Transcribe
Translate
New Fandom, v. 2, issue 1, April 1940
Page 3
More information
digital collection
archival collection guide
transcription tips
NEW FANDOM Page Three A CRITIQUE OF SCIENCE FICTION by Thos. S. Gardner. PART ONE I. Can we give it a name? The growth of a literature resembles a tree with a main stem that soon allows its branches to diverge farther and farther from the trunk. The story of science-fiction is strangely like our hypothetical tree in its many ramifications and changes. Before Gernsback started "Amazing Stories" in April, 1926, a great deal of science-fiction had been printed. At that time it was easily defined as a story whose plot concerned quite logical and not too far-fetched developements in science. The fields of fantasy and weird fiction were already hoary with age when the lusty infant ---science-fiction --- was born. Thus the early science-fiction stories emphasized science in spite of the well-drawn characterizations and the unique and intriguing situations. At that time it was possible to point to a story and say, "This is science-fiction, and that on is weird", and leave only a few border-ling stories to be argued about. These border-line stories were ofter called "unusual" or "different" stories. What is the situation today? We have an interesting web of stories that cannot be classed as any one type. The field has expanded enormously, and every conceivable angle is being investigated for fiction. However, a few definite sub-types are clear-cut and may be differentiated. First we have: SCIENCE-FICTION --- A story whose plot is the result of deductions made from accepted science. The imagination is drawn on logically, and without creating the feeling of unreality and impossibility. Scientifiction is a composite word invented by Hugo Gernsback in 1915 to represent the linking of fact and fiction in these stories. It is practically synonymous with science-fiction, and altho a good word, has not been used much. SCIENTALE --- A story containing a little science, but mostly given over to adventure. This type is usually the most readable of the classes, being light, with the science in the background, and the action turbulent and oft-times violent. FANTASY --- A story in which the imagination has been turned loose to the limit. Anything goes, and the most recent developements are the metaphysical angles in the early New Astounding and currently in Unknown. WEIRD --- A story based on the intermingling of the supernatural with the real. There are so many ramifications to the weird story that they will not be discussed in detail here. The future will doubtless bring forward many new types. II. The old masters. Science-fiction is relatively new. Satire was the only form of
Saving...
prev
next
NEW FANDOM Page Three A CRITIQUE OF SCIENCE FICTION by Thos. S. Gardner. PART ONE I. Can we give it a name? The growth of a literature resembles a tree with a main stem that soon allows its branches to diverge farther and farther from the trunk. The story of science-fiction is strangely like our hypothetical tree in its many ramifications and changes. Before Gernsback started "Amazing Stories" in April, 1926, a great deal of science-fiction had been printed. At that time it was easily defined as a story whose plot concerned quite logical and not too far-fetched developements in science. The fields of fantasy and weird fiction were already hoary with age when the lusty infant ---science-fiction --- was born. Thus the early science-fiction stories emphasized science in spite of the well-drawn characterizations and the unique and intriguing situations. At that time it was possible to point to a story and say, "This is science-fiction, and that on is weird", and leave only a few border-ling stories to be argued about. These border-line stories were ofter called "unusual" or "different" stories. What is the situation today? We have an interesting web of stories that cannot be classed as any one type. The field has expanded enormously, and every conceivable angle is being investigated for fiction. However, a few definite sub-types are clear-cut and may be differentiated. First we have: SCIENCE-FICTION --- A story whose plot is the result of deductions made from accepted science. The imagination is drawn on logically, and without creating the feeling of unreality and impossibility. Scientifiction is a composite word invented by Hugo Gernsback in 1915 to represent the linking of fact and fiction in these stories. It is practically synonymous with science-fiction, and altho a good word, has not been used much. SCIENTALE --- A story containing a little science, but mostly given over to adventure. This type is usually the most readable of the classes, being light, with the science in the background, and the action turbulent and oft-times violent. FANTASY --- A story in which the imagination has been turned loose to the limit. Anything goes, and the most recent developements are the metaphysical angles in the early New Astounding and currently in Unknown. WEIRD --- A story based on the intermingling of the supernatural with the real. There are so many ramifications to the weird story that they will not be discussed in detail here. The future will doubtless bring forward many new types. II. The old masters. Science-fiction is relatively new. Satire was the only form of
Hevelin Fanzines
sidebar
