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L'histoire de la SF : édition augmentée 2024
Découvrez la première bande dessinée documentaire retraçant l’histoire de la science-fiction , narrée par un spécialiste du genre. Plus qu’un simple historique, il s’agit d’une véritable réflexion autour du genre, un panorama riche en anecdotes et en surprises . Qui a écrit le premier récit de science-fiction ? Comment est née la science-fiction américaine ? Quels livres faut-il lire pour tout savoir sur la conquête spatiale ? Les androïdes rêvent-ils de moutons électriques ?
240 pages, Hardcover
First published November 23, 2021
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337 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
December 11, 2024
This was great! A little overly wordy and didactic at times, but I am very impressed with how much they were able to cram in. Going into this one you should be aware that it is basically a University first year level lecture course on the development of the genre, delivered via a series of not terribly interesting narrator personae.
My only quibble is that the focus is almost 100% on American and British creators, leaving the excellent latter day contributions of writers like the Chinese Cixin Liu out of scope.
My only quibble is that the focus is almost 100% on American and British creators, leaving the excellent latter day contributions of writers like the Chinese Cixin Liu out of scope.
November 28, 2021
Eine Geschichte der Science Fiction als Comic? Ja, aber keine Graphic Novel, sondern ein Sachbuch in Panels. Daraus ergibt sich eine Textlastigkeit, die mich hier allerdings nicht gestört hat - zumal man weiß, dass es vorrangig um Informationen geht, nicht um eine "Story".
Die Zeichnungen und die Kolorierung sind sehr sympathisch und tragen tatsächlich zum Lesespaß bei, der Text ist fundiert.
Wer sich bislang nur gelegentlich oder eher oberflächlich mit dem Genre SF beschäftigt hat, wird an diesem Buch viel Freude haben. Aber auch zur Auffrischung oder einfach nur zum Spaß kann Dollos GESCHICHTE DER SCIENCE FICTION empfohlen werden.
Die Zeichnungen und die Kolorierung sind sehr sympathisch und tragen tatsächlich zum Lesespaß bei, der Text ist fundiert.
Wer sich bislang nur gelegentlich oder eher oberflächlich mit dem Genre SF beschäftigt hat, wird an diesem Buch viel Freude haben. Aber auch zur Auffrischung oder einfach nur zum Spaß kann Dollos GESCHICHTE DER SCIENCE FICTION empfohlen werden.
December 11, 2021
Simply excellent!
Who would have thought, a science fiction story in a graphic novel! And I can say that reading has been enriching as well as enjoyable. Although this format inevitably requires a lot of synthesis, it offers a high level of detail to satisfy the most demanding fandom.
Curiously, being a comic originally published in French, it focuses mainly on English written science fiction. (I think it could not be otherwise, SF as a genre became more widespread in the USA and the UK), showing each of its ages from its origins to the actuality currents: feminism (and also throughout the comic the role of women is examined), science fiction from other ethnic groups and also their internationalization.
I myself have taken note of some references, not only from readings but also from a very interesting lists about the audiovisual format: cinema and series; child and young adult literature; and also comics, manga and anime.
Finally, I must point out that it is a comic created absolutely from the respect and love of this genre and for me it is highly recommended.
Who would have thought, a science fiction story in a graphic novel! And I can say that reading has been enriching as well as enjoyable. Although this format inevitably requires a lot of synthesis, it offers a high level of detail to satisfy the most demanding fandom.
Curiously, being a comic originally published in French, it focuses mainly on English written science fiction. (I think it could not be otherwise, SF as a genre became more widespread in the USA and the UK), showing each of its ages from its origins to the actuality currents: feminism (and also throughout the comic the role of women is examined), science fiction from other ethnic groups and also their internationalization.
I myself have taken note of some references, not only from readings but also from a very interesting lists about the audiovisual format: cinema and series; child and young adult literature; and also comics, manga and anime.
Finally, I must point out that it is a comic created absolutely from the respect and love of this genre and for me it is highly recommended.
