Science-fiction books, magazines, film, TV, gaming and fannish material

Science fiction (abbreviated SF or sci-fi with varying punctuation and capitalization) is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculations based on current or future science or technology. Fiction is the telling of stories which are not real More specifically fiction is an imaginative form of Narrative, one of the four basic Rhetorical modes. Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Technology is a broad concept that deals with a Species ' usage and knowledge of Tools and Crafts and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt Science fiction is found in books, art, television, films, games, theater, and other media.

In organizational or marketing contexts, science fiction can be synonymous with the broader definition of speculative fiction, encompassing creative works incorporating imaginative elements not found in contemporary reality; this includes fantasy, horror, and related genres. Speculative fiction is a term used as an inclusive descriptor covering a group of Fiction Genres that speculate about worlds that are unlike the real world in Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting Horror fiction is broadly Fiction in any medium intended to scare unsettle or horrify the audience ^[1]

Science fiction differs from fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically established or scientifically postulated laws of nature (though some elements in a story might still be pure imaginative speculation).

Science fiction is largely based on writing entertainingly and rationally about alternate possibilities^[2] in settings that are contrary to known reality. These include:

• A setting in the future, in alternative time lines, or in a historical past that contradicts known facts of history or the archeological record
• A setting in outer space, on other worlds, or involving aliens^[3]
• Stories that involve technology or scientific principles that contradict known laws of nature^[4]
• Stories that involve discovery or application of new scientific principles, such as time travel or psionics, or new technology, such as nanotechnology, faster-than-light travel or robots, or of new and different political or social systems^[5]

Exploring the consequences of such differences is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas". Outer space, often simply called space, comprises the relatively empty regions of the Universe outside the escape velocities of Celestial bodies. Extraterrestrial life is Life originating outside of the Earth. This article details time travel itself For other uses see Time Traveler. Psionics is the study and/or practice of using the mind to induce paranormal phenomena Nanotechnology, sometimes shortened to nanotech, refers to a field of Applied science whose theme is the control of matter on an Atomic and Molecular A robot is a mechanical or Virtual Artificial agent In practice it is usually an electro-mechanical system which by its appearance or movements ^[6]

Definitions

For more details on this topic, see Definitions of science fiction. See also Science fiction Science fiction includes such a wide range of themes and subgenres that it is notoriously difficult to define

Science fiction is difficult to define, as it includes a wide range of subgenres and themes. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set Author and editor Damon Knight summed up the difficulty by stating that "science fiction is what we point to when we say it". Damon Francis Knight ( September 19, 1922 &ndash April 15, 2002) was an American Science fiction Author, ^[7] Vladimir Nabokov argued that were we rigorous with our definitions, Shakespeare's play The Tempest would have to be termed science fiction. This page is about the novelist For his father the politician see Vladimir Dmitrievich Nabokov. William Shakespeare ( baptised The Tempest is a comedy written by William Shakespeare. It is generally dated to 1610-11 and accepted as the last play written solely by him although ^[8]

According to science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein, "a handy short definition of almost all science fiction might read: realistic speculation about possible future events, based solidly on adequate knowledge of the real world, past and present, and on a thorough understanding of the nature and significance of the scientific method. Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. Scientific method refers to bodies of Techniques for investigating phenomena "^[9] Rod Serling's stated definition is "fantasy is the impossible made probable. Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling ( December 25, 1924 &ndash June 28, 1975) was an American Screenwriter, best known Science Fiction is the improbable made possible. "^[10]

Lester Del Rey wrote, "Even the devoted aficionado– or fan- has a hard time trying to explain what science fiction is," and that the reason for there not being a "full satisfactory definition" is that "there are no easily delineated limits to science fiction. Lester del Rey ( June 2 1915 &ndash May 10 1993) was an American Science fiction author and editor. "^[11]

Author Mark C. Glassy stated that the definition of science fiction was very much like the definition of porn; you don't know what it is, but you know it when you see it. Pornography or porn is the explicit depiction of Sexual subject matter with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer ^[12]

Forrest J. Ackerman publicly used the term "sci-fi" at UCLA in 1954,^[13] though Robert A. Heinlein had used it in private correspondence six years earlier. Forrest J Ackerman (born November 24, 1916) is an American collector of Science fiction books and movie memorabilia and a science fiction Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. ^[14] As science fiction entered popular culture, writers and fans active in the field came to associate the term with low-budget, low-tech "B-movies" and with low-quality pulp science fiction. Popular culture (or pop culture) is the Culture — patterns of human activity and the symbolic structures that give such activities significance and importance — A B movie is a motion picture made on a low or modest budget Originally the term was used for films intended for distribution as the less-publicized second half of a Double Pulp magazines (or pulp fiction; often referred to as "the pulps" were inexpensive Fiction magazines ^[15][16][17] By the 1970s, critics within the field such as Terry Carr and Damon Knight were using "sci-fi" to distinguish hack-work from serious science fiction,^[18] and around 1978, Susan Wood and others introduced the pronunciation "skiffy. Terry Gene Carr ( February 19, 1937 – April 7, 1987) was a U Damon Francis Knight ( September 19, 1922 &ndash April 15, 2002) was an American Science fiction Author, Susan Joan Wood ( August 22, 1948 - November 12, 1980 was a Canadian Author, critic, and Science fiction Skiffy is a deliberate humorous misspelling or mispronunciation of the controversial term "sci-fi" a neologism referring to Science fiction. " Peter Nicholls writes that "SF" (or "sf") is "the preferred abbreviation within the community of sf writers and readers. "^[19] David Langford's monthly fanzine Ansible includes a regular section "As Others See Us" which offers numerous examples of "sci-fi" being used in a pejorative sense by people outside the genre. David Rowland Langford (born 10 April 1953 is a British author editor and Critic, largely active within the Science fiction field An ansible is a hypothetical machine capable of Superluminal communication and used as a Plot device in Science fiction literature ^[20]

History

For more details on this topic, see History of science fiction. The Literary genre of Science fiction is diverse and since there is little consensus of definition among scholars or devotees its origin is an open question

