Atom-what? A Brief Introduction to the Atompunk Genre

What is Atompunk?

Also known arsenic “atomicpunk,” atompunk is simply a sub-genre of speculative fabrication and subject fabrication that centers connected the 1950s and 1960s humanities events, peculiarly the Space Race, atomic technology, the Cold War, and the Red Scare successful a retro-futuristic dystopian constituent of view. Often these books are connected the much “cynical” side, alternatively than hopeful astir the future. The atompunk sub-genre mostly explores an alternate mentation of the past, but with “highly precocious technology” beyond what was disposable astatine the time. Think flying cars oregon robot butlers successful the 1950s oregon laser guns during the Space Race.

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A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.

Set successful the United States aft World War II’s warfare turned atomic rendering the satellite practically unlivable, Brother Francis discovers an past fallout structure afloat of penning from the radical of the past. The communicative follows the rebuilding of civilization up until the twelvemonth 3781 arsenic they rediscover the exertion from earlier and acceptable their sights connected the sky.

The Long Tomorrow by Leigh Brackett

After atomic warfare devastates America, modern exertion and cities bigger than 1,000 radical are outlawed by society’s caller leaders. Len, a teenager, hears rumors of a metropolis called Bartorstown wherever exertion is encouraged and sets disconnected connected a roadworthy travel to find it.

The Manhattan Projects, Vol. 1 by Jonathan Hickman and Nick Pitarra

This is an alternate past of the Manhattan Project, the United States’ inaugural to physique the archetypal atomic weapons during World War II. In The Manhattan Projects, the improvement doesn’t halt there. Robot arms, individuality swapping, and generals consenting to halt astatine thing to outdo their enemies pb to 1 large mess.

Akira by Katsuhiro Otomo

In the aftermath of a blast that leveled Tokyo and initiated different satellite war, Tetsuo and Kaneda woody with increasing up successful the chaotic metropolis of Neo-Tokyo. Tetsuo develops unusual abilities, putting a people connected his back. Now Kaneda indispensable effort to prevention Tetsuo from governmental interference and, arsenic his powers turn stronger, from himself.

Children of the Dust by Louise Lawrence

Set successful England aft atomic warfare has breached out, Sarah takes refuge with her household astatine home. In the aftermath, they’re sealed successful their kitchen, hyperaware of the radiation extracurricular that could seep successful immoderate minute. The communicative follows decades arsenic they find a mode to unrecorded again arsenic the radiation mutates humans into thing wholly different.

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

Lilith has been dormant for hundreds of years erstwhile she wakes up connected an alien ship, rescued oregon taken by an alien taxon called the Oankali. They explicate they’ve saved the past fewer humans successful the aftermath of an atomic occurrence that killed Lilith’s husband, son, and astir everyone other too. But being saved has consequences that Lilith indispensable woody with to survive.