Christian sailpunk and Christian steampunk

[journeyman]

I'm a little slow on the uptake. I think I've finally been able to describe what I'm writing by sub-genre. I think I would call my stories Christian sailpunk and Christian steampunk. I anyone else writing in these sub-genres?

[ryain]

I have one story that has some steampunk in it but I've never heard of sail punk.

[journeyman]

There's some doubt that it exists over on Brass Goggles, but "Treasure Planet" has been cited as an example. "Waterworld" may be quasi-sailpunk even though there are internal combustion engines in the story.

Since "Baron Münchhausen" has a lot of sea travel, someone suggested it might be classified as seapunk. I don't think"Battleship Yamamoto"would qualify. "Pirates of the Carribean" comes very close to being sailpunk, though there are more fantasy elements than technological ones. I did very much like the three-shot bow chasers on the Dutchman, though they were supposedly of supernatural origin.

BTW, I lead a sheltered life. I just this weekend got to see the three POTC movies.

I think the chief elements for sailpunk would be anchronistic (i.e futuristic) technology and moral ambiguity in a dystopian nautical setting. That setting could be any period in history, but I like the age of sail. Some have even suggested it be limited to the time between the Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution. I would say that Fulton's Nautilus could be in a sailpunk story, while his Clermont or Verne's Nautilus would have to be placed in a steampunk story. You can have "infernal machines" and mechanical computers in both.

I think Christian sailpunk could have these elements but with a Christian world view, chiefly being God's active role in the restoration of relationships, racial/cultural reconciliation, and positive personal transformation. I am writing with a strong 'fantasy' element of miraculous happenings, spiritual warfare, and divine encounters.

[j2starshine]

Like 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea? I've only seen the movie, but I'm assuming due to the submarine having the name, Nautilus, that it might be the same story you've mentioned above. It also made it's appearance in the movie, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, but I'm not sure how you would classify that movie.

[journeyman]

Verne's 20,000 Leagues under the Sea and his Robur-the-Conqueror novels feature technology that could be used in modern steampunk stories. Alan Moore's graphic novel The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is definitely steampunk as is the movie. The recent Sherlock Holmes movie may be steampunk.

[ryain]

Cool! I like steampunk(and probably will sail punk now that I know what it is) and hope to use more of it.

BTW: what is POTC? Pirates of the Carribean? lol I lead a sheltered life too.

[journeyman]

Yup! It's Pirates of the Carribean.

Sheltered is not bad. We could start a movement called the League of Extraordinarily Sheltered Gentlemen. We could set up office next to the Ministry of Silly Walks. It would of course have to be closed to the public. :-)

[ryain]

I'm in. I want to be the vampire in the League of Extrodinarily Sheltered Gentlemen. Of course I wouldn't know what to do with my very pointy teeth(sheltered and all that) so it would be a little boring.

[brianjones]

Ryain it your teeth might work well as a can opener.

[ryain]

ooooh purpose! Or maybe I could use them to curl those little ribbons people use at Christmas!

[Jeff Gerke]

I'm waiting for Christian Eurapunk.

Say it out loud...

[ducking]

[journeyman]

LOL! There of course would have to be weesa, heesa, theysa,and yousea punk. Why am I suddenly thinking of the Seven Dwarfs? :-)

[newburydave]

Is ther such a thing as a totally serious conversation (er. . . typeservation) around here?
;D

[newburydave]

On a serious note

I wrote a short story about Antediluvian Earth, called the Death of Atlantis, that mixed starship technology and large square rigged sailing vessels.

Would that count as Sail punk?

[journeyman]

Yup! You can get the T-shirt or the tatoo, since it's sailpunk! :-)