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Speculative fiction is an umbrella phrase encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres , specifically science fiction , fantasy , horror , supernatural fiction , superhero fiction , utopian and dystopian fiction , apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction , and alternate history in literature as well as related static, motion, and virtual arts.
It has been around since humans began to speak. The earliest forms of speculative fiction were likely mythological tales told around the campfire. Speculative fiction deals with the "What if?" scenarios imagined by dreamers and thinkers worldwide. Journeys to other worlds through the vast reaches of distant space; magical quests to free worlds enslaved by terrible beings; malevolent supernatural powers seeking to increase their spheres of influence across multiple dimensions and times; all of these fall into the realm of speculative fiction.
Speculative fiction as a category ranges from ancient works to cutting edge , paradigm -changing, and neotraditional works of the 21st century. It can be recognized in works whose authors' intentions or the social contexts of the versions of stories they portrayed is now known. For example, Ancient Greek dramatists such as Euripides , whose play Medea (play) seemed to have offended Athenian audiences when he fictionally speculated that shamaness Medea killed her own children instead of their being killed by other Corinthians after her departure. The play Hippolytus , narratively introduced by Aphrodite , is suspected to have displeased contemporary audiences of the day because it portrayed Phaedra as too lusty.
In historiography , what is now called speculative fiction has previously been termed "historical invention", "historical fiction ," and other similar names. It is extensively noted in the literary criticism of the works of William Shakespeare when he co-locates Athenian Duke Theseus and Amazonian Queen Hippolyta , English fairy Puck , and Roman god Cupid all together in the fairyland of its Merovingian Germanic sovereign Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream . In mythography it has been termed "mythopoesis" or mythopoeia , "fictional speculation", the creative design and generation of lore, regarding such works as J. R. R. Tolkien 's The Lord of the Rings . Such supernatural , alternate history , and sexuality themes continue in works produced within the modern speculative fiction genre.
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Clive Staples Lewis FBA (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963) was a British writer, literary scholar, and
Anglican lay theologian . He held academic positions in English literature at both
Magdalen College, Oxford (1925–1954), and
Magdalene College, Cambridge (1954–1963). He is best known as the author of
The Chronicles of Narnia , but he is also noted for his other works of fiction, such as
The Screwtape Letters and
The Space Trilogy , and for his non-fiction
Christian apologetics , including
Mere Christianity ,
Miracles , and
The Problem of Pain .
Lewis was a close friend of
J. R. R. Tolkien , author of
The Lord of the Rings . Both men served on the English faculty at Oxford University and were active in the informal Oxford literary group known as the
Inklings . According to Lewis's 1955 memoir
Surprised by Joy , he was baptized in the
Church of Ireland but fell away from his faith during adolescence. Lewis returned to
Anglicanism at the age of 32, owing to the influence of Tolkien and other friends, and he became an "ordinary layman of the
Church of England ". Lewis's faith profoundly affected his work, and his wartime radio broadcasts on the subject of Christianity brought him wide acclaim. (
Full article... )
Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry , which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon . Since its creation, the franchise has expanded into various films , television series , video games , novels , and comic books , and it has become one of the most recognizable and highest-grossing media franchises of all time .
The franchise began with Star Trek: The Original Series , which debuted in the US on September 8, 1966, and aired for three seasons on NBC . It was first broadcast on September 6, 1966, on Canada's CTV network. The series followed the voyages of the crew of the starship USS Enterprise , a space exploration vessel built by the United Federation of Planets in the 23rd century, on a mission "to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before ". In creating Star Trek , Roddenberry was inspired by C. S. Forester 's Horatio Hornblower series of novels, Jonathan Swift 's 1726 novel Gulliver's Travels , the 1956 film Forbidden Planet , and television westerns such as Wagon Train . (Full article... )
“
Science fiction rarely is about scientists doing real science, in its slowness, its vagueness, the sort of tedious quality of getting out there and digging amongst rocks and then trying to convince people that what you're seeing justifies the conclusions you're making. The whole process of science is wildly under-represented in science fiction because it's not easy to write about. There are many facets of science that are almost exactly opposite of dramatic narrative. It's slow, tedious, inconclusive, it's hard to tell good guys from bad guys—it's everything that a normal hour of Star Trek is not.
”
—Kim Stanley Robinson (b. 1952), Interview, Locus (September 1997).[1]
Super Science Stories was an American
pulp science fiction magazine published by
Popular Publications from 1940 to 1943, and again from 1949 to 1951. Popular launched it under their Fictioneers imprint, which they used for magazines, paying writers less than one cent per word.
Frederik Pohl was hired in late 1939, at 19 years old, to edit the magazine; he also edited
Astonishing Stories , a companion science fiction publication. Pohl left in mid-1941 and
Super Science Stories was given to
Alden H. Norton to edit; a few months later Norton rehired Pohl as an assistant. Popular gave Pohl a very low budget, so most manuscripts submitted to
Super Science Stories had already been rejected by the higher-paying magazines. This made it difficult to acquire good fiction, but Pohl was able to acquire stories for the early issues from the
Futurians , a group of young
science fiction fans and aspiring writers.