Isaac Asimov

As a means of understanding the world through speculation and storytelling, science fiction has antecedents back to mythology, though precursors to science fiction as literature began to emerge from the 13th century (Ibn al-Nafis, Theologus Autodidactus)^[21] to the 17th century (the real Cyrano de Bergerac with "Voyage de la Terre à la Lune" and "Des états de la Lune et du Soleil") and the Age of Reason with the development of science itself, Voltaire's "Micromégas" was one of the first, together with Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels. Isaac Asimov (c January 2 1920 &ndash April 6 1992 ˈaɪzək ˈæzɪmʌv originally Исаак Озимов but now transcribed into Russian as, was a Russian TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Ala al-Din Abu al-Hassan Ali ibn Abi-Hazm al-Qarshi al-Dimashqi ( Hector Savinien de Cyrano de Bergerac (6 March 1619 &ndash 28 July 1655 was a French Dramatist and Duelist who is now best remembered for the many works 17th century philosophy in the Western world is generally regarded as being the start of Modern philosophy, and a departure from the medieval approach Science (from the Latin scientia, meaning " Knowledge " or "knowing" is the effort to discover, and increase human understanding Micromégas (1752 is a Short story written in the 18th century by the French Philosopher and Satirist Voltaire. Gulliver's Travels (1726 amended 1735 officially Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World in Four Parts ^[22] Following the 18th century development of the novel as a literary form, in the early 19th century, Mary Shelley's books Frankenstein and The Last Man helped define the form of the science fiction novel;^[23] later Edgar Allan Poe wrote a story about a flight to the moon. Mary Shelley ( Née Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin; 30 August Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, generally known as Frankenstein, is a Novel written by the British author Mary Shelley The Last Man is an apocalyptic Science fiction novel by Mary Shelley, which was first published in 1826 Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic, ^[24] More examples appeared throughout the 19th century. Then with the dawn of new technologies such as electricity, the telegraph, and new forms of powered transportation, writers like Jules Verne and H. G. Wells created a body of work that became popular across broad cross-sections of society. Jules Gabriel Verne ( February 8 1828 &ndash March 24 1905) was a French Author who pioneered the science-fiction Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 &ndash 13 August 1946 He was an outspoken socialist and a pacifist, his later works becoming increasingly political ^[25] In the late 19th century the term "scientific romance" was used in Britain to describe much of this fiction. See also History of science fiction Scientific romance is a bygone name for what is now commonly known as Science fiction. This produced additional offshoots, such as the 1884 novella Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott Abbott. For other uses see Flatland (disambiguation Flatland A Romance of Many Dimensions is an 1884 Science fiction Edwin Abbott Abbott ( December 20, 1838 &ndash October 12, 1926) English Schoolmaster and theologian, The term would continue to be used into the early 20th century for writers such as Olaf Stapledon. William Olaf Stapledon ( May 10, 1886 &ndash September 6, 1950) was a British philosopher and author of several influential works

In the early 20th century, pulp magazines helped develop a new generation of mainly American SF writers, influenced by Hugo Gernsback, the founder of Amazing Stories magazine. Pulp magazines (or pulp fiction; often referred to as "the pulps" were inexpensive Fiction magazines Hugo Gernsback ( August 16 1884 – August 19 1967) born Hugo Gernsbacher, was a Luxembourg American Inventor Amazing Stories was an American Science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback 's Experimenter Publishing. ^[26] In the late 1930s, John W. Campbell became editor of Astounding Science Fiction, and a critical mass of new writers emerged in New York City in a group called the Futurians, including Isaac Asimov, Damon Knight, Donald A. Wollheim, Frederik Pohl, James Blish, Judith Merril, and others. John Wood Campbell Jr (June 8 1910 – July 11 1971 was an important Science fiction editor and writer Analog Science Fiction and Fact is an American Science fiction Magazine. The City of New York The Futurians were an influential group of Science fiction fans, many of whom became editors and writers as well Isaac Asimov (c January 2 1920 &ndash April 6 1992 ˈaɪzək ˈæzɪmʌv originally Исаак Озимов but now transcribed into Russian as, was a Russian Damon Francis Knight ( September 19, 1922 &ndash April 15, 2002) was an American Science fiction Author, Donald Allen Wollheim (October 1 1914 &ndash November 2, 1990) was a Science fiction writer, editor, publisher and Frederik George Pohl Jr (born November 26, 1919) is a American Science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career James Benjamin Blish ( East Orange, New Jersey, May 23, 1921 – Henley-on-Thames, July 30, 1975) was an Judith Josephine Grossman ( January 21, 1923 - September 12, 1997) who took the pen-name Judith Merril about 1945 was an ^[27] Other important writers during this period included Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, and A. E. Van Vogt. Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE (16 December 1917–19 March 2008 was a British Science fiction Author, Inventor, and Alfred Elton van Vogt (April 26 1912 – January 26 2000 was a Canadian -born Science fiction author who was one of the most prolific Campbell's tenure at Astounding is considered to be the beginning of the Golden Age of science fiction, characterized by hard SF stories celebrating scientific achievement and progress. The first Golden Age of Science Fiction, often recognized as a period from the late 1930s or early 1940s through to the 1950s was an era during which the science fiction genre gained wide ^[26] This lasted until postwar technological advances, new magazines like Galaxy under Pohl as editor, and a new generation of writers began writing stories outside the Campbell mode. Galaxy Science Fiction was a digest-size Science fiction magazine, the creation of noted editor H

In the 1950s, the Beat generation included speculative writers like William S. Burroughs. William Seward Burroughs II ( – ˈbʌroʊz was an American Novelist, Essayist, Social critic, painter and Spoken word In the 1960s and early 1970s, writers like Frank Herbert, Samuel R. Delany, Roger Zelazny, and Harlan Ellison explored new trends, ideas, and writing styles, while a group of writers, mainly in Britain, became known as the New Wave. Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr ( October 8 1920 &ndash February 11 1986) was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American Samuel Ray Delany Jr (born April 1, 1942, New York City) is an award-winning American Science fiction Roger Joseph Zelazny ( May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995) was an American writer of Fantasy and Science fiction Harlan Jay Ellison (born May 27, 1934) is a prolific American Writer of Short stories, Novellas, Teleplays The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located New Wave is a term applied to Science fiction writing characterized by a high degree of experimentation both in form and in content and a Highbrow and self-consciously ^[22] In the 1970s, writers like Larry Niven and Poul Anderson began to redefine hard SF. Laurence van Cott Niven (born April 30, 1938 Los Angeles California) is a US Science fiction author. Poul William Anderson ( November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American Science fiction author who wrote during a Golden ^[28] Ursula K. Le Guin and others pioneered soft science fiction. Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (ˈɝsələ ˈkroʊbɚ ləˈgwɪn (born October 21, 1929) is an American author ^[29]

In the 1980s, cyberpunk authors like William Gibson turned away from the traditional optimism and support for progress of traditional science fiction. Cyberpunk is a Science fiction genre noted for its focus on " High tech and low life. William Ford Gibson (born March 17 1948 is an American - Canadian writer who has been called the "noir prophet" of the Cyberpunk subgenre ^[30] Star Wars helped spark a new interest in space opera,^[31] focusing more on story and character than on scientific accuracy. Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope (originally released as Star Wars) is a 1977 Space opera Space opera is a subgenre of Speculative fiction or Science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often Melodramatic adventure set mainly or entirely C. J. Cherryh's detailed explorations of alien life and complex scientific challenges influenced a generation of writers. Carolyn Janice Cherry (born September 1, 1942) better known by the Pseudonym C Extraterrestrial life is Life originating outside of the Earth. ^[32]

