I sort of have a vague idea about steampunk, but I don't know if I've read any of it. Uhmm, is the original "Time Machine" an example, both the book and the film? "The Prestige"? How'bout the movie "Dark City"? Does it have to be sci-fi? *scratches head*

My understanding of steampunk is sort of an alternative history. as in computers became a reality back when fire / coal and were a the power sources

I was just going to ask if The Prestige could/should be considered steampunk. Or possibly Steampunk Lite.

I'd had to turn both those twelve-gauge shells from brass stock, on the lathe, and then load then myself; I'd had to dig up an old microfiche with instructions for hand-loading cartridges; I'd had to build a lever-action press to seat the primers--all very tricky. But I knew they'd work.

Please forgive me, but when I read that paragraph I flashed onto Anita Blake going on and on about her guns and her shoes.

I know I'm a Philistine. But someone has to be.

talked to DH -- steampunk - mechanical , not electrical. Style - esp. victoriana is important. Understanding style is important to understanding the machine. The machine as body is one of the ideas.

Emily, I love Tank Girl too. Though it's best seen at the Red Vic on Haight Street with a bunch of rocker chicks. But you should come over and watch it one night.

Well, that's cool of him. But I have never enjoyed one of his books, and tend to finish them only when trapped on a trans-Atlantic flight. I find him a bit pompous.

He is a bit pompous. When he and Gibson were media-touring The Difference Engine, Sterling was a monster windbag, and I'm convinced that persona was intentional. But I do have a lot of his books. I think I like Islands in the Net the best. He's definitely smart and can be funny.

I didn't much like The Difference Engine, though.

So I was just reading the Amazon excerpts of Diamond Age, and I need that book. I'd forgotten how much I like it. I was thinking to myself how well he shows the scifi elements instead of telling about it, and then hit a paragraph where he tells about the character's understanding of women, in a more authorial-opinion kind of voice. But it's okay, because it's not "look at all the cool stuff I made up!" I'm hecka fond of that book.

Right. Bed.

I've got a copy of Diamond Age you can have, Emily. Free!

This message was paid for by The Committee to Give Teachers Free Books.

The Girl Genius comics [link] also give good steampunk

Oh, yes. I just started reading that several weeks ago and I am dearly in love with that series.

Teppy, I'm delighted to hear that you're enjoying "The Anubis Gates." My favorite Tim Powers novel, however, is "Last Call."

If you don't like what I like, you're stupid; if you like what I don't like you're an asshole.

For a long time, I (not intentionally) held to a twisted version of this, something more along the lines of "If you don't like what I like, I'm a nerd; if you like what I don't like, I'm unsophisticated."