A Reader's History of Science Fiction

At the same time science fiction came into its own as a genre, cinema was doing the same. Here, we see an overview of the most notable sci-fi films of the silent and pre-Code eras, and how they influenced the culture. Movie recommendation: Metropolis .

H. P. Lovecraft brought the Gothic horror of the previous century into the modern era with his new genre of cosmic horror, which placed humankind at the mercy of vast and inscrutable alien entities. Despite a tarnished legacy, he is still considered the master of sci-fi-horror and a great influence on the genre ever since. Book recommendation: At the Mountains of Madness .

The hallmark of early science fiction was the pulp magazines, which continued the tradition of larger-than-life adventure stories. Despite the sometimes silly and over-the-top writing style, this was an important step in the development of the genre. Book recommendation: The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

H. G. Wells was in many respects the first real science fiction author, where earlier writers wrote more or less in existing genres. This episode is an overview of his work and legacy. Excerpt on Wells's Law. Book recommendation: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells.

Jules Verne was perhaps the first author to systematically incorporate the latest science into his work, becoming one of the biggest minds behind the idea of science fiction. Yet his focus wasn't so much on sci-fi as it was on adventure fiction. In this episode I explore how he contributed to the development of the genre. Book recommendation: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas by Jules Verne.

Modern science spread out from early satirical novels first to the gothic horror of the nineteenth century. This is the genre where the first real sci-fi novel appears. Yet it was still cloaked in supernatural themes, not quite come into its own as a genre. Book recommendation: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Several books widely regarded as the first science fiction novels date back as far as the sixteenth century, but most of these weren't dramatic stories at all, but were satirical instead. In this episode, I explore how satire contributed to the genre of science fiction. Book recommendation: Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift.

In this first episode, I explain how I developed the idea of this podcast, what I mean by science fiction, and how this podcast will proceed. A preview for the rest of the series. The cover art is the heart of the Tarantula Nebula as imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope.