Steampunk is a new and exploding sub-genre, not quite alternate history, not quite SF, not quite fantasy, but a wild and wonderful mix of all three. Mostly set in the 19th century, steampunk imagines everything we take for granted, like computers and air travel--but creates them using the technology of the times. No jets, no transistors or vacuum tubes here, just a whole lot of imagination and some kickass fun.

The genre is recognized as a "new" category but it has evolved since Jules Verne and H. G. Wells first set pen to paper. They did not, however, have to consciously recreate their own Victorian era, but due to the popularity of their work, they are accounted as fathers of the genre. Most steampunk gives at least a nod to the tropes they established. The genre has been described as "gonzo history" and is peopled with rebellious heroes and a skewed outlook on history, authority, and life in general. Look for:

• Homunculus and Lord Kelvin's Machines by James Blaylock
• The Difference Engine, by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling
• Morlock Night and Infernal Devices by K. W. Jeter
• Mainstream and Escapement by Jay Lake
• Zeppelins West and Flaming London by Joe R. Lansdale
• Boneshaker, by Cherie Priest
• Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

You can purchase Steampunk titles through the Other Worlds Bookstore.