These volumes update the two-volume work first published in 1985 as a companion to the first edition of Scribner's Science Fiction Writers. The editor, Richard Bleiler, is the son of the first edition's editor, Everett F. Bleiler, and the author or editor of other works on genre fiction, including Science Fiction Writers (2d ed., Scribner, 1999) and Reference Guide to Mystery and Detective Fiction (Libraries Unlimited, 1999). Everett F. Bleiler makes an appearance here as a contributor.
The 1985 edition profiled supernatural writers who were primarily "of historical interest." For the new edition, it was decided to "largely eschew historical coverage and profile instead the most significant contemporary British and American writers of fantasy and horror." According to the introduction, contemporary is defined as someone who has been active since 1985. Some of the 116 writers, such as Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and Joyce Carol Oates, appeared in the first edition, but many, including Paul Auster, Clive Barker, Ian McEwan, Philip Pullman, and J. K. Rowling, are new. Although they died before 1985, Robert Aickman and Shirley Jackson have entries in the new edition because their reputations continue to grow.
Whereas arrangement in the first edition was broadly chronological, the second is organized alphabetically by writer. Articles range in length from 5 to 12 pages. There is some biographical information but emphasis is on the works, with analysis of important themes, types of work, and, in many cases, individual series and titles. Each article concludes with a selected bibliography of works by the author under discussion, critical and biographical studies, and Web sites if they are available. The index in volume 2 lists authors and titles.
Librarians turn to the Scribner Writers Series for more in-depth treatment than can be found in most other literary reference sources, and Supernatural Fiction Writers does not disappoint. It is recommended for high-school, public, and academic libraries. Because the second edition extends rather than supersedes the first, the first edition should be retained. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"...a guide to 116 'significant contemporary' authors who have been active since 1985, an expansion on E.F. Bleiler's 1982 Supernatural Fiction Writers: Fantasy and Horror..."
-- Locus (January 2003) (Locus 20030415)
"Supplementing rather than replacing the first edition (Supernatural Fiction Writers, ed. by E.F. Bleiler, 2v., CH, Sep'85), this set, compiled by the son of the previous editor, presents 116 critical, biobibliographical essays about fantasy and horror authors. While the first edition took a historical approach, this set concentrates on authors active in the field since 1985 whose works are considered canonical. Subjects range from the currently popular George R.R. Martin and J.K. Rowling to classic novelists such as Fritz Leiber and Ray Bradbury. Each article contains biographical details, a critical overview of the subject's literary career, and a selected bibliography. The two editions have 23 authors in common, but articles on these writers have been substantially revised, frequently by their original authors. The selection of contributors is superb, as many are recognized experts on the authors they profile, and some contributors (Elizabeth Hand, Brian Stableford) are themselves profiled. St. James Guide to Fantasy Writers, ed. by David Pringle (CH, Jul'96), covers many more authors, but in less depth. Supernatural fiction authors are frequently not recognized as serious novelists, a fault remedied here. Summing Up: Recommended. Undergraduate and public libraries."
-- Choice (July/August 2003) (Choice 20030201)
"GR 9- UP. A Trustworthy source of biographical information and analysis of 116 contemporary writers. Supernatural is loosely defined as including horror, fantasy, and some science fiction. ... The articles, ranging in length from 8 to 12 pages, include book and series description, analysis, and critique. They offer specifics about stories, plots, characters, and themes, and provide a sense of the individual?s body of work. ... The index is extensive. This fine extension to the earlier edition will be useful for reports and appreciated for its inclusion of many authors who have not received much attention in other sources."
-- School Library Journal (June 2003) (School Library Journal 20030101)
"These volumes update the two-volume work first published in 1985, as a companion to the first edition of Scribner's Science Fiction Writers. ... The 1985 edition profiled supernatural writers who were primarily of 'historical interest.' For the new edition, it was decided to 'largely eschew historical coverage and profile instead the most significant contemporary British and American writers of fantasy and horror.' According to the introduction, contemporary is defined as someone who has been active since 1985. ... Articles range in length from 5 to 12 pages. There is some biographical information but emphasis is on the works, with analysis of important themes, types of work, and, in many cases, individual series and titles. Each article concludes with a selected bibliography of works by the author under discussion, critical and biographical studies, and Web sites if they are available. The index in Volume 2 lists authors and titles. Librarians turn to the Scribner Writers Series for more in-depth treatment than can be found in most other literary reference sources, and Supernatural Fiction Writers does not disappoint. It is recommended for high-school, public, and academic libraries. Because the second edition extends rather then supersedes the first, the first edition should be retained."
-- Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin (April 2003) (Booklist )
"Any science fiction/fantasy reader who finds out about the set will immediately begin poring over the essays and will have a definite opinion about every detail. The second edition of this work contains more than 100 essays of prominent authors. Each entry contains a biographical bibliography, lists of interviews, lists of book reviews and bibliographies of primary and secondary literature. All of the popular authors are covered: Poul Anderson, Piers Anthony, Robert Block, Ray Bradbury, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Terry Brooks, Susan Cooper, Philip Pullman, Anne Rice, J. K. Rowling and Jane Yolen, just to name a few. While these authors are popular with children and young adults, there is a caution with the set: It is written for the serious student rather than as an introduction for the casual reader, as might be expected in the Something About the Author series or a single biography written for children and young people. Highly recommended for middle and high schools where science fiction and fantasy readers not only haunt the shelves, but are forever writing reports for their teachers about the genre (at least whenever given half a chance)."
-- Blanche Woolls and David Loertscher's online Reference for Students (Febraury 2003) (Online )
"The 2d edition of the Scribner Writers Series 1986 edition contains new essays for well over 100 writers. The editor of the 2nd edition of Science Fiction Writers, Richard Bleiler, is also the editor of this 2-volume reference work. The essays are written for the high school and undergraduate student, nonspecialists, and as a resource for teachers needing background on writers they have not taught or studied before. Since the entire spectrum of a writer's career is covered, this is also an excellent resource for public libraries. Each essay has a selected bibliography of primary works, a selected biographical and critical bibliography listing articles and books, any interviews, and a list of book reviews. Newer writers, such as Patrick McGrath, Steve Erickson, and Scott Bradfield, are included with well-known science fiction writers, such as Ursula K. LeGuin, Anne McCaffrey, and Ray Bradbury. Overall, these two volumes provide in-depth coverage of the authors researched, and are good starting points for information on the science fiction, fantasy, and horror authors that are profiled."
-- ARBA (January 2003) (ARBA )
See all Editorial Reviews
