1 year ago
164
From steampunk to dieselpunk to clockpunk and more, determination is simply a proliferation of sub-genres and mashups that autumn nether the punk lit umbrella. Defined by their clasp of retro, yet futuristic technologies and circumstantial elements and settings, these books transport readers to an imaginative satellite successful which characters determination done an altered scenery from our own. Punk sub-genre books often play with timelines and settings successful ways that some echo our ain satellite and alteration it up. For example, steampunk writers craft fictional worlds that are some futuristic and person echoes of Victorian manner and steam powered-technology, portion cyberpunk authors absorption connected what happens erstwhile a high-technology nine meets humanity. Oceanpunk writers instrumentality america nether oregon onto the precocious seas, to research what it would beryllium similar to unrecorded successful a water-dominated world.
Also called seapunk or, depending connected the characters involved, pirate punk, the oceanpunk sub-genre is each astir stories acceptable connected the water. In this sub-genre, the technological absorption is connected technologies utilized to research the world’s oceans, some supra and beneath the surface. Oceanpunk books mightiness instrumentality spot successful a phantasy satellite with the aforesaid past arsenic our own, oregon they mightiness beryllium acceptable successful a near-apocalyptic oregon post-apocalyptic world, wherever waters person risen and covered what utilized to beryllium land. Oceanpunk often shares immoderate similarities with steampunk successful some its usage of woody ships and vintage innovations and the Victorian aesthetic of its characters. However, oceanpunk books tin besides instrumentality connected much futuristic tones, with precocious undersea technologies and adjacent stories that play astir with the thought of outer abstraction arsenic an water of sorts.
The popularity and communal tropes of oceanpunk travel from some the lit and movie worlds. Starting with Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, which acceptable a subject fabrication communicative not up supra the Earth, but alternatively underneath the sea, the word itself came into communal conscience with movies specified arsenic Waterworld and Deep Blue Sea successful the 1990s. Oceanpunk books and movies often incorporated biology themes and concerns; they mightiness person technological systems that incorporated earthy aspects of a water-covered world, oregon they mightiness code what would hap if oversea levels proceed to emergence and however humanity would adapt. Common communicative elements see oversea monsters and oversea creatures, submarines, underwater cities, and mislaid treasures, each wrapped successful themes of a satellite dominated by water. Oceanpunk mightiness besides play with the interaction of humans connected the world’s oceans by including settings similar heavy oversea drilling platforms oregon characters specified arsenic militant environmentalists oregon industrialists intent connected accessing the ocean’s resources.
Readers wanting to research the oceanpunk satellite tin take from a wide scope of titles. From submarine voyages utilizing Victorian exertion to futuristic looks astatine a post-climate apocalypse world, oceanpunk books person a watery satellite of titles to dive into and you tin cheque retired immoderate starter suggestions below!
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
As noted above, this 1872 publication is seen contiguous arsenic the genesis of oceanpunk literature. Centered astir the daring Captain Nemo that communicative follows his journeys successful the Nautilus, a submarine whose features were futuristic for the time. Captain Nemo and his unit question much than 50,000 miles (AKA 20,000 leagues) underneath the aboveground of the world’s oceans, documenting the creatures they spot on the way.
Swords & Spaceships Newsletter
Sign up to Swords & Spaceships to receive quality and recommendations from the satellite of subject fabrication and fantasy.
Thank you for signing up! Keep an oculus connected your inbox.
By signing up you hold to our terms of use
The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham
This 1955 publication was prescient successful the mode it portrayed anxieties astir melting icecaps and rising oceans. When a bid of reddish dots look supra Britain and past clang into the ocean, the humans presume their alien visitors are lone funny successful what lies beneath the ocean’s surface. But soon, the polar crystal caps statesman to melt astatine an astonishing complaint and humanity indispensable contend with the attempts of the undersea invaders to hitch them disconnected the look of the Earth.
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
If you’re looking to dabble successful phantasy pirate punk, decidedly effort this book. After a beingness arsenic a well-known pirate connected the Indian Ocean, Amina al-Sirafi is looking guardant to settling down into motherhood and a peaceful retirement. However, erstwhile the parent of a erstwhile crewman shows up and offers Amina a king’s ransom for uncovering her crewmate’s kidnapped daughter, Amina is incapable to defy 1 past job. This publication is afloat of oversea monsters, sailing ships, and scandalous adventures.
The Beast of Cretacea by Todd Strasser
While Moby Dick isn’t technically an oceanpunk book, its themes of conflict and pridefulness connected the precocious seas are echoed successful galore stories of the subgenre. Here, 17-year-old Ishmael is aboard the Pequod, a vessel that has near a dying Earth for the vibrant satellite of Cretaceato. Ishmael and his unit person been brought to the caller satellite for a unsafe task: to seizure and harvest the fearsome oversea beasts of Cretaceato and nonstop their resources backmost to a depleted Earth. But arsenic Ishmael and his skipper Ahab pursuit down their elusive prey, secrets are revealed that complicate their mission.
A Door Into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski
Joan Slonczewski’s publication was seen arsenic some a new, feminist instrumentality connected oceanpunk sci-fi and a classical illustration of worldbuilding erstwhile it was published. The publication takes spot successful an water satellite wherever the Sharers of Shora person developed an all-female nine that lives successful harmony and harnesses earthy technologies from their h2o environment. Conflict strikes erstwhile a neighboring civilization invades with the purpose of colonizing the satellite and taking its resources for itself.
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
When aliens onshore successful the waters extracurricular the world’s 5th astir populous city, chaos ensues. Internet mobs are formed and acceptable to attack, spiritual leaders hail it arsenic a motion of the extremity of times, and the authorities is debating a atomic strike. In each of this confusion, it is up to a biologist, a rapper, and a rogue worker to instrumentality connected the caller arrivals and find retired what they truly want.
Looking to research much punk sub-genres successful books? cheque retired our steampunk and cyberpunk round-ups!
English (US) ·