Science fiction – a genre of fiction dealing with the impact of imagined innovations in science or technology, often in a futuristic setting.[1][2][3] or depicting space exploration. Exploring the consequences of such innovations is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas".[4]
What is science fiction?[]
- Definitions of science fiction: Science fiction includes such a wide range of themes and subgenres that it is notoriously difficult to define.[5] Accordingly, there have been many definitions offered.
Science fiction is a type of:brendan
- Fiction – form of narrative which deals, in part or in whole, with events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary and invented by its author(s). Although fiction often describes a major branch of literary work, it is also applied to theatrical, cinematic, and musical work.
- Genre fiction – fictional works (novels, short stories) written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre in order to appeal to readers and fans already familiar with that genre. Also known as popular fiction.
- Speculative fiction
- Genre – science fiction is a genre of fiction.
Genres of science fiction[]
Science fiction genre – while science fiction is a genre of fiction, a science fiction genre is a subgenre within science fiction. Science fiction may be divided along any number of overlapping axes. Gary K. Wolfe's Critical Terms for Science Fiction and Fantasy identifies over 30 subdivisions of science fiction, not including science fantasy (which is a mixed genre).
Science[]
Genres concerning the emphasis, accuracy, and type of science described include:
- Hard science fiction—a particular emphasis on scientific detail and/or accuracy
- Soft science fiction—focus on human characters and their relations and feelings, while de-emphasizing the details of technological hardware and physical laws
Characteristics[]
Themes related to science, technology, space and the future, as well as characteristic plots or settings include:
- Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic science fiction
- Biopunk — centered around biotechnology and genetic engineering in general, biopunk uses some both (post)cyberpunk elements and post-modernist prose to describe a typically dystopian world of biohackers, man-made viruses, mutations, designer babies, artificial life forms, bio-genetic engineered human-animal hybrids and bio-genetically manipulated humans.
- Cyberpunk — uses elements from the hard-boiled detective novel, film noir, Japanese anime, and post-modernist prose to describe the nihilistic, underground side of a cybernetic society
- Climate fiction — emphasizes effects of anthropogenic climate change and global warming at the end of the Holocene era
- Dying Earth science fiction
- Military science fiction
- Steampunk — denotes works set in (or strongly inspired by) an era when steam power was still widely used — usually the 19th century, and often set in Victorian England — though with otherwise high technology or other science fiction elements
- Time travel
- Space colonization
- Space opera — emphasizes romantic adventure, exotic settings, and larger-than-life characters
- Social science fiction — concerned less with technology and more with sociological speculation about human society
- Mundane science fiction
Movements[]
Genres concerning politics, philosophy, and identity movements include:
- Christian science fiction
- Feminist science fiction
- Gay/lesbian science fiction
- Libertarian science fiction
Eras[]
Genres concerning the historical era of creation and publication include:
- Scientific romance — an archaic name for what is now known as the science fiction genre, mostly associated with the early science fiction of the United Kingdom.
- Pulp science fiction
- Golden Age of Science Fiction — a period of the 1940s during which the science fiction genre gained wide public attention and many classic science fiction stories were published.
- New Wave science fiction — characterised by a high degree of experimentation, both in form and in content.
- Cyberpunk — noted for its focus on "high tech, low life" and taking its name from the combination of cybernetics and punk.
Combinations[]
Genres that combine two different fiction genres or use a different fiction genre's mood or style include:
- Alternate history science fiction—fiction set in a world in which history has diverged from history as it is generally known
- Comic science fiction
- Science fiction erotica
- Adventure science fiction—science fiction adventure is similar to many genres
- Gothic science fiction—a subgenre of science fiction that involves gothic conventions
- New Wave science fiction—characterized by a high degree of experimentation, both in form and in content
- Science fantasy—a mixed genre of story which contains some science fiction and some fantasy elements
- Science fiction opera—a mixture of opera and science fiction involving empathic themes
- Science fiction romance—fiction which has elements of both the science fiction and romance genres
- Science fiction mystery—fiction which has elements of both the science fiction and mystery genres, encompassing Occult detective fiction and science fiction detectives
- Science fiction Western—fiction which has elements of both the science fiction and Western genres
- Space Western—a subgenre of science fiction that transposes themes of American Western books and film to a backdrop of futuristic space frontiers.
- Spy-fi a subgenre of spy fiction that includes some science fiction.
