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La Trilogia Steampunk #1-3
The Steampunk Trilogy
Steampunk is the twisted offspring of science fiction and postmodernism, a sassy, unpredictable tongue-in-cheek style of which the incomparable Paul Di Filippo is master. The three short novels in The Steampunk Trilogy are all set in a very alternative nineteenth century, and feature a mixture of historical and imaginary figures. In "Victoria," a young and lissome Queen Victoria disappears from her throne and is replaced by a sexy human/newt clone. The race is on to find the original Victoria and to hide the terrible secret from the nation. In "Hottentots," Massachusetts is threatened by monsters from the deep; in "Walt and Emily," Emily Dickinson hooks up with a robust and lusty Walt Whitman, loses her virginity, and travels to a dimension beyond time where she meets the future Allen Ginsberg.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
About the author
Paul Di Filippo
493 books174 followersPaul Di Filippo is the author of hundreds of short stories, some of which have been collected in these widely-praised collections: The Steampunk Trilogy, Ribofunk, Fractal Paisleys, Lost Pages, Little Doors, Strange Trades, Babylon Sisters, and his multiple-award-nominated novella, A Year in the Linear City. Another earlier collection, Destroy All Brains, was published by Pirate Writings, but is quite rare because of the extremely short print run (if you see one, buy it!).
The popularity of Di Filippo’s short stories sometimes distracts from the impact of his mindbending, utterly unclassifiable novels: Ciphers, Joe’s Liver, Fuzzy Dice, A Mouthful of Tongues, and Spondulix. Paul’s offbeat sensibility, soulful characterizations, exquisite-yet-compact prose, and laugh-out-loud dialogue give his work a charmingly unique voice that is both compelling and addictive. He has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, BSFA, Philip K. Dick, Wired Magazine, and World Fantasy awards.
Despite his dilatory ways, Paul affirms that the sequel to A Year in the Linear City, to be titled A Princess of the Linear Jungle, will get written in 2008. He has two books forthcoming from PS Publications: the collection entitled Harsh Oases and the novel titled Roadside Bodhisattva. His 2008 novel Cosmocopia is graced by Jim Woodring illustrations.
Paul lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
The popularity of Di Filippo’s short stories sometimes distracts from the impact of his mindbending, utterly unclassifiable novels: Ciphers, Joe’s Liver, Fuzzy Dice, A Mouthful of Tongues, and Spondulix. Paul’s offbeat sensibility, soulful characterizations, exquisite-yet-compact prose, and laugh-out-loud dialogue give his work a charmingly unique voice that is both compelling and addictive. He has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, BSFA, Philip K. Dick, Wired Magazine, and World Fantasy awards.
Despite his dilatory ways, Paul affirms that the sequel to A Year in the Linear City, to be titled A Princess of the Linear Jungle, will get written in 2008. He has two books forthcoming from PS Publications: the collection entitled Harsh Oases and the novel titled Roadside Bodhisattva. His 2008 novel Cosmocopia is graced by Jim Woodring illustrations.
Paul lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
June 16, 2014
Victoria: Naturalist Cosmo Cowperthwait succeeds in creating a human-newt hybrid he names Victoria, after the Queen who she resembles. Unable to support her, Cosmo stashes her in a brothel. Meanwhile, Queen Victoria vanishes and the Prime Minister proposes they swap one Victoria with the other. Will anyone notice before they find the Queen and return her to the throne?
This story was a hoot! Steampunk lends itself to Python-esque humor so easily I'm surprised more people don't go for the humorous approach. The characters and setting were well done, especially for an 80 page novella. The idea of a fly-eating amphibian impersonating the queen without anyone knowing is a gem.
Hottentots: Professor Agassiz and his group of scientists scramble to track down a fetiche (with happens to be a preserved vulva in a jar) that will summon Lovecraftian beasties when invoked. But can Agassiz put aside his prejudice toward blacks long enough to get the fetiche?
Hottentots was just as funny as the first story once you got past the racism of the main character. How can you not love a story with a chapter title like Moby Dagon? Lots of Easter eggs in this one, like Herman Melville and HPL being minor characters.
Walt & Emily: As romance blooms between Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, the two poets join an expedition to the afterlife with a group of spiritualists and scientists. Will their romance survive the trip?
Yeah, this story was the most bizarre of the collection. The afterlife they visited was unique, though it may be drawn from spiritualist sources. While I don't know much about Dickinson, Whitman's character seemed pretty authentic from what I've read of the man. The medium heading up the expedition was by far the best character in the story.
To sum up,if you like your steampunk stories to have a strange and humorous bend, this is the book for you.
This story was a hoot! Steampunk lends itself to Python-esque humor so easily I'm surprised more people don't go for the humorous approach. The characters and setting were well done, especially for an 80 page novella. The idea of a fly-eating amphibian impersonating the queen without anyone knowing is a gem.
Hottentots: Professor Agassiz and his group of scientists scramble to track down a fetiche (with happens to be a preserved vulva in a jar) that will summon Lovecraftian beasties when invoked. But can Agassiz put aside his prejudice toward blacks long enough to get the fetiche?
Hottentots was just as funny as the first story once you got past the racism of the main character. How can you not love a story with a chapter title like Moby Dagon? Lots of Easter eggs in this one, like Herman Melville and HPL being minor characters.
Walt & Emily: As romance blooms between Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson, the two poets join an expedition to the afterlife with a group of spiritualists and scientists. Will their romance survive the trip?
Yeah, this story was the most bizarre of the collection. The afterlife they visited was unique, though it may be drawn from spiritualist sources. While I don't know much about Dickinson, Whitman's character seemed pretty authentic from what I've read of the man. The medium heading up the expedition was by far the best character in the story.
To sum up,if you like your steampunk stories to have a strange and humorous bend, this is the book for you.
May 5, 2019
Il voto finale,la media delle tre storie, è 2,3 arrotondato per diffetto a 2☆. Libro penoso e insulso. Un calderone di gente famosa, che manco si è mai incontrata, vedi terza storia, buttata li. La più decente è stata la prima e c'è pure una punta di Steampunk. Per questo ho dato 3☆. Il resto è da buttare. La seconda è insopportabile. Non conosco Louis Agassiz, anzi sono andata a vedere solo ora se esisteva visto che tutti gli altri sono gente famosa, e non mi sono messa a leggere la bio. Cezar non mi metto nemmeno a cercarlo. Comunque questa storia, la seconda, non ha niente di Steampunk e oltrettutto (come la terza) è ambientata in america. Ho odiato Agassiz, quello del libro, a morte. Razzista e omofobo oltre misura. Poi non ho ben capito il senso della storia. Ce la prendiamo comoda fino al capitolo 7 e gli ultimi due sono tirati. È riuscito pure a infilarci Melville, alla fine, l'autore. Proprio un minestrone di insulsità in cui mi sono pure persa tra una cosa e l'altra e sul fetticcio preso dalla madre di Dotty. Per finire i nomi scientifici tra parentesi per ogni pianta o animale citato urtavano veramente i nervi e la lettura. Ho detto per finire ma c'è ancora un ultima cosa. Detesto, ma era così anche in originale leggendo le altre recensioni, il tedesco italianizzato. Non l'ho mai sopportato. Ho finito? Si, direi di si. Questa seconda storia prende un 2☆ per il solo urtamento di nervi durante la lettura.
Passiamo alla terza. Ancora un 2☆ perchè non rispecchia la realtà. Emily e Walt, e mi è pure toccato leggermi la bio, non si sono mai incontrati nella vita vera. Per lo meno le date non coincidono. Poi siamo di nuovo in America. Sento un uccellino che dice "ma non dovremmo essere in Inghilterra, al tempo Vittoriano e esserci macchine a vapore?". Uccellino saggio (visto le tematiche di Walt nella realtà decidete voi che uccello è. Quello è vero sulle scritture di Walt).
Ma torniamo a noi. Mi pare impossibile che Emily riesca ad un certo punto ad andare in città, anche se a braccetto di Vinnie, quanto è reclusa. Tenete conto che fa fatica pure ad andare a casa del fratello che si trova a due passi oltre al giardino. Le due proprietà sono divise solo dal giardino.
Ad un certo punto poi in città Vinnie vuole tornare a casa ed Emily le dice che lei, Vinnie, può andare mentre lei, Emily, resta a guardare. Mi sembra esagerato dal principio che come ho detto Emily fa fatica solo ad attraversare quel giardino. E poi continua di nuovo sulla stessa cosa. Quando devono partire vuole andare per forza con loro. E quando stanno per partire che la processione passa davanti casa sua (per forza casa di Austin era poco distante) lei esce e corre verso Walt. Che?! Emily fa fatica, ripeto, ad andare da suo fratello e così come se niente fosse corre verso di loro. Something is wrong mi verrebbe da pensare.
