Classical Traditions in Science Fiction

For all its concern with change in the present and future, science fiction is deeply rooted in the past and, surprisingly, engages especially deeply with the ancient world. Indeed, both as an area in which the meaning of "classics" is actively transformed and as an open-ended set of texts whose own 'classic' status is a matter of ongoing debate, science fiction reveals much about the roles played by ancient classics in modern times. Classical Traditions inScience Fiction is the first collection dedicated to the rich study of science fiction's classical heritage, offering a much-needed mapping of its cultural and intellectual terrain.This volume discusses a wide variety of representative examples from both classical antiquity and the past four hundred years of science fiction, beginning with science fiction's "rosy-fingered dawn" and moving toward the other-worldly literature of the present day. As it makes its way through the eras of science fiction, Classical Traditions in Science Fiction exposes the many levels on which science fiction engages the ideas of the ancient world, from minute matters of language andstructure to the larger thematic and philosophical concerns.

a stimulating and provoking collection of essays., on a journey through the modern history of SF ... pointing out sites of classical interest along the way ... raises some big questions, the articles cover a broad swathe of Sci-Fi in terms of textual format ... as well as content, theme, and sub-genre. This bolsters the impression that SF's engagement with the classical tradition is varied and continually evolving ... interesting, well researched and thought provoking. For SF scholars and enthusiasts familiar with the texts in question, the book offers a fresh lens through which to view them and a new understanding of their place within the Western literary tradition ... worth reading and will encourage people to investigate the sources for themselves ... a valuable resource. The contributors bring different strengths to an interesting range of source material and express a variety of opinions on the methodological and definitional issues ... a solid contribution to the growing field of SF studies and will help to put SF firmly on the radar for students of classical reception., a fascinating collection you're excited by taking a deeper look into science fiction through the lens of the myths and stories of antiquity — that is to say if you're a Classics nerd along with being a traditional nerd — then Classical Traditions in Science Fiction is an absolute blast., the volume comprises an astoundingly diverse array of case studies

Brett M. Rogers is Assistant Professor of Classics at the University of Puget Sound. Benjamin Eldon Stevens is Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics at Hollins University.