Related genres[]
- Fantasy
- Mystery fiction
- Horror fiction
- Slipstream fiction
- Speculative fiction
- Weird fiction
- Superhero fiction
Science fiction by country[]
- Australian science fiction
- Bengali science fiction
- Canadian science fiction
- Chilean science fiction
- Chinese science fiction
- Croatian science fiction
- Czech science fiction
- Estonian science fiction
- French science fiction
- Japanese science fiction
- Norwegian science fiction
- Polish science fiction
- Romanian science fiction
- Russian science fiction
- Serbian science fiction
- Spanish science fiction
History of science fiction[]
- History of science fiction films
Elements of science fiction[]
Character elements in science fiction[]
- List of stock characters in science fiction
- Extraterrestrials in fiction
Plot elements in science fiction[]
Plot devices in science fiction[]
Setting elements in science fiction[]
The setting is the environment in which the story takes place. Elements of setting may include culture (and its technologies), period (including the future), place (geography/astronomy), nature (physical laws, etc.), and hour. Setting elements characteristic of science fiction include:
Place[]
Cultural setting elements[]
- Political ideas in science fiction
- Utopian and dystopian fiction
- World government in science fiction
- World government in fiction
- Religious ideas in science fiction
- List of religious ideas in science fiction
- Religion in speculative fiction
- Xenology
Sex and gender in science fiction[]
- Gender in science fiction
- Sex in science fiction
- Pregnancy in science fiction
- LGBT themes in speculative fiction
Technology in science fiction[]
- Computer technology
- Artificial intelligence in fiction
- List of fictional computers
- Mind uploading in fiction
- Transportation
- Flying car (aircraft)
- Space dock
- Weapons in science fiction
- Resizing
- Simulated reality in fiction
- Space warfare in fiction
Themes in science fiction[]
- First contact
Style elements in science fiction[]
Works of science fiction[]
Science fiction art[]
- List of science fiction and fantasy artists
- Science fiction comics
Science fiction games[]
Science fiction computer games[]
Science fiction role-playing games[]
Science fiction literature[]
- Science fiction comics
- Speculative poetry
Science fiction novels[]
- List of science fiction novels
Science fiction short stories[]
- List of science fiction short stories
Venues for science fiction short stories[]
- Science fiction magazine
- Science fiction fanzine
Science fiction video[]
- Science fiction film
- Science fiction on television
- List of science fiction television programs
- List of science fiction sitcoms
- U.S. television science fiction
- British television science fiction
- List of science fiction television programs
Science fiction radio[]
- Science fiction radio programs
Information sources[]
- Baen Free Library
- Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America
- The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction
Science fiction in academia[]
- Science fiction studies
- New Wave science fiction
- Science in science fiction
- Materials science in science fiction
- Science fiction and fantasy journals
- Science fiction libraries and museums
Science fiction subculture[]
- Science fiction conventions
- List of science fiction conventions
- List of fan conventions by date of founding
- Science fiction fandom
- Science fiction fanzine
- Science fiction organizations
Science fiction awards[]
The science fiction genre has a number of recognition awards for authors, editors and illustrators.[6] Awards are usually granted annually.
International awards[]
- Hugo Award—since 1955—General Science Fiction
- Nebula Award—since 1965—General Science Fiction
- Edward E. Smith Memorial Award (the Skylark)—since 1966
- BSFA Award—since 1970—British Science Fiction
- Seiun Award—since 1970—Japanese Science Fiction
- Locus Award—since 1971—SciFi / Fantasy / New Authors (separate awards)
- Saturn Award—film and television SF—since 1972
- John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel—since 1973
- Rhysling Award—for best science fiction poetry, given by the Science Fiction Poetry Association—since 1978
- Parsec Award—since 2006
- Philip K. Dick Award—since 1982
- Arthur C. Clarke Award—since 1987
- Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for best short science fiction—since 1987
- Robert A. Heinlein Award—since 2003
Nationality-specific awards[]
- Aurealis Award—Australian
- Prix Aurora Awards—for Canadian science fiction
- Chandler Award—for contributions to Australian Science fiction
- Ditmar Award—for SF by Australians
- The Constellation Awards—for the best SF/fantasy film or television works released in Canada
- The Galaxy Awards (银河奖)—given by magazine Science Fiction World for Chinese SF&F
- SFERA Award—given by SFera, a Croatian SF society
- Paul Harland Prize—for Dutch SF
- Stalker Award—for the best Estonian SF novel, given out on Estcon by Eesti Ulmeühing, the Estonian SF society.
