GURPS Screampunk is a new experiment for Steve Jackson Games, starting a new format for GURPS books in page count (only 32 pages) and size (smaller than the usual industry's stuff) that has been already used, if I remember well, in the new GURPS Traveller mini-sourcebooks and will be for the future GURPS World War II (I am already waiting for the book about Italians and my review probably will be quite long!) 'minor' sourcebooks. The book has been conceived as a companion for the GURPS Steampunk and it aims to cover an 'horror' theme or steampunk campaigns. As usual, the material here, as almost all GURPS books, can be easily used for other RPGs.
The book has four chapters, plus an introduction, a bibliography and he index. Chapter 1 - Gothic Campaigns, is devoted to explaining the basic ideas of gothic/Victorian horror (themes, settings...) and it's the longest of the book: it can be easily used for traditional horror settings, especially Call of Cthulhu: in my opinion thi is he best oart of the book, putting together he ideas and motives f gothic horro and explaining them in a very concise and informative way; Chapter 2 - In Steam We Trust, covers the possible use of horror in steampunk campaigns and where, in a steampunk world, horror could lurk (a lot of places, believe me): this chapter is with much more specific usage than the former, but it makes an interesting reading nonetheless; Chapters 3 - Characters covers new character archetypes, some new usages of advantages and disadvantages listed in he GURPS Steampunk and GURPS Horror books, gives some plot hints and a little info about the epoch's mentality to correctly roleplaying these characters: albeit a little technical, it's good for other games too (especially the archetypes); Chapter 4 - Atmosphere and Plotting, is of course devoted to setting up and running a screampunk campaign but, being of small size (only six pages) suffers most from the book small size: the (valid) ideas given here are only in a seminal stage; introduction, bibliography (brief, of course, but well done) and index all explain themselves, so I'll not inquire into them.
The book has been well written, it's pleasant to read and (considering the small page count) quite complete. This shows that Steve Jackson Games doesn't regard these 'mini sourcebooks' as second rate products, and it has good graphics and artwork. The cover doesn't seem very horrorific, however, with a girl (cursed or blessed - choose what you prefer - with a big mechanical arm) laughing maniacally at a poor man chained in a way with striking resemblance with Jesus on a cross (the man is naked, too...) on the roof of a building that could be a Christian church. I found this art the only questionable part of he book, not for religious motives (being a Christian myself) but for lack of he 'right' feel seeing it (in my case, at least). But this is not, for me, a true problem of the book. I suggest picking up this book if you are interested in gothic horror as a GURPS Horror, GURPS Steampunk, Call of Cthulhu fan or to 'prepare' yourself for the upcoming Vampire by Gaslight sourcebook.
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