Genre

Steampunk Books

Steampunk imagines a 19th century that ran further on steam: brass automatons, airships, difference engines and gaslit cities, usually with a Victorian or Wild West flavour. The term was coined in 1987 by K. W. Jeter, but its roots go back to Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, whose 'scientific romances' are free to read today.

Modern steampunk spans adventure, romance, mystery and queer love stories. Below are the most-read titles; scroll down for related sub-genres like gaslamp fantasy and alternate history.

This list collects 345 books tagged Steampunk by 250 authors, published between 1916 and 2025. Books are ranked by how many readers have shelved, rated or downloaded them.

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Common tropes in Steampunk

From Wikipedia

Steampunk is a subgenre of science fiction that incorporates retro-futuristic technology and aesthetics prominently inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery and design. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the Victorian era and the Belle Époque, or the American frontier where steam power remains in mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

345 Steampunk books · page 1 of 8

Top Steampunk authors

Related genres

Frequently asked questions

Who invented the word 'steampunk'?

Author K. W. Jeter coined it in a 1987 letter to Locus magazine to describe the Victorian-set fantasies he, Tim Powers and James Blaylock were writing.

What is the difference between steampunk and gaslamp fantasy?

Steampunk emphasises retro-futuristic technology — gears, steam, airships. Gaslamp fantasy keeps the Victorian or Edwardian setting but swaps the machines for magic, ghosts and the supernatural.

What are good steampunk books for beginners?

Classic entry points include Gail Carriger's Soulless, Cherie Priest's Boneshaker, Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan and the public-domain originals by Jules Verne.

What are the most popular Steampunk books?

By reader shelving on Open Library and downloads, the most popular include Altered Carbon (2002), The Windup Girl (2009), The Austere Academy (2000), The Slippery Slope (2003) and The Hostile Hospital (2001).