January 13, 2023
I've read other books on the history of SF, and have done my own investigations, so most of this is repeating things I already have read about. Two things make this different. First, it is in graphic format. That allows including drawings of iconic characters, sets and book covers as well as portraits of the authors themselves. Still, there is a lot of text compared to most comics. Parts of the text are delivered by drawings of H. G. Wells, Judith Merril, and others. It works graphically, but you have to keep in mind that most of that is not actual quotations from them. Second, the French version includes more info on French SF than is usually present in histories written in English. American and British writers, editors, shows and trends get the most space, and rightly so, but there is a fairly good overview of history of SF in France, including recent authors. [I'm told that most of that was removed in the English version.]
Near the end, there is some discussion of SF in other parts of the world, but that is not very in-depth. Parts of this read like a set of lists of book titles, which is dull to read but useful for further self-guided investigations.
Defining what Science Fiction is or is not is contentious. I'm glad the author didn't add yet another definition but leaves the question open. He does hint that the best answer to "what is SF?" might be something like "42".
Currently this is only in French, so sometimes I had a little trouble figuring out what the English titles were for the books or films mentioned.
Near the end, there is some discussion of SF in other parts of the world, but that is not very in-depth. Parts of this read like a set of lists of book titles, which is dull to read but useful for further self-guided investigations.
Defining what Science Fiction is or is not is contentious. I'm glad the author didn't add yet another definition but leaves the question open. He does hint that the best answer to "what is SF?" might be something like "42".
Currently this is only in French, so sometimes I had a little trouble figuring out what the English titles were for the books or films mentioned.
August 12, 2025
2 stars. It was okay.
I have been a fan of science fiction since about age 11, when I read The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet. In recent years, I've embarked on a reading project to sample a large selection of fantasy and science fiction literature, starting with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and working my way forward in time. So this graphic novel should have been perfect for me.
Unfortunately, the author took an interesting subject and a usually fun format and turned it into a dull slog. The artwork is unexceptional and the print is teeny. It consists largely of well known writers lecturing about the history of the genre. I can see where it would be difficult to create action appropriate to a graphic novel from the subject matter, and he struggles mightily to create some movement. There are large blocks of text, quite different from most graphic novels.
The information was good and accurate, but I feel that the author tried to cover too much material. Most of it lingered on the very earliest days of the genre, rather than the vibrant and diverse modern scene. The inclusion of women and people of colour into the mainstream has enlivened the genre delightfully. I did appreciate the focus on the British science fiction of the early days.
In short, I think this was the wrong format for this particular subject.
I have been a fan of science fiction since about age 11, when I read The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet. In recent years, I've embarked on a reading project to sample a large selection of fantasy and science fiction literature, starting with Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and working my way forward in time. So this graphic novel should have been perfect for me.
Unfortunately, the author took an interesting subject and a usually fun format and turned it into a dull slog. The artwork is unexceptional and the print is teeny. It consists largely of well known writers lecturing about the history of the genre. I can see where it would be difficult to create action appropriate to a graphic novel from the subject matter, and he struggles mightily to create some movement. There are large blocks of text, quite different from most graphic novels.
The information was good and accurate, but I feel that the author tried to cover too much material. Most of it lingered on the very earliest days of the genre, rather than the vibrant and diverse modern scene. The inclusion of women and people of colour into the mainstream has enlivened the genre delightfully. I did appreciate the focus on the British science fiction of the early days.
In short, I think this was the wrong format for this particular subject.
December 11, 2021
Well-intentioned but overly ambitious to a fault; this was ultimately a pretty brutal slog of 200 very dense comic pages that I finished with little more information than I started with.
It’s desperately in need of an editor to force a drastic reduction in scope, be way more selective in what it highlights, and/or expand its page count several times over. As is, it covers a ton of people and events, but usually so briefly in passing mentions that it isn’t actually informative if you don’t already know what it’s covering. Its alternative presentation is even worse: huge blocks of page-consuming, small-font text that looks like someone accidentally pasted in a page-length column from a reference book. The density of references IS a pretty exhaustive listing for someone just looking for a huge list of notable sci-fi works across a variety of mediums and eras, though, assuming someone needs another list of notable media to catch up on without much differentiating context or motivating description for any single item.