Emerging themes in the 1990s included environmental issues, the implications of the global Internet and the expanding information universe, questions about biotechnology and nanotechnology, as well as a post-Cold War interest in post-scarcity societies; Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age comprehensively explores these themes. This is a list of environmental issues that are due to human activity Biotechnology is Technology based on Biology, especially when used in Agriculture, Food science, and Medicine. Nanotechnology, sometimes shortened to nanotech, refers to a field of Applied science whose theme is the control of matter on an Atomic and Molecular Cold War is the state of conflict tension and competition that existed between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR and their respective allies from the Post scarcity or post-scarcity describes a hypothetical form of Economy or Society, often explored in Science fiction, in which things such as Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer known primarily for his Science fiction works in the Postcyberpunk genre The Diamond Age or A Young Lady's Illustrated Primer is a Postcyberpunk Novel by Neal Stephenson. Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan novels brought the character-driven story back into prominence. Lois McMaster Bujold (born November 2, 1949, Columbus, Ohio) is an American author of Science fiction and Fantasy The Vorkosigan Saga is a series of Science fiction novels and short stories by Lois McMaster Bujold, most of which concern Miles Vorkosigan, a physically ^[33] The television series Star Trek: The Next Generation began a torrent of new SF shows,^[34] of which Babylon 5 was among the most highly acclaimed in the decade. Star Trek The Next Generation ( STTNG or TNG) is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning science fiction television program created by Gene Roddenberry Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created produced and largely written by J ^[35][36] A general concern about the rapid pace of technological change crystallized around the concept of the technological singularity, popularized by Vernor Vinge's novel Marooned in Realtime and then taken up by other authors. The technological singularity is a theoretical future point of unprecedented technological progress caused in part by the ability of machines to improve themselves using Artificial Vernor Steffen Vinge (ˈvɪndʒi (born October 2, 1944 in Waukesha Wisconsin, U Marooned in Realtime is a 1986 murder mystery and Time-travel Science fiction novel by Vernor Vinge, about a small time-displaced Television shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and films like The Lord of the Rings created new interest in all the speculative genres in films, television, computer games, and books. Fictional narratives (and works of art exist beyond their completion e The Lord of the Rings film trilogy consists of three Live action Fantasy Epic films The Fellowship of the Ring ( 2001

Innovation

For more details on this topic, see innovation. The term innovation means a new way of doing something It may refer to incremental radical and revolutionary changes in thinking products processes or organisations

While SF has provided criticism of developing and future technologies, it also produces innovation and new technology. The discussion of this topic has occurred more in literary and sociological than in scientific forums.

Cinema and media theorist Vivian Sobchack examines the dialogue between science fiction film and the technological imagination. Vivian Sobchack is an American cinema and media theorist and cultural critic Technology does impact how artists portray their fictionalized subjects, but the fictional world gives back to science by broadening imagination. While more prevalent in the beginning years of science fiction with writers like Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Frank Walker and Arthur C. Clarke, new authors like Michael Crichton still find ways to make the currently impossible technologies seem so close to being realized. Isaac Asimov (c January 2 1920 &ndash April 6 1992 ˈaɪzək ˈæzɪmʌv originally Исаак Озимов but now transcribed into Russian as, was a Russian Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. Frank Walker may refer to Frank Comerford Walker, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee Frank Ray Walker architect partner in Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE (16 December 1917–19 March 2008 was a British Science fiction Author, Inventor, and John Michael Crichton, ˈkraɪtən, (born October 23 1942 is an American author Film producer, Film director, Medical doctor, and Television producer ^[37]

This has also been notably documented in the field of nanotechnology with University of Ottawa Professor José Lopez's article "Bridging the Gaps: Science Fiction in Nanotechnology. Nanotechnology, sometimes shortened to nanotech, refers to a field of Applied science whose theme is the control of matter on an Atomic and Molecular For the university in Ottawa Kansas see Ottawa University. The University of Ottawa or Université d'Ottawa in French " Lopez links both theoretical premises of science fiction worlds and the operation of nanotechnologies. ^[38]

Subgenres

For more details on this topic, see Science fiction genre. A science fiction genre is a sub-category within the broader context of the Science fiction Genre as a whole

Authors and filmmakers draw on a wide spectrum of ideas, but marketing departments and literary critics tend to separate such literary and cinematic works into different categories, or "genres", and subgenres. Literary criticism is the study discussion evaluation and interpretation of Literature. A genre (ˈʒɑːnrə also /ˈdʒɑːnrə/ from French "kind" or "sort" from Latin: genus (stem gener-) is a loose set ^[39] These are not simple pigeonholes; works can be overlapped into two or more commonly-defined genres, while others are beyond the generic boundaries, either outside or between categories, and the categories and genres used by mass markets and literary criticism differ considerably.

Hard SF

Main article: Hard science fiction

Hard science fiction, or "hard SF", is characterized by rigorous attention to accurate detail in quantitative sciences, especially physics, astrophysics, and chemistry, or on accurately depicting worlds that more advanced technology may make possible. Hard science fiction is a category of Science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail or on scientific accuracy or on both Physics (Greek Physis - φύσις in everyday terms is the Science of Matter and its motion. Astrophysics is the branch of Astronomy that deals with the Physics of the Universe, including the physical properties ( Luminosity, Chemistry (from Egyptian kēme (chem meaning "earth") is the Science concerned with the composition structure and properties Many accurate predictions of the future come from the hard science fiction subgenre, but numerous inaccurate predictions have emerged as well. Hard science fiction is a category of Science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific or technical detail or on scientific accuracy or on both For example, Arthur C. Clarke accurately predicted (and invented the concept of) geostationary communications satellites,^[40] but erred in his prediction of deep layers of moondust in lunar craters. Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE (16 December 1917–19 March 2008 was a British Science fiction Author, Inventor, and A geostationary orbit (GEO is a Geosynchronous orbit directly above the Earth 's Equator (0° Latitude) with a period equal to the Earth's ^[41] Some hard SF authors have distinguished themselves as working scientists, including Robert Forward, Gregory Benford, Charles Sheffield, and Geoffrey A. Landis,^[42] while mathematician authors include Rudy Rucker and Vernor Vinge. This is about the physicist and science fiction writer You may be looking for his son Robert D Gregory Benford (born January 30, 1941 in Mobile Alabama) is an American science fiction author and Astrophysicist who is on the Charles Sheffield ( June 25, 1935 &ndash November 2, 2002) was an English -born mathematician physicist and Science fiction Geoffrey A Landis works as a scientist and writer of Science fiction. Rudolf von Bitter Rucker (born March 22, 1946 in Louisville Kentucky) is an American Computer scientist and Science fiction Vernor Steffen Vinge (ˈvɪndʒi (born October 2, 1944 in Waukesha Wisconsin, U Other noteworthy hard SF authors include Hal Clement, Joe Haldeman, Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Kim Stanley Robinson, Robert J. Sawyer, and Stephen Baxter. Harry Clement Stubbs ( May 30, 1922 in Somerville Massachusetts – October 29, 2003 in Milton Massachusetts) better Joe William Haldeman is an American Science fiction author. Life and work Haldeman was born in 1943 in Oklahoma City Oklahoma Laurence van Cott Niven (born April 30, 1938 Los Angeles California) is a US Science fiction author. Jerry Eugene Pournelle (born August 7, 1933) is an American Science fiction Writer, Essayist and Journalist Kim Stanley Robinson (born March 23 1952) is an American Science fiction Writer, probably best known for his award-winning Robert J Sawyer is a Canadian Science fiction writer born in Ottawa in 1960 and now resident in Mississauga. Stephen Baxter (born 13 November 1957 is a British Hard science fiction Author.

