'Overall, the volume is a major achievement. There's no other book like it on the market, and it will surely become the first point of reference for students coming to the study of SF. The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction is highly recommended.' Alien Online

• List of contributors; Foreword; Acknowledgements; Chronology; Introduction: reading science fiction Farah Mendlesohn; Part I. The History: 1. Science fiction before the genre Brian Stableford; 2. The magazine era: 1926–1960 Brian Attebery; 3. New wave and backwash: 1960–1980 Damien Broderick; 4. Science fiction from 1980 to the present John Clute; 5. Film and television Mark Bould; 6. Science fiction and its editors Gary K. Wolfe; Part II. Critical Approaches: 7. Marxist theory and science fiction Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr; 8. Feminist theory and science fiction Veronica Hollinger; 9. Postmodernism and science fiction Andrew M. Butler; 10. Science fiction and queer theory Wendy Pearson; Part III. Sub-Genres and Themes: 11. The icons of science fiction Gwyneth Jones; 12. Science fiction and the life sciences Joan Slonczewski and Michael Levy; 13. Hard science fiction Kathryn Cramer; 14. Space opera Gary Westfahl; 15. Alternate history Andy Duncan; 16. Utopias and anti-utopias Edward James; 17. Politics and science fiction Ken MacLeod; 18. Gender in science fiction Helen Merrick; 19. Race and ethnicity in science fiction Elisabeth Anne Leonard; 20. Religion and science fiction Farah Mendlesohn; Further reading; Index.

'Overall, the volume is a major achievement. There's no other book like it on the market, and it will surely become the first point of reference for students coming to the study of SF. The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction is highly recommended.' Alien Online

• List of contributors; Foreword; Acknowledgements; Chronology; Introduction: reading science fiction Farah Mendlesohn; Part I. The History: 1. Science fiction before the genre Brian Stableford; 2. The magazine era: 1926–1960 Brian Attebery; 3. New wave and backwash: 1960–1980 Damien Broderick; 4. Science fiction from 1980 to the present John Clute; 5. Film and television Mark Bould; 6. Science fiction and its editors Gary K. Wolfe; Part II. Critical Approaches: 7. Marxist theory and science fiction Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr; 8. Feminist theory and science fiction Veronica Hollinger; 9. Postmodernism and science fiction Andrew M. Butler; 10. Science fiction and queer theory Wendy Pearson; Part III. Sub-Genres and Themes: 11. The icons of science fiction Gwyneth Jones; 12. Science fiction and the life sciences Joan Slonczewski and Michael Levy; 13. Hard science fiction Kathryn Cramer; 14. Space opera Gary Westfahl; 15. Alternate history Andy Duncan; 16. Utopias and anti-utopias Edward James; 17. Politics and science fiction Ken MacLeod; 18. Gender in science fiction Helen Merrick; 19. Race and ethnicity in science fiction Elisabeth Anne Leonard; 20. Religion and science fiction Farah Mendlesohn; Further reading; Index.