All Sorts of Punk

Timepunk

Steampunk was a term coined by K.W. Jeter in an attempt to find a general term for works by Tim Powers (The Anubis Gates), James Blaylock (Homunculus) and himself (Morlock Night), who all wrote Victorian speculative fiction. In a letter to "Locus" (April 1987), he wrote:

Dear Locus,

Enclosed is a copy of my 1979 novel Morlock Night; I'd appreciate your being so good as to route it Faren Miller, as it's a prime piece of evidence in the great debate as to who in “the Powers/Blaylock/Jeter fantasy triumvirate” was writing in the “gonzo-historical manner” first. Though of course, I did find her review in the March Locus to be quite flattering.

Personally, I think Victorian fantasies are going to be the next big thing, as long as we can come up with a fitting collective term for Powers, Blaylock and myself. Something based on the appropriate technology of the era; like “steampunks,” perhaps ...

Since the development of steampunk, several terms have been created to specify the time period and divergent themes of “gonzo-historical” fiction. “Timepunk,” a term coined for the GURPS roleplaying game Steampunk, by William H. Stoddard, is arguably the most apt for describing the anachrono-futurist genre as a whole (although “Punkpunk” has also been used). In such tales, technologies stagnate around a specific technology--bronze, steam, diesel--which then becomes the major contributing factor to the advancement of humankind. Science advances, but only through the use of the specific technology, and the time period where the technology originated determines fashion, artistic styles, and religious belief.

Timepunk has a variety of categories, each title based on the time period or major technology which provides the theme for the tale:

Stonepunk. This term, coined by the GURPS roleplaying game Steampunk, denotes a Stone Age civilization provided with technological advances. Edgar Rice Borroughs' The Land that Time Forgot (download a copy here) and Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear are early examples of this style of story.

Bronzepunk. This term, coined by the GURPS roleplaying game Steampunk, denotes a Bronze Age civilization provided with steam-based technological advances. The novels of Mary Renault are often good examples of this type of timepunk.

Sandalpunk. This term, coined by the GURPS roleplaying game Steampunk, denotes an ancient civilization, often the Romans or some other Iron Age civilization, never collapses—with scientific advancement (based on such technologies as the Antikythera mechanism) continuint at a rate relative to later modern civilizations. Sandalpunk has also been called “Classicpunk” or “Ironpunk.”

Candlepunk. Denotes an late medieval civilization with futuristic technology. Candlepunk has also been called “Castlepunk”and “Middlepunk.” It can also be “Dungeonpunk” when adding magical elements, or “Plaguepunk” when describing a plague-ridden candlepunk society. Connie Willis' Doomsday Book is an example of this type of timepunk.

Clockpunk. This term, coined by the GURPS roleplaying game Steampunk, denotes a Renaissance era civilization with clockwork-based technology and Da Vinci inspired advances. Terry Pratchett's Discworld series and Pasquale's Angel by Paul J. McAuley are examples of this type of timepunk.

Steampunk. A Victorian, English Regency, Industrial Revolution, or Edwardian English setting is provided with a variety of steam-based technology and Victorian advances such as difference engines. Inspired by actual Victorian science fiction (Edisonades, Scientific Romances, and Voyages Extraordinaires), Steampunk was the first of the timepunk categories, and has inspired real-world anachrono-futuristic culture, technology, games, fashion, and art.

Steampunk has also been called “Victorian Steampunk” and “Gaslamp Fantasy.” William Gibson & Bruce Sterling's The Difference Engine (read a historical supplement here) and Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen are modern examples of this type of timepunk.

• “Western Steampunk” places the story in the same time periods, but set in America’s Old West. These stories have also been referred to as “Weird West” fiction and “Cattlepunk.” They may also be called “Desertpunk” when referring to a post-apocalyptic Western Steampunk, where water is mostly absent from the world (although this style of Timepunk can also be achieved in a Dieselpunk setting).

Dieselpunk. This term, coined by game designers Lewis Pollak and Dan Ross for the roleplaying game Children of the Sun, denotes an Industrial Age civilization with futuristic petroleum-based technology. Dieselpunk has also been called “Teslapunk” when describing futuristic electrical technology in an Industrial Age civilization.

Atomicpunk. An Atomic Age civilization where the Great Depression never occurred, and World War II remained a prolonged cold war.

• “Nazipunk” places the story in the same time periods, but one where the Nazi's continue existing after World War II has come to an end. Nazipunk has also been called “Blitzpunk.” Examples of this type of timepunk include The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick and Fatherland by Robert Harris.
  

Transistorpunk. Denotes an exaggerated and glamorized Cold War era society. The ideals and fads of the 1960s prevail, while a countercultural movement moves forward governmental advancement. Transistorpunk has also been called “Psychedelipunk” or “Weedpunk” when describing the psychedelic drug-ridden elements of the society or hemp-based technologies.

Spacepunk. In Spacepunk, the tools of the punk genre are combined with the themes of a Swords and Space tale. Here, a seemingly older civilization with advanced Space Age technology. These stories have also been referred to simply as “Sword and Space” fantasy when dealing with an ancient civilization with advanced technology or “Retrofuturism” when the society is a modern society with advanced technology.

(Return to The "Punk" Subgenre)
(Go to All Sorts of Punk: Mythpunk)