Alla fine vorrei sapere perchè si chiama "Trilogia Steampunk". Qui di Steampunk c'è una sputo all'inizio e poi ... puff ... niente. Se volete il vero Steampunk questo libro NON fa per voi.
Wikipedia dice questo:
Lo steampunk è un filone della narrativa fantastica fantascientifica che introduce una tecnologia anacronistica all'interno di un'ambientazione storica, spesso il XIX secolo e in particolare la Londra vittoriana dei romanzi di Conan Doyle e H. G. Wells.
Le storie steampunk descrivono un mondo anacronistico (a volte un'ucronìa) in cui tecnologia e strumentazioni vengono azionate dalla forza motrice del vapore (steam in inglese) e l'energia elettrica torna a essere, come nella fantascienza ottocentesca, un elemento narrativo capace di ogni progresso e meraviglia; dove i computer sono completamente meccanici, o enormi apparati magnetici sono in grado di modificare l'orbita della Luna. Un modo per descrivere l'atmosfera steampunk è riassunto nello slogan "come sarebbe stato il passato se il futuro fosse arrivato prima".
Ora forse se ne trova un po' nella prima storia ma se cercate davvero quel genere questo libro non fa per voi come non fa per me. Mi dispiace dare voti così bassi ma questo non è Steampunk dal mio punto di vista.
Passiamo alla terza. Ancora un 2☆ perchè non rispecchia la realtà. Emily e Walt, e mi è pure toccato leggermi la bio, non si sono mai incontrati nella vita vera. Per lo meno le date non coincidono. Poi siamo di nuovo in America. Sento un uccellino che dice "ma non dovremmo essere in Inghilterra, al tempo Vittoriano e esserci macchine a vapore?". Uccellino saggio (visto le tematiche di Walt nella realtà decidete voi che uccello è. Quello è vero sulle scritture di Walt).
Ma torniamo a noi. Mi pare impossibile che Emily riesca ad un certo punto ad andare in città, anche se a braccetto di Vinnie, quanto è reclusa. Tenete conto che fa fatica pure ad andare a casa del fratello che si trova a due passi oltre al giardino. Le due proprietà sono divise solo dal giardino.
Ad un certo punto poi in città Vinnie vuole tornare a casa ed Emily le dice che lei, Vinnie, può andare mentre lei, Emily, resta a guardare. Mi sembra esagerato dal principio che come ho detto Emily fa fatica solo ad attraversare quel giardino. E poi continua di nuovo sulla stessa cosa. Quando devono partire vuole andare per forza con loro. E quando stanno per partire che la processione passa davanti casa sua (per forza casa di Austin era poco distante) lei esce e corre verso Walt. Che?! Emily fa fatica, ripeto, ad andare da suo fratello e così come se niente fosse corre verso di loro. Something is wrong mi verrebbe da pensare.
Alla fine vorrei sapere perchè si chiama "Trilogia Steampunk". Qui di Steampunk c'è una sputo all'inizio e poi ... puff ... niente. Se volete il vero Steampunk questo libro NON fa per voi.
Wikipedia dice questo:
Lo steampunk è un filone della narrativa fantastica fantascientifica che introduce una tecnologia anacronistica all'interno di un'ambientazione storica, spesso il XIX secolo e in particolare la Londra vittoriana dei romanzi di Conan Doyle e H. G. Wells.
Le storie steampunk descrivono un mondo anacronistico (a volte un'ucronìa) in cui tecnologia e strumentazioni vengono azionate dalla forza motrice del vapore (steam in inglese) e l'energia elettrica torna a essere, come nella fantascienza ottocentesca, un elemento narrativo capace di ogni progresso e meraviglia; dove i computer sono completamente meccanici, o enormi apparati magnetici sono in grado di modificare l'orbita della Luna. Un modo per descrivere l'atmosfera steampunk è riassunto nello slogan "come sarebbe stato il passato se il futuro fosse arrivato prima".
Ora forse se ne trova un po' nella prima storia ma se cercate davvero quel genere questo libro non fa per voi come non fa per me. Mi dispiace dare voti così bassi ma questo non è Steampunk dal mio punto di vista.
August 16, 2009
Dear book;
Thank you for the fun filled day we spent together. Our time together was fun, but now we should go our separate ways. I liked you but not as kids used to say, liked you liked you. I don't want you to think it's anything you did wrong, you were just fine (oh please don't take that the wrong way, I can already see you stamping your little book feet and saying "Fine!, I'm Fine! I'll show you Fine you fucking half-stupid pretentious little shit!"), but you just weren't for me. We had some laughs, and our romp together even cause me to be late to work by fifteen minutes. Maybe we can still be friends, but for now I think it's best if we see others: you other readers, and me other books.
Your Pal!
Greg
Thank you for the fun filled day we spent together. Our time together was fun, but now we should go our separate ways. I liked you but not as kids used to say, liked you liked you. I don't want you to think it's anything you did wrong, you were just fine (oh please don't take that the wrong way, I can already see you stamping your little book feet and saying "Fine!, I'm Fine! I'll show you Fine you fucking half-stupid pretentious little shit!"), but you just weren't for me. We had some laughs, and our romp together even cause me to be late to work by fifteen minutes. Maybe we can still be friends, but for now I think it's best if we see others: you other readers, and me other books.
Your Pal!
Greg
September 25, 2017
I had some difficulties with this book. And that’s because two out of three stories bored me slowly to death. But let us start with the good one, the first one:
Victoria
The soon-to-be-Queen disappears and while the search for her goes on a look-alike takes her place. Luckily for the court, a scientist has created a look alike, the problem is that Victori is a human-lizard hybrid with a ravenously sexual appetite that usually spends her days at a brothel.
This story was good, bizarre, yes, but that is why it was so fun to read. And honestly, the ending came with a bit of surprise. 3/5
Hottentots
Louis Agassis is Swiss naturalist (and a big racist) that together with Dottie the daughter of “the Hottentot Venus” and her husband Jacob Cazar tries to find a fetish that can be used for black magic.
And here we have the books BIG problem. This story just kept going for an eternity without an ending; at least it felt like that. The story was miserable boring and to make it worse. Jacob Cazar spoke with a broken accent and English mixed with German that made everything come out like this: I am zun of Hendrick Cezar, und Dottie is der daughter of-“. Drove me bonkers trying to read everything he said, and he talked a lot. ½/5
Emily and Walt.
Emily Dickinson's brother is trying to cross over to another world to speak with his dead children with the help of a medium and a ship that will take them there. Also on the trip is on Walt Whitman that Emily feels lustfully drawn to. Even though she doesn’t believe the medium she agrees to tag along on the ride and well it is a weird world they get to.
I’m not that familiar with Emily Dickinson or her poems. I found her a bit “odd”, and not a really good character, actually a bit annoying. She and Walt had a thing for poems and they liked to express them self in poems in the story. It was nettlesome to read. Not that I’m against poems. Poems are great, but in this story not so much. But then again I was a bit weary of the last story. This story was a little bit better than the last one. 1/5
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
Victoria
The soon-to-be-Queen disappears and while the search for her goes on a look-alike takes her place. Luckily for the court, a scientist has created a look alike, the problem is that Victori is a human-lizard hybrid with a ravenously sexual appetite that usually spends her days at a brothel.
This story was good, bizarre, yes, but that is why it was so fun to read. And honestly, the ending came with a bit of surprise. 3/5
Hottentots
Louis Agassis is Swiss naturalist (and a big racist) that together with Dottie the daughter of “the Hottentot Venus” and her husband Jacob Cazar tries to find a fetish that can be used for black magic.
And here we have the books BIG problem. This story just kept going for an eternity without an ending; at least it felt like that. The story was miserable boring and to make it worse. Jacob Cazar spoke with a broken accent and English mixed with German that made everything come out like this: I am zun of Hendrick Cezar, und Dottie is der daughter of-“. Drove me bonkers trying to read everything he said, and he talked a lot. ½/5
Emily and Walt.
Emily Dickinson's brother is trying to cross over to another world to speak with his dead children with the help of a medium and a ship that will take them there. Also on the trip is on Walt Whitman that Emily feels lustfully drawn to. Even though she doesn’t believe the medium she agrees to tag along on the ride and well it is a weird world they get to.
