There is something magical about gears, steam, and airships. For more than a century, writers and dreamers have turned to steampunk fantasy to reimagine what the past might have looked like if technology had taken a different path. It is Victorian-inspired, mechanical, and often whimsical. At its heart, it is about possibility.
As a lifelong fan of fantastical worlds, and now as the author of I Dreamt A World, I have often asked myself why steampunk continues to captivate us. The answer, I believe, lies in the way it blends history with imagination, grounding wild ideas in something that feels as though it could almost have been real.
What Defines Steampunk Fantasy?
Steampunk fantasy is not only about throwing gears and goggles into a story. It has its own unique DNA. Picture this:
- Airships drifting through soot-stained skies
- Clocks, gears, and intricate machines powered by steam rather than electricity
- Victorian settings filled with corsets, waistcoats, and mechanical marvels
- A strong sense of rebellion where inventors and dreamers push against the world as it is in order to chase what it could become
It is part aesthetic and part philosophy. Steampunk asks: What if the Industrial Revolution had led us somewhere entirely different?
Why We Keep Returning to Steampunk
Even as modern technology races forward, we continue to circle back to steampunk. Why?
Because it appeals to both nostalgia and hope. Nostalgia comes from its Victorian trappings, a time of exploration, invention, and discovery. Hope emerges from the idea of alternative paths. Steampunk tells us: perhaps things could have been different. And if they could have been, perhaps they still can be.
It is not just about gadgets. It is about imagination that refuses to be contained.
Modern Takes on the Genre
Steampunk fantasy has flourished across books, films, and games. Some popular examples include:
- Philip Reeve’s Mortal Engines, a breathtaking vision of moving cities devouring one another in the struggle for survival
- Gail Carriger’s Parasol Protectorate, a blend of wit, romance, and supernatural elements framed by goggles and gears
- Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan, an alternate World War I driven by bioengineered beasts and mechanical inventions
- Hayao Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle, not strictly steampunk, yet overflowing with fantastical machinery and old-world wonder
What unites these stories is their sense of invention and wonder. Each author reshapes the genre to fit their own vision, proving that steampunk is not a narrow box but a wide canvas.
My Journey Into Steampunk
For me, steampunk was never only a style. It was an invitation to dream. When I began writing I Dreamt A World, I wanted to capture the sense of wonder I first felt when I discovered airships drifting across fictional skies.
I also wanted to explore the human side:
- What happens when people live in a world built on invention?
- How do they carry hopes, griefs, and dreams into the unknown?
- And how do they keep imagining when everything around them seems determined to hold them back?
In I Dreamt a World: The Farthien Chronicles, gears, smoke, and machinery fill the landscape. Yet these details are not simply backdrop. They reflect the tension of a society caught between progress and collapse.
At its core, however, the story is not about machines. It is about people: inventors, wanderers, and dreamers who dare to reach for something greater.
Why Steampunk Still Matters
In today’s digital world, it might seem odd that we keep returning to steam and steel. After all, we have advanced far beyond it. Yet perhaps that is exactly the point.
Steampunk reminds us that:
- Technology is never inevitable. The world develops according to choices, not destiny.
- Dreamers matter. Every major leap begins with imagination.
- Stories shape the future. By imagining alternate pasts, we also open the door to alternate futures.
That is why steampunk feels so alive. In uncertain times, it provides something tangible: a reminder that we are not only passengers on history’s path. We are its engineers.
Where to Begin if You Are New to Steampunk
If you are curious about steampunk, here are some ways to start:
- Read a classic novel such as Mortal Engines or Leviathan.
- Watch steampunk-inspired films like Howl’s Moving Castle or The Golden Compass.
- Explore indie authors who are reimagining the genre with bold and original twists.
And if you want something that is both familiar and new — with airships, imagination, and the spark of discovery — my book I Dreamt A World was written for readers exactly like you.
The Adventure Never Ends
Steampunk fantasy is here to stay. As long as we dream of skies filled with airships, of inventions that can change lives, and of characters bold enough to chase impossible dreams, the genre will continue to thrive.
Perhaps that is the greatest lesson steampunk gives us: never stop dreaming, and never stop imagining new worlds.
So let me ask you:
What is your favorite steampunk world, and what draws you to it most?
I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.