Is steampunk a passing fad, or is here to stay?

If you'll pardon the pun, steampunk seems to be gathering some steam.

Boneshaker, by Cherie Priest, is a Hugo-nominated novel which is one example of a growing number of books and other works in this interesting sub-genre of science fiction which fuses modern knowledge with Victorian technology.

It's been around for a while, but the internet seems to have helped incubate this movement to the point where it is almost mainstream. Mainstream for other science fiction fans, I should clarify. I don't think it's even close to being mainstream for the mainstream.

I mention the topic, because I was engrossed by this excellent overview of the elevated profile of steampunk these days.

I can say that I am somewhat partial to the genre, partially because I have always enjoyed the original Victorian fantastic fiction upon which steampunk is ultimately based. I am referring to authors like Jules Verne and H.G. Wells and their ilk. Modern steampunk feels like modernized versions of those old books which, in effect, they are.

Here is an interesting website that fully embodies the steampunk spirit. It is only one such site. I'm sure you can find a whole lot more using your trusty search engine. Heck, even the term search engine sounds Victorian.