I’m not that familiar with Emily Dickinson or her poems. I found her a bit “odd”, and not a really good character, actually a bit annoying. She and Walt had a thing for poems and they liked to express them self in poems in the story. It was nettlesome to read. Not that I’m against poems. Poems are great, but in this story not so much. But then again I was a bit weary of the last story. This story was a little bit better than the last one. 1/5
Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a free copy for an honest review!
September 23, 2007
Three novels, all of which are apparently steampunk-y, though not in the way I think of steampunk (I could be thinking of it wrong). In the first Queen Victoria runs away and is temporarily replaced by a genetically engineered salamander-girl; in the second, a racist biologist is recruited to help a Dutch scientist and his African wife recover a much sought-after artifact; in the third, Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman meet and do sex, kind of. Okay!
Each story was certainly interesting, but I didn't really like any of the characters (aside from Dickinson, they are all pretty much unlikeable) and everything that happened was more strange then meaningful. "Okay!", though flip, is really the most accurate record of my reaction that I could give. There's nothing to take seriously here.
Each story was certainly interesting, but I didn't really like any of the characters (aside from Dickinson, they are all pretty much unlikeable) and everything that happened was more strange then meaningful. "Okay!", though flip, is really the most accurate record of my reaction that I could give. There's nothing to take seriously here.
August 11, 2008
The Steampunk Trilogy is a macabre romp through history that never was enlivened by a giddy sense of humor. William Gibson compares it Max Ernst’s Un Semaine de Bonte which I think is appropriate as it is also a cut up of pulp adventure, penny dreadfuls, gaslight science fiction, with surreal imagery. Similar ground to Powers and Gibson/Sterling but the strongest resemblance is to Pynchon with a mix of technological speculation, serious augury, slapstick comedy, dialects, bizarre characters, parodies of literature and history, and raunchy sex. Weird comic adventures with asides to the social constraints of the 19th century, pseudo science, and the interaction of fiction characters (both made up by Di Fillipo and from literary sources) and historical figures.
July 13, 2014
(I got an e-copy of this book through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)
A strange read, not totally devoid of interest, but that didn't do much for me, probably in part because its title is definitely misleading when it comes to "steampunk" as a genre, and isn't representative of what it entails. It's more Victoriana with a dash of paranormal and alternate history, and references to existing personae (poets, scientists...) and literary works (not always exact—Nana isn't Balzac's work, but Zola's). This book's title was seemingly what coined the term "steampunk", though there's not a whiff of "steam" in there. Sometimes the mind boggles.
As a whole, sometimes it was accurate enough in its depiction of 19th century society, and sometimes it just didn't work at all.
"Victoria" was amusing enough, if you appreciate a somewhat rompish humour. But its ending was highly unbelievable and improbable, considering the person involved. I just don't see how anyone in circles of power would consider that a good idea, certainly not in British politics.
"Hottentots" I found mostly boring and disjointed, with no real sense of a plot. I kept reading it because it made fun of Agassiz, and nothing else—the humour helps defuse his racist thoughts and jingoism, which otherwise are pretty cringeworthy and hard to stand. Also, Cesar's transcribed accent distracted me and threw me out of the story's flow basically every time he opened his mouth). While there's a wide variety of accents in languages, such transcriptions in literature are seldom well-done, and too quickly fall in the "too much" category. Not a good idea here, and clearly the story I liked the least (oh, scratch that: I didn't like it at all). I'd say its only interest was in the satire department.
"Walt and Emily" was more interesting to me, because I know their poetry well enough, could find my marks there, and the planned trip to the Summerland felt at least like there was some plot there, one that fit with the two poets' works. Style-wise, it was also the most lyrical, and I quite liked this. Unfortunately, it couldn't really make up for the rest of the book.
1.5 stars.
A strange read, not totally devoid of interest, but that didn't do much for me, probably in part because its title is definitely misleading when it comes to "steampunk" as a genre, and isn't representative of what it entails. It's more Victoriana with a dash of paranormal and alternate history, and references to existing personae (poets, scientists...) and literary works (not always exact—Nana isn't Balzac's work, but Zola's). This book's title was seemingly what coined the term "steampunk", though there's not a whiff of "steam" in there. Sometimes the mind boggles.
As a whole, sometimes it was accurate enough in its depiction of 19th century society, and sometimes it just didn't work at all.
"Victoria" was amusing enough, if you appreciate a somewhat rompish humour. But its ending was highly unbelievable and improbable, considering the person involved. I just don't see how anyone in circles of power would consider that a good idea, certainly not in British politics.
"Hottentots" I found mostly boring and disjointed, with no real sense of a plot. I kept reading it because it made fun of Agassiz, and nothing else—the humour helps defuse his racist thoughts and jingoism, which otherwise are pretty cringeworthy and hard to stand. Also, Cesar's transcribed accent distracted me and threw me out of the story's flow basically every time he opened his mouth). While there's a wide variety of accents in languages, such transcriptions in literature are seldom well-done, and too quickly fall in the "too much" category. Not a good idea here, and clearly the story I liked the least (oh, scratch that: I didn't like it at all). I'd say its only interest was in the satire department.
"Walt and Emily" was more interesting to me, because I know their poetry well enough, could find my marks there, and the planned trip to the Summerland felt at least like there was some plot there, one that fit with the two poets' works. Style-wise, it was also the most lyrical, and I quite liked this. Unfortunately, it couldn't really make up for the rest of the book.
1.5 stars.
July 23, 2014
Il genere "steampunk" prende le mosse da un mondo alternativo, in cui l'Impero Britannico ha proseguito la sua corsa verso l'egemonia del mondo conosciuto, in cui Charles Babbage ha, grazie ai suoi studi, dato vita a formidabili computer, in cui il carbone ha sostituito il petrolio nella catena economica.
Partendo da questi presupposti, Di Filippo reinventa le avventure di Jules Verne, creando letteralmente un nuovo filone della fantascienza, così come Gibson e Sterling inventarono il "cyberpunk".
Il libro è una raccolta di tre storie, tre facce di una stessa realtà alternativa, tre tasselli di un puzzle molto più complesso.
Infine, tre viaggi spassosi e inquietanti al tempo stesso, divertenti ed arguti, ironici e sinistri, tre spiragli su un modo nuovo di fare fantascienza.
Il primo racconto è il più riuscito, soprattutto per introdurre il lettore in questo strano mondo. Il secondo è meritevole di menzione perchè il protagonista, nella sua cocciutaggine, risulta incredibilmente odioso e affascinante al tempo stesso.
Il terzo racconto è quello più debole, sia dal punto di vista della trama, sia da quello dei personaggi, assolutamente non ispirati. Si poteva fare certamente di più.
Consigliato.
Partendo da questi presupposti, Di Filippo reinventa le avventure di Jules Verne, creando letteralmente un nuovo filone della fantascienza, così come Gibson e Sterling inventarono il "cyberpunk".
Il libro è una raccolta di tre storie, tre facce di una stessa realtà alternativa, tre tasselli di un puzzle molto più complesso.
Infine, tre viaggi spassosi e inquietanti al tempo stesso, divertenti ed arguti, ironici e sinistri, tre spiragli su un modo nuovo di fare fantascienza.
Il primo racconto è il più riuscito, soprattutto per introdurre il lettore in questo strano mondo. Il secondo è meritevole di menzione perchè il protagonista, nella sua cocciutaggine, risulta incredibilmente odioso e affascinante al tempo stesso.
Il terzo racconto è quello più debole, sia dal punto di vista della trama, sia da quello dei personaggi, assolutamente non ispirati. Si poteva fare certamente di più.
Consigliato.
January 19, 2011
At last I've got hold of a copy - God bless you Santa Claus! Next on the list to read.. can't wait.
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.
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.
October 30, 2013
A sloppy collection of three unconnected stories that is best understood as a too-late entry into the canon of 1980s Gonzo SciFi. Sex and drugs stand in for plot, and the sophomoric humor that should tie the book together is not even amusing. This author borrows so heavily from Robert Anton Wilson that he should be listed as a co-author, except Wilson would have rejected the association.
For those of you interested in the historical significance of the volume, be warned. This isn't even steampunk in the sense that it is used now, although this is the book that gave the sub-genre its name. It is instead a silly sex romp through the lives of Victorian notables in a slightly alternate history, and a predictable one at that.
Just writing this made me reconsider the two-star rating I gave it.
