Steampunk books can go in multiple directions. Some of them are great for those who like a bit of science fiction and a nice introduction to the genre. Some others are more appropriate for intense steampunk readers. The good news is that no matter how experienced you are with this genre, these are some of the best steampunk books of 2020 to stimulate your imagination and creativity.
Love Letters To The Postman, by David Hurley
At a first glance, this book seems a bit sophisticated. But once you go through the first couple of chapters, everything will make sense. The story follows Mark McLeod, whose future is not really certain. The world is not doing well and struggles to reclaim the light against the so called Power Wolves.
Mark rediscovers God in the attempt to regain his life balance. But as he starts over, he finds his new inner passion and meets love too. With time, he realizes he is more than just a random player in this game. In fact, he has a different calling that he has to follow.
Simply put, this book introduces the reader to dystopian fiction and a series of aspects with steampunk influences – from love and action to science fiction and internal battles. There is something for everyone in this relaxing book – you will crave for more.
The Last Uncharted Sky, by Curtis Craddock
There are more books in this series. Chances are you will get hooked in, so ideally, you should start with the first one. This one has been described as a mix between Jules Verne’s stories and Alexandre Dumas’ writing. You have magic, steampunk influences, intrigue, action and love in one place.
The story follows Isabelle and Jean-Claude, who take a space trip to recover a treasure for their kingdom. However, Isabelle is not well. She has some traumas from an attack in the past, so she experiences all kinds of hallucinations.
The ship is sabotaged and Jean-Claude disappears. At this point, the story is mostly focused on Isabelle, who has to find a way to overcome her fears and traumas, but also reunite with Jean-Claude and complete the mission.
Contaminant Six, by Joseph R. Lallo
Contaminant Six is part of a longer series covering steampunk adventures. While not always related, it does pay off starting with the first one. All in all, the book follows the story of the Wind Breaker crew, which is now targeted by the dangerous poisons affecting the world.
Captain Mack’s crew has done a wonderful job at escaping dangers and finding fine solutions to far. But everyone knew they would reach to an end eventually. A powerful toxin covers the world now and it seems to affect the crew as well.
The crew has to split up in order to work against it. Some of them must get in touch with old rivals, while others have to sacrifice themselves for the world. All in all, the adventure will certainly hook you in after a chapter or two.
Defy Or Defend, by Gail Carriger
This book has a bit of everything – everything under a steampunk blanket. You have Gothic influences, a bit of love, some action, an interesting story of espionage, and lots of intrigue. Chances are you will find yourself clueless until you finish the book.
Honey Bee is one of the most appreciated fixers. She is beautiful and sweet, but she can be extremely efficient and dangerous in the right circumstances. On the other hand, you have Sir Crispin Bontwee, who is retired, but he keeps working in the military.
The two make an exquisite team when they end up fighting a vampire hive. On the same note, the story also follows Dimity, whose enthusiasm in this battle is likely to get him killed by a vampire.
The Fugitive And The Vanishing Man, by Rod Duncan
The book follows Elizabeth and Edwin Barnabus in their last performance – the impressive illusion of a vanishing person. Elizabeth is not the ideal character – she is a murderer and a criminal. Everyone in Liverpool is dying to see her executed, but they need to catch her first.
She ends up across America in the attempt to find her family – just a bunch of rumors, but she decides to follow them. Over there, she discovers the unexpected – a crazy king who wants to take the world over, an army and a weapon that could literally change everything.
In a world where prophecies go hand in hand with politics, the adventure brings in lots of intrigue and the type of action that no one would expect.
Death Wind, by Tara Grayce
Death Wind brings readers to a unique world – a world of fantasy and magic. Essie is part of this world and she plans for retirement and a beautiful life ever after. There are no wars and elves and humans are now allied, rather than enemies.
But things go wrong when trolls from the north invade the area and the two groups must work together to combat the invasion. However, alliances can be tricky and things can easily go in the wrong direction, especially when Essie’s husband – and the best warrior among elves – is captured by the trolls, circumstances change to 180 degrees.
Essie will not give up and will try her best to make the alliance work – but more importantly, to recover her lost husband.
The Empress Of The Clouds, by Desiree Ultican
This adventure is one of the best steampunk books of 2020 – a mix between classic fairy tales, crime stories and action adventures. It goes back to 1896 and tells the story of Evvy. Her husband was murdered, but before that, he left her with an incredible debt as he was trying to build a futuristic airship.
Now that he is gone, no one knows where his project is – or if it actually exists. Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin decides to steps in, as he claims the original plans were stolen by Evvy’s husband from him. More fanatics join the frenzy race to find the battleship, but does it actually exist?
Things go from one direction to another. There is lots of action involved and a few amazing plot twists that will change everything.
Agatha H. And The Siege Of Mechanicsburg, by Kaja Foglio and Phil Foglio
The fourth volume of the series would make a bit more sense if you read the previous releases too, but you can get a good grip of it without going through the prior books. The story follows Agatha Heterodyne, who is the last in the family, as she leads a powerful empire.
Mechanicsburg is not in the best condition though. Agatha is joined by her friends to fix the mechanisms that can keep it safe, especially as the past is not on their side. The wealth of the empire has been achieved with great fights and sacrifices and Agatha must protect it.
This story takes the reader through a world of crazy science, romance, action, adventure and science fiction. It is a complete book with a bit of everything.
First Gear, by Eve Langlais
Author Eve Langlais has written one of the best steampunk books of 2020. If you are into dystopian adventure and world ending stories, this is the ideal book for you. When a random explorer discovers a lost temple, what is inside will most likely affect the history.
Everyone knows the planet is about to die, but there is a rumor that there might be a way to save it. The secret is in a deadly mountain that no one wants to explore, but Jool feels like this is the only option out there, so he goes for it.
The explorer goes for the adventure in the attempt to find the truth and eventually save the planet. But as he finds a lost temple, everything changes. It is no longer a matter of saving the planet, but a matter of guiding the people through the future.
Brightblade, by Jez Cajiao
Brightblade is a mix of steampunk adventure and LitRPG fiction. The world has managed to maintain its balance and keep safe, but a dark revolution is about to change this perception and bring chaos all over the planet.
Jax is an average guy with a decent job and a girl he likes. He tends to fight creatures in his sleep, ending up with bad scars as he wakes up. One day, his brother disappears. Five years later, he ends up kidnapped too.
In order to get back, he must enter an arena and fight 11 other competitors. There is lots of violence involved, bad language and sexual references. After all, what do you expect when a bunch of creatures are ready to tear your body apart?
As a short final conclusion, these are some of the best steampunk books of 2020. While the list could go a bit longer, these are the most appreciated titles of the year – and probably the most intriguing adventures to enhance your reading afternoons.