Unveiling Gaslamp Horror: Exploring the Enigmatic Blend of Elegance and Darkness in Victorian Era Fiction
For my first article in Victorian Vignettes, I thought I’d define Gaslamp Horror and recommend some books & films from the genre to watch.
I saw a video where Daniel Greene mentioned gaslamp fantasy as a fantasy subgenre.
Until that point, I had never heard the name.
But when I heard it I knew that it described the subgenre that I love - the subgenre that I read and write in.
But what exactly is it?
Gaslamp horror is a subgenre that combines fantasy & horror elements with historical fiction.
The particular historical period is the Victorian era, the 1800s - the early 1900s (the Edwardian era) can also count.
It differs from pure fantasy like JRR Tolkien because of the historical period in which it is set, and from pure crime like Sherlock Holmes because of the supernatural elements and the gothic themes that it introduces.
These are things like:
Magic
Fantastical Creatures
Demons
Ghosts
Monsters
It also brings forward a lot of the themes of gothic literature to incite dread, suspense, tension and apprehension.
Where the Term ‘Gaspamp Horror’ Came From
The term ‘Gaslamp Fantasy’ was coined as recently as 2006 by Kaja Foglio.
Kaja & husband Phil are the creators of the graphic novel series, Girl Genius.
Kaja came up with the term to differentiate her work from the steampunk subgenre. She said:
I called it gaslamp fantasy because around the time we were bringing Girl Genius out, there was a comic called Streampuk on the shelves and I didn’t want any confusion.
Plus, I’ve never liked the term steampunk much for our work — it’s derrived from cyberpunk, a term which I think actually fits its genre well, but we have no punk and we have more than just steam and using a different name seemed appropriate.
I misremembered a term that I had come across in the foreword to an H Rider Hagard book where the author was talking about Jules Verne, HG Wells, Rider Hagard and that sort of pre-pulp adventure material and came up with gaslamp fantasy.
I felt a bit foolish when I discovered I had made up my own term, but it works and I like it.
I like it too, Kaja!
What Isn’t It?
Gaslamp horror is not steampunk, which focuses on the steam-powered technology of that era.
Gaslamp horror doesn’t necessarily focus on the machinery and technology of the era at all.
Just in case the steampunk police are on patrol, that doesn’t mean I have anything against the steampunk genre.
Gaslamp Horror Authors
Bram Stoker - Bram Stoker wrote Dracula, one of the most popular and iconic horror novels in history. But he also wrote short fiction. The Chain of Destiny and The Judges House spring to mind.
Laura Purcell - Laura Purcell is a contemporary author who has written several historical novels including Bone China and The Silent Companions. Here is my review.
Mary Shelley - Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, one of the other most popular and iconic horror/sci-fi novels in history. At over 200 years old, Frankenstein has stood the test of time! Here is my review.
Susan Hill - I have read several of her books, and have a few more on the shelf waiting for me. Her prose is excellent and I highly recommend The Woman in Black. Here is my review.
AB Frank (Yours Truly) - My work falls into this genre and you can find my stories here and in the horror anthologies ‘Served Cold’ & ‘Lurking in the Dark’.’
Watch Gaslamp Horror
Carnival Row - This Amazon Prime Original series is a cross between, crime, horror and fantasy. It is set in a really interesting fictional world and fans of HP Lovecraft will be happy with its dark nature. It features familiar faces like Orlando Bloom and season two has recently aired. Here is my review of season 1.
The Alienist - This is set in New York and season one follows a newspaper illustrator, an alienist and a policewoman. It shows the dark underworld of the city as the characters search for a murderer before they find another victim. There are two seasons available and I highly recommend it.
The Woman in Black - The 2012 adaptation of Susan Hill’s superb book didn’t sit well with me for a long time. I didn’t like that the end was changed. But I rewatched it recently and found the setting and the visual elements to be very satisfying. The performances are good and I’ll definitely rewatch it in the future.
Crimson Peak - This is a supernatural, gothic romance directed by Guillermo del Toro. It’s so popular, I’m sure everyone on earth has seen it. The performances are great and the setting is very atmospheric. This is a good starting point.
Here is a short video summary of this article.
I’ll be publishing articles here from Monday. I hope you’re ready to discuss ghosts and hauntings in Victorian Literature and how this reflected 19th-century society.