Steampunk is a kind of SF&F literature based in the late 19th century, any number of anachronisms may be present, such as steam-powered vehicles and aircraft, mechanical computers, etc., and modern electricity or internal combustion engines do not exist.
I would guess that the original steampunk was Jules Verne, but he was writing true SF for his time. Modern steampunk generally creates a Vernesian world.
I don't know why "punk" is used to describe literature. The "steam" is pretty obvious: STFnal literature without electricity (I am ignoring the fact that Verne's Nautilus was electrically powered). Much of the 19th century was lived using steam as the only source of power.
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ninetydegrees
no subject
2010-11-17 16:10 (UTC)I would guess that the original steampunk was Jules Verne, but he was writing true SF for his time. Modern steampunk generally creates a Vernesian world.
I don't know why "punk" is used to describe literature. The "steam" is pretty obvious: STFnal literature without electricity (I am ignoring the fact that Verne's Nautilus was electrically powered). Much of the 19th century was lived using steam as the only source of power.