For those of you interested in the historical significance of the volume, be warned. This isn't even steampunk in the sense that it is used now, although this is the book that gave the sub-genre its name. It is instead a silly sex romp through the lives of Victorian notables in a slightly alternate history, and a predictable one at that.
Just writing this made me reconsider the two-star rating I gave it.
January 28, 2011
I read this book because I had heard somewhere that it originated the term "steampunk". Next time I guess I should also find out whether a book is any good before I try to read it. As a general analysis: the level of writing was not great, though the ideas were often mildly interesting. I got annoyed by the number of real historical figures DiFilippo tried to cram into every story, for no purpose related to plot whatsoever. I almost quit the book in the middle because it got so tedious. Details (and mild spoilers) below.
There are three stories. The first, Victoria, is about Queen Victoria suddenly disappearing before her coronation, and being surreptitiously replaced by a human-newt hybrid. The story follows the scientist who created the false Victoria as he tries to find the real Victoria. The premise was interesting (if you can accept the human-newt thing) but I was really disappointed in the end of the story, when it's revealed (spoiler!) that the queen of England is hiding out in a brothel, because apparently, sleeping with high-ranking government officials and foreign dignitaries and the like is a great way to learn political secrets and gain power as a leader? I suppose I shouldn't expect much realism from a story in which a human-newt hybrid is a central part of the plot, but given the realities of prostitution, I had a hard time believing that Victoria would have enjoyed it quite as much as she did, and that kind of ruined the whole story for me.
The second story was about a scientist who teams up with a Dutch man and his African wife to search for a "fetiche" which, if I understood it correctly (and maybe I didn't; I didn't give this story a very close reading, even considered not finishing it at all) is a woman's preserved vulva allegedly possessed of magical powers? I had a hard time focusing on this story because the main character was a self-righteous racist, and I just really didn't enjoy reading a story told from that point of view. I'd be reading along, getting into it, when bam! The main character would suddenly refer to the African woman as an ape or something. Oh, and as a side note, the Dutch character's dialogue was all rendered phonetically, a technique that just drives me up the wall. It really disrupts the narrative flow in my head when I have to slow down and sound out and mentally translate text. The same was true of the salty sea captain and the Native American who featured in the story. I got to a point where I felt like the story was populated by cartoon characters. Horrible, irritating cartoon characters.
The third story was probably the best of the three, although the least steampunk-ish, at least as I understand steampunk. Basically it's a romance between Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman that is formed while Emily's brother is assembling a group of people, led by a psychic medium, to take a journey to the spirit world. Odd, but I thought the poetic style of writing in this story was better than the style of the other stories. Not bad -- but didn't really make up for the other stories either.
There are three stories. The first, Victoria, is about Queen Victoria suddenly disappearing before her coronation, and being surreptitiously replaced by a human-newt hybrid. The story follows the scientist who created the false Victoria as he tries to find the real Victoria. The premise was interesting (if you can accept the human-newt thing) but I was really disappointed in the end of the story, when it's revealed (spoiler!) that the queen of England is hiding out in a brothel, because apparently, sleeping with high-ranking government officials and foreign dignitaries and the like is a great way to learn political secrets and gain power as a leader? I suppose I shouldn't expect much realism from a story in which a human-newt hybrid is a central part of the plot, but given the realities of prostitution, I had a hard time believing that Victoria would have enjoyed it quite as much as she did, and that kind of ruined the whole story for me.
The second story was about a scientist who teams up with a Dutch man and his African wife to search for a "fetiche" which, if I understood it correctly (and maybe I didn't; I didn't give this story a very close reading, even considered not finishing it at all) is a woman's preserved vulva allegedly possessed of magical powers? I had a hard time focusing on this story because the main character was a self-righteous racist, and I just really didn't enjoy reading a story told from that point of view. I'd be reading along, getting into it, when bam! The main character would suddenly refer to the African woman as an ape or something. Oh, and as a side note, the Dutch character's dialogue was all rendered phonetically, a technique that just drives me up the wall. It really disrupts the narrative flow in my head when I have to slow down and sound out and mentally translate text. The same was true of the salty sea captain and the Native American who featured in the story. I got to a point where I felt like the story was populated by cartoon characters. Horrible, irritating cartoon characters.
The third story was probably the best of the three, although the least steampunk-ish, at least as I understand steampunk. Basically it's a romance between Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman that is formed while Emily's brother is assembling a group of people, led by a psychic medium, to take a journey to the spirit world. Odd, but I thought the poetic style of writing in this story was better than the style of the other stories. Not bad -- but didn't really make up for the other stories either.
March 20, 2012
Se vi aspettate aeronavi, tecnologie avanzatissime alimentate a vapore, protesi robotiche e quant'altro, questo libro non fa per voi.
Lo steampunk è un adorabile sottogenere che vede l'introduzione di una tecnologia avanzata in un contesto storico passato; un'ambientazione che si è arricchita di immagini e luoghi comuni grazie alla più recente narrativa occidentale, agli anime giapponesi e anche ai videogiochi.
Paul Di Filippo, che pure usa - per la prima volta - il termine inserendolo nel titolo di un'opera, mostra di intendere lo steampunk in modo completamente differente; secondo modalità del tutto simili alla redazione dell'antologia-manifesto del cyberpunk Mirrorshades, questo nuovo genere è innanzitutto un'operazione metaletteraria.
Con i suoi tre romanzi brevi, questa trilogia steampunk omaggia tre momenti letterari, artistici e culturali dell'epoca vittoriana, ricalcandone lo stile letterario, riproducendo la forma mentis dell'epoca, in un complesso di citazioni esibite e nascoste che arricchiscono la pagina e che non smettono mai di sorprendere.
Se in Vittoria l'ambientazione è quella classica, l'Inghilterra appunto vittoriana, e l'introduzione del fantastico si limita alla creazione di un ibrido umano-animale, secondo i gusti dell'epoca e con dosi abbondanti di ironia, nel lungo racconto successivo, Ottentotti, l'autore sapientemente mescola questioni allora scientifiche, come la superiorità razziale, con ambientazioni che si potrebbe definire "fantastoriche", con congiure di antichi ordini di cavalieri, feticci magici, e così via, spostando l'azione nell'America puritana, in un gioco di riflessi tra i nuovi Stati Uniti e la vecchia madre patria europea.
Il vero capolavoro è però l'ultimo racconto, Walt ed Emily, i cui protagonisti sono i poeti Walt Whitman ed Emily Dickinson: più delle avventure prettamente fantastiche che li vedono protagonisti, a sorprendere davvero il lettore è la plausibilità di un incontro che storicamente mai avvenne. Eppure è questo il racconto più visionario, in cui il presunto viaggio dei due poeti nelle vaste terre dell'Aldilà ha il sapore delle visioni più deliranti di Lovecraft.
Lo steampunk è un adorabile sottogenere che vede l'introduzione di una tecnologia avanzata in un contesto storico passato; un'ambientazione che si è arricchita di immagini e luoghi comuni grazie alla più recente narrativa occidentale, agli anime giapponesi e anche ai videogiochi.
Paul Di Filippo, che pure usa - per la prima volta - il termine inserendolo nel titolo di un'opera, mostra di intendere lo steampunk in modo completamente differente; secondo modalità del tutto simili alla redazione dell'antologia-manifesto del cyberpunk Mirrorshades, questo nuovo genere è innanzitutto un'operazione metaletteraria.
Con i suoi tre romanzi brevi, questa trilogia steampunk omaggia tre momenti letterari, artistici e culturali dell'epoca vittoriana, ricalcandone lo stile letterario, riproducendo la forma mentis dell'epoca, in un complesso di citazioni esibite e nascoste che arricchiscono la pagina e che non smettono mai di sorprendere.
Se in Vittoria l'ambientazione è quella classica, l'Inghilterra appunto vittoriana, e l'introduzione del fantastico si limita alla creazione di un ibrido umano-animale, secondo i gusti dell'epoca e con dosi abbondanti di ironia, nel lungo racconto successivo, Ottentotti, l'autore sapientemente mescola questioni allora scientifiche, come la superiorità razziale, con ambientazioni che si potrebbe definire "fantastoriche", con congiure di antichi ordini di cavalieri, feticci magici, e così via, spostando l'azione nell'America puritana, in un gioco di riflessi tra i nuovi Stati Uniti e la vecchia madre patria europea.
