Science Fiction

A Very Short Introduction

David Seed (Professor in the School of English, University of Liverpool)

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English

OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
23 September 2011

Literature: history & criticism; Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers; Sci-Fi Reference

Series: Very Short Introductions

Science Fiction has proved notoriously difficult to define. It has been explained as a combination of romance, science and prophecy; as a genre based on an imagined alternative to the reader's environment; and as a form of fantastic fiction and historical literature.

It has also been argued that science fiction narratives are the most engaged, socially relevant, and responsive to the modern technological environment. This Very Short Introduction doesn't offer a history of science fiction, but instead ties examples of science fiction to different historical moments, in order to demonstrate how science fiction has evolved over time.

David Seed looks not only at literature, but also at drama and poetry, as well as film. Examining recurrent themes in science fiction he looks at voyages into space, the concept of the alien and alternative social identities, the role of technology in science fiction, and its relation to time - in the past, present, and future.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

By: David Seed (Professor in the School of English University of Liverpool)
Imprint: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 170mm, Width: 110mm, Spine: 9mm
Weight: 142g
ISBN: 9780199557455
ISBN 10: 0199557454
Series: Very Short Introductions
Publication Date: 23 September 2011
Audience: College/higher education , Further / Higher Education
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction 1: Voyages into space 2: Alien encounters 3: Science fiction and technology 4: Utopias and dystopias 5: Fictions of time 6: The field of science fiction