Science fiction is a field of literature that has great interest and great controversy among its writers and critics. This book examines the roots, history, development, current status, and future directions of the field through articles contributed by well-respected science fiction writers, teachers, and critics. The articles 'speculate' on what is science fiction, is science fiction serious literature, which writers are considered good science fiction writers, and where the genre of science fiction is headed with 21st-century writers. Contributors include Brian W. Aldiss, Kathryn Cramer, Samuel R. Delany , David G. Hartwell, Ursula K. Le Guin, Barry N. Malzberg, Darko Suvin, Michael Swanwick, and many other outstanding authors. Examining all genres and subgenres of science fiction writing, this book provides differing viewpoints on science fiction, making it a great basis for dynamic classroom discussions.
Part 1 Acknowledgments Part 2 Introduction Part 3 Before We Begin Part 4 Part I: Identification Chapter 5 1 Toward a Definition of Science Fiction Chapter 6 2 Coming to Terms Chapter 7 3 Estrangement and Cognition Chapter 8 4 The Number of the Beast Chapter 9 5 On the Origins of Genre Chapter 10 Part II: Location Chapter 11 6 SF and the Genological Jungle Chapter 12 7 The Readers of Hard Science Fiction Chapter 13 8 Science Fiction and "Literature" - or, The Conscience of the King Chapter 14 9 Science Fiction and Mrs. Brown Chapter 15 10 I Could Have Been a Contender.... Part 16 Part III: Derivations Chapter 17 11 Introduction to Trillion Year Spree Chapter 18 12 On the Origin of Species: Mary Shelley Chapter 19 13 The Roots of Science Fiction Chapter 20 14 Science Fiction and the Dimension of Myth Part 21 Part IV: Excavation Chapter 22 15 Some Notes toward the True and the Terrible Chapter 23 16 Wrong Rabbit Chapter 24 17 The "Field" and the "Wave": The History of New Worlds Chapter 25 18 Space Opera Redefined Part 26 Part V: Infatuation Chapter 27 19 The Golden Age of Science Fiction Is Twelve Chapter 28 20 Some Presumptuous Approaches to Science Fiction Chapter 29 21 Touchstones Part 30 Part VI: Anticipation Chapter 31 22 A User's Guide to the Postmoderns Chapter 32 23 Science Fiction without the Future Chapter 33 24 Slipstream Part 34 Bibliography Part 35 Index Part 36 About the Contributors
