Customer Reviews

On SF

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Science fiction author Thomas Disch has a strong following in the genre, producing memorable works which have earned an almost cult-like following; but this collection isn't his usual fiction - it's non-fiction containing essays spanning over twenty-five years of his career, offering his perspectives on the genre. From critical assessments of his contemporaries to the roots of science fiction which may be observed in modern writings, Disch offers a range of essays on everything from UFOs and the origins of Christianity to the unsung and too-few heroes of the short fiction genre. Critical, controversial - and thought provoking, On Science Fiction: A Last Judgment On The Genre From Science Fiction's Foremost Critic is for any who would think outside of the box.

I thoroughly enjoyed this idiosyncratic look at a genre which has long-needed a hard, critical eye from someone who knows what they're talking about. Disch, with Sladek, Spinrad, Ballard, Aldiss and Moorcock was one of those associated with the British sf 'new wave' of the sixties, which formed around New Worlds magazine and whose object was to bring the highest literary values to a form they called speculative fiction. Disch's own work is a fine example of their ambition and this book is probably the best so far on the subject. Highly recommended.