Science Fiction | RCPL Book Buzz

Pitcher Types of Fiction

Science fiction is speculative fiction. The genre is composed of stories that speculate about the potential uses of science and about the potential future of mankind on this world and within the universe. Fantasy is a genre whose novels are designed to arouse wonder. In fantasy, the laws of nature as we know them, are frequently suspended. Fantasy is often, though not always populated with heroes and heroines, the creatures of legend and myth, and takes place in a setting where magic was, is, or is about to operate.

Print Resources

Web Resources

Arthur C. Clarke Award
Fantastic Fiction - Visitors to the Fantastic Fiction site may access bibliographies for over 7000 authors! Use the browse menu to find an author by surname, or use the search boxes search for an author or book. In addition, throughout the site, information is available on over 140,000 books including the latest titles. One interesting feature of the site is the Years link beginning with 1564 through 2005. Visitor clicks on a year to see entries (either birth or death date) for various authors.
Hugo Award
Locus Online - Locus Online focuses on news of the science fiction publishing field as well as coverage of new science fiction books and magazines. The site is divided into the following areas of interest: Blinks (sidebar links to notable articles, reviews, and websites), Directories, Features (annual best-of-year surveys, essays, and reviews), Future History (upcoming author signings and appearances, conferences, and workshops), Issues (sample of Locus Magazine including the Table of Contents), and Monitor (weekly to monthly listings of new books/magazines and a weekly compilation of genre books that appear on general bestseller lists).
Nebula Award
Science Fiction and Fantasy World Site claims to be “one of the largest SF and Fantasy sites on the Internet today”. Book reviews on this site are divided into two categories – official and reader. Site also offers links to a discussion forum for various sci fi topics, an online adventure - The Quest of Thrones, based upon George R. R. Martin’s epic fantasy series, and sci fi-related news stories.
Scifan Launched in 1999, Scifan is an online resource for science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts. Currently, the Scifan database contains information on 53534 books, 14430 writers, 5988 series and 3373 web links with content added almost daily. One of the site’s main goals is to build a comprehensive and accurate database of sci fi/fantasy writes, with their bibliographies, biographies and pictures, and links to relevant web sites. In addition Scifan strives to keep track of new book releases and series, provide information on the history and evolution of sci fi/fantasy (its themes and subgenres), promote sci fi/fantasy as genres, and provide book purchasing options for both in-print and out-of-print books.
The SF Site (The Home Page for Science Fiction and Fantasy) - Twice a month, beginning in July 1997, SF has posted a mix of book reviews, opinion pieces, author interviews, fiction excerpts, author/publisher reading lists. Concurrently, the site offers an extensive list of links to author/fan tribute sites, SF conventions, SF TV and movies, magazines and e-zines, writer resources, publishers and small press sites.
Steampunk Steampunk offers a variety of links for sci fi fans that include links to Authors, Awards, Bibliographies (Author, Media, and Subject), Fiction (Excerpts, Novels, and Stories), and Reviews.
World Fantasy Awards
Yahoo: Science Fiction and Fantasy Yahoo provides readers with links to sci fi and fantasy information in the categories of Authors, Awards, Conventions, Feminist Science Fiction, Organizations, and Web Published Fiction.