With rare exceptions, comics are generally best when they understand their art is at least as important as their writing. That usually means constraining text in a single word balloon to a brief sentence or two (or shorter!) instead of large paragraphs. A comic story can be a 1000 page epic if need be, as long as each individual page doesn’t try to cram in walls of text that should really be split across 5+ pages instead. The art in this book is competent but mostly perfunctory, with the very occasional great page when it’s allowed more space; the art is so obviously not a priority next to the text. It would make a lot more sense as a reference book that cuts out the idea of a conversational through-line with dead authors and only has intermittent full-page illustrations.
It’s desperately in need of an editor to force a drastic reduction in scope, be way more selective in what it highlights, and/or expand its page count several times over. As is, it covers a ton of people and events, but usually so briefly in passing mentions that it isn’t actually informative if you don’t already know what it’s covering. Its alternative presentation is even worse: huge blocks of page-consuming, small-font text that looks like someone accidentally pasted in a page-length column from a reference book. The density of references IS a pretty exhaustive listing for someone just looking for a huge list of notable sci-fi works across a variety of mediums and eras, though, assuming someone needs another list of notable media to catch up on without much differentiating context or motivating description for any single item.
With rare exceptions, comics are generally best when they understand their art is at least as important as their writing. That usually means constraining text in a single word balloon to a brief sentence or two (or shorter!) instead of large paragraphs. A comic story can be a 1000 page epic if need be, as long as each individual page doesn’t try to cram in walls of text that should really be split across 5+ pages instead. The art in this book is competent but mostly perfunctory, with the very occasional great page when it’s allowed more space; the art is so obviously not a priority next to the text. It would make a lot more sense as a reference book that cuts out the idea of a conversational through-line with dead authors and only has intermittent full-page illustrations.
June 21, 2023
Élaborer une histoire de la science-fiction, c'est déjà un vaste chantier. Alors le faire en plus sous forme de bande dessinée, voilà un défi bien salé. Mais les auteurs s'en tirent avec brio. La synthèse historique est fouillée et détaillée, plus même que certains essais sur le sujet. Pour autant, l'ensemble n'a rien de rébarbatif, notamment grâce à quelques petites surprises narratives bien placées qui dynamisent le rythme. Et pour ne rien gâcher, les dessins sont superbes ! Petit bémol, les chapitres post-années 80 sont un peu plus brouillons, peut-être parce qu'on manque encore de recul historique.
Un indispensable si vous vous intéressez au sujet. À lire, à garder et à relire de temps en temps. Pour bien en tirer toute la substance, je recommanderais tout de même de lire la BD par petits bouts plutôt que d'enchaîner trop rapidement les chapitres, au risque de saturer.
Je crois que j'aime de plus en plus les essais en bande dessinée, qu'il s'agisse d'adaptations ou non. En tout cas, jusqu'à présent, ça a toujours été de plaisantes surprises et j'espère que ça va continuer.
Un indispensable si vous vous intéressez au sujet. À lire, à garder et à relire de temps en temps. Pour bien en tirer toute la substance, je recommanderais tout de même de lire la BD par petits bouts plutôt que d'enchaîner trop rapidement les chapitres, au risque de saturer.
Je crois que j'aime de plus en plus les essais en bande dessinée, qu'il s'agisse d'adaptations ou non. En tout cas, jusqu'à présent, ça a toujours été de plaisantes surprises et j'espère que ça va continuer.
March 9, 2021
A very interesting graphic novel, if you like sci-fi or are interested in looking for some recommendations of classics of the genre I think it is a must read. The book has some beautiful illustrations that start from the origin of the genre with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein until the early 19th century.
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars
Thanks to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for this Arc in exchange for a honest review
⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars
Thanks to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for this Arc in exchange for a honest review
July 13, 2022
As a science fiction fan, I was excited about the prospects of The History of Science Fiction. It started strong, covering ancient "science fiction" before moving on to Frankenstein, Jules Verne, and H.G. Wells, plus a smattering of other Victorians (including women!) who were producing science-focused fare. Then, a fascinating look into the history of pulp magazines, including many authors I'd never heard of.
