thomcat's review against another edition
3.0
This collection of Steampunk stories mostly avoid Victorian England and range from the Roman Empire to the future. They are generally quite good, though not all of course. I especially enjoyed Dylan Horrock's Steam Girl and Cory Doctorow's Clockwork Fagin.
alba_marie's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars rounded up
Steampunk is one of those things I'm pretty sure that I'll like, if only I can find a way to introduce myself to the topic (much like science fiction or D&D). So when I saw this anthology, edited by Kelly Link, an author I really like, I knew I had to go for it.
Overall, though it took me a while (par for the course with anthologies), I am really glad I did.
Some Fortunate Future Day - Cassandra Clare - A bit boring and forgettable - unrequited love, a war-torn world and creepy dolls. 3/5
Last Ride of the Glory Girls Tried several times to read it, and just could not get past the 2nd page. I don't like stories written without punctuation or proper grammar. 0/5
Clockwork Fagan - Cory Doctorow - This was one of the best stories in the anthology! It was so well written, so well characterised, the world was so well built. Though only a few dozen pages, I was so enamoured with the orphans and invested in them and their lives. 5/5
7 Days beset by Demons - I am not a fan of graphic novel stories, though I do like things about demons. Sadly, this was kind of bland and I didn't like the demon angle. 1/5
Hand in Glove - Ysabeau Wilce - This was a pretty solid story, a sort of steampunk crime story with a Frankenstein body-snatching twist. 4/5
The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor - Delia Sherman - This was closer to my usual read (ghosts!), but further from what I'd expect a steampunk story to look like. That said, lots of automatons, combined with a missing treasure, a crumbling mansion, an eccentric inventor and of course the ghost. 4/5
Gethesemane - I actually forgot what this one was about so, that shows how much I liked it. There was a witch maybe? And a love potion? I don't really know. 1/5
The Summer People - Kelly Link's own story, this one was really well constructed and shows her mastery of the short story, and in particular, how to characterise and world build so convincingly in just a few pages. That said, I wanted more from the plot, esp. at the end when the pacing suddenly moved forward quickly. 4/5
Peace in our Time - This one was okay, more science-fiction-y than most. Assassins, evil dictators, bizarre worlds and longstanding wars. It was not the most engaging or memorable though. 3/5
Nowhere Fast - Christopher Rowe - Post-apocalyptic steampunk? Yes that sounds like a strange combination, and no, I'm not sure it worked. In typical post-apocalyptic fashion, cars don't work anymore. But atypical of the genre, the main character doesn't really want (or need) to move from her perceived safe haven to another; instead, someone comes to theirs, and they feel threatened. It was okay, but I felt it could have been better developed. 3.5/5
Finishing School - More graphics. Better than the demon one, this one was about a finishing school for ladies and two women who didn't fit in. But besides that, I found it hard to follow and not very interesting. Graphics really are not my thing. 2.5/5
Steam Girl - Dylan Horrocks - The best story in the collection, alongside Doctorow's. This was about a new girl at school who clearly is an outcast in this world but tells amazing steampunk stories about Steam Girl's adventures on other planets and worlds...that just might be true. I was hooked, and just wanted to keep reading more, and sad when the story ended. 5/5
Everything Amiable and Obliging - Holly Black - Lots of automatons and a weird love story between a human and an automaton. I found it a little disturbing and kind of bleugh. I wasn't blown away by it. Interesting how the unknown writers often shine and the famous ones fade to the shadows in these anthologies... 3/5
The Oracle Engine - MT Anderson - A revenge story set in ancient Rome (one of my favourite eras!). Did I enjoy the story? Yes. Did it evoke Ancient Rome and feel like a story that might have come out of that era? Yes. (Largely because many aspects of it are drawn from history). Was it a convincing revenge tale? Yes. Was it a convincing steampunk story? Not even close, imo. But it was still memorable. 4/5
Overall, I mostly enjoyed the book, though I would have removed the graphics and instead included another story. I think the longer short stories are usually better and would have focused on those, or in getting the chosen authors of the shorter ones to develop them further. But a great introduction to the genre, and I'm hasting to read more steampunk now for sure.
Steampunk is one of those things I'm pretty sure that I'll like, if only I can find a way to introduce myself to the topic (much like science fiction or D&D). So when I saw this anthology, edited by Kelly Link, an author I really like, I knew I had to go for it.
Overall, though it took me a while (par for the course with anthologies), I am really glad I did.