- Tähtivaeltaja Award—for the best SF novel released in Finland
- Prix Jules-Verne—France 1927–1933 and 1958–1963
- Prix Tour-Apollo Award—France 1972-1990
- Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire—France since 1974
- Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis—German SF award
- Premio Urania—for Italian SF
- Nihon SF Taisho Award—Japan since 1980
- Sir Julius Vogel Award—for SF by New Zealanders
- Endeavour Award—for SF by Pacific Northwest author(s)
- Janusz A. Zajdel Award—award of Polish fandom
- Nautilus Award—Polish award
- SRSFF Award[7][8]—România
- Sunburst Award— Juried award for Canadian science fiction
- TBD Science Fiction Story Award—Turkey
- Kitschies—for speculative fiction novels published in the UK
Themed awards[]
- Prometheus Award—best libertarian SF—since 1979
- Lambda Literary Award—since 1988
- Tiptree Award—since 1991
- Golden Duck Awards—best children's SF—since 1992
- Sidewise Award for Alternate History—since 1995
- Gaylactic Spectrum Awards—since 1999
- Geffen Award—Israeli award—since 1999
- Norton Award—San Francisco—since 2003[9]
- Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Awards—since 2009[10]
New artists / first works[]
- Writers of the Future—contest for new authors
- Jack Gaughan Award—for Best Emerging Artist
- John W. Campbell Award—for Best New Writer
- Compton Crook Award—for best first novel in the genre in a given year
Career awards[]
- Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award—associated with the Nebula
Persons influential in science fiction[]
Creators of science fiction[]
Science fiction artists[]
- List of science fiction and fantasy artists
Science fiction filmmakers[]
Creators of science fiction literature[]
- List of science fiction authors
- Women science fiction authors
- List of science fiction editors
Science fiction scholars[]
- Brian Aldiss
- Isaac Asimov—Asimov on Science Fiction
- Brian Attebery
- Everett F. Bleiler
- John W. Campbell
- John Clute—co-editor of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (with Peter Nicholls)
- Samuel R. Delany
- Hugo Gernsback—founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and the person who the Hugo Awards are named after.
- David Hartwell
- Larry McCaffery
- Judith Merril
- Sam Moskowitz
- Peter Nicholls—co-editor of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (with John Clute)
- Alexei Panshin
- David Pringle—editor of Foundation and Interzone; author of Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels
- Andrew Sawyer
- Dorothy Scarborough
- Brian Stableford
- Darko Suvin
- Gary K. Wolfe
Franchises[]
There are a number of science fiction media franchises of this type typically encompass media ranging from cinema films, TV shows, toys, and even theme parks related to the content:
Space science fiction franchises
- Alien (8 films since 1979)
- Babylon 5
- Battlestar Galactica
- Doctor Who (1 TV series since 1963, 2 Dr. Who films since 1965 and 1 1996 television film)
- Halo (since 2001, started from video game)
- Independence Day (2 films since 1996)
- Mass Effect (since 2007, started from video game)
- Men in Black (3 films since 1997 and animated TV series)
- Planet of the Apes (9 films since 1968)
- Predator (6 films since 1987)
- Space Odyssey (2 short stories since 1954, 2 films since 1968, 4 novels since 1968, 1 1972 book)
- Star Wars (8 episodic "Saga" films since 1977, 1 1978 TV film, 2 Ewok films since 1985, 1 2008 The Clone Wars film, 2 "Anthology" films since 2016, 2 canon TV series since 2008, 3 Legends TV series since 1985)
- Star Trek (7 TV series and 13 films since 1966)
- Stargate (4 TV series and one theater film since 1994)
- Transformers (28 TV series since 1984, 4 animated films since 1986, 5 live action films since 2007, started from toy line)
See also[]
- List of science fiction themes
- Timeline of science fiction
See also[]
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- Outline of fiction
- Outline of fantasy
References[]
- ↑ "Science fiction - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary". merriam-webster.com. Retrieved 17 July 2010.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "Definition of science fiction noun from Cambridge Dictionary Online: Free English Dictionary and Thesaurus". dictionary.cambridge.org. Retrieved 17 July 2010.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ "science fiction definition - Dictionary - MSN Encarta". encarta.msn.com. Retrieved 17 July 2010.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ Marg Gilks; Paula Fleming & Moira Allen (2003). "Science Fiction: The Literature of Ideas". WritingWorld.com.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
- ↑ For example, Patrick Parrinder comments that "[d]efinitions of science fiction are not so much a series of logical approximations to an elusive ideal, as a small, parasitic subgenre in themselves." Parrinder, Patrick (1980). Science Fiction: Its Criticism and Teaching. London: New Accents.
- ↑ http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/index.html
- ↑ SRSFF
- ↑ srsff.ro
- ↑ Silver, Steven H. (1 October 2003) "First Annual Norton Awards Presented" SF Site News, last accessed 20 October 2010
- ↑ Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Awards, official website
External links[]
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- Science Fiction (Bookshelf) at Project Gutenberg
- SF Hub—resources for science-fiction research, created by the University of Liverpool Library
- Science fiction fanzines (current and historical) online
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America—their "Suggested Reading" page
- Science Fiction Museum & Hall of Fame
- Science Fiction Research Association
- Science Fiction at the Internet Archive
- (Russian) Ковтун Е. Н. Художественный вымысел в литературе 20 века. — Высшая школа, 2008. — 1500 экз. — ISBN 978-5-06-005661-7.
- (Russian) Жанры — рубрика журнала «Мир фантастики»
- (Russian) Вячеслав Бабышев Внешние и внутренние жанры фантастики // Уральский следопыт. — 2014. — № 11 (689). — С. 81-84.
- (Russian) Жанры фантастики на Фантлабе.
- (Russian) Классификация фантастики на сайте «Фэнта Зиландия».
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