Reading by Starlight: Postmodern Science FictionReading by Starlight explores the characteristics in the writing, marketing and reception of science fiction which distinguish it as a genre. Damien Broderick explores the postmodern self-referentiality of the sci-fi narrative, its intricate coded language and discursive `encyclopaedia'. He shows how, for perfect understanding, sci-fi readers must learn the codes of these imaginary worlds and vocabularies, all the time picking up references to texts by other writers. Reading by Starlight includes close readings of paradigmatic cyberpunk texts and writings by SF novelists and theorists including Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Brian Aldiss, Patrick Parrinder, Kim Stanley Robinson, John Varley, Roger Zelazny, William Gibson, Fredric Jameson and Samuel R. Delaney. |
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Page xiii
... semiotics and stylistics of sf - an investigation of the textual strategies which constitute the writing and reading of sf . What are its generic components ? How are they put together ? How concretised by readers ? How , in turn , do ...
... semiotics and stylistics of sf - an investigation of the textual strategies which constitute the writing and reading of sf . What are its generic components ? How are they put together ? How concretised by readers ? How , in turn , do ...
Page xvi
... semiotic analysis of genre . Chapter 3 develops the view that sf is better seen as a mode of writing , and scrutinises some of its academic theorists ( Eric Rabkin , Tzvetan Todorov , Darko Suvin ) . We see that sf is marked by its use ...
... semiotic analysis of genre . Chapter 3 develops the view that sf is better seen as a mode of writing , and scrutinises some of its academic theorists ( Eric Rabkin , Tzvetan Todorov , Darko Suvin ) . We see that sf is marked by its use ...
Page 10
... semiotics is invoked to justify vampires in terms of the oral tradition , a peevish note of censorious reproof often drones in the background . Kingsley Amis's chief defence of sf is as a sociological sideshow . Fans of the action novel ...
... semiotics is invoked to justify vampires in terms of the oral tradition , a peevish note of censorious reproof often drones in the background . Kingsley Amis's chief defence of sf is as a sociological sideshow . Fans of the action novel ...
Page 23
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Page 34
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Contents
3 | |
GENERIC ENGINEERING | 21 |
GENRE OR MODE? | 38 |
THE USES OF OTHERNESS | 49 |
READING THE EPISTEME | 64 |
DREAMS OF REASON AND UNREASON | 75 |
THE STARS MY DISSERTATION | 89 |
MAKING UP WORLDS | 103 |
SF AS A MODULAR CALCULUS | 128 |
THE MULTIPLICITY OF WORLDS OF OTHERS | 137 |
THE AUTUMNAL CITY | 153 |
Notes | 159 |
Bibliography | 180 |
xi | 193 |
74 | 195 |
ALLOGRAPHY AND ALLEGORY | 117 |
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Common terms and phrases
Aldiss alien allegory attempts attention become called Chapter character cited close codes cognitive common constituted constructed course critical culture death definition Delany Delany's detail developed discourse discussion dream early effect episteme especially example experience fantasy figure force future genre given human ibid icons images imagination important interesting Intersection invention Jameson John kind language late later least less limits linguistic literary literature Lobey Marxism means mega-text metaphor mode move myth narrative never notes novel object offers once perhaps play position possible postmodern precisely question reader reading reality recent reference relation remains science fiction scientific seems semiotic sense sf's signifiers social space specific Stars story Strange structure tell textual theory things thinking tropes true turn universe volume writing