Steampunk
From the endpapers of Larklight by Philip Reeve and David Wyatt
Steampunk — the mashup of scifi and historical — is super fun to read. Alternate forms of energy, fabulous contraptions, and fantastical creations populate worlds familiar and strange. Below are a number of steampunk and steampunk-adjacent choices for your TBR. Happy reading!
The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman (1995)
Lyra lives in a version of England where each person has a daemon companion — a sort of visible soul in the shape of an animal. She begins a journey to look for abducted children only to learn that these children are being experimented on. Lyra searches for the truth of her origins while trying to rescue the imprisoned.
Larklight by Philip Reeve and David Wyatt (2006)
A fantastic romp! Art and his sister live in a spaceship-house past the moon. When giant spiders attack the house and take their father, the two are launched on an escape pod and begin their adventure to survive and save their family. They meet up with space pirates, evil bureaucrats, and more.
The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (2007)
Selznick’s book is half text and half illustration, producing an immersive experience. Hugo, an orphan, lives in the shadows of a Paris train station. The plot centers around Hugo’s relationship with Georges Melies, a real-life filmmaker and creator of automata. Pick up this hefty yet speedy read for a trip through the beginning of cinema.
Kronos Chronicles by Marie Rutkoski (started in 2008)
In the first book of this trilogy, Petra’s father has been commissioned by the prince of Prague to build an astronomical clock. He returns from the job blinded — the prince has removed and enchanted his eyes. Petra, her pet tin spider, and her friend Neel (who has magical powers) go to Prague to reclaim the eyes.
Dactyl Hill Squad series by Daniel José Older (started in 2018)
Is a series about a post-Civil War America in which dinosaurs are pets and transportation really steampunk? I’m not sure. Is this series about the power of friendship and resistance a delight? Certainly. Magdalys and her fellow orphans flee from Manhattan after a riot and join forces with the Vigilance Committee. They are determined to defeat the malicious magistrate, while learning to ride dactyls!