The Sword and Laser discussion

This is my first foray into steampunk literature. Reading this book I was struck that the world was more then just archaic and anachronistic tech that fleshes out this setting. Is that common in steampunk? Or is this like a sub sub sub genre of alt history steampunk fantasy?

Are their rules for steampunk? Is this book breaking any of them? Any good resources for learning about the ins and outs of this subgenre?

The only rules for steampunk are that you must include a)goggles, b)zeppelins, c)steam-powered somethings. That's about it.

There are NO RULES!

Steampunk is the Victorian age and sensibilities with steam power. Sometimes tech goes even beyond what is in the modern age.

Beyond that... no rules.

One blog made it its mission to explore the term academically (he just finished a dissertation on it, actually). http://steampunkscholar.blogspot.com Also, he reviews a lot of books in the genre, so it makes a good starting point for a reading list.

I think we need a "Hard" Steampunk category. This book feels like "Soft" Steampunk.

I think class also play a major role in making this feel different from "hard" steampunk. I'm used to think of steampunk as upper class Victorian. This is down in the dirt of the early Victorian era with people fighting to survive even before the zombies ever showed up. I agree that there are no rules, only conventions, and this story breaks just enough to make it feel unique.

How about Blue Collar Steampunk for a category?

Rules?
Of course and many have already been mentioned, but if it's good, then rules only matter so much.
My book bends what's realistic Dark Fantasy and gritty Steam/Diesel-punk into something else and OH NO there are also bits of Cyber Punk TOO.
AND I LIKE IT! :)

I find the notion of "rules" for a book or a genre rather bizzare. Books are often the suspension of reality and a forage into the depths and wonders of the imagination. There are no rules binding the imagination and there should be no rules binding a book. If there had been rules within fiction we would never have had our first vampire or superhero or aliens. We apply genres to loosely inform the reader that its kinda this type of book. But loosely applied. A guide not a rule or a restriction or a prohibition. Authors and books should never be bound by rules, never stifled by restrictions. Well at least not in any sub category of fantasy fiction. Thrillers live in the real world largely so has too follow rules of believability. SciFi often needs some plausible science or at least something the readers willing too accept. But fantasy is not so restricted.

Its like when people talk about the rules for vampires or zombies in order to make them believable. To me vampires zombies and the like are not believable so why should they be bound by the parameters set down by a previous author? Why not be allowed too say these creatures are imaginary and in my imaginary scenario they can do this......

It's always imrportant to follow your internal rules in a book and to set them down.

Often, authors save themselves a lot of time by working in an established universe where a lot of genre rules apply. E.g. in steampunk I don't have to explain why there are anachronistic Zeppelins, crazy Clockwork Automatons and Steam Tanks and Gizmos. That's what I expect. If you do something unexpected, well, you should spend some time how it fits in your specific universe and how it affected the world. Otherwise it feels - lazy.

I do agree the main divergence from the classical steampunk I see here is the lack of Victorian England and aristocracy, something a lot of novels take a great pain to include. But by being in America and in a workers class perspective, this is quite well done.