When the first édition of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction was published in 1979, it was immediately hailed as a classic work of référence. Frank Herbert described it as « the most valuable science fiction source book ever written » and Isaac Asimov said « It will become the Bible for all science fiction fans. »

     This new édition has taken years to prepare and is much more than a simple updating. The world of science fiction in the 1990's is much more complex than it was back in the late 1970's. The advent of game worlds, shared worlds, graphic novels, film and tv spin-offs, technothrillers, survivalist fiction, sf horror novels and fantasy novels with sf centres has necessitated a radical revision, and this has allowed the inclusion of related subjects, such as magic realism. Accordingly, the book has expanded dramatically in order to cope with the complexities and changes. It now contains well over 4,300 entries — a staggering 1,500 more than the original — and, at 1.3 million words, it is over half a million words longer than the first édition.

     This is the indispensable reference work not only for every reader who loves, uses and wishes to know more about science fiction, but for every reader of imaginative fiction at the end of this century.

     John Clute, co-editor, has been writing about science fiction for thirty years ; he has more than once been called the best science fiction reviewer now active, and writes for papers and journals in both the United Kingdom and the United States. Strokes, a sélection from his hundreds of reviews and essays, was published in 1988. He was the associate editor of the first edition of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction

     Peter Nicholls, co-editor. has won both the Hugo Award and the Pilgrim Award for scholarship in science fiction. He is a broadcaster, anthologist, reviewer, editor of books on science fiction and editor of the critical journal Foundation (1974-78 ). He conceived the first edition of The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction in 1979 and was its general editor.

« IT WILL BECOME THE BIBLE FOR ALL SCIENCE FICTION FAN »

ISAAC ASIMOV

« THE MOST VALUABLE SCIENCE FICTION SOURCE BOOK EVER WRITTEN »

FRANK HERBERT

« REMARKABLY ALL-EMBRACING, COVERING EVERY IMAGINABLE SF OUTLET »

DAILY TELEGRAPH

« THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY SIMILAR REFERENCE BOOK WHICH COMES CLOSE TO MATCHING IT »

MICHAEL MOORCOCK