This stuff sounds like a fun idea. Obviously you’d need to be a student of history to do it right. As a literary movement, even just a for-fun one, I wonder what sort of style and hallmarks would proceed… One must imagine the kinds of world-views people had back then, how they conceptualized things, what they ignored, and the style would emerge… Descriptive, I think, maybe meticulous or myopic at times. A different moral sense.
An exciting period. I like it.
I’d like to see an example of this…are there any public domain/creative commons examples available? Just to satisfy curiousity…I understand it takes time to put up a whole bibliography.
As well as MacAuley’s Pasquale’s Angel, I’d suggest Michael Swanwick’s Jack Faust.
Incidentally, while I love this brand of uchronia, I don’t really like the term ‘clockpunk’. But I haven’t got a better alternative so… meh…
I’ve always thought an alternative description of what steampunk and its variants do is, rather than the idea of a technology being moved forward in time, explore the notion of what a particular epoch’s technology could have done if it had been applied in a more extensive way (for example, the premise of MacAuley’s book is, as you say, that Da Vinci devoted himself to his engineering rather than having been distracted by art, and there’s no new science in The Difference Engine, just a political environment that allows a more extensive application of available innovations). Steampunk becomes an examination of the unrealised potential of a particular technological epoch, usually assuming that what could have been done was done, much like the retrofutures of the twenties did about their technologies. Just a thought.
Jack Faust is more like your definition: Johann Faust brings 20th century technology and science to late Renaissance Europe with the assistance of malefic pan-dimensional aliens who hope humanity will destroy itself.
RobW, the premise of the story sounds promising. I will check it out. Your alternative description of Steampunk and sister genres is indeed intriguing, it also raises the question that what would have happened if the technologies that we indeed developed in OTL were underdeveloped!
To RobW:
“Incidentally, while I love this brand of uchronia, I don’t really like the term ‘clockpunk’. ”
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I agree. It does sound kind of clunky. 😦
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“But I haven’t got a better alternative ”
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Retro-spec. fic.? 🙂
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My question is – on Wiki it is stated that springpunk 😉 fiction is “typically” set during Renaissance. But does it need to? There’s also a reference to the computer game “Syberia” there, which is set in modern times but has many clockpunk-like contraptions and ideas (automata, spring-driven train et al.).
Spring Heeled Jack, that is good point. Our position on this subject is that anything even a few hundred years before the Renaissance is fine although the worldview of the Renaissance is an important component of Clockpunk. On the question of Cyberia, its one of those borderline cases about which we still haven’t decided yet.
I think you could add “The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana” by Jess Nevins which is a good reference book on alternative fictions during the victorian era. From Victof Hugo (sorry, I’m french!) to the english fantasy fiction. Try this!
Da Vinci Automata 
This stuff sounds like a fun idea. Obviously you’d need to be a student of history to do it right. As a literary movement, even just a for-fun one, I wonder what sort of style and hallmarks would proceed… One must imagine the kinds of world-views people had back then, how they conceptualized things, what they ignored, and the style would emerge… Descriptive, I think, maybe meticulous or myopic at times. A different moral sense.
An exciting period. I like it.
I’d like to see an example of this…are there any public domain/creative commons examples available? Just to satisfy curiousity…I understand it takes time to put up a whole bibliography.
I can’t wait to see your bibliography. I’m a fan of Elizabethan Fantasy & SF; I’ve compiled a list if there’s any titles there that fit your criteria.
One item I’m sure you’re already aware of is Marvel Comics’ 1602 (unless that’s already too late for your period)
Lis Riba, you are correct. 1602 can be considered to be an example of Clockpunk although it is a bit borderline in terms of time period.
As well as MacAuley’s Pasquale’s Angel, I’d suggest Michael Swanwick’s Jack Faust.
Incidentally, while I love this brand of uchronia, I don’t really like the term ‘clockpunk’. But I haven’t got a better alternative so… meh…
I’ve always thought an alternative description of what steampunk and its variants do is, rather than the idea of a technology being moved forward in time, explore the notion of what a particular epoch’s technology could have done if it had been applied in a more extensive way (for example, the premise of MacAuley’s book is, as you say, that Da Vinci devoted himself to his engineering rather than having been distracted by art, and there’s no new science in The Difference Engine, just a political environment that allows a more extensive application of available innovations). Steampunk becomes an examination of the unrealised potential of a particular technological epoch, usually assuming that what could have been done was done, much like the retrofutures of the twenties did about their technologies. Just a thought.
Jack Faust is more like your definition: Johann Faust brings 20th century technology and science to late Renaissance Europe with the assistance of malefic pan-dimensional aliens who hope humanity will destroy itself.
Good luck with your weblog!
RobW, the premise of the story sounds promising. I will check it out. Your alternative description of Steampunk and sister genres is indeed intriguing, it also raises the question that what would have happened if the technologies that we indeed developed in OTL were underdeveloped!
To RobW:
“Incidentally, while I love this brand of uchronia, I don’t really like the term ‘clockpunk’. ”
—————
I agree. It does sound kind of clunky. 😦
==========
“But I haven’t got a better alternative ”
—————
Retro-spec. fic.? 🙂
—
Sue, some people use the word Clockwork punk but even that is not that appealing it seems.
Magdalene Veen @ http://magdaleneveen.livejournal.com/ also uses “Springpunk” (a term which Warren Ellis prefers as well, it seems).
My question is – on Wiki it is stated that springpunk 😉 fiction is “typically” set during Renaissance. But does it need to? There’s also a reference to the computer game “Syberia” there, which is set in modern times but has many clockpunk-like contraptions and ideas (automata, spring-driven train et al.).
Spring Heeled Jack, that is good point. Our position on this subject is that anything even a few hundred years before the Renaissance is fine although the worldview of the Renaissance is an important component of Clockpunk. On the question of Cyberia, its one of those borderline cases about which we still haven’t decided yet.
I think you could add “The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Victoriana” by Jess Nevins which is a good reference book on alternative fictions during the victorian era. From Victof Hugo (sorry, I’m french!) to the english fantasy fiction. Try this!
this sounds intersting but its too much to read