The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K. Le Guin

Soft and Social SF

See also: Soft science fiction and Social science fiction

The description "soft" science fiction may describe works based on social sciences such as psychology, economics, political science, sociology, and anthropology. The Left Hand of Darkness is a Science fiction Novel by Ursula K Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (ˈɝsələ ˈkroʊbɚ ləˈgwɪn (born October 21, 1929) is an American author Soft science fiction, or soft SF, like its complementary opposite Hard science fiction, is a descriptive term that points to the role and nature of the Social science fiction is a term used to describe a subgenre of Science fiction concerned less with technology and Space opera and more with Sociological The social sciences comprise academic disciplines concerned with the study of the social life of human groups and individuals including Anthropology, Communication studies Psychology (from Greek grc ψῡχή psȳkhē, "breath life soul" and grc -λογία -logia) is an Academic and Economics is the social science that studies the production distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Political science is a branch of Social sciences that deals with the theory and practice of Politics and the description and analysis of Political systems Sociology (from Latin: socius "companion" and the suffix -ology "the study of" from Greek λόγος lógos "knowledge" Anthropology (/ˌænθɹəˈpɒlədʒi/ from Greek grc ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos, "human" -λογία -logia) is the study of Noteworthy writers in this category include Ursula K. Le Guin and Philip K. Dick. Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (ˈɝsələ ˈkroʊbɚ ləˈgwɪn (born October 21, 1929) is an American author Philip Kindred Dick (December 16 – March 2) was an American Science fiction Novelist and Short story Writer. ^[26][43] The term can describe stories focused primarily on character and emotion; SFWA Grand Master Ray Bradbury is an acknowledged master of this art. Ray Douglas Bradbury (born August 22 1920 is an American mainstream, Fantasy, horror, Science fiction and mystery ^[44] Some writers blur the boundary between hard and soft science fiction - for example Mack Reynolds's work focuses on politics but anticipated many developments in computers, including cyber-terrorism. Dallas McCord "Mack" Reynolds ( November 11, 1917 - January 30, 1983) was an American Science fiction writer

Related to Social SF and Soft SF are the speculative fiction branches of utopian or dystopian stories; The Handmaid's Tale, Nineteen Eighty-Four, and Brave New World are examples. Utopia is a name for an ideal community taken from the title of a book written in 1516 by Sir Thomas More describing a fictional Island in the A dystopia (from the Greek δυσ- and τόπος alternatively cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society The Handmaid's Tale is a dystopian novel by Canadian author Margaret Atwood, first published by McClelland and Stewart in Nineteen Eighty-Four (also titled 1984) by George Orwell (the pen name of Eric Arthur Blair) is a 1949 English Novel Brave New World is a 1932 Novel by Aldous Huxley. Set in the London of AD 2540 (632 A Satirical novels with fantastic settings such as Gulliver's Travels may be considered speculative fiction. Gulliver's Travels (1726 amended 1735 officially Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World in Four Parts

Neuromancer, by William Gibson (Ace, 1984)

Cyberpunk

See also: Cyberpunk and Steampunk

The Cyberpunk genre emerged in the early 1980s; the name is a portmanteau of "cybernetics" and "punk"^[45] , and was first coined by author Bruce Bethke in his 1980 short story "Cyberpunk". Neuromancer is a 1984 novel by William Gibson, notable for being the most famous early Cyberpunk novel and winner of the science-fiction "triple William Ford Gibson (born March 17 1948 is an American - Canadian writer who has been called the "noir prophet" of the Cyberpunk subgenre Cyberpunk is a Science fiction genre noted for its focus on " High tech and low life. Steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and Speculative fiction that came into prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s Bruce Bethke is an American author best known for his 1980 Short story "Cyberpunk" which led to the widespread use of the term and his novel The short story is a literary genre of Fictional Prose Narrative that tends to be more concise and to the point than longer works of fiction such ^[46] The time frame is usually near-future and the settings are often dystopian. Common themes in cyberpunk include advances in information technology and especially the Internet (visually abstracted as cyberspace), (possibly malevolent) artificial intelligence, enhancements of mind and body using bionic prosthetics and direct brain-computer interfaces called cyberware, and post-democratic societal control where corporations have more influence than governments. Information technology ( IT) as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA is "the study design development implementation support The Internet is a global system of interconnected Computer networks Cyberspace &mdash from the Greek el Κυβερνήτης (el kybernētēs steersman governor pilot or rudder &mdash is the global domain of electro-magnetics accessed Bionics (also known as biomimetics, biognosis, Biomimicry, or bionical creativity engineering) is the application of biological In Medicine, a prosthesis (plural prostheses) is an Artificial extension that replaces a missing Body part. A brain-computer interface (BCI sometimes called a direct neural interface or a brain-machine interface, is a direct communication pathway between a human or animal Cyberware is a relatively new and unknown field (a Proto-science, or more adequately a “proto-technology” Nihilism, post-modernism, and film noir techniques are common elements, and the protagonists may be disaffected or reluctant anti-heroes. Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing is a philosophical position that argues that Existence is without objective meaning Purpose Postmodernism literally means 'after the modernist movement' While " Modern " itself refers to something "related to the present" the movement of modernism Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize moral ambiguity and sexual motivation Noteworthy authors in this genre are William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Pat Cadigan, Rudy Rucker, and Neal Stephenson. William Ford Gibson (born March 17 1948 is an American - Canadian writer who has been called the "noir prophet" of the Cyberpunk subgenre Michael Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954) is an American Science fiction author, best known for his novels and his seminal work on the Mirrorshades Pat Cadigan (born 1953 is an American-born Science fiction author, whose work is described as part of the Cyberpunk movement Rudolf von Bitter Rucker (born March 22, 1946 in Louisville Kentucky) is an American Computer scientist and Science fiction Neal Town Stephenson (born October 31, 1959) is an American writer known primarily for his Science fiction works in the Postcyberpunk genre The 1982 film Blade Runner is commonly accepted as a definitive example of the cyberpunk visual style. Blade Runner is a 1982 American Science fiction Film, directed by Ridley Scott. ^[47]