Il vero capolavoro è però l'ultimo racconto, Walt ed Emily, i cui protagonisti sono i poeti Walt Whitman ed Emily Dickinson: più delle avventure prettamente fantastiche che li vedono protagonisti, a sorprendere davvero il lettore è la plausibilità di un incontro che storicamente mai avvenne. Eppure è questo il racconto più visionario, in cui il presunto viaggio dei due poeti nelle vaste terre dell'Aldilà ha il sapore delle visioni più deliranti di Lovecraft.
October 24, 2014
This is actually a collection of three novellas, 'Victoria', 'Hottentots' and 'Walt and Emily'.
In 'Victoria', we find ourselves firstly in 1838 in the company of Cosmo Cowperthwait a hit and miss inventor, with few redeeming features. By his side at almost all times is his faithful manservant, Nails McGroaty, the only albeit dim light in a dull story.
In 'Hottentots', we have our main focus on Swiss scientist Louis Agassiz an odious virulently racist philandering little twerp, again with no redeeming features. Leaving his wife and children behind he heads off to America to give the populace the benefit of his combined wisdom in medicine, palaeontology, ichthyology and zoology, amongst other subjects. He tells us not once, but several times his loathsome feelings on miscegenation. You can therefore understand his chagrin when a white South-African and his black Hottentot wife ask for his help in regaining a magical artefact, only when he realizes that there might be something in it for him does he readily agree. What then follows is a romp searching for a 3ft African witch doctor before he can cast a much dreaded spell. Being as we have been so focused on Agassiz's racism, it should come as no shock that it will be used against him as the story progresses. If both he and the reader were meant to learn something worthwhile as a result, the test failed spectacularly for this reader.
The worst crime in this novella, the speech patterns of the South African character Jacob Cezar,'You know arse.
Finally, 'Walt and Emily', instead of an odious little man we get an odious little woman as our lead. Was real life poet Emily Dickinson really that bad?
All three were over long, containing far too much filler and might have made a better impression if they had been sharpened down to short story length.
If many of the supporting casts had been allowed to develop, they would have provided better foils for the three unpleasant leads.
My plea, do not let this volume put you off reading other works by Di Filippo.
My verdict disappointing.
(I have been asked by the publisher to review Cosmocopia due for release Sept, by Paul Di Filippo).
Received from the publisher for an honest review.
Urthwild
In 'Victoria', we find ourselves firstly in 1838 in the company of Cosmo Cowperthwait a hit and miss inventor, with few redeeming features. By his side at almost all times is his faithful manservant, Nails McGroaty, the only albeit dim light in a dull story.
In 'Hottentots', we have our main focus on Swiss scientist Louis Agassiz an odious virulently racist philandering little twerp, again with no redeeming features. Leaving his wife and children behind he heads off to America to give the populace the benefit of his combined wisdom in medicine, palaeontology, ichthyology and zoology, amongst other subjects. He tells us not once, but several times his loathsome feelings on miscegenation. You can therefore understand his chagrin when a white South-African and his black Hottentot wife ask for his help in regaining a magical artefact, only when he realizes that there might be something in it for him does he readily agree. What then follows is a romp searching for a 3ft African witch doctor before he can cast a much dreaded spell. Being as we have been so focused on Agassiz's racism, it should come as no shock that it will be used against him as the story progresses. If both he and the reader were meant to learn something worthwhile as a result, the test failed spectacularly for this reader.
The worst crime in this novella, the speech patterns of the South African character Jacob Cezar,'You know arse.
Finally, 'Walt and Emily', instead of an odious little man we get an odious little woman as our lead. Was real life poet Emily Dickinson really that bad?
All three were over long, containing far too much filler and might have made a better impression if they had been sharpened down to short story length.
If many of the supporting casts had been allowed to develop, they would have provided better foils for the three unpleasant leads.
My plea, do not let this volume put you off reading other works by Di Filippo.
My verdict disappointing.
(I have been asked by the publisher to review Cosmocopia due for release Sept, by Paul Di Filippo).
Received from the publisher for an honest review.
Urthwild
October 27, 2018
Ho comprato questo libro quando uscì circa venti anni fa.
Probabilmente allora conteneva idee e rimandi innovativi, ma leggerlo ora a tratti lo fa apparire monotono.
Dei tre racconti il primo è quello che ho preferito, trovandolo divertente e ben congegnato, con atmosfere effettivamente steampunk anche se troppo poco caratterizzate, a mio parere.
Il secondo se voleva essere un omaggio a Lovecraft è ben lontano dalle atmosfere del Solitario di Providence, e se la tratteggiatura steampunk doveva derivare dai rimandi al suo 'universo orrorifico, beh, il risultato è assai povero.
Il terzo è interessante per i personaggi assai ben caratterizzati, il cui disegno regge bene il peso dei nomi celebri che portano, ma la trama in sè e per sè è debole e le atmofesfere oniriche che avrebbero dovuto essere il perno descrittivo della seconda parte del racconto non sono, secondo me, per nulla rese in modo appropriato. Peccato.
Nel complesso merita comunque di essere letto dai cultori di una certa fantascienza.
Probabilmente allora conteneva idee e rimandi innovativi, ma leggerlo ora a tratti lo fa apparire monotono.
Dei tre racconti il primo è quello che ho preferito, trovandolo divertente e ben congegnato, con atmosfere effettivamente steampunk anche se troppo poco caratterizzate, a mio parere.
Il secondo se voleva essere un omaggio a Lovecraft è ben lontano dalle atmosfere del Solitario di Providence, e se la tratteggiatura steampunk doveva derivare dai rimandi al suo 'universo orrorifico, beh, il risultato è assai povero.
Il terzo è interessante per i personaggi assai ben caratterizzati, il cui disegno regge bene il peso dei nomi celebri che portano, ma la trama in sè e per sè è debole e le atmofesfere oniriche che avrebbero dovuto essere il perno descrittivo della seconda parte del racconto non sono, secondo me, per nulla rese in modo appropriato. Peccato.
Nel complesso merita comunque di essere letto dai cultori di una certa fantascienza.
July 15, 2009
An interesting if not great book, The Steampunk Trilogy relates three unconnected tales about a quirky, early Victorian world where genetically engineered salamanders reign and where nuclear train engines and "ideoplasm"-powered transdimensional prairie schooners haunt the imagination. DeFilippo's success here is in the details---the fustian prose echoes that of the 19th century, as does the fiery libertine poetry, while the characters never quite lose a certain postmodern knowingness, a glint in the eye as it were.
Alas, he never seems to weave these details into a memorable story. Two days after completing it, and "Hottentots" (the second of the three stories comprising the trilogy) is receding in my memory. The other two stories, "Victoria" and "Walt and Emily," were more compelling, but only marginally so.
Good for checking out of the library or buying from a used-book store.
Alas, he never seems to weave these details into a memorable story. Two days after completing it, and "Hottentots" (the second of the three stories comprising the trilogy) is receding in my memory. The other two stories, "Victoria" and "Walt and Emily," were more compelling, but only marginally so.
Good for checking out of the library or buying from a used-book store.
March 6, 2014
Imported from tablet:tbr busting
spring 2012
short stories
too sexy for maiden aunts
macabre
amusing
paper
victoriana
The Steampunk Trilogy is a short story trptych made of teh whacky and considering how fun and naughty the entries are it seems quite preposterous that it has taken over a year to see off the last story. Now done and dusted and still sniggering.
3.5*
Finished 10/05/2012
A rod of burnished copper, affixed by a laboratory vise-grip, rose from the corner of the claw-footed desk, which was topped with the finest Moroccan leather.
February 28, 2021
2,5 - Esta trilogía mezcla una ambientación de época victoriana, fantasía y ciencia ficción, las tres historias comparten mucha descripción del entorno en el que se llevan a cabo, es una lectura diferente debo decir, tiene muchos agregados que le brindan un aire de misterio a cada historia, interesantes pero también por momentos, pesada para leer.
- Victoria es la primera historia que nos muestra como el escape de la Reina Victoria demanda el reemplazo de ella por una mezcla de humana y Salamandra, con apetitos sexuales voraces que trabaja en un burdel porque su dueño no podía mantenerla, y de quien mismo no se confiaba ya que por su culpa (y la de su ciencia) había perdido a gente importante para él, aunque las reformas sociales, las máquinas de vapor y muchos inventos más se hacen mención, el final es lo más sorprendente
- Hotentotes es la segunda historia, donde conoceremos a Louis Agassiz un naturalista con muchos títulos que habla de los negros americanos, que junto a una pareja intenta encontrar algo para usar en la magia negra en la cual realmente no encontré mucha historia , por momentos se me hacía muy pesada y aburrida
- Walt y Emily, es la tercer y ultima historia donde conoceremos la relación de Emily Dickinson y Walt Whitman, dos poetas muy conocidos pero también al hermano de Emily, su familia, sus problemas, el espiritismo y el aborto.