Some Fortunate Future Day - Cassandra Clare - A bit boring and forgettable - unrequited love, a war-torn world and creepy dolls. 3/5
Last Ride of the Glory Girls Tried several times to read it, and just could not get past the 2nd page. I don't like stories written without punctuation or proper grammar. 0/5
Clockwork Fagan - Cory Doctorow - This was one of the best stories in the anthology! It was so well written, so well characterised, the world was so well built. Though only a few dozen pages, I was so enamoured with the orphans and invested in them and their lives. 5/5
7 Days beset by Demons - I am not a fan of graphic novel stories, though I do like things about demons. Sadly, this was kind of bland and I didn't like the demon angle. 1/5
Hand in Glove - Ysabeau Wilce - This was a pretty solid story, a sort of steampunk crime story with a Frankenstein body-snatching twist. 4/5
The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor - Delia Sherman - This was closer to my usual read (ghosts!), but further from what I'd expect a steampunk story to look like. That said, lots of automatons, combined with a missing treasure, a crumbling mansion, an eccentric inventor and of course the ghost. 4/5
Gethesemane - I actually forgot what this one was about so, that shows how much I liked it. There was a witch maybe? And a love potion? I don't really know. 1/5
The Summer People - Kelly Link's own story, this one was really well constructed and shows her mastery of the short story, and in particular, how to characterise and world build so convincingly in just a few pages. That said, I wanted more from the plot, esp. at the end when the pacing suddenly moved forward quickly. 4/5
Peace in our Time - This one was okay, more science-fiction-y than most. Assassins, evil dictators, bizarre worlds and longstanding wars. It was not the most engaging or memorable though. 3/5
Nowhere Fast - Christopher Rowe - Post-apocalyptic steampunk? Yes that sounds like a strange combination, and no, I'm not sure it worked. In typical post-apocalyptic fashion, cars don't work anymore. But atypical of the genre, the main character doesn't really want (or need) to move from her perceived safe haven to another; instead, someone comes to theirs, and they feel threatened. It was okay, but I felt it could have been better developed. 3.5/5
Finishing School - More graphics. Better than the demon one, this one was about a finishing school for ladies and two women who didn't fit in. But besides that, I found it hard to follow and not very interesting. Graphics really are not my thing. 2.5/5
Steam Girl - Dylan Horrocks - The best story in the collection, alongside Doctorow's. This was about a new girl at school who clearly is an outcast in this world but tells amazing steampunk stories about Steam Girl's adventures on other planets and worlds...that just might be true. I was hooked, and just wanted to keep reading more, and sad when the story ended. 5/5
Everything Amiable and Obliging - Holly Black - Lots of automatons and a weird love story between a human and an automaton. I found it a little disturbing and kind of bleugh. I wasn't blown away by it. Interesting how the unknown writers often shine and the famous ones fade to the shadows in these anthologies... 3/5
The Oracle Engine - MT Anderson - A revenge story set in ancient Rome (one of my favourite eras!). Did I enjoy the story? Yes. Did it evoke Ancient Rome and feel like a story that might have come out of that era? Yes. (Largely because many aspects of it are drawn from history). Was it a convincing revenge tale? Yes. Was it a convincing steampunk story? Not even close, imo. But it was still memorable. 4/5
Overall, I mostly enjoyed the book, though I would have removed the graphics and instead included another story. I think the longer short stories are usually better and would have focused on those, or in getting the chosen authors of the shorter ones to develop them further. But a great introduction to the genre, and I'm hasting to read more steampunk now for sure.
saliha26's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, what a way to end the book! The last story (The Oracle Engine) definitely blew my mind.
I was picturing the story of The Glory Girls as a movie in my mind the whole time.
I really enjoyed the time and place that Nowhere Fast brought us.
and I loved the characters in Clockwork Fagin and the Ghost of Cwmlech Manor.
Gethsemane was very sad but very interesting to read.
Peace in Our Time reminded me a lot of the tell-tale heart.
Everything Amiable and Obliging was kind of disturbing.
I was picturing the story of The Glory Girls as a movie in my mind the whole time.
I really enjoyed the time and place that Nowhere Fast brought us.
and I loved the characters in Clockwork Fagin and the Ghost of Cwmlech Manor.
Gethsemane was very sad but very interesting to read.
Peace in Our Time reminded me a lot of the tell-tale heart.
Everything Amiable and Obliging was kind of disturbing.
drowsyreaper's review against another edition
5.0
One of the best anthologies I've read in a long time. While there were a few stories that made me wonder why they were being considered steampunk, I enjoyed all of them. Okay, so Seven Day Beset by Demons was a let down, but that was the only one.
These authors are not steampunk authors, or even genre writers. Where so many steampunk writers seem to think of the world before the story, these are simply authors who have taken on the concept of steampunk and used it to accent a story, and for that, the impact and dept of the world is so much more potent. I think fans of steampunk and readers who are new to the genre will both find this a fantastic collection.
Also, the cover is really, really pretty.