Time Travel

See also: Time travel in fiction

Time travel stories have antecedents in the 18th and 19th centuries, and this subgenre was popularized by H. G. Wells's novel The Time Machine. Time travel is a common theme in Science fiction and is depicted in a variety of media Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 &ndash 13 August 1946 He was an outspoken socialist and a pacifist, his later works becoming increasingly political The Time Machine is a novella by H G Wells, first published in 1895 and later directly adapted into at least two Feature films of the same name as Stories of this type are complicated by logical problems such as the grandfather paradox. This article refers to the Time travel paradox In novels based on the television series Doctor Who, "Grandfather Paradox" is the semi-mythical ^[48] Time travel is a popular subject in novels, television series (most famously Doctor Who), as individual episodes within more general science fiction series (for example, "The City on the Edge of Forever" in Star Trek, "Babylon Squared" in Babylon 5, and "The Banks of the Lethe" in Andromeda) and as one-off productions such as The Flipside of Dominick Hide. Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. " The City on the Edge of Forever " is the penultimate episode of the first season of Star Trek. Star Trek is a Science fiction Television series created by Gene Roddenberry that aired from September 8, 1966 through " Babylon Squared " is an Episode from the first season of the science-fiction television series Babylon 5. Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created produced and largely written by J See Andromeda (disambiguation for other uses of "Andromeda" The Flipside Of Dominick Hide is a British television play which has attained cult status

Alternate history

See also: Alternate history

Alternate history stories are based on the premise that historical events might have turned out differently. Alternate history or alternative history is a subgenre of Speculative fiction (or Science fiction) and Historical fiction These stories may use time travel to change the past, or may simply set a story in a universe with a different history from our own. Classics in the genre include Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore, in which the South wins the American Civil War and The Man in the High Castle, by Philip K. Bring the Jubilee, by Ward Ward Moore (b August 10 1903, Madison New Jersey - d January 28 1978) was the working name of American author Joseph Ward Causes of the war See also Origins of the American Civil War, Timeline of events leading to the American Civil War The coexistence of a slave-owning South The Man in the High Castle is a 1962 Alternate history Novel by Science fiction writer Philip K Dick, in which Germany and Japan win World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Sidewise Award acknowledges the best works in this subgenre; the name is taken from Murray Leinster's early story "Sidewise in Time". The Sidewise Award for Alternate History were established in 1995 to recognize the best Alternate history stories and novels of the year Murray Leinster ( June 16, 1896 in Norfolk Virginia - June 8, 1975) was a Nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins

Military SF

See also: Military science fiction

Military science fiction is set in the context of conflict between national, interplanetary, or interstellar armed forces; the primary viewpoint characters are usually soldiers. Military science fiction is a Subgenre of Science fiction in which the principal characters are members of a military service and an armed conflict is taking For the military meaning see Armed forces. For the Soviet sports society see Armed Forces (sports society Armed Forces Stories include detail about military technology, procedure, ritual, and history; military stories may use parallels with historical conflicts. Heinlein's Starship Troopers is an early example, along with the Dorsai novels of Gordon Dickson. Starship Troopers is a Science fiction Novel by Robert A Heinlein, first published (in abridged form as a serial in The Magazine The Childe Cycle is an unfinished series of Science fiction novels by Gordon R Gordon Rupert Dickson ( November 1, 1923 – January 31, 2001) was an American Science fiction author Joe Haldeman's The Forever War is a critique of the genre, a Vietnam-era response to the World War II-style stories of earlier authors. Joe William Haldeman is an American Science fiction author. Life and work Haldeman was born in 1943 in Oklahoma City Oklahoma The Forever War is a 1974 Science fiction Novel by Joe Haldeman. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including ^[49] Prominent military SF authors include David Drake, David Weber, Jerry Pournelle, S. M. Stirling, and Lois McMaster Bujold. David Drake (born September 24, 1945) is an author of Science fiction and Fantasy literature David Mark Weber is an American Science fiction and Fantasy author. Jerry Eugene Pournelle (born August 7, 1933) is an American Science fiction Writer, Essayist and Journalist Stephen Michael Stirling is a French -born Canadian - American Science fiction and Fantasy author Lois McMaster Bujold (born November 2, 1949, Columbus, Ohio) is an American author of Science fiction and Fantasy Baen Books is known for cultivating military science fiction authors. Baen Books is an American Publishing company established in 1983 by long time Science Fiction publisher and editor Jim Baen. ^[50] Television series within this subgenre include Battlestar Galactica and Stargate SG-1. Battlestar Galactica is a franchise of Science fiction Films and television series, the first of which was produced in 1978 The popular Halo videogame and novel series is another prominent modern example. Halo is a Science fiction Video game franchise created by Bungie and owned and published by Microsoft Game Studios.

Other SF Genres

See also: New Wave (science fiction), Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Christian science fiction, Space opera, and Science fiction Western

Related genres

Speculative fiction, fantasy, and horror

For more details on this topic, see Speculative fiction. New Wave is a term applied to Science fiction writing characterized by a high degree of experimentation both in form and in content and a Highbrow and self-consciously Christian science fiction is a subgenre of both Christian literature and Science fiction, in which there are strong Christian themes or which are written Space opera is a subgenre of Speculative fiction or Science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often Melodramatic adventure set mainly or entirely A science fiction Western is a work of Fiction which has elements of Science fiction in a Western setting Speculative fiction is a term used as an inclusive descriptor covering a group of Fiction Genres that speculate about worlds that are unlike the real world in

The broader category of speculative fiction^[51] includes science fiction, fantasy, alternate histories (which may have no particular scientific or futuristic component), and even literary stories that contain fantastic elements, such as the work of Jorge Luis Borges or John Barth. Speculative fiction is a term used as an inclusive descriptor covering a group of Fiction Genres that speculate about worlds that are unlike the real world in Alternate history or alternative history is a subgenre of Speculative fiction (or Science fiction) and Historical fiction John Simmons Barth (born May 27 1930 is an American novelist and short-story writer known for the postmodernist and metafictive quality of his work For some editors, magic realism is considered to be within the broad definition of speculative fiction. Magic realism, or magical realism, is an artistic Genre in which magical elements or illogical scenarios appear in an otherwise realistic or even "normal" ^[52]