- Victoria es la primera historia que nos muestra como el escape de la Reina Victoria demanda el reemplazo de ella por una mezcla de humana y Salamandra, con apetitos sexuales voraces que trabaja en un burdel porque su dueño no podía mantenerla, y de quien mismo no se confiaba ya que por su culpa (y la de su ciencia) había perdido a gente importante para él, aunque las reformas sociales, las máquinas de vapor y muchos inventos más se hacen mención, el final es lo más sorprendente
- Hotentotes es la segunda historia, donde conoceremos a Louis Agassiz un naturalista con muchos títulos que habla de los negros americanos, que junto a una pareja intenta encontrar algo para usar en la magia negra en la cual realmente no encontré mucha historia , por momentos se me hacía muy pesada y aburrida
- Walt y Emily, es la tercer y ultima historia donde conoceremos la relación de Emily Dickinson y Walt Whitman, dos poetas muy conocidos pero también al hermano de Emily, su familia, sus problemas, el espiritismo y el aborto.
October 14, 2014
Primero, veamos qué significa el término STEAMPUNK: obras que se desarrollan durante la revolución industrial pero introduciendo tecnología alternativa, con un claro cariz aventurero. Cabe mencionar como autor destacado en este subgénero a Tim Powers.
Paul Di Filippo es un escritor poco conocido (y traducido) en España. Tengo constancia de un par de recopilaciones y algún relato en alguna antología de ciencia ficción. Y no sé el porqué, ya que sus historias son trepidantes y entretenidas, con un alto contenido de humor, inteligencia e imaginación.
A continuación, paso a reseñar brevemente cada una de las tres historias, junto con mi nota, de 0 a 5.
VICTORIA(3). Principios del siglo XIX. Faltan pocos días para la coronación de la joven reina Victoria. Pero resulta que ha desaparecido. Es entonces cuando se ve involucrado en la trama nuestro protagonista, Cosmo Cowperthwait, joven caballero, y lo más importante, inventor y científico. Hay un claro exponente de lo que es el steampunk en este relato, cuando Cosmo recuerda uno de sus inventos, el ferrocarril que funciona a base de uranio. O la salamandra gigante con forma de mujer que vuelve locos de pasión a los hombres. Resumiendo, un cuento de aventuras y humor bastante bueno.
HOTENTOTES(5). Es imposible no soltar alguna carcajada leyendo este relato, de verdad. No cabe duda de que Di Filippo tiene un extraño sentido del humor, además de escribir bien y de poseer una gran inteligencia e imaginación. Este cuento, que transcurre en la Norteamérica del XIX, va sobre la búsqueda de una “reliquia” (no voy a decir cuál, pero tiene guasa la cosa) por parte de Louis Agassiz, científico suizo experto en zoología y paleontología. Este personaje, el protagonista de la historia, es un tipo odioso, estás deseando que se meta en problemas constantemente, y en este sentido, Di Filippo no decepciona. Agassiz es reclutado por un holandés y su mujer, Dottie, una hotentote (el encuentro con ellos es memorable), para dicha búsqueda. Pero tras la reliquia va más gente, un anarquista polaco-irlandés, un caballero de una antigua Orden Teutónica (vamos, un nazi) y un hechicero de la tribu de Dottie. Además, Agassiz está luchando por obtener un puesto en Harvard y también ha de lidiar con ayudantes de investigación, que están al borde de la sublevación… La trama es vertiginosa, no paran de suceder cosas constantemente. No hay que perderse tampoco a los personajes secundarios que son desternillantes. Lo he pasado genial leyendo este relato, lleno de aventuras y humor.
WALT Y EMILY(2). Walt Whitman y Emily Dickinson son los protagonistas de este relato. No sé si estos dos poetas llegaron a encontrarse en realidad, pero por lo que parece, Emily sentía adoración por Whitman. La historia está escrita desde el punto de vista de Emily, y en ella se nos cuenta el viaje a la Tierra Estival, una especie de limbo entre la vida y la muerte, que realizan tanto ellos dos como otros compañeros de “viaje” reunidos por Austin, el hermano de Emily. Este relato no me ha gustado tanto como los dos anteriores, la trama avanza a trompicones, le falta agilidad. Lo que más me ha gustado ha sido el principio del cuento, cuando se nos da a conocer cómo es la vida de Emily con frases como esta: “No había un defecto congénito en la propia personalidad de Emily que convertía la perspectiva de aventurarse a salir entre la gente, de enfrentarse a sus caras desnudas y a sus necesidades, en algo intrínsecamente imposible la mayor parte del tiempo, por muy desesperada y paradójica que fuera la necesidad de compañerismo que sentía…”
Recapitulando, me ha parecido todo un descubrimiento, tanto el libro como su autor, Paul di Filippo, su capacidad para crear mundos imaginarios a partir de personajes reales (tomándose bastantes licencias, todo hay que decirlo), de hacerme reír a carcajadas con algunos pasajes, en fin, de hacerme pasar un buen rato.
Paul Di Filippo es un escritor poco conocido (y traducido) en España. Tengo constancia de un par de recopilaciones y algún relato en alguna antología de ciencia ficción. Y no sé el porqué, ya que sus historias son trepidantes y entretenidas, con un alto contenido de humor, inteligencia e imaginación.
A continuación, paso a reseñar brevemente cada una de las tres historias, junto con mi nota, de 0 a 5.
VICTORIA(3). Principios del siglo XIX. Faltan pocos días para la coronación de la joven reina Victoria. Pero resulta que ha desaparecido. Es entonces cuando se ve involucrado en la trama nuestro protagonista, Cosmo Cowperthwait, joven caballero, y lo más importante, inventor y científico. Hay un claro exponente de lo que es el steampunk en este relato, cuando Cosmo recuerda uno de sus inventos, el ferrocarril que funciona a base de uranio. O la salamandra gigante con forma de mujer que vuelve locos de pasión a los hombres. Resumiendo, un cuento de aventuras y humor bastante bueno.
HOTENTOTES(5). Es imposible no soltar alguna carcajada leyendo este relato, de verdad. No cabe duda de que Di Filippo tiene un extraño sentido del humor, además de escribir bien y de poseer una gran inteligencia e imaginación. Este cuento, que transcurre en la Norteamérica del XIX, va sobre la búsqueda de una “reliquia” (no voy a decir cuál, pero tiene guasa la cosa) por parte de Louis Agassiz, científico suizo experto en zoología y paleontología. Este personaje, el protagonista de la historia, es un tipo odioso, estás deseando que se meta en problemas constantemente, y en este sentido, Di Filippo no decepciona. Agassiz es reclutado por un holandés y su mujer, Dottie, una hotentote (el encuentro con ellos es memorable), para dicha búsqueda. Pero tras la reliquia va más gente, un anarquista polaco-irlandés, un caballero de una antigua Orden Teutónica (vamos, un nazi) y un hechicero de la tribu de Dottie. Además, Agassiz está luchando por obtener un puesto en Harvard y también ha de lidiar con ayudantes de investigación, que están al borde de la sublevación… La trama es vertiginosa, no paran de suceder cosas constantemente. No hay que perderse tampoco a los personajes secundarios que son desternillantes. Lo he pasado genial leyendo este relato, lleno de aventuras y humor.
WALT Y EMILY(2). Walt Whitman y Emily Dickinson son los protagonistas de este relato. No sé si estos dos poetas llegaron a encontrarse en realidad, pero por lo que parece, Emily sentía adoración por Whitman. La historia está escrita desde el punto de vista de Emily, y en ella se nos cuenta el viaje a la Tierra Estival, una especie de limbo entre la vida y la muerte, que realizan tanto ellos dos como otros compañeros de “viaje” reunidos por Austin, el hermano de Emily. Este relato no me ha gustado tanto como los dos anteriores, la trama avanza a trompicones, le falta agilidad. Lo que más me ha gustado ha sido el principio del cuento, cuando se nos da a conocer cómo es la vida de Emily con frases como esta: “No había un defecto congénito en la propia personalidad de Emily que convertía la perspectiva de aventurarse a salir entre la gente, de enfrentarse a sus caras desnudas y a sus necesidades, en algo intrínsecamente imposible la mayor parte del tiempo, por muy desesperada y paradójica que fuera la necesidad de compañerismo que sentía…”
Recapitulando, me ha parecido todo un descubrimiento, tanto el libro como su autor, Paul di Filippo, su capacidad para crear mundos imaginarios a partir de personajes reales (tomándose bastantes licencias, todo hay que decirlo), de hacerme reír a carcajadas con algunos pasajes, en fin, de hacerme pasar un buen rato.
