Outline of science fiction
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to science fiction:
Science fiction - a genre of fiction dealing with the impact of imagined innovations in science or technology, often in a futuristic setting. or depicting space exploration. Exploring the consequences of such innovations is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas".
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. Accordingly, there have been many definitions offered.
- 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. Although fiction often describes a major branch of literary work, it is also applied to theatrical, cinematic, and musical work.
- * Genre fiction - fictional works 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
Genres concerning the emphasis, accuracy, and type of science described include:- Hard science fiction—a particular emphasis on scientific detail and/or accuracy.
- Mundane science fiction—a subgenre of hard sci-fi which sets stories on Earth or the Solar System using current or plausible technology.
- Soft science fiction—focus on human characters and their relations and feelings, often exploring psychology or sociology, while de-emphasizing the details of technological hardware and physical laws. In some cases, science and technology are depicted without much concern for accuracy.
Characteristics
- Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic science fiction
- Biopunk — centered around biotechnology and genetic engineering in general, biopunk uses some both 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 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
- Christian science fiction
- Feminist science fiction
- Gay/lesbian science fiction
- Libertarian science fiction
Eras
- 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
- 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
- Science fantasy
- Mystery fiction
- Horror fiction
- Slipstream fiction
- Utopian and dystopian 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
- Hyperspace
Setting elements in science fiction
Place
- Parallel universes
- Planets in science fiction
- Hyperspace
- Slipstream
- Earth in science fiction
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
- * Space dock
- Weapons in science fiction
- Resizing
- Simulated reality in fiction
- Space warfare in fiction
- * Weapons in science 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
Science fiction radio
- :Category:Science fiction radio programs|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
International awards
Major awards given in chronological order:- since 1953: Hugo Award for general science fiction
- since 1965: Nebula Award for general science fiction
- since 1966: Edward E. Smith Memorial Award
- since 1970: BSFA Award for British science fiction
- since 1970: Seiun Award for Japanese science fiction
- since 1971: Locus Award for science fiction, fantasy, and new authors
- since 1972: Saturn Award for film and television science fiction
- since 1973: John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
- since 1978: Rhysling Award for best science fiction poetry, given by the Science Fiction Poetry Association
- since 1982: Philip K. Dick Award
- since 1987: Arthur C. Clarke Award
- since 1987: Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for best short science fiction
- since 2003: Robert A. Heinlein Award
- since 2006: Parsec Award
- since 2016: Dragon Awards
- since 2017:
Nationality-specific awards
- Aurealis Award—Australian
- Chandler Award—for contributions to Australian Science fiction
- Ditmar Award—for SF by Australians
- Kitschies—for speculative fiction novels published in the UK
- Constellation Awards—for the best SF/fantasy film or television works released in Canada
- Prix Aurora Awards—for Canadian science fiction
- Sunburst Award— Juried award for Canadian science fiction
- The Galaxy Awards —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
- :et:Stalker |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
- Grand Prix de l'Imaginaire—France since 1974
- :fr:Prix Jules-Verne|Prix Jules-Verne—France 1927–1933 and 1958–1963
- Prix Tour-Apollo Award—France 1972-1990
- Kurd-Laßwitz-Preis—German SF award
- Geffen Award—Israel since 1999
- 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
- Janusz A. Zajdel Award—award of Polish fandom
- Nautilus Award—Polish award
- SRSFF Award—România
- Big Roscon award for outstanding contribution to science fiction
- TBD Science Fiction Story Award—Turkey
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—1992-2017
- Sidewise Award for Alternate History—since 1995
- Gaylactic Spectrum Awards—since 1999
- Emperor Norton Award—San Francisco—2003-2011
- Science Fiction & Fantasy Translation Awards—2011-2014
New artists / first works awards
- Compton Crook Award—for best first novel
- Jack Gaughan Award—for best emerging artist
- John W. Campbell Award—for best new writer
- Writers of the Future—contest for new authors
Career awards
- Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award—associated with the Nebula
People 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
- 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
- Alexei Panshin
- David Pringle—editor of Foundation and Interzone; author of
- Andrew Sawyer
- Dorothy Scarborough
- Brian Stableford
- Darko Suvin
- Gary K. Wolfe
Franchises
Space science fiction franchises:
- Alien
- Babylon 5
- Battlestar Galactica
- Doctor Who
- Dune
- Godzilla
- Halo
- Independence Day
- Legend of the Galactic Heroes
- Macross
- Mass Effect
- Men in Black
- Mobile Suit Gundam
- Neon Genesis Evangelion
- Planet of the Apes
- Predator
- Robotech
- Space Battleship Yamato
- Space Odyssey
- Star Trek
- Star Wars
- Stargate
- The Expanse
- Transformers
- Ultra Series