The Diriginaut is an Alternate History novel that sits just barely on the Gaslamp Fantasy side of Steampunk, and which as of now only exists in the mind of its author.
When the Western American Empire discovers a chemical ore that will allow them to monopolize the flight industry, a Confederate scientist and cryptographer named Edward Montgomery is sent to steal and decode the plans for the biggest airship ever built. Meanwhile, Captain Valentine, Lovable Traitor and inveterate scoundrel, arrives in San Francisco on the run from the Confederate army. After accidentally rescuing the chancellor's daughter, Valentine is offered a job flying for Emperor Norton, and since he needs the cash, he accepts the task: ferrying a group of Determined Homesteaders to the same mining town that the Confederate agents have just been ordered to sabotage.
Everything just goes downhill from there.
The Diriginaut provides examples of:
- Alternate History: the Confederacy has completely taken over all land east of the Mississippi, as well as Kansas and the Oklahoma Territory; everything west of the Mississippi is a blossoming empire.
- There are airships and automaton armies used for trade, farming, and violent warfare.
- Berserk Button: do not insult Tammy's father. Or Tammy, in front of either her father or Dorian. Or lay a finger on the Sirocco.
- Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Emperor Norton for sure.
- Cool Airship: As per the Steampunk genre, this is pretty much a flat given; among them, the Sirocco, the Honesty, and the Johannesburg stand out in particular.
- Cunning Linguist: Dr. Edward Montgomery.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Valentine. Maybe. Your mileage may vary as to how much of it is troubling as opposed to troubled, however...
- Deadpan Snarker: It's up in the air whether Valentine or Tobin comes out on top. Tam Lin, Harley, Crowley, and Jessamine have their moments, though.
- The Dragon: Armistead and Dorian to The General's Big Bad.
- Evil Chancellor: Subverted with Harley, who's actually a decent guy behind his Massive Jerkass exterior.
- Fantastic Science: Etherine, the electrostatic conductor that jump-starts the Imperial aerial program.
- The Federation: The Empire, oddly enough.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Literally, in "In Which There is a Fire on the Chinatown Wharf".
- Notably averted with Tam Lin and Valentine, who, despite learning to work with and trust each other over the course of the story, thoroughly dislike each other and have no desire to be friends.
- Gadgeteer Genius: Tam Lin, Andrew Smith Hallidie, and Frederick Marriott of the Aerial Steam Navigation Company.
- Gaslamp Fantasy
- Gray-and-Grey Morality:
Valentine is a self-admitted and unrepentant murderer, who has been enjoying a life of piracy for several years without bothering to face the many consequences his actions have caused; still, he works tirelessly to defend San Sebastian and its people, and he's loyal to Norton by the end. Armistead, on the other hand, is a man of honor who only wants to do right by his country, but doing right by his country involves causing the deaths of dozens of civilians and enabling sabotage, arson, and severe property damage. This is what leads to his eventual Heel–Face Turn in the last third of the book. - Headbutting Heroes: Lin and Valentine. It makes sense, given that Tam Lin is a fundamentally decent person, whereas Valentine... isn't.
- Historical Domain Character: Plenty.
- His Imperial Majesty Joshua Norton I, By the Grace of God the Emperor of these United States and Protector of Mexico
.- Police Chief Patrick Crowley, who took it upon himself to have Norton released after he was temporarily institutionalized for his debatable mental health.
- Andrew Smith Hallidie, creator of the San Francisco cable car system, and his business partner, the aeronautical engineer Frederick Marriott.
- Mary Ellen ("Mammy") Pleasant, Norton's court soothsayer-slash-Imperial spymistress.
- Mentions also go out to R. Finley Hunt, John Stringfellow, and "that nice Mr. Twain".
- His Imperial Majesty Joshua Norton I, By the Grace of God the Emperor of these United States and Protector of Mexico
- Insistent Terminology: The Confederate Aircorps are not privateers.
- In Which a Trope Is Described
- Jerkass Has a Point: Chancellor Harley. Sometimes.
- Lemony Narrator
- Like an Old Married Couple: Jack and Valentine, constantly.
- Loveable Rogue: Most of the crew of the Sirocco, though Valentine steps firmly down into Lovable Traitor territory.
- MacGuffin Escort Mission: What starts Valentine's involvement in the plot in the first place.
- Noodle Incident: Valentine's activities prior to the beginning of the story consist entirely of a series of these.'"No, no, I like this story. What happened last time we went to Salt Lake? Do I need to remind you about all the money you still owe Brigham Young? And what about that incident with that young man's wives? How many were there? Seven?"
"Four," Valentine snapped, "and I said I don't want to talk about it."' - Reasonable Authority Figure: Emperor Norton. Major Armistead. Harley as well, despite Valentine's misgivings.
- Rule of Cool
- Sky Pirates
- Smug Snake: Dorian lives, sleeps, and breathes this. Armistead has his moments as well.
- Steampunk: Duh.
- Those Three Guys: Marriott, Hallidie, and Lin are scarcely seen outside the company of each other, and there's about a ninety-five percent chance they're taking something apart right now.
- Unobtanium: Etherite, the chemical ore that powers the automatons and the airships alike.