The Lord of the Rings book cover art

Fantasy

Main article: Fantasy literature

Fantasy is closely associated with science fiction, and many writers, including Robert A. Heinlein, Poul Anderson, Larry Niven, C. J. Cherryh, C. S. Lewis, Jack Vance, Terry Pratchett, Roger Zelazny, and Lois McMaster Bujold have worked in both genres, while writers such as Anne McCaffrey and Marion Zimmer Bradley have written works that appear to blur the boundary between the two related genres. The Lord of the Rings is an epic Fantasy literature is Fantasy in written form Historically speaking the majority of fantasy works have been literature Fantasy is a Genre that uses magic and other Supernatural forms as a primary element of plot, theme, and/or setting Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7 1907 – May 8 1988 was an American Novelist and Science fiction Writer. Poul William Anderson ( November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American Science fiction author who wrote during a Golden Laurence van Cott Niven (born April 30, 1938 Los Angeles California) is a US Science fiction author. Carolyn Janice Cherry (born September 1, 1942) better known by the Pseudonym C Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963 John Holbrook Vance (born August 28, 1916 in San Francisco, Terence David John Pratchett, OBE (born 28 April 1948 is an English fantasy, Science fiction, and children's author. Roger Joseph Zelazny ( May 13, 1937 – June 14, 1995) was an American writer of Fantasy and Science fiction Lois McMaster Bujold (born November 2, 1949, Columbus, Ohio) is an American author of Science fiction and Fantasy Anne Inez McCaffrey (born April 1, 1926) is an American Science fiction Author best known for her Dragonriders Marion Eleanor Zimmer Bradley ( June 3, 1930 – September 25, 1999) was an American author of Fantasy novels such ^[53] The authors' professional organization is called the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA). Science Fiction Writers of America, or SFWA (ˈsɪfwə or /ˈsɛfwə/ was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight. ^[54] SF conventions routinely have programming on fantasy topics,^[55][56][57] and fantasy authors such as J. K. Rowling and J. R. R. Tolkien (in film adaptation) have won the highest honor within the science fiction field, the Hugo Award. The definition of a fantasy author is somewhat diffuse and a matter of opinion – Jules Verne considered H Joanne "Jo" Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965 who writes under the Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a Feature film. The Hugo Awards are given every year for the best Science fiction or Fantasy works and achievements of the previous year ^[58] Some works show how difficult it is to draw clear boundaries between subgenres, for example Larry Niven's The Magic Goes Away stories treat magic as just another force of nature and subject to natural laws which resemble and partially overlap those of physics. Laurence van Cott Niven (born April 30, 1938 Los Angeles California) is a US Science fiction author. The Magic Goes Away is a Fantasy Short story written by Larry Niven in 1976 and later expanded to a Novella of the same name which

However, most authors and readers make a distinction between fantasy and SF. In general, science fiction is the literature of things that might someday be possible, and fantasy is the literature of things that are inherently impossible. ^[10] Magic and mythology are popular themes in fantasy. Magic in Fiction is the endowing of Fictional characters or objects with magical powers. The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" There are many elements that show up throughout the fantasy genre in different guises ^[59]

Frankenstein (1931) film poster

It is common to see narratives described as being essentially science fiction but "with fantasy elements. Frankenstein is a Horror film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and very loosely based on the novel of the same name " The term "science fantasy" is sometimes used to describe such material. Science fantasy is a mixed Genre of story which contains some Science fiction and some Fantasy elements ^[60]

Horror fiction

Main article: Horror fiction

Horror fiction is the literature of the unnatural and supernatural, with the aim of unsettling or frightening the reader, sometimes with graphic violence. Horror fiction is broadly Fiction in any medium intended to scare unsettle or horrify the audience The term supernatural or supranatural ( Latin: super, supra "above" + natura "nature" pertains to entities events Graphic violence is the depiction of especially vivid brutal and realistic acts of violence in visual media such as Literature, Film, Television Historically it has also been known as "weird fiction. " Although horror is not per se a branch of science fiction, many works of horror literature incorporates science fictional elements. One of the defining classical works of horror, Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein, is a fully-realized work of science fiction, where the manufacture of the monster is given a rigorous science-fictional grounding. Mary Shelley ( Née Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin; 30 August Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, generally known as Frankenstein, is a Novel written by the British author Mary Shelley The works of Edgar Allan Poe also helped define both the science fiction and the horror genres. Edgar Allan Poe (January 19 1809 – October 7 1849 was an American poet, short-story Writer, editor and Literary critic, ^[61] Today horror is one of the most popular categories of films. Horror films are Movies that strive to elicit Fear, Horror and terror responses from viewers ^[62]

Mystery fiction

Main article: Mystery fiction

Works in which science and technology are a dominant theme, but based on current reality, may be considered mainstream fiction. Much of the thriller genre would be included, such as the novels of Tom Clancy or Michael Crichton, or the James Bond films. The thriller is a broad Genre of Literature, Film, Gaming and Television. Thomas Leo Clancy Jr (born April 12 1947) is an American author best known for his technically detailed espionage and Military science storylines John Michael Crichton, ˈkraɪtən, (born October 23 1942 is an American author Film producer, Film director, Medical doctor, and Television producer James Bond 007 is a Fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve Novels and two Short story ^[63]

Modernist works from writers like Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K. Dick, and Stanisław Lem have focused on speculative or existential perspectives on contemporary reality and are on the borderline between SF and the mainstream. Modernism describes an array of Cultural movements rooted in the changes in Western society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Kurt Vonnegut Jr (November 11 1922 – April 11 2007 (ˈvɒnəgət was a prolific and genre-bending American Novelist known for works blending Satire, Black Philip Kindred Dick (December 16 – March 2) was an American Science fiction Novelist and Short story Writer. Stanisław Lem ( sta'ɲiswaf lɛm 12 September 1921 – 27 March 2006 was a Polish Science fiction, philosophical and satirical writer Existentialism is a philosophical doctrine which posits that individuals create the meaning and essence of their lives and that this essence follows from their existence ^[64]

According to Robert J. Sawyer, "Science fiction and mystery have a great deal in common. Robert J Sawyer is a Canadian Science fiction writer born in Ottawa in 1960 and now resident in Mississauga. Both prize the intellectual process of puzzle solving, and both require stories to be plausible and hinge on the way things really do work. "^[65] Isaac Asimov, Anthony Boucher, Walter Mosley, and other writers incorporate mystery elements in their science fiction, and vice versa. Isaac Asimov (c January 2 1920 &ndash April 6 1992 ˈaɪzək ˈæzɪmʌv originally Исаак Озимов but now transcribed into Russian as, was a Russian Anthony Boucher (born William Anthony Parker White) ( August 21, 1911 – April 29, 1968) was an American Science fiction Walter Ellis Mosley (born January 12, 1952) is a prominent American novelist most widely recognized for his Crime fiction.

Superhero fiction

Main article: Superhero fiction

Superhero fiction is a genre characterized by beings with much higher than usual physical or mental prowess, generally with a desire or need to help the citizens of their chosen country or world by using his or her powers to defeat natural or superpowered threats. Superhero fiction is a subgenre of Fiction that deals with Superheroes Supervillians super-powered humans aliens, or mutants Many superhero fiction characters involve themselves (either intentionally or accidentally) with science fiction and fact, including advanced technologies, alien worlds, time travel, and interdimensional travel; but the standards of scientific plausibility are lower than with actual science fiction.

