The Best of Spanish Steampunk

3.2/5 ( ratings)

The Best of Spanish Steampunk features stories from Spain, Mexico, Venezuela and Chile, as well as from writers in Spanish living in Germany, Dubai and the UK. They are authors who write from the margins, using Steampunk to investigate themes such as the ethical questions posed by scientific and technical developments in our globalised culture of rapid change, and how that leaves countries not from the dominant culture behind. Through Steampunk these authors are offering alternative retellings of their countries’ histories, “critically” reimagining key moments such as the North-American-Spanish Cuban war, the Mexican war, or the Anarchist revolts of the 1930s in Andalusia. They are also attracted to a genre that foreshadows our actual economic problems, high unemployment levels, and frustration with increasing social inequality.

But alternative histories, dystopia and ‘punk’ are not the only focus. Steampunk in Spanish is overshadowed by the ever-present influence of Victoriana. Issues of identity, both cultural and social are posed by this collection of stories, highlighting the ongoing search for a Steam identity, with classical gaslight romance set in nineteenth-century England, or airship fights directly influenced by Michael Moorcock. Still, stories set in Asturias, Cataluña, Andalusia, or the Imperial reign of Felipe II are high points in a collection of stories that finds a place for itself in the ever-growing world of multicultural Steampunk, while sharing an engagement with the steampunk canon that, ultimately, moves them beyond their chosen setting.

Steampunk offers an invaluable opportunity to re-evaluate our world, and the choices we have made that have brought us to the positions we are facing today. Steampunk is a canvas on which to re-imagine what could have been, and show us what we could become.

STORIES BY: Alfredo Álamo • Javi Argauz • Javier Calvo • Jesús Cañadas • Gloria T. Dauden • Francisco Miguel Espinosa • Santiago Eximeno • Cano Farragute • Laura Fernández • Rafael González • Luis Guallar • Isabel Hierro • Jorge Jaramillo • Cristina Jurado • Sergio Lifante • Ismael Manzanares • Rafael Marín • Oscar Mariscal • José Ángel Menédez Lucas • José María Merino • Pedro Moscatel • Oscar Navas • Félix J. Palma • Santi Pagés • Francisco J. Pérez • Paulo César Ramírez • Josué Ramos • Joseph Remesar • Sofía Rhei • Rocío Rincón • Paula Rivera • Leonardo Ropero • Luis Manuel Ruiz • Noemí Sabugal • Rubén Sánchez Trigos • Ángel Luis Sucasas • Rocío Tizón • Eduardo Vaquerizo • Marian Womack • Guillermo Zapata

Language: English

Pages: 610

Format: Kindle Edition

Publisher: Cheeky Frawg Ediciones Nevsky

Release: February 18, 2015

The Best of Spanish Steampunk

Marian Womack

3.2/5 ( ratings)

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Language: English

Pages: 610

Format: Kindle Edition

Publisher: Cheeky Frawg Ediciones Nevsky

Release: February 18, 2015

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Reader Reviews

Kimberly

(4/5)

2

Jun 26, 2024

I really wanted to give this five stars but it needs another edit. ("Seven" instead of "even" etc.)
Gavin Reed

(3/5)

3

Jun 26, 2024

Not all of the included material was what I would characterize as "steampunk," but there was sufficient variety and quality to hold my interest.
Caitlin

(3/5)

3

Jun 26, 2024

2.5 stars.A varied collection of steampunk stories, divided into sections based on topic. Generally, they tend toward mildly dark to deeply grim, and I prefer more light in my stories. There's very few funny, happy, or sweet moments going on here. Lots of death and suffering, though well-written.
Alma Marcela

(4/5)

6

Jun 26, 2024

Lo bueno: El valor de esta compilación radica en que quiere darle voz a la ciencia ficción retrofuturista que se escribe en naciones de habla hispana (desafortunadamente sólo hay cuatro países representados; no sé si no se recibieron buenos relatos de otras naciones, o de plano no se recibió nada). Aún así, el esfuerzo y la amplitud de esta obra, le merecen un amplio reconocimiento, con la esperanza de que los angloparlantes recuerdan (o sepan por primera vez) que existen escritores interesantes...
Pearse Anderson

(2/5)

2

Jun 26, 2024

I could not get into this collection. The intro was great, but after the first few stories I had to put it down. I was not having fun. The translations were weak and full of errors, the characters were flat and felt fake, the worldbuilding was poor and sloppy. I really hope these stories are better in Spanish.
Tomasz

(2/5)

2

Jun 26, 2024

This anthology would be greatly improved by dumping at least half the stories, because then the title would be somewhat justified. As it is, there's a fat stack of indifferent prose, indifferently translated and not copy-edited at all, with some good and even great works stuck here and there (but still indifferently translated). A very poor effort altogether.
Katie

(4/5)

3

Jun 26, 2024

HOLY SHIT this book took me forever to read. When I got my review copy I was so intensely not ready for the 1200 pages ahead of me. (It probably was less than that, but on my tiny e-reader - so many pages!)I'm going to write a more thoughtful review later, but some initial thoughts... I was really surprised how much London was in this anthology. I thought the stories that really stood out were the ones that played with Spanish settings and history that the authors were obviously really familiar
David

(3/5)

2

Jun 26, 2024

Good stories. Very weak translation (not idiomatic in many places).

Kimberly

(4/5)

Jun 26, 2024

I really wanted to give this five stars but it needs another edit. ("Seven" instead of "even" etc.)

Gavin Reed

(3/5)

Not all of the included material was what I would characterize as "steampunk," but there was sufficient variety and quality to hold my interest.

Caitlin

2.5 stars.A varied collection of steampunk stories, divided into sections based on topic. Generally, they tend toward mildly dark to deeply grim, and I prefer more light in my stories. There's very few funny, happy, or sweet moments going on here. Lots of death and suffering, though well-written.

Alma Marcela

Lo bueno: El valor de esta compilación radica en que quiere darle voz a la ciencia ficción retrofuturista que se escribe en naciones de habla hispana (desafortunadamente sólo hay cuatro países representados; no sé si no se recibieron buenos relatos de otras naciones, o de plano no se recibió nada). Aún así, el esfuerzo y la amplitud de esta obra, le merecen un amplio reconocimiento, con la esperanza de que los angloparlantes recuerdan (o sepan por primera vez) que existen escritores interesantes...

Pearse Anderson

(2/5)

I could not get into this collection. The intro was great, but after the first few stories I had to put it down. I was not having fun. The translations were weak and full of errors, the characters were flat and felt fake, the worldbuilding was poor and sloppy. I really hope these stories are better in Spanish.

Tomasz

This anthology would be greatly improved by dumping at least half the stories, because then the title would be somewhat justified. As it is, there's a fat stack of indifferent prose, indifferently translated and not copy-edited at all, with some good and even great works stuck here and there (but still indifferently translated). A very poor effort altogether.

Katie

HOLY SHIT this book took me forever to read. When I got my review copy I was so intensely not ready for the 1200 pages ahead of me. (It probably was less than that, but on my tiny e-reader - so many pages!)I'm going to write a more thoughtful review later, but some initial thoughts... I was really surprised how much London was in this anthology. I thought the stories that really stood out were the ones that played with Spanish settings and history that the authors were obviously really familiar

David

Good stories. Very weak translation (not idiomatic in many places).

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The Best of Spanish Steampunk

The Best of Spanish Steampunk

The Best of Spanish Steampunk

More books from Marian Womack

Para leer al anochecer: Historias de fantasmas

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Reader Reviews