December 17, 2020
This book is comprised of three stories reportedly in the popular Steampunk genre, all written by Paul Di Filippo.
They are decidedly mock-Victorian alternative history, but lack any of the attendant steam technology which is the defining factor of Steampunk.
I found the first story, Victoria, immediately atmospheric, though some descriptions seemed overly complicated and a few sentences near the beginning were overly long. I soon got involved in the story and established that it is about Queen Victoria and an entity called a 'Hellbender' that might explain some of the conspiracy theorists' speculations that the Royal Family are actually lizard people.
The book displayed a more extensive vocabulary than many modern books exhibit and a rather fantastical plot wherein the Alchemically transformed newt-creature (ala Dr Moreau) impersonates the queen.
There are cameo appearances by such entities as Dickens, Tennyson, Lord Byron and John Ruskin as well as a Parody American character called Nails McGroaty, though the story is mostly from the point of view of Mr. Cosmo Cowperthwait, a tongue-in-cheek version of a Victorian English gentleman who experiments with a method of Uranium based transportation, with predictably disastrous results.
The story is rather whimsical, yet most of the research rings true, keeping in mind that liberties have to be taken in Alternative Histories. There is only a time or two when an American term sneaks in to give away the author's nationality. The prolific use of guns also reflects a particularly American attitude.
There was a surprising twist near the end of this story and it did hold interest, if not believability. It was actually rather fun.
I didn't quite know what to make of the second story, Hottentots. It is about a rather extremely racist scientist who compares mixed-race breeding with cross-species taxidermy and finds himself dealing with a back woman who has been a side show for nothing more than looking different from the average Caucasian. He refers to "Negroes" and I wasn't sure if the author might be racist or whether he was incredibly brave in creating such an offensive character.
He is accompanied by this woman and her husband, an associate of his that has a dodgy mock-Germanic accent as they go on a voyage to find a Fetiche which is supposed to relate to some form of black magic. As Rosicrucians and Satanists were mentioned in the same sentence, followed by a reference to 'Hand of Glory' (from Santeria) and then "Hermetic herbs", bringing Alchemy into the equation, I have to conclude that research about magic for the story was non-existant.
There were cameo appearances by Herman Melville and Darwin, but none of the characters were likable, except perhaps the black woman who seemed to have an amused attitude about it all.
The third story, Emily and Walt, involved a relationship between the two poets, Emily Dickenson and Walt Whitman. I'm not overly knowledgeable about the lives of poets, so I don't know if such a liaison could or might have ever taken place. This one also involved not one but two abortions from the hapless Emily Dickenson and a spiritualist quest to seek communication with her unborn children. It was all a bit surreal.
The writing itself is very good, but I found the second and third stories a little disjointed, too obsessed with genitalia, and generally less interesting than the first story, which I quite enjoyed despite the fact that there was not an airship in sight or any form of alternative steam technology that would have justified labeling the book as Steampunk.
They are decidedly mock-Victorian alternative history, but lack any of the attendant steam technology which is the defining factor of Steampunk.
I found the first story, Victoria, immediately atmospheric, though some descriptions seemed overly complicated and a few sentences near the beginning were overly long. I soon got involved in the story and established that it is about Queen Victoria and an entity called a 'Hellbender' that might explain some of the conspiracy theorists' speculations that the Royal Family are actually lizard people.
The book displayed a more extensive vocabulary than many modern books exhibit and a rather fantastical plot wherein the Alchemically transformed newt-creature (ala Dr Moreau) impersonates the queen.
There are cameo appearances by such entities as Dickens, Tennyson, Lord Byron and John Ruskin as well as a Parody American character called Nails McGroaty, though the story is mostly from the point of view of Mr. Cosmo Cowperthwait, a tongue-in-cheek version of a Victorian English gentleman who experiments with a method of Uranium based transportation, with predictably disastrous results.
The story is rather whimsical, yet most of the research rings true, keeping in mind that liberties have to be taken in Alternative Histories. There is only a time or two when an American term sneaks in to give away the author's nationality. The prolific use of guns also reflects a particularly American attitude.
There was a surprising twist near the end of this story and it did hold interest, if not believability. It was actually rather fun.
I didn't quite know what to make of the second story, Hottentots. It is about a rather extremely racist scientist who compares mixed-race breeding with cross-species taxidermy and finds himself dealing with a back woman who has been a side show for nothing more than looking different from the average Caucasian. He refers to "Negroes" and I wasn't sure if the author might be racist or whether he was incredibly brave in creating such an offensive character.
He is accompanied by this woman and her husband, an associate of his that has a dodgy mock-Germanic accent as they go on a voyage to find a Fetiche which is supposed to relate to some form of black magic. As Rosicrucians and Satanists were mentioned in the same sentence, followed by a reference to 'Hand of Glory' (from Santeria) and then "Hermetic herbs", bringing Alchemy into the equation, I have to conclude that research about magic for the story was non-existant.
There were cameo appearances by Herman Melville and Darwin, but none of the characters were likable, except perhaps the black woman who seemed to have an amused attitude about it all.
The third story, Emily and Walt, involved a relationship between the two poets, Emily Dickenson and Walt Whitman. I'm not overly knowledgeable about the lives of poets, so I don't know if such a liaison could or might have ever taken place. This one also involved not one but two abortions from the hapless Emily Dickenson and a spiritualist quest to seek communication with her unborn children. It was all a bit surreal.
The writing itself is very good, but I found the second and third stories a little disjointed, too obsessed with genitalia, and generally less interesting than the first story, which I quite enjoyed despite the fact that there was not an airship in sight or any form of alternative steam technology that would have justified labeling the book as Steampunk.
November 22, 2017
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 1.0 of 5
This book features three novellas: Victoria, Hottentots, Walt and Emily. It also includes some of the most excruciatingly dull genre fiction that I've ever come across.
In "Victoria," the soon-to-be queen disappears and so as to not worry the people, a scientist has created a Victoria-look-alike. This doppelgänger is created from a human/lizard hybrid, though it still manages to be remarkable realistic in form. It does have one draw-back, however ... it has a voracious sexual appetite and tends to wander off in search of brothels to visit.
Okay...kind of a bizarre idea. But I read plenty of sci-fi and fantasy, so I'm no stranger to bizarre ideas. And this could have been fun if I was bored with the writing style.
"Hottentots" may be one of the worst things I've ever read. Scientist Louis Agassiz abandons his family and heads to America to educate the Americans on a variety of sciences. He is approached by a white South African and his black 'hottentot' wife who seek his help in finding a magical artifact. An artifact that is sexual in nature.
I don't know what to say about this. The character of Agassiz, as presented by author Paul di Filippo, is simply a vile human-being. The story itself holds little-to-no interest and it isn't helped by featuring such a despicable character whose thick accent is carefully written out.
Has this ever worked well in written form?
Although one-third of the work in the book, this story alone is reason enough to avoid the collection.
Let it not be said that there's no theme running through these stories. I would argue their 'steampunk-ness' but they all definitely are set in the Victorian era (not really reason enough to be considered steampunk) and they all deal with sex as a primary motivator to the characters.
In "Walt and Emily" Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman hook up and they both write about it in their own ways.
The best part about reading this collection was coming away with the awareness that I'm not interested in reading any more di Filippo.
Looking for a good book? Me, too.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This book features three novellas: Victoria, Hottentots, Walt and Emily. It also includes some of the most excruciatingly dull genre fiction that I've ever come across.
In "Victoria," the soon-to-be queen disappears and so as to not worry the people, a scientist has created a Victoria-look-alike. This doppelgänger is created from a human/lizard hybrid, though it still manages to be remarkable realistic in form. It does have one draw-back, however ... it has a voracious sexual appetite and tends to wander off in search of brothels to visit.
Okay...kind of a bizarre idea. But I read plenty of sci-fi and fantasy, so I'm no stranger to bizarre ideas. And this could have been fun if I was bored with the writing style.
"Hottentots" may be one of the worst things I've ever read. Scientist Louis Agassiz abandons his family and heads to America to educate the Americans on a variety of sciences. He is approached by a white South African and his black 'hottentot' wife who seek his help in finding a magical artifact. An artifact that is sexual in nature.
