I love history and I love learning this title called to me purely on the steampunk description. Not that I am fond of it or into it, but it was a departure from my normal reading and it provided a lot of great new perspective. What a fun and interesting read!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I have doubts about the intended audience for this book. The back cover blurb suggests it's a guide to Victorian magic, meant to help readers create an authentic "Steamsona" - a character to roleplay or LARP in a steampunk setting. However, I found the information provided to be quite superficial. As an experienced occultist with extensive knowledge of topics like Hermeticism, Futhark Runes, and Spiritualism, I didn't find enough depth here to build a solid foundation in any branch of the occult.

Similarly, if you're looking to this book for guidance on how to write a compelling steampunk character, you'd be better off consulting creative writing resources or roleplaying sourcebooks. The academic, dry tone makes it unsuitable for readers seeking inspiration.

Ultimately, this book fails to serve either aspiring occultists or writers looking to develop an authentic steampunk persona. It tries to cover too much ground without providing sufficient detail in any one area. For more focused and useful information, I'd recommend seeking out resources more directly relevant to your specific interests.

This book doesn't fit neatly into any particular category, but it does make a space for itself in several. As an introductory text to Victorian spiritualism and philosophical practice it is highly readable, entertaining, and informed. The mix of information and humor would endear this book to a college class or reader's group. Outside of the philosophy or history department, costuming and theater arts classes would benefit from the book's guidance in situating costumes and props in existing traditions as well as using those traditions to create something new. And away from academia entirely, cosplayers and steampunk aficionados who might find the detail of the historical sections surplus to requirement will still enjoy the humor, practical suggestions, and prompts provided by the appendices. A strong addition to a college library, thank you to NetGalley for access to this arc!

High Magic in the Age of Steam, by Jeffrey Kupperman is a treat for all students of magic. This book is chock full of information, and a must have for your magical life.