Then we reached the era of sci-fi novels and the book lost steam. Framing devices were awkwardly installed and the progression through time became loose and sometimes lost. "Just enough text" became "too much text." And, despite the huge number of authors mentioned in the book, I felt like some key ones were missing? Or maybe I was just overwhelmed by the material.
Not exactly a breezy read, but still interesting in spots. The History of Science Fiction tries too hard to be comprehensive, so you'll be hard-pressed to come away with "fun facts," though your reading list might grow.
Then we reached the era of sci-fi novels and the book lost steam. Framing devices were awkwardly installed and the progression through time became loose and sometimes lost. "Just enough text" became "too much text." And, despite the huge number of authors mentioned in the book, I felt like some key ones were missing? Or maybe I was just overwhelmed by the material.
Not exactly a breezy read, but still interesting in spots. The History of Science Fiction tries too hard to be comprehensive, so you'll be hard-pressed to come away with "fun facts," though your reading list might grow.
August 22, 2022
Une bonne synthèse qui réussi à explorer de grands pans de l'histoire de la science-fiction en 200 pages de manière étonnamment exhaustive.
L'histoire perd par contre son fil directeur à l'entrée des années 80. (Plusieurs des livres de leur bibliographie sur lesquels ils se sont basés terminent à cette date, et ça se sent un peu.)
La BD se concentre vraiment sur les canons de l'historiographie officielle, ce qui est un peu dommage, parce que beaucoup d'ouvrages récents bousculent cette approche d'un façon enrichissante. Mettre en post-scriptum à la fin du livre un chapitre sur les autrices et les minorités qui ont participé au genre, c'est un choix discutable.
Sinon, c'est une bonne introduction. Les illustrations sont belles. Et le format est amusant.
HG Wells qui explore l'histoire de la science-fiction en Tardis. 👌
L'histoire perd par contre son fil directeur à l'entrée des années 80. (Plusieurs des livres de leur bibliographie sur lesquels ils se sont basés terminent à cette date, et ça se sent un peu.)
La BD se concentre vraiment sur les canons de l'historiographie officielle, ce qui est un peu dommage, parce que beaucoup d'ouvrages récents bousculent cette approche d'un façon enrichissante. Mettre en post-scriptum à la fin du livre un chapitre sur les autrices et les minorités qui ont participé au genre, c'est un choix discutable.
Sinon, c'est une bonne introduction. Les illustrations sont belles. Et le format est amusant.
HG Wells qui explore l'histoire de la science-fiction en Tardis. 👌
January 29, 2022
So much information. This graphic novel explained to me why science fiction until recently never was something I much felt drawn toward. Very few women's voices have been part of the dialogue. And I am still hoping to see how people of color will take their places in the dialogue. As women do pick up the dialogue, I start to become interested, sensing a place for myself at the table.
This year I am doing a genre study, including 10 science fiction titles. I will be reading LeGuin as part of my study.
If I continue to read science fiction, I will have to buy a copy of The History of Science Fiction. So much overall large picture information here.
This year I am doing a genre study, including 10 science fiction titles. I will be reading LeGuin as part of my study.
If I continue to read science fiction, I will have to buy a copy of The History of Science Fiction. So much overall large picture information here.
February 13, 2024
Should have been ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ but I'm taking one off due to how wokey/preachy the end was.
Stephen Baxter gets a passing mention but none of his work is named, not even "Raft."
Alastair Reynolds and Andy Weir aren't mentioned at all?! 🤷🏻♂️
The pulp/golden age section is worth the price alone. I've found so many books to add to my list after this! 🤪
Stephen Baxter gets a passing mention but none of his work is named, not even "Raft."
Alastair Reynolds and Andy Weir aren't mentioned at all?! 🤷🏻♂️
The pulp/golden age section is worth the price alone. I've found so many books to add to my list after this! 🤪
August 8, 2025
Over the years I have read many guide and histories to Science Fiction and one thing I have noticed they are all written from a personal perspective (sounds obvious really when you think about it) but what it means is that if you agree with that perspective you really connect with the ideas and opinions and even the reading suggestions - which is what has happened here with me.
