The Difference Engine - Information Technology in Victorian England..

THE DIFFERENCE ENGINE

 

Authors: Bruce Sterling and William Gibson

Publisher: Victor Gollancz Ltd; London

Date: 1990

The novel that popularised the Steampunk genre, The Difference Engine explores an alternate history where Charles Babbage creates the first mechanical computer powered by steam in 1855. This ‘Difference Engine’ changes the course of history, and marks the point at which the novel’s events deviate from our own history. Computing becomes a part of all aspects of life in Victorian England, allowing the British Empire to grow even larger than it already had in the 19^th century. The difference engine also allows for the authorities to keep a close eye on ordinary citizens, leading to the creation of a police state. The book is told from the third-person perspectives of Sybil Gerard, the daughter of a murdered Luddite; Edward Mallory, an explorer; and Lauren Oliphant an undercover spy.