ballantine and Tee Morris. Only two books so far, but some of the best I've seen in a while.
Both authors got their start self-publishing on podiobooks.com.
There are also several collections of short stories that take place in the world, some written by them, others written by author friends.
Check them out.

I've heard Perdido Street Station referred to as steampunk-esque, though it's much more weird-fiction. Still, decidedly adult, with that strange anachronistic flare.

And, if you're willing to look outside prose, the comic actually entitled "Steampunk" is adult in nature, though hard to find.

You also might find something on JukePopSerials.com. I know there's at least one steampunk offering on there, though I haven't read it, so can't vouch.

Martha Wells' Ile-Rien books have a steampunk feel to them

I love Dresden Files and I definately don't consider them Y.A. Especially when you have stories that have porn being made by the supernatural set, not Y.A. I understand it is a legitimate genre. I would have loved it if this was the case when I was a Y.A I mean I was reading Lord of the Rings in Junior High, when all that was offered was Babysitters Club or Judy Blume. believe me I would have been devouring many of the Y.A. novels of today. But, I am an adult and it seems to permeate everywhere lately.

What upsets me is that I'll be looking for something new and start reading the description and not until I read the reader reviews does it mention being a Young Adult novel. I think that Amazon, B&N and others should maybe say in their own reviews or have a separate section that is Y.A. The other day I was looking up books with a magical element and the first 15 or so titles were Y.A. It's a little frustrating that you have to research and go through so many titles just to get to what you want.

And, again, Thanks for all the suggestions.

I donno, I do not mind YA novels all that much as long as they are not heavily focused on the relationship part. Although I would almost say that paranormal/urban fantasy has become more littered with YA. I do seem to find more adult Paranormal books under horror, which makes sense 15 years ago when there wasn't a paranormal genre.

I have no idea if this is close enough to steampunk but Empire in Black and Gold. it has steampunk elements but i donno if someone could classify it as a true steampunk.

I never much got into Steampunk, but I certainly sympathize with the view that young adult novels are permeating almost every aspect of literature like a plague. I think it has to with the success of Harry Potter.

I don't mind this, I think young people should be reading and it should be age appropriate. However, couldn't it be separated from the adult versions of each genre? That I totally agree with!

How does one even go about trying to suggest a change of that magnitude to an older, stodgy, loathe-to-change industry like publishing?

David wrote: "I never much got into Steampunk, but I certainly sympathize with the view that young adult novels are permeating almost every aspect of literature like a plague. I think it has to with the success..."

I think the main issue is online browsing does not filter genres well when it comes to steampunk/YA genres. In store it is usually well segregated

i09 had an interesting article on YA today and where it is "post-hunger games"

Mab wrote: "If you are looking for steampunk, try out Hard Magic by Larry Correia.. It's both steampunk (lots of zepperliners and stuff), UF(a bit like xmen) and alternate history (1930ish).."

I wouldn't group this with traditional steam-punk, but I can't recommend it highly enough. It is everything that is good about pulp literature, and the historical figure cameos are icing on the cake.

I'm a bit of a die-hard Larry Correia fan though.

Viridis
I liked this one/

I really like YA, but yes, it would be nice to read books that have more mature protagonists. Someone with bills to pay a job, a marriage, maybe a kid or two. Someone who can legitimately get down every once in awhile. Something!