The downtown Old Renton Book Exchange will host another evening of the “Sardonic Salon,” a tribute to over-the-top literature, Oct. 5.

Steampunk is the theme of the fifth installment of the Sardonic Salon.

The night kicks off at 7 p.m., at the book exchange located at 227 Wells Ave. South, Renton. The event is free and guests are asked to “bring something for the table,” something to eat or something for the bar.

Shop owner Dacia Hanson created the Sardonic Salon series after she was sitting around with her co-workers “shooting the proverbial breeze,” and one of them pulled a “men’s adventure” novel off the shelf.

“It sparked a conversation about things that are so bad, they’re kind of fascinating,” Hanson said.

Hanson’s co-worker Colin Davis describes them more dramatically.

“The literary equivalent of train wrecks or accidents – when you’re reading them, you’re like I can’t stop reading this atrocity, this crime against literature,” said Davis. “It’s so terrible, but I’m laughing all the way through it.”

They group started talking about how they should have a party and read from these interesting works aloud. They held their first Sardonic Salon a year ago and each time since, they get about 20 to 50 attendees. All of the salons take on a different theme. In July the shop hosted a Co-dependence Day and read bad cowboy fiction. For their St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, they read from bad romance novels.

“Everybody had a great time,” said Hanson. “Everybody seemed to really get the spirit of it, and it’s ultimately to get everybody together to read really bad books and make fun of them.”

The event is intended for those 21 and up.

For more information, visit the shop online at www.oldrentonbooks.com.