This Very Short Introduction ties examples of science fiction to different historical moments, in order to demonstrate how science fiction has evolved over time, especially the emergence of science fiction as a popular genre in the 20th century. The author looks not only at literature, but also at drama and poetry as well as film. He examines such recurrent themes as voyages into space, the concept of the alien and alternative social identities, the role of technology in science fiction, and its relation to time--in the past, present, and future.