Some of my favorites are:
The Last Ride of the Glory Girls by Libba Bray
Clockwork Fagin by Cory Doctrow
The Ghost of Cymwer Manor by Delia Sherman
Finishing School by Kathleen Jennings
Gethsemane by Elizabeth Knox
and The Summer People by Kelly Link
but really, everything in here is good. Go read it.
These authors are not steampunk authors, or even genre writers. Where so many steampunk writers seem to think of the world before the story, these are simply authors who have taken on the concept of steampunk and used it to accent a story, and for that, the impact and dept of the world is so much more potent. I think fans of steampunk and readers who are new to the genre will both find this a fantastic collection.
Also, the cover is really, really pretty.
Some of my favorites are:
The Last Ride of the Glory Girls by Libba Bray
Clockwork Fagin by Cory Doctrow
The Ghost of Cymwer Manor by Delia Sherman
Finishing School by Kathleen Jennings
Gethsemane by Elizabeth Knox
and The Summer People by Kelly Link
but really, everything in here is good. Go read it.
greene_house_gases's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
4.5
quietjenn's review against another edition
3.0
Uneven, in the way that most anthologies are. A few standouts, a few mediocre, a few that were completely forgettable. Plus, I'm irked that the Kelly Link story is pretty much not at all steampunky, by any definition of the term.
jljaina's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars is closer but on the lower side. Some stories I really liked, others I didn't care for at all and felt I wasted time on a couple even.
These were the ones I actually enjoyed (above 2.5 stars worth):
Some Fortunate Future Day by Cassandra Clare - Rose is a bit scary in her obsessions. But I also feel bad for her, all alone. I want to know her age!
Last Ride of the Glory Girls by Libba Bray - Alt reality western. Some parts were strange but others good. I wanted to get know what she would do in the end. A lot very too vague but would love to see fleshed out into a full story.
Clockwork Fagin by Cory Doctorow - Great orphanage story! Love what these kids do (less what specifically they do to get an automaton..eww..) to improve their lives, despite their situation.
Hand in Glove by Ysabeau S Wilce - I didn't care much for the writing style, felt too much like parts taken from other stories, including Frankenstein and a certain spooky family movie/series that has seen many remakes). Yet still decent and curious.
The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor by Delia Sherman - This was really good. Another favorite here. A gothic tale, old manors, and automatons. I kept expecting a hint of romance though...
Gethsemane by Elizabeth Knox - Started off interesting but felt too scattered. Who people really were and why they did what they did. The ending does cover it but it felt broken in execution.
The Summer People by Kelly Link - What rich possibilities!! I wanted more! Were there fae?! Who are the summer people exactly?! I want a full novel of this. Ending was a bit confusing though.
Steam Girl by Dylan Horrocks - Sci-fi meets steampunk in this tale within a tale. And what is the truth in the story? Very creative.
Everything Amiable and Obliging - Sentient automatrons?? A hint of romance...gone wrong. I really enjoyed this one as well.
The Oracle Engines - Strange historical story sent in Roman times. A story of Caesar, Crassusm Pompei and Marcus as never told. Interesting at times, but slow and overdrawn.
These were the ones I actually enjoyed (above 2.5 stars worth):
Some Fortunate Future Day by Cassandra Clare - Rose is a bit scary in her obsessions. But I also feel bad for her, all alone. I want to know her age!
Last Ride of the Glory Girls by Libba Bray - Alt reality western. Some parts were strange but others good. I wanted to get know what she would do in the end. A lot very too vague but would love to see fleshed out into a full story.
Clockwork Fagin by Cory Doctorow - Great orphanage story! Love what these kids do (less what specifically they do to get an automaton..eww..) to improve their lives, despite their situation.
Hand in Glove by Ysabeau S Wilce - I didn't care much for the writing style, felt too much like parts taken from other stories, including Frankenstein and a certain spooky family movie/series that has seen many remakes). Yet still decent and curious.
The Ghost of Cwmlech Manor by Delia Sherman - This was really good. Another favorite here. A gothic tale, old manors, and automatons. I kept expecting a hint of romance though...
Gethsemane by Elizabeth Knox - Started off interesting but felt too scattered. Who people really were and why they did what they did. The ending does cover it but it felt broken in execution.
The Summer People by Kelly Link - What rich possibilities!! I wanted more! Were there fae?! Who are the summer people exactly?! I want a full novel of this. Ending was a bit confusing though.
Steam Girl by Dylan Horrocks - Sci-fi meets steampunk in this tale within a tale. And what is the truth in the story? Very creative.
Everything Amiable and Obliging - Sentient automatrons?? A hint of romance...gone wrong. I really enjoyed this one as well.
