Publisher's Synopsis
Although generic literary sources can be traced as far back as Plato, the real history of science fiction begins in the 19th century, when science and intellect were acknowledged as forces capable not merely of describing the world, but of changing it. In the 1920s and 30s science fiction assumed its own identity, looking back to the two "father figures" of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. In literary and commercial terms, it was a ghetto of magazine publication from which few writers emerged. But as our world began to catch up with science fiction, the genre became more and more popular. In the last 15 years, in media ranging from books and comics to movies and video games, science fiction has generated great popular excitement. This book looks at the various facets of science fiction.
