Book Review: Steampunk LEGO by Guy Himber

There is a new book coming out about the intersection of two of the most creative hobbies I know: LEGO and Steampunk. The book “Steampunk LEGO” by Guy Himber, a.k.a. V&A Steamworks covers a wide range of LEGO creations in the Steampunk genre.

Steampunk LEGO Cover
For those who aren’t familiar, Steampunk is “a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that typically features steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century.” (Wikipedia) Typical Steampunk scenarios involve airships, highly improbable steam-powered mechanisms, and lots and lots of brass gears and cogs. The LEGO creations in this theme tend to be made with brown (representing wood) and metallic (metallic gold representing brass) colors, and involve a lot of mechanisms and gears.

This book takes the form of a scrapbook of discoveries by one fictitious Sir Herbert Jobson, who explores the world and reports back to Queen Victoria about the creations he has encountered. The book contains a lot of over-the-top graphic design, with the text presented on scraps of faded and water-stained paper taped onto textured backgrounds of maps, wallpaper, and other designs of the Victorian age. The photos are largely black-and-white or sepia tinted, with some muted color. Overall the look and feel of the book is very old fashioned and in keeping with the steampunk style.

My only complaint about the book is that the models are represented a little too artistically. As a source of inspiration for builders, it comes up a little short. The building techniques are not revealed at all, and in most cases there is just one photo of each model, so if someone were to try to take inspiration from this to build their own versions of these creations they would find it frustrating.

However overall I find that the models chosen to highlight in the book are all quite excellent, and the overall style of the book is consistent, slightly amusing, and fun. It would be a great Christmas present for anyone interested in both LEGO and Steampunk, regardless of age. The book is not yet released but is available for pre-order from Amazon now.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book.