What is steampunk? Most call it Victorian science fiction. Steampunk can claim such authors as H.G. Wells and Jules Verne as its earliest writers. These two Victorian/Edwardian era writers created steampunk settings in books such as "The Time Machine" and "Journey to the Center of the Earth". In the 1990s, writers such as William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, and Paul Di Filippo began to weave Victorian settings and the technologies which evolved from the Industrial Revolution to create a new type of reading experience, one in which men may fight the Civil War and escape from zombies all in one battle. The anachronistic nature of steampunk literature makes it unique; the sense of an altered history--sometimes even a history people have yet to experience--combined with alternate endings sets steampunk apart from science fiction or fantasy. Add to the mix some clockwork, a touch of romance, and a paranormal element, and one has literary steampunk. In this article, the author takes a closer look at some steampunk titles.