Super Science Stories was an initial success, and within a year Popular increased Pohl's budget slightly, allowing him to pay a bonus rate on occasion. Pohl wrote many stories himself, to fill the magazine and to augment his salary. He managed to obtain stories by writers who subsequently became very well known, such as
Isaac Asimov and
Robert Heinlein . After Pohl entered the army in early 1943, wartime paper shortages led Popular to cease publication of
Super Science Stories . The final issue of the first run was dated May of that year. In 1949 the title was revived with
Ejler Jakobsson as editor; this version, which included many reprinted stories, lasted almost three years, with the last issue dated August 1951. A Canadian reprint edition of the first run included material from both
Super Science Stories and
Astonishing Stories ; it was unusual in that it published some original fiction rather than just reprints. There were also Canadian and British reprint editions of the second incarnation of the magazine. (
Full article... )
Possible events in the future as suggested by science fiction:
The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), the fifth starship to bear the name, is launched in 2364.
A geological survey on Zeta Minor is almost annihilated by anti-matter creatures in 37166.
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Fantasy : Artemis Fowl , Discworld , Fabelhaven , Harry Potter , Highlander , His Dark Materials , Inheritance Cycle , Lemony Snicket , Middle-Earth , Narnia , Oz , Percy Jackson , Redwall , Roald Dahl , Shannara , A Song of Ice and Fire , Warriors .
Horror : Buffy , Twilight .
Other and related: Animation , Anime and manga , Balzac , Children's literature , Comics , Disney , Machinima , Games (Board and tabletop games , Warhammer 40K , RPGs (D&D ), Video games (Square Enix )).
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Honeymoon Phase (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Paul2520 (talk · contribs · new pages (3) ) started on 2024-08-06, score: 40
Honey Watson (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by MakoDan (talk · contribs · new pages (3) ) started on 2024-08-06, score: 40
Sword Art Online Abridged (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by 85.12.30.211 (talk · contribs · new pages (1) ) started on 2024-08-06, score: 80
Big Bad Wolves (soundtrack) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by 223.178.86.6 (talk · contribs · new pages (11) ) started on 2024-08-06, score: 40
Mekton Wars 1: Invasion Terra (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by BOZ (talk · contribs · new pages (8) ) started on 2024-08-06, score: 25
The Stallion Houssan (Sudanese folktale) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by KHR FolkMyth (talk · contribs · new pages (6) ) started on 2024-08-06, score: 20
The Girl as Soldier (Russian folktale) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by KHR FolkMyth (talk · contribs · new pages (6) ) started on 2024-08-05, score: 20
Until Dawn (film) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by KingArti (talk · contribs · new pages (10) ) started on 2024-08-05, score: 100
The Mummy (1999 soundtrack) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by 223.178.86.6 (talk · contribs · new pages (11) ) started on 2024-08-05, score: 40
Buddy (2024 film) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by DareshMohan (talk · contribs · new pages (10) ) started on 2024-08-05, score: 20
Outer Darkness (comics) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Mi Manni (talk · contribs · new pages (7) ) started on 2024-08-04, score: 25
Murtagh (novel) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by TechnoSquirrel69 (talk · contribs · new pages (11) ) started on 2024-08-04, score: 40
The Padisah's Youngest Daughter and Her Donkey-Skull Husband (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by KHR FolkMyth (talk · contribs · new pages (6) ) started on 2024-08-04, score: 20
The Sandman (podcast) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by TipsyElephant (talk · contribs · new pages (6) ) started on 2024-08-04, score: 20
Farewell Horizontal (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Jpom (talk · contribs · new pages (1) ) started on 2024-08-04, score: 40
Lovers' Meeting (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Lord Cornwallis (talk · contribs · new pages (62) ) started on 2024-08-04, score: 30
Rashmeet Kaur (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Siraj1989 (talk · contribs · new pages (4) ) started on 2024-08-04, score: 20
President of the United States in fiction (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by BD2412 (talk · contribs · new pages (875) ) started on 2024-08-04, score: 20
Shadowdark (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Nodicenomasters (talk · contribs · new pages (2) ) started on 2024-08-03, score: 20
Existential risk studies (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by JoaquimCebuano (talk · contribs · new pages (1) ) started on 2024-08-02, score: 35
Beyond Fest (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Grenz (talk · contribs · new pages (1) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 100
Making a Stand (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Mjks28 (talk · contribs · new pages (26) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 20
Night Has Come (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by SafariScribe (talk · contribs · new pages (227) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 40
Amar Chadha-Patel (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Starklinson (talk · contribs · new pages (10) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 80
Sunburnt Unicorn (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Bearcat (talk · contribs · new pages (119) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 20
Lost in the Moment and Found (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 40
Vina: Sebelum 7 Hari (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Bocahgabut (talk · contribs · new pages (2) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 40
Mislaid in Parts Half-Known (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 60
Lost In the Moment and Found (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 60
Across the Green Grass Fields (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-31, score: 60
Kibaraka (Swahili folktale) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by KHR FolkMyth (talk · contribs · new pages (6) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 20
28 Days Later (film series) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Ozzie10aaaa (talk · contribs · new pages (3) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 120
RZR (TV series) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Sugarrayeverymorning (talk · contribs · new pages (2) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 40
Addio fottuti musi verdi (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Alienautic (talk · contribs · new pages (46) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 65
