If you're not feeling the usual Steampunk genre, there's several other options that are similar but each has their own twist. Lesser known genres are harder to research, so exploring the novels that are described as such is key.

A recent genre called Silkpunk has emerged, thanks to Ken Liu, author of The Grace of Kings. Silkpunk blends fantasy and science fiction, while being set in East Asia. Silkpunk doesn't focus on the power aspect, instead it treats technology as its own language. The technology featured in Liu's novel is based in real-life technology and features a variety of innovations, including battle kites and transportation vehicles with the ability to move on their own.

Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction, focusing on virtual realities, androids, and other high tech advancements. The protagonists of cyberpunk stories tend to be outside of general society, often being hackers, or some other form of rebels, most likely wanting to overthrow the way things are done. They're often cynical with a darker perspective on the world. Cyberpunk often has a film noir style, which comes from the hard-boiled detectives of the 1940s and '50s. The government isn't generally important; instead there's an organization or corporation that runs everything. Usually this group is what controls the resources, most often is very corrupt, and will be either the primary antagonist or a large obstacle for the protagonist to overcome. Books to start with: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, The Ghost in the Shell by Masamune Shirow.

Biopunk comes from Cyberpunk, but with a focus on biotechnology. Biotechnology is defined as being the manipulation of living organisms or their components in order produce commercial products. Where in Cyberpunk, hackers tend to take center stage,while in Biopunk DNA is what gets hacked and manipulated. A couple of Biopunk novels to look to are The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells and Ribofunk by Paul Di Filippo.

Dieselpunk is fairly more established than other punk genres. This genre has a wider span for setting, ranging from the 1920s to the 1950s. Similar to Cyberpunk, it often has a noir tone, while being edgier and dirtier than Steampunk. Dieselpunk puts more of a focus on weaponry.

Not much is known about the Bugpunk genre, except that it is created by Kameron Hurley. The author explores the idea of what if insects were the technology used. The technology powering the Bugpunk world is primarily insect-based.

Transistorpunk is set during the 1960s and the Cold War, Nanopunk which has to do with nanotechnology, Decopunk which is set in the 1920s and similar to Dieselpunk, and Atompunk which is in the post war 1950s.

Basically any decade can be manipulated into a punk genre as long as you tweak the technology and historical events. If you want to be original, pick one of these lesser known genres to explore, though this will require more heavy reading to understand the genre.

With any punk genre it's good to remember certain factors. What is your world like? While they may be similar, there will be vast key differences. Dieselpunk plays with past eras and technology from the '20s to the '50s, while Cyberpunk has a dystopian society that's dark and edgy with a large crime wave ruling the society.

Most often these societies aren't exactly the place you want to visit. Steampunk usually has a gritty adventure, while other genres will focus more on technology. If you're dealing with Bugpunk, you'll need to understand how insects work and how to manipulate those into technology.

Research the science behind your advancements. Are there androids? If so, then where do they originate and what is their purpose? Most of all, how will your protagonist use this technology to do something for the better? Be sure to understand the clothing style, the jargon, and how society would view your protagonist.