Steampunk is an anthology of short speculative fiction in the (what else?) steampunk mode.  Steampunk, for the uninitiated, is a literary subgenre that reinterprets the conventions of science fiction in a Victorian past that ever existed, with a dose of social commentary inherited from cyberpunk; it’s all a bit like those old Marvel ”What If?” comics: what if the Victorians had steam-powered computers?  What if dirigibles could go to the moon?  What if brass gear-powered automatons fought with and for mankind?

The stories in this anthology run the gamut, each putting a signature spin on the idea of steampunk.  The most successful stories in the book put the storytelling first; the valves and Tesla coils are just trappings in service to a greater literary end.  The styles and moods in Steampunk also run riot; from the salacious exploration of creating sentient life in Paul di Filippo’s “Victoria” to dime-store pulp action of Joe R. Lansdale’s “The Steam Man of the Prairie and the Dark Rider Get Down,” there’s likely something here for everyone.  As is often the case with anthologies, the writing here is uneven, but this volume makes for an excellent introduction to the weird world of steam for interested newcomers.

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