Steamlust - book discontinued by Cleis Press Inc. - review by Ryuson

The nice thing, I find, about compilations is that there's something for everyone. In this book there are quite a few different authors who all take their own spin on just what steampunk erotica is and how it should be written.

Some authors really get into it; the language, the technology, the clothing. Some, it seems, just slap a corset onto a woman and call it steampunk. Both are equally hot, and I feel like they both have different things to offer different people.

There is both a forward by a different woman and an introduction by the editor, so between these you have a fairly good idea what to expect from this book. The authors and editor all do a wonderful job of bringing this book together.

This book is intended for fans of the genre steampunk, but I feel like most people will be able to appreciate the sexiness the characters bring to the page. It's got enough lust and romance to it that, unless you really dislike corsets and sky captains, I think that everyone will find something to like.

Steampunk is a small, quirky corner of the genre speculative fiction, which is the runt of the litter spawned from science fiction. While most speculative fiction busies itself with "What if Nixon was a robot" and "What if aliens helped the Nazis during World War II," steampunk follows the concept "What if, in the 1800's, the human race pursued steam power instead of gasoline and fossil fuel power?"

Most stories in here are fairly hetero-based, which I feel may alienate a lot of their audience. I also found that most stories in here are from the woman's point of view. I know that, as a female author of erotica, it seems natural to write from a female's point of view but... Men have steampunk fantasies, too!

Most scenes in here are also fairly 'vanilla.' The first few stories are mainly just romance and sex with a bit of bondage thrown into the mix. In quite a few there are a lot of steam-powered pleasure devices, and in one the girl, herself, is a stream-powered robot.

The last story, however, is almost not steampunk at all and super disturbing. If you like your romance light and not full of terrible people, I would real add but the last few pages of the book. It's essentially about a paralyzed man who keeps slave women to (in short) get pleasure from causing them pain. She DOES get rescued in the end, but it's in no way erotic or romantic.

The following is the list of stories and authors featured;
"Iron Hard" by Sylvia Day
"Heart of the Daedalus" by Saskia Walker
"Fog, Flight and Moonlight" by Sacchi Green
"The Undeciphered Heart" by Christine D'Abo
"Mr Hartley's Infernal Device" by Charlotte Stein
"A Demonstration of Affection" by Elizabeth Coldwell
"Undergrounded: Hannah Hawthorne and the Stranded Time Ship" by Vida Bailey
"Sparks" by Anna Meadows
"Green Cheese" by Lisabet Sarai
"Lost Souls" by Andrea Dale
"Golden Moment" by Lynn Townsend
"Liberated" by Mary Borsellino
"Make Your Own Miracles" by Nikki Magennis
"Rescue My Heart" by Anya Richards

Some of these stories are more speech based and lighthearted, while some are more sultry and description based. All of them (sans the last one) tend to have a lot of lead-up and character development, and some of them don't even really focus on the sex.

This book has a very good flow and mix of stories, and I feel like (sans the last one) they all seem to go together very well. They are all about the same length, and in the beginning there is a table of contents so you can re-find what you're looking for after you've read it.

The cover art is sexy and artistic, and doesn't scream "This is a steampunk erotica novel" Unfortunately the title is in large block letters across the spine and cover of the book, so you can't really leave this on the coffee table unless you want people to ask questions.

It's a soft cover book, but the cover is very glossy and high quality. Because of the quality this would be a great gift, but only if you knew the person would enjoy the genre. If you're giving it as a gift you may also want to tear out the last few pages.

I have always found the concept of steampunk to be erotic for the same reasons that I find the 50's cold war mentality to be sexy. I love the concept of primitive, brass machines, cogs and wheels, the infinite possibility. I love the idea of how everything would be sooty and dirty, the raspy lungs and the wars fought, not in cars, but airships and crazy machines. When this came to Eden I knew that I was going to have to get it.

This book, while not as heavily steampunk as a lot of the novels I've read, is still true to the genre. I really liked all of the stories that really got into the genre and seemed to do their research on clothing (Especially when it's being removed.) Some little faux pas bugged me, but that's just because I'm a science fiction nut.

Overall, I'm giving this book 4 out of 5 stars. While I feel it's unfair to take off a star for the frightening story at the end, it really threw me for a loop. After a lot of "Alas, air captain, I am in love with you and my corset begs to be taken off" I was not mentally prepared for the shock. If you still want to read the last story, you have been warned.