Saturday, December 11, 2010

Steam, brass and clockwork


While perusing the blog over at Finding Wonderland, I heard that next week several websites will be participating in Steampunk/Alternate History Week, so I thought this would be the perfect time to declare my newfound love for all things steampunk.

My new favourite tv show is Sanctuary, a Canadian sci-fi fantasy series that originally started as a series of webisodes. With heavy steampunk leanings, Sanctuary is the story of Dr Helen Magnus, on a 150 year old British doctor, played by Amanda Tapping, who works to maintain the fragile balance between humans and sentient "abnormals". Magnus worked in Victorian England where she and several colleagues experimented with untainted vampire blood, with some unexpected results. A fun filled scifi steampunk romp with characters including Dr James Watson, the Invisible Man and, my personal favourite, the fabulously dastardly Nikola Tesla. Highly highly recommended! The creators of Sanctuary have started a new steampunk web series...Riese: Kingdom Falling - I for one will certainly be tuning in.

I also came home recently with quite a horde of new steampunk fiction and after finishing the first, I am well and truly hooked!

The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare
The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones - Cassandra Clare
Court of the Air - Stephen Hunt
Soulless - Gail Carriger

My love for steampunk doesn't rest at books and tv though - check out these recent purchases ;)

What do you love about steampunk?


4 comments:

junebug said...

I love Sanctuary. I have to add your book recommendations to my 'to read' pile. Thanks!

Danni said...

I love steampunk because it is a classy combination of old and new with some future thrown in. The imagination's best friend. I will certainly check out those books. The first steampunk I got into was the movie Treasure Planet and the Leviaithan book series by Scott Westerfeld.

mariel said...

Junebug - Try the new web series Riese, its excellent!

Danni - I've heard good thinks about Leviathon, will check it out, thanks.

valentina said...

I just got into sanctuary and I love is so much. Helen Magnus is quickly becoming one of my fav character ever. I wrote a little about it here:
http://stellapiumata.tumblr.com/post/36803603827/on-sanctuary-and-female-representation

I never really thought about it as steampunk, but I suppose it's got elements of it. Such a good show!