A (Relatively Comprehensive) List of Modern Steampunk Novels; help requested

pakled · February 03, 2015, 05:38:42 AM

Can't complain...

I'm going to do myself (And everyone else, except database administrators, who would laugh at my efforts) a favor and collect all this in a database, Access 2007 (I think). It's gonna take a while, but I'll ship GCCC a copy once it's done.

Not sure how to share it (Access exports in a bunch of formats, from CSV to probably SQL). We can worry about that later. I've been using this list for book searches, and it's getting hairy. It's a lot easier to shop from a list...once the money comes in...

So keep 'em coming, folks

GCCC · February 03, 2015, 06:34:43 AM

No need to make more work for yourself, since, if I understand you correctly, I've already done that for you (it just doesn't look like that, because of how I've had to cut-and-paste to get the data on these threads). If you PM me, I'll e-mail you a copy of my Word.doc. The list is in a table format. Give me a couple of weeks, however, to give me time to make updates after this three-month break. If you want, I'll even send you "beta" versions of lists I haven't posted here, yet.

As far as formatting, once I'm "done" (read: sufficiently far-enough ahead that it won't seem like such a Sisyphean task), I'm leaning towards transferring the lists into a .pdf format, or something along those lines. I understand that such a format would "read" the same for everyone, regardless their system/software. Any thoughts on that?

CPT_J_Percell · February 04, 2015, 05:26:00 PM

Retrograde By Robert Brown (Abney Park) is the followup to Wrath of Fate continues the story of the HMS Ophelia

GCCC · February 05, 2015, 07:17:13 AM

Thanks! I'll add it when I'm doing my updates.

pakled · February 07, 2015, 07:51:32 PM

Harry Turtledove - The Two Georges - alternative history, but there's airships...

Oh, there's a 3rd Foglio book out; something about Agatha and...uh...something 'castle.'

pakled · February 14, 2015, 05:33:27 PM

Just found this one... Elizabeth Darvill - Love in a Time of Steam - not sure if you have this or not.

pakled · March 12, 2015, 04:29:05 PM

A new one by Jonathan L Howard - Exeunt Demon King (Johannes Cabal) - am I the only one still doing this?...

GCCC · July 02, 2015, 04:25:03 AM

Nope! But, I have been away.

GCCC · July 21, 2015, 06:34:41 PM

Sorry, folks, but I'm still working on my backlog.

In the meantime, however, in regards to the forthcoming (Relatively Comprehensive) list for non-fiction books, I can post them alphabetically by author, or by subject. Which would you prefer?

The current subjects are:
Art/Makers
Culture & Lifestyle
Entertainment
Fashion
History
Literature

Of course, if you PM me for a copy of the Word .doc, you can arrange it however you want with your copy. But, for the purposes of its initial posting here, which is your choice?

(Note: I'll go by whichever option has the most support at the time I begin posting the list to the forum.)

On a related note, do you think I should include the manuals and supplemental materials (in printed form only, and yes, there are quite a few) for RPGs? They would go under the entertainment category if they're included. Thoughts?

As always, thanks for your support on these threads.

pakled · September 19, 2015, 01:11:56 AM

...and Mark Hodder - The Rise of the Automated Aristocrats: A Burton & Swinburne Adventure

GCCC · September 19, 2015, 01:27:34 AM

A new one? Alrighty, then!

Thanks for the heads-up, pakled.

pakled · September 20, 2015, 03:20:13 AM

Quite welcome. Saw this, recently -

Leigh Statham - Perilous Journey of the Not-So-Innocuous Girl (not much to go on, but the woman on the cover is dressed steam-punky (is that even a word?...

GCCC · September 20, 2015, 04:43:17 AM

I will look in to it (the book, not the word).

pakled · September 23, 2015, 02:54:07 AM

Oh, and also - Jim Butcher - The Cinder Spire (series) - The Aeronaut's Windlass - if it's not out yet, it soon will be

GCCC · September 23, 2015, 03:12:23 AM

That one's already tagged; and yes, it's release is quite soon, as I recall. Seems like that one's been "pending" for a while, now.

I mean, who does he think he is? George R.R. Martin?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7lp3RhzfgI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kKFa7kJ5IY

http://www.wired.com/2013/07/george-r-r-martin-smash-guitar/

pakled · October 05, 2015, 03:54:11 PM

James Lovegrove - Sherlock Holmes and the Thinking Engine...looks new (did check the database prior to posting...

GCCC · October 05, 2015, 08:53:10 PM

Got it.

Earlier, you mentioned using Access to compile the database into a new format; did you mean Excel? And if you didn't, why would your preference be Access over Excel? I'm still trying to futz with converting my .doc to a .pdf, but I'd like your opinion on what might be the best format overall. Can Access or Excel be viewable online, like a .pdf? My goal is to have a "one-click" option on the first page of these threads to make it easier for everyone to read the whole lists instead of scrolling through multiple posts of additions and corrections. Then all I'd need to make new posts for is to alert everyone to the changes.

pakled · October 06, 2015, 03:23:25 AM

well, there's some overlap. Access is good at filters, sorting data, searching, but not so good on calculations. Excel is pretty good on calculations, and can be used as a database, though not as well. My main function in Access is simply 'do I have this one?'

Depending on how complicated you want to get, Excel would probably work all right as a database. I don't get much past making menus in Access with buttons to do simple searches and sorts, and enter new data, but that's as far as I've gone in years. All the high-falutin' visual basic coding is beyond me...

Access can convert to Excel, and I think vice versa (never really tried, since I have both). I can convert Word documents to excel (actually Word can convert directly to PDF, at least the last few versions can).

The trick is to figure out what you want to do with it. I had to make a few judgement calls (got halfway through the database with 2 authors as searchable, then realized a few of these had way more than two...

I still think I have a few entries I haven't done. It's only one table (which is bad coding as far as databases are concerned, it should be a host of relational databases, but yada, yada, etc..

I can export to Excel and send you the goods. I'll have to get to that soon.

GCCC · October 06, 2015, 05:13:08 PM

PM me and I'll send you the current Word .docs that house the lists. You can even be the first to see the non-fiction list...

DUN DUN DUUUUN!!! (Dramatic Sound Effect)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cphNpqKpKc4

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A (Relatively Comprehensive) List of Modern Steampunk Novels; help requested