I don't know what to say about this. The character of Agassiz, as presented by author Paul di Filippo, is simply a vile human-being. The story itself holds little-to-no interest and it isn't helped by featuring such a despicable character whose thick accent is carefully written out.
Let us zit down, und I vill explain all. Perhaps dot decanter of zherry I zee dere vould help lubricate mine zpeech— ... You are Cuvier’s zientific heir, und bear der responsibility for his deeds. It ist your moral obligation to help zet right vot he ztarted. Und you are a man of zome influence here, und can zpeed up der zearch
Has this ever worked well in written form?
Although one-third of the work in the book, this story alone is reason enough to avoid the collection.
Let it not be said that there's no theme running through these stories. I would argue their 'steampunk-ness' but they all definitely are set in the Victorian era (not really reason enough to be considered steampunk) and they all deal with sex as a primary motivator to the characters.
In "Walt and Emily" Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman hook up and they both write about it in their own ways.
The best part about reading this collection was coming away with the awareness that I'm not interested in reading any more di Filippo.
Looking for a good book? Me, too.
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2009
A sex crazed newt-Queen Victoria, a bottled Hottentot twat, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson visiting limbo -- this is the funny twisted 19th century sf world Paul Di Filippo has created in The Steampunk Trilogy. If you like your sf wacky, bawdy and crammed full of allusions that send you off in the wide world of lit then this is the writer for you.
While "Victoria" came off as an extended dirty joke and "Walt and Emily" had the poets quoting their poetry to each other, I thought the longest of the three novellas "Hottentot" fired on all cylinders - a satiric taking apart of 19th century racist science and the hapless Swiss born professor, all carried along on Di Filippo's mercilessly funny picaresque plot.
While "Victoria" came off as an extended dirty joke and "Walt and Emily" had the poets quoting their poetry to each other, I thought the longest of the three novellas "Hottentot" fired on all cylinders - a satiric taking apart of 19th century racist science and the hapless Swiss born professor, all carried along on Di Filippo's mercilessly funny picaresque plot.
March 22, 2010
The stories in this book was a big surprise for me. The remarkable precision in linguistic,history was a great read. The weird,science fictional and the humerous tone was very enjoyable read. The characters was very believable too. I didnt it expect the stories to be funny. The humour was subtle,come out of nowhere in stories that looked so serious.
Took me vividly to a very weird version of the 19th century.
Paul Di Flippo shows alot of promise with the writing in this book. I look forward to reading his other works.
Took me vividly to a very weird version of the 19th century.
Paul Di Flippo shows alot of promise with the writing in this book. I look forward to reading his other works.
August 13, 2008
Fantastic romp through alternate history. Will the nineteenth century bend or break to accommodate devastating anachronisms, nightmares from the deep, and parapsychological phantasmagoria? Di Filipo has a wonderful understanding of the literary voices of the early victorian period. This book was fun, funny, and educational (sort of).
June 26, 2014
Sono indecisa se considerare l'opera come fuffa, geniale o incompleta.
E continuo a chiedermi se sono io che ho perso continuamente pezzi o questi pezzi non ci sono mai stati O.O
Certi pezzi sono davvero stupendi e in altri ho riso come una scema.. Ma ho sempre avuto il dubbio che non fossero intesi come tali, non so perché! O.O
E continuo a chiedermi se sono io che ho perso continuamente pezzi o questi pezzi non ci sono mai stati O.O
Certi pezzi sono davvero stupendi e in altri ho riso come una scema.. Ma ho sempre avuto il dubbio che non fossero intesi come tali, non so perché! O.O
June 13, 2017
If you like steampunk you might find this trilogy interesting but the 3 short novels which make use of Queen Victoria, Walt Whitman, and Emily Dickenson as main characters don’t quite come across as convincing.
September 30, 2017
The first novella is worthwhile. Second - eh. I'd probably have been more impressed by the third if I cared about either Dickinson or Whitman.
Read
May 1, 2022the one where queen victoria gets replaced w/ a newt was prob the best
June 5, 2019
First story was pretty interesting. I was absolutely engaged and curious. But after that one ended, I just could not find it in myself to finish the rest of the stories. Just dry and uninteresting. I sadly gave to someone else interested.
July 6, 2014
“Steampunk Trilogy” was published in 2014 and was written by Paul Di Filippo (http://paul-di-filippo.com). It is actually a collection of three stories - “Victoria”, “Hottentots” and “Walt and Emily”. Mr. Di Filippo has published other works.
I obtained this publication for free through https://www.netgalley.com for review.
Victoria - Set in 1838 London. the main character Cosmo Copperthwait combines a newt with cells from humans and grows what looks like a fully formed woman. As it turns out, the creature he has created looks very much like the young Queen Victoria. When Queen Victoria disappears, the newt is substituted for her until the missing Queen can be found. Cosmo is involved in a search for the missing Queen.
Hottentots - The main character is Louis Agassiz who is a Swiss scientist. I can’t say more than that as I struggled to finish this portion of the novel.
Walt and Emily - This is set in 1860’s with Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman as the main characters. Emily’s brother is in pursuit of the afterlife and has brought a collection of characters to his home to help him get there. Emily is a disbeliever, but accompanies them just to keep them honest. She is also infatuated with Walt Whitman.
First, none of these seem to be “Steampunk” to my mind. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk) defines Steampunk as “a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery,[1] especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Steampunk perhaps most recognisably features anachronistic technologies or retro-futuristic inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era's perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technology may include fictional machines like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or the modern authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld, Stephen Hunt and China Miéville. Other examples of steampunk contain alternative history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air airships, analog computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine”. Needless to say I found none of these attributes present in any of the tree books, so I am at a loss as to why it is labeled as “Steampunk”.
In the first two stores, dialog was written to include character’s accents. This made them very hard to read.
I thought that “Victoria” was a little odd, but tolerable, though I did not find the story very engaging.
“Hottentot” was incomprehensible. I forced myself to finish it and I am not sure what the point of the story was. There was a side of the main character that was bigoted against blacks. Perhaps it was meant as a satire.
“Walt and Emily” was the best of the three, though it was too full of characters thinking and speaking in poetry for my taste.
Needless to say I did not enjoy the eight hours spent reading this work. I feel like those eight hours were stolen from me. This was certainly the worst work I have read this year, and quite possibly the worst publication I have ever read. I give it a 2 out of 5.
Other book reviews I have written can be found at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I obtained this publication for free through https://www.netgalley.com for review.
Victoria - Set in 1838 London. the main character Cosmo Copperthwait combines a newt with cells from humans and grows what looks like a fully formed woman. As it turns out, the creature he has created looks very much like the young Queen Victoria. When Queen Victoria disappears, the newt is substituted for her until the missing Queen can be found. Cosmo is involved in a search for the missing Queen.
Hottentots - The main character is Louis Agassiz who is a Swiss scientist. I can’t say more than that as I struggled to finish this portion of the novel.
Walt and Emily - This is set in 1860’s with Emily Dickinson and Walt Whitman as the main characters. Emily’s brother is in pursuit of the afterlife and has brought a collection of characters to his home to help him get there. Emily is a disbeliever, but accompanies them just to keep them honest. She is also infatuated with Walt Whitman.
First, none of these seem to be “Steampunk” to my mind. Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk) defines Steampunk as “a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery,[1] especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Steampunk perhaps most recognisably features anachronistic technologies or retro-futuristic inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era's perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technology may include fictional machines like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or the modern authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld, Stephen Hunt and China Miéville. Other examples of steampunk contain alternative history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air airships, analog computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine”. Needless to say I found none of these attributes present in any of the tree books, so I am at a loss as to why it is labeled as “Steampunk”.
In the first two stores, dialog was written to include character’s accents. This made them very hard to read.
I thought that “Victoria” was a little odd, but tolerable, though I did not find the story very engaging.
“Hottentot” was incomprehensible. I forced myself to finish it and I am not sure what the point of the story was. There was a side of the main character that was bigoted against blacks. Perhaps it was meant as a satire.
“Walt and Emily” was the best of the three, though it was too full of characters thinking and speaking in poetry for my taste.
Needless to say I did not enjoy the eight hours spent reading this work. I feel like those eight hours were stolen from me. This was certainly the worst work I have read this year, and quite possibly the worst publication I have ever read. I give it a 2 out of 5.
Other book reviews I have written can be found at http://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
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