The novel by W. Gibson and B. Sterling “The Difference Machine” is a striking work of steampunk literature. The authors lead the reader into the world that would have arisen if the computer had been invented in the first half of the 19th century. The alternative history (“what would have happened if ...”) told in the novel is superimposed on the typical features of the traditional English novel: a detective plot, various social types, the fate of a young woman. Along with fictional characters, there are historical figures. The book, beautifully translated into Russian, will interest the reader with a poignant plot based on historical realities and futuristic elements. William Gibson/Bruce Sterling The Difference Engine Copyright © 1991 by W. Gibson, B. Sterling