So yes even before I get in to the graphic novel style of telling the story and I will admit it is very word heavy in places I realised that a lot of the references, such as authors, books and even further reading really resonated with me - so yes I really enjoyed this book.
But what of the story I think what I also enjoyed is that it is very up to date references films and books that are so iconic today but in the scheme of things only appears relatively recently. There was nothing really new I learnt but you know what I don't care. I will say though that it has made me very nostalgic for the books I read when I was just getting in to reading and science fiction particularly.
So yes even before I get in to the graphic novel style of telling the story and I will admit it is very word heavy in places I realised that a lot of the references, such as authors, books and even further reading really resonated with me - so yes I really enjoyed this book.
But what of the story I think what I also enjoyed is that it is very up to date references films and books that are so iconic today but in the scheme of things only appears relatively recently. There was nothing really new I learnt but you know what I don't care. I will say though that it has made me very nostalgic for the books I read when I was just getting in to reading and science fiction particularly.
October 13, 2024
Lo mejor: el amor, el respeto y la pasión por la ciencia ficción que transmite.
No me parece que el cómic sea el formato más adecuado para la divulgación; presentar tanta información en forma de diálogo es un recurso que (en este contexto) me resulta forzado y me aburre. Pero probablemente esto es más una preferencia personal mía que un defecto del libro.
No me parece que el cómic sea el formato más adecuado para la divulgación; presentar tanta información en forma de diálogo es un recurso que (en este contexto) me resulta forzado y me aburre. Pero probablemente esto es más una preferencia personal mía que un defecto del libro.
January 10, 2022
"The History of Science Fiction: A Graphic Novel Adventure" mostly lives up to its title. It begins with a mash-up of science fiction references and tropes as two robots go off to discover the history of science fiction. Then it starts the story going chronologically quickly through the ancient Greeks (The Odyssey as sci-fi?? and Aristophanes), some Renaissance (Thomas More's Utopia and Cyrano de Bergerac), but then the story really gets going with Mary Shelley and Frankenstein. Xavier Dollo and the illustrators tell the story of sci-fi by depicting bits of the major underlying stories, showing the authors conversing with each other and the reader--often across time (e.g., H.G. Wells is around to learn about 1960s British sci-fi), and across space.
After Mary Shelley it goes through Jules Verne (the book is translated from French, I believe some of the more French content was cut out which is a pity), H.G. Wells, the pulps, the Golden Age, and beyond. I particularly liked the treatment of British sci-fi and it's relationship and difference from American sci-fi in the 1950s and 1960s, something I probably should have focused on more before but did not.
For the first two thirds the story is reasonably coherent, there is ample space to explore the context of the stories, how they evolved, as well as the constraints and problems. But then the last third of the book suffers from two diametrically opposite problems. The first problem is way too many name checks as Dollo tries to make sure just about every author one can think of is at least mentioned (every time I was thinking "but he hasn't mentioned someone, e.g., Ian M. Bainks I would turn a few pages and there they would be). He does a decent job of bucketing them in different periods and currents but at times it can feel more like a superficial "to read" list than something that is either insightful or, like the first two thirds of the book, a real "graphic novel adventure."
The second, and diametrically opposed problem, is that it is missing too much. It does a good job of elevating women (and also being frank about their exclusion and depiction and its deleterious consequences for the genre), both through the history of the genre and up through the present, but has almost nothing outside the US or the UK. What about the Soviet Union and the Eastern European contributions (Karel Capek is briefly mentioned but Stanislaw Lem is not)? Going up to the present, Cixin Liu and Chinese science fiction? Afrofuturism? Other traditions?
I am not entirely sure how either of those two problems could have been addressed individually let alone simultaneously. Maybe it was impossible and I'm being unfair. And I don't want the big point to be lost in the criticism: the first two thirds really was a "graphic novel adventure" that was both fun and insightful. And I was glad with all the references and pointers in the last third as well. Now I have a lot more on my TBR.
After Mary Shelley it goes through Jules Verne (the book is translated from French, I believe some of the more French content was cut out which is a pity), H.G. Wells, the pulps, the Golden Age, and beyond. I particularly liked the treatment of British sci-fi and it's relationship and difference from American sci-fi in the 1950s and 1960s, something I probably should have focused on more before but did not.
