Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (Literary Movements) [Hardcover]

Don D'Ammassa (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The book is part of Facts On File's Literary Movements series, and it has its uses. It also has flaws that make it less useful than it might be. It is the work of one writer, who is described in promotional material as "one of the world's leading experts on contemporary science fiction" and a writer of fiction and criticism. The prose is full of errors like muddling prophesy and prophecy.

The work is alphabetical and combines articles on authors, novels, novellas, short stories, and series. A term in capitals in one article sends the reader to another. Articles range from a few paragraphs to a page or two. A glossary, a list of Hugo and Nebula Award winners, bibliographies of science fiction works and secondary sources, and an index complete the volume. Although the emphasis seems to be on British and American authors, there are entries for a few writers outside the English-speaking world. Coverage extends from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to the present.

Since the emphasis is on science fiction as literature, this volume does not have the broad coverage of the field found in John Clute and Peter Nicholl's Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (St. Martin's, 1993). Terms related to themes and to subgenres, such as cyber punk, hard science fiction, and military science fiction, are defined in the glossary instead of being treated as main entries. The author includes some writers not generally associated with science fiction but has some curious omissions, including Karel Capek's R.U.R., which gave us the term robot, and Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow and Children of God. Information about authors' lives is cursory at best; someone looking for biographical information would do better with resources such as Gale's Contemporary Authors or Dictionary of Literary Biography series.

Librarians will want to keep in mind this volume's narrow focus when considering purchase. Libraries with extensive science fiction criticism sections may find it useful. Kathleen Stipek
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Facts on File (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816059241
• ISBN-13: 978-0816059249
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,563,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Don D'Ammassa was born in 1946 and was reading adult fiction by age six. He has been accumulating books ever since and his library is now approaching 60,000 volumes. He began reviewing science fiction and fantasy in the 1960s and sold his first novel, Blood Beast, in 1988. Since then he has sold well over one hundred stories, six more novels, and three reference books. He currrently lives in Rhode Island.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 500 entries place sci fi works in literary perspective, March 17, 2006

By 

D. Donovan, Editor/Sr. Reviewer "California B... (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (Literary Movements) (Hardcover)

Plenty of books analyze the world of science fiction, but few narrow the focus to literary impact, as does ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE FICTION: THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE LIVES AND WORKS OF SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS. College-level readers receive a comprehensive A-Z reference of over 500 entries for both authors and works, placing the writer and achievements in perspective of literary merits and including a bibliography, glossary of terms, and survey of the basic science fiction literary movements which evolved. Even peripheral writers like Stephen King who have made definitive marks on the genre receive recognition in this fine, college-level reference.