Steampunk for the Modern Age: A Review of The Queen of all Crows, by Rod Duncan

Steampunk is one of the more niche genres of fiction around, never having made it into the mainstream lexicon of literature.  Steampunk as a genre is defined by setting and technology.  Imagine a world where steam-power became the dominate energy source and defined the aesthetic for the world.  Grimy cities full of pipes and fog.  Electrical contraptions plucked straight from the mind of Nikola Tesla.  Airships dominating the sky as the primary form of transportation.  Steampunk as a genre is what happens when creators take the inherent fascination with everything Victorian and turn-of-the-century, and imagine a world where technology continued upon that path.  Victorian sensibilities and imperialism coupled with science-fiction technologies.  Overall, the steampunk aesthetic is one of the most fascinating.

No More Heroes: A Review of the Reign of the Kingfisher, by T. J. Martinson

Superheroes hold a special place in our hearts.  There is a certain allure to watching men and women with super powers fight evil and save the world time and again.  Even since their inception in the pages of comic books and novels, superheroes have dominated our pop culture.  Everyone knows Batman, Superman, Captain America, and Spider-Man.  The Marvel Cinematic Universe reintroduced us to Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and more.  Today, superheroes dominate.  Part of our allure is the power fantasy.  We want to be these people and posses their powers.  Part of it is pure spectacle.  The Battle of New York in the first Avengers film remains an action masterpiece.  But part of our attention revolves around the story of Icarus.  We enjoy watching these powerful people come low and being reminded that they are still mortal.