cience fiction's slow and steady creep into academia is chronicled by Science Fiction Studies, the Web site for a print publication of the same name that has been turning a critical eye toward the genre since 1973.
While other publications review science fiction, the journal is dedicated to critiquing the reviewers. Its staff dissects the critical work of those analyzing fantasy, science fiction and horror literature, offering assessments of the author's academic skill, methodology and merit. The books reviewed are as diverse as science fiction itself, with topics ranging from feminism to post-modernism to good old-fashioned heroics.
Augmenting the reviews are tables of contents for all of the published journals, as well as synopses of the articles that appeared in each edition. If an edition sold out, its complete text is available online. There are also numerous essays on special topics, such as Brian Stableford's "The Third Generation of Genre SF."
The site's "Chronological Bibliography of Science Fiction Criticism" is an immense list of influential or noteworthy sci-fi critiques spanning the ages from 1634 to 2002. The "Wormholes" section isn't nearly as comprehensive, but does include hyperlinks to numerous speculative fiction journals, newsletters, library collections and scholarly organizations.
The academic style of the site's holdings can be a little dense, and it does require a mental shifting of gears to view science fiction as something to be critically studied rather than simply enjoyed. Overall, it's an excellent resource for anyone who's ever struggled to write a critical analysis of Clarke and Asimov while their peers tackled more terrestrial subjects such as Shakespeare and Hemingway.
— Ken Newquist
Site of the Week—August 12, 2002
he brainchild of authors Stephen Hunt and Geoff Willmetts, SF Crowsnest is Europe's most visited SF site. The page dishes up large servings of information on what's going on in SF literature, media and fandom around the world, spicing up the news with a dose of wry humor and plenty of ready
opinions.
At first glance, this Web page appears to be a typical online SF magazine, one with a relatively conventional layout to boot. Everything a visitor will expect to find is here: interviews with authors like Michael Moorcock and Alan Dean Foster, artwork, convention listings, book reviews and discussion forums. The cross-linked essays in the Crowsnest library provide for endless surfing, leading a reader from an essay on whether Buffy's Slayer powers are derived from demonic possession to an article on Internet film releases, and from there to coverage of the Sidewise Awards. Added to this standard fare, though, is a host of less frequently seen extras, like market listings for writers, cartoons and a large archive of fiction. The Crowsnest also has a news section that is less devoted to staying current with SF than it is in covering a selection of topics in deeper detail.
Ultimately, though, what makes SF Crowsnest stand out from similar sites is its tone. Articles and market listings are irreverent to the point of sarcasm, and the editorials are pointed and topical, with an appealing lean into the acerbic.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—August 5, 2002
ourteen-time Hugo award winner Michael Whelan offers visitors a chance to sample his fantasy- and SF-themed artwork on this official Web page. Known both for his original work and for book covers like that for Joan Vinge's The Snow Queen, Whelan uses this page as a showcase for his work and (to a lesser extent) an information site for aspiring artists.
Beautifully laid out and easy to access, the page features a gallery containing some of Whelan's best-known paintings, as well as a store that sells prints, originals and novelty items, including coffee cups and personal checks adorned with Whelan dragons. It also has a scant handful of links, most of them to the pages of SF authors.
Much of the content of this site is visual, naturally, but even so, one of its most delightful elements is its detailed biography of Michael Whelan, as well as an FAQ that talks about his methods of working and the artistic materials he prefers to use. These glimpses into the minutiae of a working artist's world are intriguing. Combined with the images of his work, they are inspirational, providing ample fuel for the imaginations of any young painters who dream of bringing their own SF visions to a wider and very appreciative audience.
— A.M. Dellamonica
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