Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Japanese Devil Fish Girland Other Unnatural Attractions | 2010 | Robert Rankin | Buy |
| 2 | The Mechanical Messiah and Other Marvels of the Modern Age | 2011 | Robert Rankin | Buy |
| 3 | The Educated Ape and Other Wonders of the World | 2012 | Robert Rankin | Buy |
| 4 | The Chickens of Atlantis and Other Foul and Filthy Fiends | 2013 | Robert Rankin | Buy |
The Japanese Devil Fish Girl series represents Robert Rankin’s take on steampunk, filtered through his inimitable comic sensibility. The four books — featuring titles that escalate from Japanese Devil Fish Girl through Mechanical Messiah and Educated Ape to Chickens of Atlantis — combine Victorian-era settings with the kind of cheerful nonsense that defines Rankin’s catalog.
Published annually from 2010 to 2013, the series maintains a consistent steampunk aesthetic while finding new opportunities for absurdity in each installment. The extended subtitles (“and Other Unnatural Attractions,” “and Other Marvels of the Modern Age”) add to the period-appropriate showmanship.