Discovering the World of Steampunk (Youtube video)

https://youtube.com/shorts/nGzQrUvjlqM?si=vq93vVif0oGLyuvR

I've been concentrationg over the past five years writing Irish crime thrillers. That said, I’ve occasionally stepped outside that world. To date, I’ve contributed to just a handful of anthologies—but one in particular stands out: Cogs in Time, a steampunk collection created by Catherine Stovall with a striking cover designed by Rue Volley, (both accomplished writers in their own right,)

Catherine invited me to submit a story for the anthology. There was just one problem—I wasn’t entirely sure what steampunk was.​

Like any writer faced with unfamiliar territory, I started with research. That led me to The Steampunk Bible, a beautifully produced and comprehensive guide to the genre; 'alternative' history, Victorian aesthetics, and speculative invention.

Influences Behind 'The Properties of Mercury' & The Mandarin cipher ​

I began writing my story 'The Properties of Mercury.'In many ways, it became a return to the writers I loved growing up:​

• H.G. Wells and The Time Machine

• Jules Verne and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

• The often-overlooked Rivals of Sherlock Holmes stories

​​One particular story from The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes stood out—The Case of Laker, Absconded. Its tone and structure helped shape my own approach to storytelling within a Victorian setting.

The result was a story rooted in classic adventure and mystery, but filtered through the prism of steampunk, which allowed me to create the charater arcs for Wentworth & Devereux.

​​I enjoyed writing The Properties of Mercury far more than I expected. So much so that I continued the story, expanding the world and characters in a follow-up tale: The Mandarin Cipher.

Both stories follow the adventures of Wentworth and Devereux—characters shaped by the intrigue, manners, and imperial global tensions of the Victorian era.

​​Is Steampunk “Lazy History”?

​There’s a perception in some circles that steampunk is simply “lazy history”—a genre that borrows heavily from the past without fully committing to it.

But as a writer attempting an authentic steampunk work, you need to get three things right:

• Dialogue – it must feel authentic to the period

• Historical grounding – even in an alternative timeline

• Atmosphere – the world must feel lived-in and believable

Get those right, and you don’t just have an imitation of history—you have a compelling and immersive story.

Stepping Outside the Crime Genre

​Although my primary focus remains crime fiction, working on steampunk stories was a rewarding creative exercise. It allowed me to revisit early literary influences while experimenting with a completely different tone and setting.

For readers, it offers something a little different—but still grounded in strong storytelling, character, and atmosphere.

Final Thoughts

Steampunk may not be my usual territory, but it reminded me of something essential about writing: sometimes the best work comes from stepping into the unknown.

And occasionally, that unknown leads somewhere worth returning to.

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