Ali K. Mulford (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Nosferattus (talk · contribs · new pages (2) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 40
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by 2A0A:EF40:26:CF01:A138:22C7:9984:62D0 (talk · contribs · new pages (1) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 60
Come Tumbling Down (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 80
In an Absent Dream (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 60
Beneath the Sugar Sky (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 60
Down Among the Sticks and Bones (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 80
Every Heart a Doorway (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Significa liberdade (talk · contribs · new pages (100) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 85
Judith C. Vogt (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Nattes à chat (talk · contribs · new pages (5) ) started on 2024-07-25, score: 40
Wolfman's Got Nards (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by CFA (talk · contribs · new pages (366) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 40
Outside (2004 film) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Bovineboy2008 (talk · contribs · new pages (21) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 40
ParaNorman (soundtrack) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by 223.178.85.232 (talk · contribs · new pages (3) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 40
To The Stars Inc. (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by WiinterU (talk · contribs · new pages (10) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 25
Mononoke the Movie: Phantom in the Rain (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Notcharizard (talk · contribs · new pages (4) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 20
The Oppenheimer Alternative (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Bruce1ee (talk · contribs · new pages (4) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 40
Kaijū-iro no Shima (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by SimonLagann (talk · contribs · new pages (11) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 20
Crusade (Anderson novel) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Woodensuperman (talk · contribs · new pages (31) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 20
Crusade (Lowder novel) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Woodensuperman (talk · contribs · new pages (31) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 20
Exodus (White and Meier novel) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Woodensuperman (talk · contribs · new pages (31) ) started on 2024-07-30, score: 105
Bertrand Méheust (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Rjjiii (talk · contribs · new pages (6) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 20
Yūsha Party o Tsuihō Sareta Shiro Madōshi, S-Rank Bōkensha ni Hirowareru (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Tebus19 (talk · contribs · new pages (4) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 20
Kate Lethbridge-Stewart (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Flabshoe1 (talk · contribs · new pages (2) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 50
Download (OVA) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Beqwk (talk · contribs · new pages (87) ) started on 2024-07-29, score: 20
Valerie LaPointe (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by PrinceArchelaus (talk · contribs · new pages (3) ) started on 2024-07-28, score: 20
The Arrest (novel) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Jessamyn (talk · contribs · new pages (1) ) started on 2024-07-26, score: 40
Et in Arcadia ego (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by AjaxSmack (talk · contribs · new pages (18) ) started on 2024-07-26, score: 40
Mitochondrial Eve (novelette) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Samuel Adrian Antz (talk · contribs · new pages (4) ) started on 2024-07-26, score: 40
Chaff (novelette) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Samuel Adrian Antz (talk · contribs · new pages (4) ) started on 2024-07-26, score: 40
Gears of War: E-Day (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by OceanHok (talk · contribs · new pages (1) ) started on 2024-07-26, score: 40
Bōkyō Tarō (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Xexerss (talk · contribs · new pages (22) ) started on 2024-07-26, score: 40
Dead Sea (film) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Abskiee (talk · contribs · new pages (7) ) started on 2024-07-26, score: 80
The Tragedy of Macbeth (soundtrack) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by 223.178.86.5 (talk · contribs · new pages (17) ) started on 2024-07-26, score: 20
Mona Farnsworth (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Gamaliel (talk · contribs · new pages (39) ) started on 2024-07-17, score: 40
I Don't Understand You (film) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Abskiee (talk · contribs · new pages (7) ) started on 2024-07-13, score: 60
The Long Walk (upcoming film) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by KingArti (talk · contribs · new pages (10) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 100
Battle of the sexes in science fiction (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Nattes à chat (talk · contribs · new pages (5) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 100
The Source (disambiguation) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by 162 etc. (talk · contribs · new pages (27) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 40
Alyad Palyad (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Morekar (talk · contribs · new pages (4) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 60
Floriane Soulas (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Nattes à chat (talk · contribs · new pages (5) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 80
2073 (film) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Rickyurs (talk · contribs · new pages (2) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 30
Across the Universe (Sargent and Zebrowski novel) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Woodensuperman (talk · contribs · new pages (31) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 75
Silencer (Bishop novel) (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Woodensuperman (talk · contribs · new pages (31) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 80
Temple Solaire: l'enquête impossible (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by PARAKANYAA (talk · contribs · new pages (27) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 20
Maria J. Pfannholz (edit | talk | history | links | watch | logs | tools ) by Fixer88 (talk · contribs · new pages (67) ) started on 2024-07-24, score: 40
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