How Great Science Fiction Works

Kick off your adventure into science fiction by clearly defining what science fiction is, and more importantly, what science fiction is not. Learn how science fiction is distinguished from-yet often confused with-other literary genres such as fantasy and horror. Explore what is often considered the first science fiction novel: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

Look at some of the most important names in 19th-century science fiction, including Poe, Verne, and Wells. From the books and stories they penned, the 20th-century science fiction story emerged. Explore select works from each author, gain the context to better understand their writings and lives, and learn how they influenced what we know as science fiction today.

We commonly think of science fiction as dealing with the future, but there is a fascinating subset of science fiction that looks at the past. Learn how science fiction writers often mix real-life history with fiction and invoke mechanisms such as time travel to explore alternate histories.

The concept of alternate histories enables vast possibilities. Discover how many science fiction stories tackle massive timescales, taking us from the very beginning to the very end of the universe, and any time and place in between.

One intriguing theme presented in science fiction is the concept of utopia and dystopia-and how remarkably similar these two seeming opposites can be. Explore the fundamental questions of “Can our lives be better?” and “Can our lives be worse?” Take an in-depth look at some of the most poignant portrayals of utopian and dystopian societies and the social contexts that inspired them.

Survey the rise of pulp science fiction through serials, magazines, and short stories at the turn of the 20th century and through the 1950s. You'll gain an appreciation of the obstacles the genre had to overcome through this period in history as Professor Wolfe highlights key authors who contributed to-and helped remedy-the pulp reputation.

After World War II, science fiction took a turn for the better. Learn how one pivotal magazine called Astounding Science Fiction helped change the tide on science fiction. Uncover some of the little-known gems that shaped modern science fiction by reflecting society's struggles, anxieties, and fears to capture a whole new audience.

Science fiction is known for distinguishing elements: artificial intelligence, time travel, aliens, outer space, and more. Delve into one of the more iconic components of science fiction-the spaceship. Learn how the spaceship is portrayed in some of the most famous stories. Consider how stories of space exploration parallel and reflect the realities in which they are written.

Robots are a common theme in science fiction, but why? Professor Wolfe introduces you to Karel Capek, who adapted the word “robot” from a Czech word meaning “forced labor.” Witness the evolution of this concept in science fiction throughout history-including the introduction of the android, existential questions about the nature of cyborgs, and the consequences of robots who think.

In 1950, the New York Times ran an article claiming that science fiction had graduated from pulp fiction to respectable hardcover books. Learn how this remarkable validation was brought to fruition, and see how television and radio helped propel the popularity of science fiction novels. Examine influential authors of novels during this decade such as Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, and more.

A key differentiator between fantasy and science fiction is that fantasy stories often take place in worlds, while science fiction stories take place on a planet. Thus, the theme of planets is common among some of the great science fiction works in history. Explore the use of planets-whether being discovered or already colonized-in a variety of works.

Not all science fiction predicts technology-driven modern futures. Look at the stories over time that foreshadowed a desolate and bleak future, ravaged by environmental issues, plagues, or cataclysmic events. Examine the five components of apocalyptic stories, the various paradoxes the wasteland-style novels predict or reflect, and some stellar examples from this often bleak subgenre.

Science fiction includes war stories-which often respond to real-life wars. Ascertain how authors such as H. G. Wells took the subgenre of invasion tales to a new level by reflecting current anxieties such as annexation through fictional tales of intergalactic attacks. You'll also learn the truth behind The War of the Worlds hoax.

A number of science fiction stories tackle the concept of religion, which is often at odds with the concepts that define science fiction. Delve into how science fiction approaches religion, from parody, to reimagining familiar biblical stories and characters in the scope of science fiction, to confronting existing religions and inventing new beliefs.

In order to make a mark on the literary world, science fiction needed to develop a substantial body of work. In the 1950s and 1960s, authors such as J. G. Ballard defined and contributed to the New Wave. Also, visit the anthologies of Michael Moorcock and Harlan Ellison to discuss whether they helped transform science fiction or reflected an existing shift that would have occurred regardless.

Aliens are another icon and staple of science fiction. Often depicted as hostile and representing the unknown “other” as well as our fears about ourselves, aliens have been examined (and have examined us) in a variety of stories. Journey through the portrayal of aliens in important works by Robert A. Heinlein, John W. Campbell, Jack Finney, Larry Niven, Stanislaw Lem, and Karen Joy Fowler.

Here you'll revisit the idea that science fiction often deals directly with the consequences of human actions, whether through robots who take over the world or massive storms produced by climate change. Starting with a common theme in many science fiction novels, bugs, Professor Wolfe walks you through works that feature-and often correctly predicted-environmental concerns and ramifications.

One stereotype science fiction still hasn't fully shaken off is that it is a predominantly male genre. This idea was so prevalent that female science fiction writers were often only successful when writing under a male pseudonym or gender-ambiguous nom de plume. Look at how far the genre has progressed by taking a look at famous authors such as Doris Lessing and Margaret Atwood.

Throughout the 80s, the concepts of corporatization took hold in science fiction, while at the same time, with real-life technological advances, authors began to investigate the concern that we are not changing technology-it is changing us. Delve into the question, "Are we already living in the world cyberpunk writers predicted?"

Space operas introduce complex and layered narratives with complicated characters who are often not immediately likeable. Professor Wolfe traces the components that comprise a space opera, differentiating it from a regular series. Consider how these new space operas relate to classic space operas, and see how modern television and movies have captured mainstream success with the concept.

Many science fiction stories grow around the search for an artifact, the protection of an artifact, or the quest to discover what meaning or use the artifact has. Explore how science fiction giants such as Arthur C. Clark, Larry Niven, Algis Budry, Gregory Benford, and others make use of the artifact.

While many science fiction stories take place in post-apocalyptic wastelands, deep in outer space, or on other planets, another common setting for science fiction is the futuristic city. Compare two different interpretations of urban landscapes, looking first at the flying cars and enormous glass and steel buildings some stories envision, then the dark dystopia the cyberpunk era introduced.

Shift your attention to how science fiction grew through the last century into this one. Uncover how the genre has developed from having highly similar plots, audiences, and even authors, into a diverse field with international appreciation and ownership. Tour novels and stories featuring characters of all shapes and colors, written by authors of varying ethnicities, nationalities, and genders.

Consider how science fiction may be evolving in the future, as this genre is gaining popularity, acknowledgement, and recognition as an art form worthy of literary respect. Science fiction writers are topping the best-seller lists, and many works of literary fiction now seamlessly weave in elements that half a century ago would have been dismissed as science fiction.