Fantasy and Science Fiction History and News

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Science Fiction and Fantasy

There was a time when the idea of a world-wide system linking people and computers might have been straight out of the pages of the latest science fiction magazine. No surprise then, that science fiction and fantasy fans, writers, editors, artists, and more have taken to the Internet in large numbers from the time of the early bulletin board discussion groups to the instant messaging, blogs, and chat rooms of today. Whether you're new to science fiction and fantasy and want to know more, have a favorite writer you'd like to know more about, are looking for information on actors, movies, and TV shows, or would like to meet people who share the same interests in science fiction and fantasy as you do, the Internet is the perfect place to find out what you need to know.

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Fantasy and Science Fiction History and News

Over the years, a whole culture has grown up around people's love of and appreciation for fantasy and science fiction. If you're newly enchanted and would like to know more about where science fiction, fantasy, and the people who love it come from, the Internet has a wealth of information available to you. You can bring your knowledge up to date with sites that give a history of the subject, and then get into the swing of things by discovering what's happening in the community now.

Dulcinea's Insight

Much of the history of science fiction and fantasy in the 20th century is also the history of the fans--the women, men, boys, and girls-who read, watch, talk about, and sometimes obsess over their favorites. The Fan History Project has all you need to know, and more, about how the science fiction and fantasy fan community grew up, along with the stories that drew them all together.

You'll find that many of the best Web sites about fantasy and science fiction are the work of fans and amateur writers. Don't disregard these; as you'll realize from the insight above, science fiction fans are also experts.

Don't be surprised if you run into a few words or phrases that are new to you. Like all communities built around an intensely shared interest, science fiction and fantasy fans have developed some specialized terms to describe what they like and do. One manifestation of this is the use of sf versus sci-fi as an abbreviation for science fiction. SF is actually a more all-encompassing term, because it also stands for speculative fiction.

Dulcinea's Picks

For the history of science fiction and fantasy ...

The SciFi Guide , by Agatha Taormina of Northern Virginia Community College, is a well-written introduction to science fiction that combines a fan's zeal with an academic's knowledge. The history section starts with pre-history and ends up in modern times. There are also sections devoted to authors, recommended books, science fiction in media, and links to resources and sites devoted to sf.

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Welcome To World Of Fantasy has a bit of a clunky design, but makes up for it with a wealth of information and a real sense of enthusiasm for its subject. The "History" section is divided by topics, from fantasy's roots in mythology to the works of the modern masters. There are also reading recommendations, a library of fantastic creatures, an art gallery, links to other sites, and more.

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The Ultimate Science Fiction Web Guide is the perfect thing for those ready to move beyond general knowledge and into the obsessive details. The site has articles on several subjects, but what really stands out are the 6,000+ links to all things science fiction and fantasy.

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For fantasy and science fiction news ...

Locus Online is the Internet presence of Locus Magazine, the science fiction and fantasy equivalent of Billboard. You'll find daily updates on news, author appearances, conventions, new books, movies, shows, and links to new material on other Web sites.

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Ansible is one of the more notorious publications in science fiction history. The work of highly opinionated, and very informed British sf fan David Langford, Ansible is always filled with entertaining commentary on the latest goings-on in fantasy and science fiction. The Web site has issues archived dating back to 1979.

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TheOneRing.net started out as the main fan site for news about the Lord of the Rings movies. It has continued on as a news service and gathering place for fans of all kinds of fantasy.

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SciFi Wire is the news service page of SciFi.com. SciFi Wire posts regular updates on news about books, movies, television shows, fandom, comics, and pretty much everything at all related to fantasy and science fiction. You can find video previews of upcoming shows and movies, and, of course, links to the other sections of SciFi.com.

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