Oh I see I missed a discussion. When I said that steampunk wasn’t sci-fi I wasn’t trying to say it was bad, incidentally.
Speculative fiction is about looking forwards, not creating an imaginary backwards. Sci-fi (good sci-fi, anyway) is set in the future for that very reason, to consider the universe and humanity’s place in it on a larger scale, as well as, of course, speculation about the development of technology and how that will change us as individual people and a society.
Steampunk on the other hand, is (usually) set in a bygone time, and features a lot of technology that would be completely infeasible with actual steam power, essentially making it magic. Those seem more like fantasy trappings than sci-fi, to me.
Mind you it’s been a while since we’ve seen good sci-fi or fantasy of any kind, so maybe I should just shut up.
TLK…. Thanks… I do “OMG-Help Me!” real good in real life, too!
Chug… I love crafts… I so love collage and cut and paste and anything involving scissors. It’s one reason I decided to start a zine… to use those parts of me that I kind of ignore when ‘tooning.
Pete… OH I had fun with it. I loved the research! Steampunk-wear is a lot of fun… and rather sexy. I love tailored things and stripes and… well, all of it. I think you guys will get a kick out of the results… as far as Randie and the gang.
Dave: No, I believe I have to disagree with you. For instance, I have seen and read some very good scifi. *cough* My, gosh! You sound like Carl Frederick on a grumpy day. 😉
Being a scifi novelist, I kinda like my stuff. And others in the industry have called my work good science fiction. And there are plenty of authors who are better than me.
As for the definition of science fiction and whether or not steampunk qualifies, I’ll simply say I’m glad people are reading, regardless of genre. I’ve learned from fellow authors not to get too bent out of shape over labeling a story or forcing it into a single pigeonhole when it qualifies for full freedom from categorizing. Diana Gabaldon did literature a HUGE favor by breaking all the genre pigeonholes.
Project Runway? Ever watch Ink Masters? They call their human volunteers “canvasses.” They also almost universally glitch up their work and then blame it on their canvasses. Hmm, Randie sketching and painting on skin with a tatoo gun. Now that’d be scary.
Dave… Nice sci-fi vision.
Dave, Pete, Beetles… You guys looking more forward to “Cloud Atlas” or “Skyfall?”
I’d like to see Randie in the bodice and skirt side of the equation but she’ll surely end up on fitted jacket and tailored pants end.
Jack… costumes, in a way, tell a lot about a person. Whether you make it or buy it says something. Whether you tend towards the clever and/or silly… or the sexy… or the horrific… I think is very telling.
Pete & Beetle… genres and categories are funny things. Once you are labeled, it is a hard bag to get out of. Sci-fi/Fantasy seems a broad and encompassing category. Lots of stuff fits in there. Comics have lots of categories as well. Humor, slice-of-life… but fortunately we don’t get too bent out of shape about being on the same funnies page… Oh, well there is Doonsbury.
stick… I got me a tattoo when I was 29 (Grandma, cover your ears)… I decided I would do something wild before I turned 30. I would be one of those “blame it on the canvas” situations. I got rather dizzy … and had to ask the tattoo person to stop a couple of times…. what can I say? I’m a lightweight. I’m glad I didn’t ask for the Sistine Chapel on my back.
I love the looks on Randie and Spill’s faces!
LOL that’s just what I’d look like. I am a complete failure at handicrafts.
More like Project Run-away for them.
It’ll be interesting to see Randie all steampunked up. I’m guessing Spill will have zero difficulty adjusting.
Oh I see I missed a discussion. When I said that steampunk wasn’t sci-fi I wasn’t trying to say it was bad, incidentally.
Speculative fiction is about looking forwards, not creating an imaginary backwards. Sci-fi (good sci-fi, anyway) is set in the future for that very reason, to consider the universe and humanity’s place in it on a larger scale, as well as, of course, speculation about the development of technology and how that will change us as individual people and a society.
Steampunk on the other hand, is (usually) set in a bygone time, and features a lot of technology that would be completely infeasible with actual steam power, essentially making it magic. Those seem more like fantasy trappings than sci-fi, to me.
Mind you it’s been a while since we’ve seen good sci-fi or fantasy of any kind, so maybe I should just shut up.
TLK…. Thanks… I do “OMG-Help Me!” real good in real life, too!
Chug… I love crafts… I so love collage and cut and paste and anything involving scissors. It’s one reason I decided to start a zine… to use those parts of me that I kind of ignore when ‘tooning.
Pete… OH I had fun with it. I loved the research! Steampunk-wear is a lot of fun… and rather sexy. I love tailored things and stripes and… well, all of it. I think you guys will get a kick out of the results… as far as Randie and the gang.
Sew far, sew good.
The fine line of a Halloween costume. Amazing but simple, it’s a fine line.
Dave: No, I believe I have to disagree with you. For instance, I have seen and read some very good scifi. *cough* My, gosh! You sound like Carl Frederick on a grumpy day. 😉
Being a scifi novelist, I kinda like my stuff. And others in the industry have called my work good science fiction. And there are plenty of authors who are better than me.
As for the definition of science fiction and whether or not steampunk qualifies, I’ll simply say I’m glad people are reading, regardless of genre. I’ve learned from fellow authors not to get too bent out of shape over labeling a story or forcing it into a single pigeonhole when it qualifies for full freedom from categorizing. Diana Gabaldon did literature a HUGE favor by breaking all the genre pigeonholes.
Small Dave,
Check John W Campbell’s comments on what is and what isn’t Science Fiction. [hint: the “UIsn’t” category is empty.]
Project Runway? Ever watch Ink Masters? They call their human volunteers “canvasses.” They also almost universally glitch up their work and then blame it on their canvasses. Hmm, Randie sketching and painting on skin with a tatoo gun. Now that’d be scary.
Dave… Nice sci-fi vision.
Dave, Pete, Beetles… You guys looking more forward to “Cloud Atlas” or “Skyfall?”
I’d like to see Randie in the bodice and skirt side of the equation but she’ll surely end up on fitted jacket and tailored pants end.
dada… sew.
Jack… costumes, in a way, tell a lot about a person. Whether you make it or buy it says something. Whether you tend towards the clever and/or silly… or the sexy… or the horrific… I think is very telling.
Pete & Beetle… genres and categories are funny things. Once you are labeled, it is a hard bag to get out of. Sci-fi/Fantasy seems a broad and encompassing category. Lots of stuff fits in there. Comics have lots of categories as well. Humor, slice-of-life… but fortunately we don’t get too bent out of shape about being on the same funnies page… Oh, well there is Doonsbury.
stick… I got me a tattoo when I was 29 (Grandma, cover your ears)… I decided I would do something wild before I turned 30. I would be one of those “blame it on the canvas” situations. I got rather dizzy … and had to ask the tattoo person to stop a couple of times…. what can I say? I’m a lightweight. I’m glad I didn’t ask for the Sistine Chapel on my back.