Ah..I'm going to have to throw in my 2 cents, so I can keep a link to this thread and look these books up later.

"The Difference Engine" sounds a lot "The Man in the High Castle" Philip K. Dick's novel about a USA after the Nazis won WWII.



>>Man, we *were* seperated at birth <s> I was actually going to suggest that particular book.
>>
>>Two others that I think would appeal to a lot of folks here are "The Diamond Age" (also Stephenson) and "The Difference Engine" ( Gibson )
>>
>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Difference_Engine
>
>The Difference Engine is one of the best pieces of SF I ever read. The only one comparable in this particular subgenre is Pratchett's "Going postal".
>
>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Diamond_Age
>
>Good... next on my list. As soon as I find the time to read what I already bought ;).