Is Steampunk Sci-Fi or Fantasy?
If you’ve ever stumbled across a book cover with airships, corsets, and mysterious gadgets, you’ve probably run into steampunk—a genre that’s part history, part invention, and entirely its own amazing thing. But the genre can get complicated: is steampunk science fiction or fantasy?
Some say it’s sci-fi because of all the weird and wonderful steam-powered tech. Others insist it’s fantasy because, well… magic. And then there’s me, standing in the middle, wondering why I have to pick a side when I could just have both.
So, let’s break it down: what makes steampunk sci-fi, what makes it fantasy, and where my books fit into the equation.
Why Steampunk Is Considered Science Fiction
At first glance, steampunk looks like sci-fi in a top hat.
It’s full of airships, clockwork machines, steam-powered weapons, and wild inventions that never actually existed but totally could have if history had taken a more stylish turn. Steampunk often reimagines the past with alternative technology, making it feel like a historical version of futuristic sci-fi.
Examples of Steampunk Sci-Fi:
– Boneshaker by Cherie Priest – A steampunk alt-history with airships, underground cities, and a zombie plague explained through science, not magic.
– Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld – Diesel-powered war machines vs. genetically engineered biopunk creatures. No magic, just science twisted in fascinating ways.
Steampunk is often lumped into science fiction because it plays with futuristic ideas in a very retro way. But not all steampunk sticks to science.
Why Steampunk Can Also Be Fantasy
Now, let’s throw some magic into the gears.
Some steampunk books don’t just rely on cool machines, they also bring in alchemy, supernatural creatures, and straight-up magic. That’s where steampunk slides away from sci-fi and settles comfortably into fantasy territory.
Examples of Steampunk Fantasy:
– The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger – Victorian high society with werewolves and vampires.
– The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher – Airships powered by magic, sky pirates, and epic battles.
– Oh look, my books! (More on that in a sec.)
If a world has steam-powered gadgets running alongside magical forces, it leans into fantasy. And that’s exactly where my books land.
Where My Books Fit: Welcome to My Steampunk Fantasy World
Let’s talk about my steampunk fantasy books.
In my world, the land is literally divided by magic and class:
– The Upper Lands – The floating cities where the rich, the royal, and the powerful alchemists live.
– The Lands Below – Where the poor and the tech-users were left behind when the aristocrats decided they didn’t want to share space with the “filth.”
How did the lands split? Alchemy. The rich infused their boundaries with so much magical energy, entire chunks of land ripped away from the earth and rose into the sky.
And then there’s my Techno Mage, a man who dares to blend technology and alchemy to create something incredible.
So, where do my books fit? They nestle nicely into steampunk fantasy. Sure, there are airships and inventions, but alchemy (magic) is at the heart of the world, making it more fantasy than squarely sci-fi.
In the end, steampunk doesn’t have to be just one thing. It’s a genre that thrives on blending history, invention, adventure, and imagination. Whether it leans more sci-fi or fantasy depends entirely on the world, the rules, and whatever the author thinks is the most fun to write.
Do you prefer your steampunk with magic, machines, or a little of both? Drop your thoughts in the comments. I’d love to hear what you think!
Raine
2 comments found