top ten favorite characters in steampunk

Tuesday, February 19, 2013 |
Top Ten Tuesday is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish, where we all get to exercise our OCD tendencies and come up with bookish lists.  If you’d like to play along, check out this post.

top ten tuesday

Today’s task is to list favorite characters in a genre of your choice.  I could pick fantasy, but then how would I narrow the list down to ten favorites?  There are too many choices (good ones, too!).  It is with this in mind that I picked the sci-fi subgenre of steampunk. Steampunk is about alternate Victorian history with advanced steam-based technology, and all of the fun you can have with gadgets, gears and imagination. 

Top Ten Favorite Characters in Steampunk

1. Deryn Sharp from Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan – Deryn hides her identity in order to do what she loves (which is flying – very unladylike!).  Her adventures in the sky above an alternate-history WWI-era Europe make me long for a time that never was.

2. Alek from Scott Westerfeld’s Leviathan – Alek is the Clanker counterpart to Deryn’s Darwinist.  He’s been raised to behave a certain way and believe certain things, but his personal journey (and honor) make him someone you’d want on your side.

3. Fever Crumb from Philip Reeve’s Fever Crumb – Fever has grown up as the only girl (the only child, really) in a society of engineers and inventors.  The discoveries she makes about herself and her city’s history change everything, but Fever’s resourceful enough to survive.

4. Mina Wentworth from Meljean Brook’s The Iron Duke – Mina is strong and proud despite living in and being born to a terrible world.  Society is forever turned against her, and yet she fights for what is right and good.  In other words?  She’s awesome.

5. Eff from Patricia C. Wrede’s Thirteenth Child – Eff has been born unlucky, but her pluck, heart, and find-a-way-around it mentality save her family and create a new future.

6. Alexia Tarabotti from Gail Carriger’s Soulless – Alexia is not fashionable, but that’s alright, because she’s clever, enterprising, and just happens to be the perfect foil for a werewolf.  Adventures abound around Alexia, and it’s all good fun.

7. Archibald Clare from Lilith Saintcrow’s The Iron Wyrm Affair – Clare is one half of a Sherlock Holmes and Watson-esque detective duo in a steampunk world, and he’d be on the edge of madness if not for the help of his counterpart, Bannon.  Their ridiculous/dangerous/slapstick antics make for an enjoyable tale.

8. Finley Jayne from Kady Cross’ The Girl in the Steel Corset – Finley doesn’t take any nonsense, and that is true for both of her selves.  This girl has dual personalities, but both enjoy a spot of fun.

9. Mad Machen from Meljean Brook’s short story ‘Here There Be Dragons’ – Crazy characters have a strange allure, don’t they?  This ship captain is renowned for his mad antics, and his pursuit of his lady love is the stuff of sailors’ lore.

10. Half mermaid from Frewin Jones’ short story ‘The Cannibal Fiend of Rotherhithe’ – I can’t recall the name of this character, but I can remember the wild beauty of her ignorance and the violence of her hunger.  Haunting!

Do you have a favorite steampunk character or book?  Do tell!

18 comments:

elena said...

I am so not well-versed in steampunk at all so I love reading this list! It gives me an idea of where I should start since I haven't read any of these books. I have a Gail Carringer book out from the library now so I'll see if I like her writing style before diving into more of her work! Great list.

danicapage said...

I really need to read more steampunk.

I'm not very well-versed in the genre. I've heard really good things about all of those books though.

Check out my Tuesday meme post here

~Danica Page@Taking it One Page at a Time

Archie said...

Steam Punk is the bomb really love how they did to this i guess there are also a lot of novels out there with a Steam Punk scene and scenario.

Tanya Patrice said...

Oh my gosh - I haven't read any of these books, so I'm excited I have a steampunk starting point! Leviathan has been on my reading list for ages though. Thanks for this awesome list!

Sarah - Exploring All Genres said...

I have read little to no steam punk but after looking at your list I think I might have to go out and find some of these books to check out.
Check out my TTT.

Nina said...

I should read more steampunk. I think I only have read three/four books in this genre. Such a shame, because it's really good. Alexia Tarabotti is an awesome character. I have read the three books in the series & I really need to finish it.

April (BooksandWine) said...

Wow, this is the first list I've come across where I have not read any of the books mentioned. YAY! No, really, a big yay because that reminds me I need to really expand my reading horizons. ALSO. I desperately need to read Leviathan or at least to order it. I've had it on my TBR forever, it seems. AND The Iron Duke! I own that but still have not read it.

Katelyn said...

I've never really read a lot of books in the steampunk genre but after seeing your list I'm thinking I might need to check some of those reads out!

Cindy said...

I've always loved the idea of Steampunk but I havn't read many of the books (Except the Gail Carriger series) and so I'm really looking forward to checking out these! Thank you!

Ula said...

I don't know any of these :L I read quite a lot but I guess not enough :D

My TTT

hbjgvhuogyihpo said...

I don't think I've ever read a steampunk novel, but this list is definitely giving me an idea of where to start.. if I start!

Fantastic list!!
My Top Ten

Tales of Whimsy said...

Great list. I need to read more Steampunk.

Sana said...

I haven't read a lot, okay at all, of steampunk but I so want to and this list will totally help me decide what book to start with.

Great list =D

Here's my Top Ten Tuesday post!

Sana @ artsy musings of a bibliophile

Avada Kedavra said...

I am not much into steampunk and havent gotten a chance to read these books. But there are some books on your list like "Here there be dragons" that is there on my to-read list from a long time.

West Virginia Red said...

This list makes me want to read more of my Steampunk TBR list. I have only read Leviathan, The Iron Duke and Soulless. I need much more time to read.

Melissa (Avid Reader) said...

I thought it was hilarious that Alexia was a hopeless old maid in the beginning of Gail Carriger’s series, she was in her 20s!

Amy said...

My goodness, I need to read more steampunk. I haven't read ANY of these books. I've heard of several, though, and the fact that you liked them and these characters recommends them in a big way. I'm intrigued by Leviathan...maybe I'll start there, since TWO characters from that series are on your list! HUZZAH!

Ann@Blogging-Profits-Unleashed said...

Awesome list! I really need more time to read more Steampunk! thanks for sharing. :)

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