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
... story to be sf , it is insufficient for a writer to invoke , say , futuristic or extraterrestrial locales . The narrative - technical constraints of what has been done before by acknowledged sf writers are crucially important ( so that ...
... story to be sf , it is insufficient for a writer to invoke , say , futuristic or extraterrestrial locales . The narrative - technical constraints of what has been done before by acknowledged sf writers are crucially important ( so that ...
Page
... stories it prefaced, it was 'representative of the moods and forces at work in the development of the new literature of the Technological Era': It is essential in the nature of things that there is, at such a period of changeover, two ...
... stories it prefaced, it was 'representative of the moods and forces at work in the development of the new literature of the Technological Era': It is essential in the nature of things that there is, at such a period of changeover, two ...
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... Stories magazine. Hugo Gernsback editorialised: By 'scientifiction'22 I mean the Jules Verne, H.G.Wells and Edgar Allan Poe type of story—a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prophetic vision.... Not only do these ...
... Stories magazine. Hugo Gernsback editorialised: By 'scientifiction'22 I mean the Jules Verne, H.G.Wells and Edgar Allan Poe type of story—a charming romance intermingled with scientific fact and prophetic vision.... Not only do these ...
Page 5
... stories it prefaced , it was ' representative of the moods and forces at work in the development of the new literature of the Technological Era ' : It is essential in the nature of things that there 5 NEW WORLD , NEW TEXTS.
... stories it prefaced , it was ' representative of the moods and forces at work in the development of the new literature of the Technological Era ' : It is essential in the nature of things that there 5 NEW WORLD , NEW TEXTS.
Page 6
... stories of neurotic , confused and essentially homeless - ghost people : people who are trying to live by conventions ... story which may itself be poetical and true thus circulating a knowledge of the Poetry of Science , clothed in a ...
... stories of neurotic , confused and essentially homeless - ghost people : people who are trying to live by conventions ... story which may itself be poetical and true thus circulating a knowledge of the Poetry of Science , clothed in a ...
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