The Steampunk Trilogy Paperback – July 8, 2014

The trio of novellas is ... unusual.Undeniably well written, with a fine use of language and vivid, distinct voices for each novella, it would normally be exactly my sort of preferred read.But it strikes an odd note. I believe it's largely intended to be humourous, but I did not find it so. It seems like the product of an illicit 4-way affair between Mad magazine, mid-century pulp sci-fi, Victorian erotica, and 19th-century American literature. Which admittedly, as described sounds like fun! Ad perhaps for may, it would be.I just found it tiresome, laden with an obsession with the sexual more for shock value - it skirts the edge of the grotesque - than out of any real erotic quality; it's the meandering of a 12-year-old boy, trying to titillate and appal in equal measure.And the title is deceptive. I read an enormous amount of steampunk, and this is far outside the usual range. It makes a nod to steampunk, admittedly, but only the broadest definition thereof.Three stars because the prose itself is good. But I recommend giving this one a pass.

Picked this up based on a "Oh, you like China Mieville, you'll like this" recommendation. Big mistake. The prose is bland, the characters are universally one-dimensional, the plot "twists" are stunningly obvious throughout, and the whole thing feels like the quality of writing you expect to pick up at a 4th grade bookmobile stop. I read through the first story, "Victoria" with rapidly dwindling interest. Only because I felt it unfair to judge the book on less than half of the read did I bother reading through the second story, "Hottentots" which is no better (and in many ways worse) than the first.Steer clear of this one. I'm sure you could find worse things to read, but it'd take effort.

Very fun and adventurous Steampunk journey. Well written!

I truly despise having to write a review where I must stretch to grant even a two star rating but, in this case I have to do just that. First of all there was nothing my imagination could conjure up to make me believe these writings were what could be construed as Steam punk literature. Can someone please tell me if I am WRONG? I fought with myself several times when tempted to put the volumes down and never finish them. I did however read each and every word. Would I recommend this book to anybody? Not if there is any way to avoid doing so. Sorry, but just not at all what I was looking for or expected. Better luck next time. Two stars seems to be the best rating possible on this one.

Not easily followed for me. Lots of different topics and foster some ill stances in today’s, 2021, political climate. But not a waste of time.

Well. 2 stars for the author doing some historical homework, but that is kind of the ending. Steampunk, not so much. Historical SciFi weirdness,Yes. I made it through the first book, which was mostly a decent read. Book 2 was complete and utter nonsense! I got a headache trying to read it! The inane dribble that filled the pages was deplorable at best. My apologies to the author for this harsh critique as this is only my opinion. Expectan imense amount of highbrow vocabulary and technical references.

An ok, sort of book. I love his use of the English language, as well as the use of English literary characters. Very cool. For the rest? I don't know, but then maybe I am just a little slow and need more time to digest it. Truth be told, I like a bit of pace...

This came highly recommended in one of those best of the year lists. I disagree. I made it through the first story, but then gave up and didn't even try the other two. The first one was more alternate history in the Victorian era than steam. A side story about a nuclear-powered steam train had the hero walk away in search of a part when the critical mass bomb detonates, the hero wasn't hurt, and the mass murder he caused goes casually unpunished? I didn't care for it, or about it.

It took me almost a year to read the first of these stories. When I reached the end I put the book down and gingerly slid it away from myself as I found its presence quite offensive. Now, it has to be said, I'm VERY particular when it comes to my Steampunk literature, perhaps because I've been blessed by having read GOOD Steampunk literature and this quite simply isn't up to scratch. I will admit, there is a vague possibility that the other two stories were better than the first and, had I persevered, my impression would have improved, but I found it unlikely. The Steampunk aspects of the first story were relatively few, limited to the main character being a slightly eccentric inventor and the usual staple gadgets and costume elements. The only interesting aspect of the story - the 'newt' Victoria - was barely mentioned and the rest of the tale taken up by an elaborate sequence of, at times, seemingly unrelated events. More words were dedicated to the backstory of how the MC knew his best friends and how his parents died in an accident - neither of which had anything to do with the plot - than was given over to the things you actually wanted to know. Add in a random feud with a stereotypical villain whose motives were never fully clear and you have the essence of tale one. Beyond this however, the writing was bland. It lacked the description needed to bring the world and characters to life and there was nothing pulling me to read on, hence it taking so long to finish. This book is what I call Bathroom Reading. In other words, it sat on the bathroom windowsill and only got picked up when I was about to get in the bath, realised I'd forgotten to bring in anything else, and couldn't be bothered going to fetch something different. Very poor showing.

This is actually 3 separate, but loosely linked, short stories. I'd already read the first, "Victoria," in the excellent anthology  Steampunk .I'd been looking for some new Steampunk to read and this was recommended to me as a good example of the genre.The first story concerns Queen Victoria and a large newt. It's all good fun and does a lot to play with our perceptions of the 19th Century monarch.The second, "Hottentots," follows a Swiss naturalist (and revolting racialist) as he becomes involved in an exciting quest to retrieve a fetish object.Finally, the story "Walt and Emily" concerns Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson as they travel the astral plane (and embark on a wild affair).This book won't be for everyone. It is written very much with and eye for a feel of the language of the time, though I feel that other aspects of the novel make it feel quite up-to-date...in an odd way. I think that it's because the themes of the stories and the playfulness that he has with real figures from history and the mores of the time. In, for example, Hottentots, the naturalist is a disgusting white supremacist, but his adventures (as well as making him look like an idiot) do make him deal with his ignorance. The first and last stories deal with female sexuality and also our perceptions of Queen Victoria and especially Emily Dickinson, who was almost a complete recluse.This won't appeal to everyone, but if you can bear the social commentary in all this, it's a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it. Steampunk

Read the first of the 3 stories and liked it a lot and am on the 2nd now - steampunk in an alternate Victorian/19th Century setting - good stuff although Mr. Di Felippo seems to have a penchant for sexual activity that is perhaps not quite necessary - we are not talking Jose Farmer's porno period but Di Felippo could easily have written excellent stories without quite as much sexual content - Jack Vance never needed it - gosh I'm coming across as quite the prude! Still half a book to go...Finished all 3 stories now and a 3 star rating is all I can muster. Worth reading but not the stunning/can't put it down read that I was expecting. The third story centres around Emily Dickinson and her ambivalent relationship with the world and Walt Whitman. Interesting and imaginative but not top of my steam punk list.

"The steampunk trilogy"Steampunk?The title is rather misleading, I dare say.Alas! It's been only the timesetting which would appear befitting.It appears that some people try to jump train of the current steampunk movement.As for a trilogy, the three stories are - by no means - succeeding one another but are rather independant ones.The style and choice of words made me realize that somebody knew how to use a good thesaurus, digging for old fashioned words - but old fashioned wording does not make a mediocre story any better.It's been quite a while that I had to gnaw myself through a book like I had to with Di Filippos opus, thus enabling me to write a recension. Without the idea for a recension, I would have dumped the book - which would have been a first for me!True, as the other recensions indicate, Paul Di Filippo is unique, that's about all what I can say for giving at least one star.My advice: Borrow the book from a library or a unfortunate friend, to figure out whether you might like it - or rather not.

In inglese