The Oracle Engines - Strange historical story sent in Roman times. A story of Caesar, Crassusm Pompei and Marcus as never told. Interesting at times, but slow and overdrawn.
kcelena's review against another edition
3.0
Fourteen authors, fourteen short stories, each of them steampunk with a twist. I really enjoyed about half of them, liked most of the rest, and could not find in about two. Still a mostly fun read if you're interested in the genre.
tattedlibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
From dictionary.com:
Steampunk: a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy featuringadvanced machines and other technology based on steampower of the 19th century and taking place in a recognizablehistorical period or a fantasy world.
Each short story is a work by a noted YA author. Libba Bray, for example, writes a story about a gang of horse riding Wild West girls with a mechanism that slows/stops time long enough for them to rob a train and get out. Cory Doctrow writes about a Canadian workhouse for crippled orphans run by a horrible man. The orphans kill him, take over and build a clockwork version (like a robot) of the man so the nuns won’t realize that he is gone.
I didn’t enjoy all the stories. Hand in Glove by Ysabeau S. Wilce 2008 winner of the Andre Norton award for Young Adult Science Fiction and fantasy was too something for me. I can’t put my finger on it (no pun intended). I found myself bogged down by the language of it all. On the other hand, Some Fortunate Future Day by Cassandra Clare was an enjoyable (if creepy) read about a girl whose dolls tell her what to do. I have always been creeped out by talking dolls and this was no exception, but the story was excellent.
There are 2 graphic stories, stories which would appeal to girls, stories which would appeal to boys and stories which would appeal to all. It gives the reader a glimpse into the Steampunk genre and allows a taste of many different varieties.
Steampunk: a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy featuringadvanced machines and other technology based on steampower of the 19th century and taking place in a recognizablehistorical period or a fantasy world.
Each short story is a work by a noted YA author. Libba Bray, for example, writes a story about a gang of horse riding Wild West girls with a mechanism that slows/stops time long enough for them to rob a train and get out. Cory Doctrow writes about a Canadian workhouse for crippled orphans run by a horrible man. The orphans kill him, take over and build a clockwork version (like a robot) of the man so the nuns won’t realize that he is gone.
I didn’t enjoy all the stories. Hand in Glove by Ysabeau S. Wilce 2008 winner of the Andre Norton award for Young Adult Science Fiction and fantasy was too something for me. I can’t put my finger on it (no pun intended). I found myself bogged down by the language of it all. On the other hand, Some Fortunate Future Day by Cassandra Clare was an enjoyable (if creepy) read about a girl whose dolls tell her what to do. I have always been creeped out by talking dolls and this was no exception, but the story was excellent.
There are 2 graphic stories, stories which would appeal to girls, stories which would appeal to boys and stories which would appeal to all. It gives the reader a glimpse into the Steampunk genre and allows a taste of many different varieties.
rmarcelita08's review against another edition
5.0
My English literature teacher first introduced me to the world of Steampunk about a month ago. Before that, I never even knew that a genre called "Steampunk" ever existed. well, I'm glad and thankful to my teacher for the introduction, because right now, I'm crazy for Steampunk literature.
Imagine a world where things are influenced by clockwork gadgets; where zeppelins roam the skies; where human robots could have a mind of their own; where fantastic, steam-powered gadgets exist. the world of Steampunk is truly fantastic and rich with strange wonders. This brilliant anthology manages to capture the beauty of the genre perfectly.
There are twelve short stories and two graphic novels in this anthology. I have divided my ratings into 3, 4, and 5 stars.
5 stars to: Clockwork Fagin (Cory Doctorow), The Oracle Engine (M.T.Anderson), and Seven Days Beset by Demons (the graphic novel by Shawn Cheng).
3 stars to: Finishing School , and Nowhere Fast (Christopher Rowe).
I give the rest of the short stories four stars. They are all equally brilliant, very imaginative, and very out of the box. Some stories were even full of interesting surprises. Besides Roald Dahl's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Other Stories, Steampunk! is an anthology that I truly, wholly enjoy.
I love Steampunk. Hands down. Enough said.
Imagine a world where things are influenced by clockwork gadgets; where zeppelins roam the skies; where human robots could have a mind of their own; where fantastic, steam-powered gadgets exist. the world of Steampunk is truly fantastic and rich with strange wonders. This brilliant anthology manages to capture the beauty of the genre perfectly.
There are twelve short stories and two graphic novels in this anthology. I have divided my ratings into 3, 4, and 5 stars.
5 stars to: Clockwork Fagin (Cory Doctorow), The Oracle Engine (M.T.Anderson), and Seven Days Beset by Demons (the graphic novel by Shawn Cheng).
3 stars to: Finishing School , and Nowhere Fast (Christopher Rowe).
I give the rest of the short stories four stars. They are all equally brilliant, very imaginative, and very out of the box. Some stories were even full of interesting surprises. Besides Roald Dahl's The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Other Stories, Steampunk! is an anthology that I truly, wholly enjoy.
I love Steampunk. Hands down. Enough said.