The Traveler's Steampunk Blog

res ætheris exploramus

Review: Victor Sierra – Electric Rain

| 2. Dezember 2011

Before I start with the review, I have got something to request: If some of you know of a band or single artist in the general vicinity of steampunk you consider bad, let me know. It is getting somewhat embarrassing. When I look back on the albums I have had the pleasure to review, there [...]

Review: BB Black Dog – No.One.

| 29. November 2011

I have known BB Black Dog for quite a while now. Everywhere you look in the European Steampunk scene you find BB Black Dog mentioned somewhere. I was thus delighted when they inquired if I could review their album No.One. and rather surprised to learn it was their debut. The official email I got sums [...]

Review: The Ghosts of Mercury

| 13. November 2011

Before I start with the review, here is a great trailer for The Ghosts of Mercury: and now on with the review: Mercury, my second favourite location of the Space 1889 solar system (after the asteroid belt/remains of Vulcan, in case you wondered). I was really looking forward to reading this one. The title alone [...]

Review: Heart of Iron by Ekatarina Sedia

| 9. November 2011

With the exception of Lavie Tidhar, I have thus far only read steampunk novels from countries which were at one time or another part of the British Empire, most are still part of the Commonwealth. So, I was rather interested in Hearts of Iron, since Ekatarina Sedia is from what used to be the Russian [...]

Fun with Evil Germans: How to do it right

| 13. Oktober 2011

Just three posts ago, I was ranting about Germans being once again used as the stupid default villain, specifically as Nazis-in-disguise. Now, the thing that annoys me about this is the trope-whoring. No matter what the historical setting is, there is always something Nazi-esque about the Germans. I wonder when I will get my hands [...]

Space 1889 & Beyond: Double Review

| 9. Oktober 2011

The e-book series Space 1889 & Beyond is out and I have already been lucky enough to get a review copy of Journey to the Heart of Luna and Vandals on Venus. Both are relatively quick reads, which is why I am going to review them in one go. Journey to the Heart of Luna [...]

Review: Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories

| 2. Oktober 2011

Once again I was contacted via the æthernet and asked if I was interested in doing a review for an upcoming Steampunk anthology. This time it was Steampunk! An Anthology of Fantastically Rich and Strange Stories, due to be released October 11th. Anthologies have thus far been something of a mixed blessing, but I was [...]

Review: Fistful of Reefer

| 19. August 2011

David Mark Brown’s Fistful of Reefer was my first contact with fiction concerning the “Old West”. Of course I had a certain idea about the Golden Age of Gunslingers but I was also aware this idea was severely flawed. What first struck me was the intensity of character the first protagonist you encounter displays. Texas [...]

Review: The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities

| 17. August 2011

The Thackery T. Lambshead Cabinet of Curiosities is by far the strangest collection of tales I have thus far laid my hands on. It is also one of the most fascinating. Where to start? This whole book is one complete piece of art, within and without. The hardcover is beautifully designed and a gem in [...]

Gatehouse Gazette Issue 19 released

| 19. Juli 2011

Who would have thought it… Just one more issue and we are 1/5th of the way to 100 issues. So, today, with a slight delay, issue 19 of the famed Gatehouse Gazette was released and the topic is Summer, quite fittingly. It is also the third anniversary issue of the Gatehouse Gazette. I particularly recommend [...]