Some of the best-known authors of this genre include Stan Lee, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Diane Duane, Peter David, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, George R. R. Martin, Pierce Askegren, Christopher Golden, Dean Wesley Smith, Greg Cox, Nancy Collins, C. J. Cherryh, Roger Stern, and Elliot S! Maggin. Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber; December 28, 1922) is an American Writer, editor, creator of comic book characters Keith Robert Andreassi DeCandido (born April 18, 1969 in New York, United States) is an American Sci-fi and Fantasy writer Diane Duane (born May 18, 1952) is an American Science fiction and Fantasy author For the Grenadian politician see Peter David (politician. Peter Allen David (often abbreviated PAD) (born September 23 Len Wein (born June 12, 1948) is an American Comic book Writer and editor best known for co-creating DC Comics Marvin A "Marv" Wolfman (born May 13, 1946) is an award-winning American Comic book Writer. George Raymond Richard Martin ( September 20, 1948) sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American Author and Screenwriter John Pierce Askegren (1955 - November 2006 of the Louisiana Askegrens was an American Author best known for his work in adaptations of licensed properties and is a lifelong Christopher Golden is an American author of horror, Fantasy, and suspense novels for adults teens and young readers Dean Wesley Smith is a Science fiction author known primarily for his Star Trek novels movie novelizations and other novels of licensed properties such Greg Cox (born 1959 is a Science fiction Writer. He lives in Oxford, Pennsylvania, U Nancy A Collins (born 10 September, 1959) is a United States Horror fiction writer best known for her series of Vampire novels featuring Carolyn Janice Cherry (born September 1, 1942) better known by the Pseudonym C Roger Stern (born September 17 1950) is an American Comic book Author and Novelist. Elliot S Maggin, also spelled Elliot S! Maggin (born 1950 is an American writer of comic books film television and novels

Literature

References to the most noteworthy science fiction books and authors are included here.

Authors

See also: List of science fiction authors

      External link: Locus 1977 All-Time Best Author Poll

Novels and shorter literary forms

• List of science fiction novels
• Hugo Award for Best Novel
• List of science fiction short stories
• Hugo Award for Best Novella
• Hugo Award for Best Novellette
• Hugo Award for Best Short Story

Non-fiction, anthologies, and magazines

• Hugo Award for Best Non-Fiction Book
• Hugo Award for Best Related Book
• Category:Science fiction magazines

Critical Assessments and Reading Lists

• Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America - their "Suggested Reading" page
• The Complete Review - reviews of select speculative-fiction authors and works
• The Scriptorium - reviews of eminent speculative-fiction authors
• Classics of Science Fiction - lists, with various breakdowns

Fandom and community

For more details on this topic, see Science fiction fandom. Note that this Partial list contains some authors whose works of fantastic fiction would today be called science fiction even if they predate or did not work in that genre This page lists a broad variety of Science fiction Novels (and novel series--some old some new some famous some obscure some well-written some ill-written--and Winners of the Hugo Award for best science fiction or fantasy Novel, along with all the nominees are presented here This is a non-comprehensive list of short stories with significant Science fiction elements The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works The Hugo Awards are given annually by members of the World Science Fiction Convention for the best science fiction or fantasy works The Hugo Awards are given annually by members of the World Science Fiction Convention for the best science fiction or fantasy works Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community of people actively interested in Science fiction and Fantasy literature, and in contact with one another

Science fiction fandom is the "community of the literature of ideas. Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community of people actively interested in Science fiction and Fantasy literature, and in contact with one another . . the culture in which new ideas emerge and grow before being released into society at large. "^[66] Members of this community, "fans", are in contact with each other at conventions or clubs, through print or online fanzines, or on the Internet using web sites, mailing lists, and other resources. Fans in Little Italyjpg|thumb|right|Fans in Little Italy Manhattan celebrating the victory of the Italian association football team after the 2006 FIFA World Cup]][[Image Wm-oly-de-cr Science fiction conventions are gatherings of the community of fans (called Science fiction fandom) of various forms of Speculative fiction including Science A science fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of Science fiction fandom, from the 1930s to the present day A mailing list is a collection of names and addresses used by an individual or an organization to send material to multiple recipients

SF fandom emerged from the letters column in Amazing Stories magazine. Soon fans began writing letters to each other, and then grouping their comments together in informal publications that became known as fanzines. ^[67] Once they were in regular contact, fans wanted to meet each other, and they organized local clubs. In the 1930s, the first science fiction conventions gathered fans from a wider area. Science fiction conventions are gatherings of the community of fans (called Science fiction fandom) of various forms of Speculative fiction including Science ^[68] Conventions, clubs, and fanzines were the dominant form of fan activity, or "fanac", for decades, until the Internet facilitated communication among a much larger population of interested people.

Awards

For more details on this topic, see List of science fiction awards. The Genre of Science Fiction has a number of recognition awards for Authors, Editors and Illustrators.

Among the most respected awards for science fiction are the Hugo Award, presented by the World Science Fiction Society at Worldcon, and the Nebula Award, presented by SFWA and voted on by the community of authors. The Hugo Awards are given every year for the best Science fiction or Fantasy works and achievements of the previous year The Nebula Award is an award given each year by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA for the best Science fiction / Fantasy fiction One notable award for science fiction films is the Saturn Award. The Saturn Award is an award presented annually by the Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy & Horror Films to honor the top works in Science fiction, Fantasy It is presented annually by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films.

There are national awards, like Canada's Aurora Award, regional awards, like the Endeavour Award presented at Orycon for works from the Pacific Northwest, special interest or subgenre awards like the Chesley Award for art or the World Fantasy Award for fantasy. The Prix Aurora Awards are given out annually for the best Canadian Science fiction and Fantasy literary works Art Works and Awards for Fan Activities The Endeavour Award, announced annually at OryCon in Portland Oregon is awarded to a distinguished Science fiction or fantasy book written by a Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest is a region in the northwest of North America (the term refers to the land not the ocean The Chesley Awards were established in 1985 by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists to recognize individual works and achievements during a given year The World Fantasy Awards are annual international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of Fantasy. Magazines may organize reader polls, notably the Locus Award. The Locus Awards were established in 1971 and are presented to winners of Locus Magazine 's annual readers' poll

Conventions, clubs, and organizations

For more details on this topic, see Science fiction conventions. Science fiction conventions are gatherings of the community of fans (called Science fiction fandom) of various forms of Speculative fiction including Science

