What do you think?
Rate this book
Worlds Apart: Narratology of Science Fiction
"[Malmgren] succeeds in formulating a typology of science fiction that will become a standard reference for some years to come." ―Choice
" . . . the most intelligently organized and effectively argued general study of SF that I have ever read." ―Rob Latham, SFRA Review
" . . . required reading for its evenhanded overview of so much of the previous critical/theoretical material devoted to science fiction." ―American Book Review
Worlds Apart provides a comprehensive theoretical model for science fiction by examining the worlds of science fiction and the discourse which inscribes them. Malmgren identifies the basic science fiction types, including alien encounters, alternate societies and worlds, and fantasy, and examines the role of the reader in concretizing and interpreting these science fiction worlds.
" . . . the most intelligently organized and effectively argued general study of SF that I have ever read." ―Rob Latham, SFRA Review
" . . . required reading for its evenhanded overview of so much of the previous critical/theoretical material devoted to science fiction." ―American Book Review
Worlds Apart provides a comprehensive theoretical model for science fiction by examining the worlds of science fiction and the discourse which inscribes them. Malmgren identifies the basic science fiction types, including alien encounters, alternate societies and worlds, and fantasy, and examines the role of the reader in concretizing and interpreting these science fiction worlds.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 1991
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 4, 2015
There is a really good review of this book in SFS from when it was published that pretty much details all my problems with this book. (cf: http://www.depauw.edu/sfs/reviews_pag... )
If you don't want to read the review (though you ought to), here's a quick rundown of my problems:
1. Not narratology. Not sure where he gets the idea of this being narratology from. It's taxonomy with a vague connection to narrative structure.
2. Not about world-building, despite suggestion of this in the introduction. And certainly not about world-building and narratology in SF.
3. Pretty much reiterates Suvin.
4. Problematic taxonomic categories at *best*. Also, no real suggestion of what this taxonomy does for the analysis of SF. And we in SF have taxonomies coming out our ears…
Worth using to argue against, but not recommended for anyone new to the genre.
If you don't want to read the review (though you ought to), here's a quick rundown of my problems:
1. Not narratology. Not sure where he gets the idea of this being narratology from. It's taxonomy with a vague connection to narrative structure.
2. Not about world-building, despite suggestion of this in the introduction. And certainly not about world-building and narratology in SF.
3. Pretty much reiterates Suvin.
4. Problematic taxonomic categories at *best*. Also, no real suggestion of what this taxonomy does for the analysis of SF. And we in SF have taxonomies coming out our ears…
Worth using to argue against, but not recommended for anyone new to the genre.
Displaying 1 of 1 review