I stumbled onto this anthology by happy accident. The four adventures in this tome cover what is a Dantesque reading of the genre of Dieselpunk. Each story will get its own section here. I also know that The Divine Comedy only has three parts, but let me explain this as I go.

1) That Sort of World -- A good solid introduction to the world of dieselpunk fiction. It all begins and ends with a hat or lack of one. A story builds up around this premise that embodies the essence of what the future holds. This would be the outside of the world, before moving into the Inferno, a land of guns and philosophy.

2) Pandora Driver -- The momentum continues as Pandora Driver motors into a city run by crime lords that is attacking the average Joe. It weaves between the past and present, revealing the noises and sparks of the super heroine and the Fate of the ones she conquers. There is even a reference to the Inferno at the end of this one, keep your eyes peeled! This one is all action, action, action, kids!

3) The Troubleshooter -- The Purgatory of the Showcase, The Troubleshooter, storms about town with a mix of cleverness and noir. This is where my favorite line, "Serious as a sin sandwich" is from, but there are many other lines I enjoy. It features Elvira, as a non-typical moll, which I liked, and it seamlessly brings in a dollop of sci-fi to the party.

4) The World of Mañana -- At last, we get to Paradise, or so we think. Even I, at the mere mention of the word "parrotpunk" wanted to sigh. This is no Cheeseburger in Paradise, my friends. No hearty Casablanca. This is a world of spirits and eating of the God's Eye. I valued this one as taking Dieselpunk into a native spiritual realm.

Overall, these stories blended well. A few had old-timey type adverts that appealed to my serial side. Two of them had logos as well, making me want to seek out the origin books. It is a great place to start if you are curious about Dieselpunk fiction.

The Diesel Punk e-Book showcase is a fantastical collection of four stories rooted in the gritty reality of the pulp tradition. Drawing inspiration from the hard-boiled suspense tales of that era, these sagas mix a retro flavor with depictions of dystopian societies mirroring our own turbulent present. As art imitates life, and as history repeats itself, so does pulp rise again to titillate our darker natures with graphic depictions of vice and graft, not from the dime novels of yesteryear, but from the depths of the internet.

In the first offering in the showcase, "Tales of the Aether Age", the USA has disintegrated into rival factions, the Union is broken, Prohibition is fueling gangsterism, and wise guys everywhere are looking to score. Jaded and world-weary, but looking to make a name for themselves, two crooks take on a big job. They are guarded street toughs, and constantly challenged to think three steps ahead of the game to sift through the layered hierarchies of allegiances and machinations of power.

"Pandora Driver" harkens back to a pre-WW2 America populated by colorful immigrants chasing the American dream. One unlucky shopkeep draws the attention of a ruthless gangster looking to muscle his way into some prime real-estate, only to draw the ire of a idealistic vigilante bent on protecting the powerless from exploitation. With her strange car, stunning physical prowess and commitment to dispensing street justice as she sees fit, Pandora Driver is a pulp heroine with a dark side of her own.

The waters of justice are further muddied in the third offering, "The Troubleshooter". Neo-feudalism produces a brand of slippery characters known as "Troubleshooters" after the disintegration of society in a great Cataclysm. Operating outside the law, the torch from one to the next is about to be passed, but not without some twists and ambiguity. Gritty noir and futuristic technology drive the tale of Mick Trubble through this tale of shaky allegiances and pliable morality.

In the "World of Manana" stark power play and spiritual psychedelics are just part of the amalgam of swirling archetypes and juxtaposed cultural constructs. Part Aurthurian grandeur, part Castenadian psycho-spiritual intrigue, this genre bending tale pans the landscape of human experience. Yearning for a purpose higher than himself, a young man searches for his place in dystopia. From the subjectivity of family to the intertwined yin-yang of good and evil, "Manana" has something to scratch every pulp itch.

A grand collection of dieselpunk inspired stories that really encapsulate the era and ideals of dieslpunk. If you like early to mid 20th century history but spun off in a slightly differnt direction, then this is for you. Neatly and compellingly written, the tales are well researched, cleverly put together and intriguingly different.

Each of the authors who has added a story to the collection brings a different style, all of them wonderful. A grand melange of history, pulp, alt. history, thriller, science fiction, gritty action and humour, the authors have produced a dieselpunkfest guaranteed to delight fans of the genre.

Four grand stories pit the age of jazz, the private dick, Sam Spade, and the tommy gun toting mean streets of America's tough cities against alternative history and the authors varied and wonderful imaginations. Nanobots and fedoras, androids and jewish bakeries, bullet-proof women and hired muscle, Model T Fords and dystopian alternative futures, it's a veritable festival of dieselpunk.

Great characters, great scenarios, great dialogue and great writing, all punked. What more could you ask for?