The American Frontier
by Philip Smith and Joseph A. McCullough
Illustrated by: Mark Stacey
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Just released: May 24, 2016
Publisher: Osprey Publishing
Genre: Art, Reference, Steampunk
Hardback: 96 pages
Rating: 4
Steampunk Soldiers series:
Uniforms & Weapons from the Age of Steam
The American Frontier
Even as the discovery and exploitation of hephaestium helped bring the Civil War to its close in 1869, the arms race it engendered resulted in a cold war just as bitter and violent as the open hostilities had been. With neither side willing to rely solely upon the talents of their scientific establishments, saboteurs, double-agents, and assassins found ample employment. Against this backdrop of suspicion and fear, thousands of Americans - Northerners and Southerners alike - headed west. Some to escape the legacies of the war, some to find their own land, some for the lure of that great undiscovered strike of hephaestium that would make them rich, and some simply to escape the law. Ahead of these pioneers stood the native tribes, behind them followed the forces of two governments, while to the north and south, foreign powers watched closely for their own opportunities.
This newly unearthed collection of the works of Miles Vandercroft fills a considerable gap in our knowledge of the travels of that remarkable individual, and also provides a fascinating guide to the costume and equipment of the forces active in the great drive westwards.
My two-bits:
This is a good companion to Steampunk Soldiers: Uniforms & Weapons from the Age of Steam. The format is the same with brief descriptions of mostly guns and garb along with color illustrations.
The focus is on "the look" in the United States of America which did not have too much of the steampunk metal look I am accustomed to seeing (in general). The various makes and models of the guns were emphasized.
* review copy courtesy of publisher