See also: :Category:science fiction organizations

Pamela Dean reading at Minicon

Conventions (in fandom, shortened as "cons"), are held in cities around the world, catering to a local, regional, national, or international membership. Minicon is a Science fiction and Fantasy convention in Minneapolis usually held on Easter weekend General-interest conventions cover all aspects of science fiction, while others focus on a particular interest like media fandom, filking, etc. Media fandom is a fan term invented in the late 1970s to describe the collective Fandoms for contemporary television shows and movies Filk is a musical culture genre and community tied to science fiction/fantasy fandom. Most are organized by volunteers in non-profit groups, though most media-oriented events are organized by commercial promoters. A non-profit organization ( abbreviated "NPO" also "not-for-profit" is a legally constituted Organization whose objective is to support or engage The convention's activities are called the "program", which may include panel discussions, readings, autograph sessions, costume masquerades, and other events. Activities that occur throughout the convention are not part of the program; these commonly include a dealer's room, art show, and hospitality lounge (or "con suites"). ^[69] Conventions may host award ceremonies; Worldcons present the Hugo Awards each year. The Hugo Awards are given every year for the best Science fiction or Fantasy works and achievements of the previous year SF societies, referred to as "clubs" except in formal contexts, form a year-round base of activities for science fiction fans. They may be associated with an ongoing science fiction convention, or have regular club meetings, or both. Most groups meet in libraries, schools and universities, community centers, pubs or restaurants, or the homes of individual members. Long-established groups like the New England Science Fiction Association and the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society have clubhouses for meetings and storage of convention supplies and research materials. The New England Science Fiction Association, or NESFA, is a Science fiction club centered in the New England area The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society or LASFS (pron "Lahss-Fuss" "Loss-Fuss" "Lass-Fass" or "Lahss-Fahss" is a membership fan ^[70]

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) was founded by Damon Knight in 1965 as a non-profit organization to serve the community of professional science fiction authors. Science Fiction Writers of America, or SFWA (ˈsɪfwə or /ˈsɛfwə/ was founded in 1965 by Damon Knight. Damon Francis Knight ( September 19, 1922 &ndash April 15, 2002) was an American Science fiction Author, ^[54]

Fandom has helped incubate related groups, including media fandom,^[71] the Society for Creative Anachronism,^[72] gaming,^[73] filking, and furry fandom. Media fandom is a fan term invented in the late 1970s to describe the collective Fandoms for contemporary television shows and movies Society for Creative Anachronism (usually shortened to SCA) is a historical re-creation and Living history group founded in 1966 which Historically the term " gamer " usually referred to someone who played Role-playing games or wargames. Filk is a musical culture genre and community tied to science fiction/fantasy fandom. Furry fandom is a Fandom devoted to anthropomorphic animal ^[74]

Fanzines and online fandom

For more details on this topic, see Science fiction fanzine. A science fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of Science fiction fandom, from the 1930s to the present day

See also: Category:Science fiction websites

The first science fiction fanzine, "The Comet", was published in 1930. ^[75] Fanzine printing methods have changed over the decades, from the hectograph, the mimeograph, and the ditto machine, to modern photocopying. The hectograph or gelatin duplicator or jellygraph is a Printing process which involves transfer of an original prepared with special inks to a pan of A spirit duplicator (also referred to as a Ditto machine or Banda machine) was a low-volume printing method used mainly by schools and churches A photocopier (or copier is a machine that makes Paper copies of documents and other visual images quickly and cheaply Subscription volumes rarely justify the cost of commercial printing. Modern fanzines are printed on computer printers or at local copy shops, or they may only be sent as email. Electronic mail, often abbreviated to e-mail, email, or originally eMail, is a Store-and-forward method of writing sending receiving

The best known fanzine (or "'zine") today is Ansible, edited by David Langford, winner of numerous Hugo awards. A zine (an abbreviation of the word Fanzine, or magazine ziːn "zeen" is most commonly a small circulation non-commercial Publication An ansible is a hypothetical machine capable of Superluminal communication and used as a Plot device in Science fiction literature David Rowland Langford (born 10 April 1953 is a British author editor and Critic, largely active within the Science fiction field Other fanzines to win awards in recent years include File 770, Mimosa, and Plokta. File 770 is a Science fiction fanzine published by Mike Glyer and named for the party in Room 770 at the 1951 Worldcon science fiction Mimosa is a Genus of about 400 species of herbs and shrubs in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the legume family Fabaceae. Plokta is a Science fiction Fanzine, first published in 1996 Subtitled "The journal of superfluous technology" the magazine includes ^[76]

Artists working for fanzines have risen to prominence in the field, including Brad W. Foster, Teddy Harvia and Joe Mayhew; the Hugos include a category for Best Fan Artists. Hugo Award for Best Fan Artist. About this award The Hugo Awards the most prestigious awards in Science fiction and Fantasy ^[76]

The earliest organized fandom online was the SF Lovers community, originally a mailing list in the late 1970s with a text archive file that was updated regularly. A file archiver is a Computer program that combines a number of files together into one Archive file, or a series of archive files for easier transportation ^[77] In the 1980s, Usenet groups greatly expanded the circle of fans online. Usenet, a Portmanteau of "user" and "network" is a world-wide distributed Internet discussion system In the 1990s, the development of the World-Wide Web exploded the community of online fandom by orders of magnitude, with thousands and then literally millions of web sites devoted to science fiction and related genres for all media. The World Wide Web (commonly shortened to the Web) is a system of interlinked Hypertext documents accessed via the Internet. ^[70] Most such sites are small, ephemeral, and/or very narrowly focused, though sites like SF Site offer a broad range of references and reviews about science fiction. SF Site is a Webzine edited by Rodger Turner. Established in 1996 by John O'Neill, it is based in Canada, but includes contributors from around

Fan fiction

For more details on this topic, see Fan fiction. Fan fiction (alternately referred to as fanfiction, fanfic, FF or fic) is a broadly defined term for Fiction about characters or settings

See also: Fan fiction terminology

Fan fiction, known to aficionados as "fanfic", is non-commercial fiction created by fans in the setting of an established book, film, or television series. The community surrounding modern Fan fiction has generated a considerable number of unique subgenres and literary terminology over the past several decades A non-commercial enterprise is work that values other considerations above and beyond that of making a profit ^[78]

This modern meaning of the term should not be confused with the traditional (pre-1970s) meaning of "fan fiction" within the community of fandom, where the term meant original or parody fiction written by fans and published in fanzines, often with members of fandom as characters therein ("faan fiction"). Science fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community of people actively interested in Science fiction and Fantasy literature, and in contact with one another A science fiction fanzine is an amateur or semi-professional magazine published by members of Science fiction fandom, from the 1930s to the present day Examples of this would include the Goon stories by Walt Willis. Walter Alexander Willis (1919-1999 was a well-known Irish science fiction fan, resident in Belfast

In the last few years, sites have appeared such as Orion's Arm and Galaxiki, which encourage collaborative development of science fiction universes. Orion's Arm, (also called the Orion's Arm Universe Project OAUP or simply OA is an online Science fiction World-building project founded by M Galaxiki is a web -based Free content Virtual community Web 2

See also

• Science fiction genre
• List of science fiction themes
• SF Site
• UK science fiction and fantasy magazine SFX
• Digital library projects: science fiction
• Skiffy

Notes and references