For the first two thirds the story is reasonably coherent, there is ample space to explore the context of the stories, how they evolved, as well as the constraints and problems. But then the last third of the book suffers from two diametrically opposite problems. The first problem is way too many name checks as Dollo tries to make sure just about every author one can think of is at least mentioned (every time I was thinking "but he hasn't mentioned someone, e.g., Ian M. Bainks I would turn a few pages and there they would be). He does a decent job of bucketing them in different periods and currents but at times it can feel more like a superficial "to read" list than something that is either insightful or, like the first two thirds of the book, a real "graphic novel adventure."
The second, and diametrically opposed problem, is that it is missing too much. It does a good job of elevating women (and also being frank about their exclusion and depiction and its deleterious consequences for the genre), both through the history of the genre and up through the present, but has almost nothing outside the US or the UK. What about the Soviet Union and the Eastern European contributions (Karel Capek is briefly mentioned but Stanislaw Lem is not)? Going up to the present, Cixin Liu and Chinese science fiction? Afrofuturism? Other traditions?
I am not entirely sure how either of those two problems could have been addressed individually let alone simultaneously. Maybe it was impossible and I'm being unfair. And I don't want the big point to be lost in the criticism: the first two thirds really was a "graphic novel adventure" that was both fun and insightful. And I was glad with all the references and pointers in the last third as well. Now I have a lot more on my TBR.
December 8, 2021
The History of Science Fiction was one of those reads where I needed a pen and paper (or some electronic alternative). I took notes, yes. Lots of it.
This graphic novel is a deep dive into the history of sci-fi. Before I read this, I knew some sci-fi history, but there were many facts that I didn’t know. There is a lot of info on early days that I wasn’t familiar with. But I must warn you that this is not a lightweight read. It’s quite dense and full of information. So it’s not suitable for all readers and occasions. I would say this graphic novel is best for true sci-fi fans because it contains a lot of facts about classic sci-fi writers. Some passages are very dense with information, and therefore a bit difficult to read.
I appreciate all the lists of books, movies, TV series, mangas, graphic novels, etc. I will definitely look for some of these works in the future and try to place them somewhere on my huge To Read List.
Thanks to Humanoids, Inc. for the ARC and the opportunity to read this! All opinions are my own.
This graphic novel is a deep dive into the history of sci-fi. Before I read this, I knew some sci-fi history, but there were many facts that I didn’t know. There is a lot of info on early days that I wasn’t familiar with. But I must warn you that this is not a lightweight read. It’s quite dense and full of information. So it’s not suitable for all readers and occasions. I would say this graphic novel is best for true sci-fi fans because it contains a lot of facts about classic sci-fi writers. Some passages are very dense with information, and therefore a bit difficult to read.
I appreciate all the lists of books, movies, TV series, mangas, graphic novels, etc. I will definitely look for some of these works in the future and try to place them somewhere on my huge To Read List.
Thanks to Humanoids, Inc. for the ARC and the opportunity to read this! All opinions are my own.
January 17, 2021
Avant toute chose, je tiens à préciser (car c’est quelque chose que j’ai pu lire sur des critiques mitigées), cette bande-dessinée s’intéresse plus à l’histoire de la littérature de science-fiction (bien que série, films, jeux de rôles et jeux vidéos soient cités) qu’à l’histoire globale du genre dans tous les médias. Aussi, si vous cherchez à découvrir plutôt les aspects cinématographiques qu’écrits du genre, cette oeuvre n’est peut-être pas la plus adaptée, bien qu’elle vous propose tout de même de nombreuses références à découvrir et vous donne les bases littéraires de ce qui inspira tout le reste. Xavier Dollo nous offre une histoire de la littérature de science-fiction aussi passionnante que dense. Les aficionados du genre, comme les novices, auront beaucoup à apprendre de ce travail titanesque qui [...]
Pour lire la suite de cette critique, rendez-vous sur yuyine.be!
Pour lire la suite de cette critique, rendez-vous sur yuyine.be!
December 6, 2021
It is an enormous effort to review a graphic novel about the History of science fiction, the same way it must have been a titanic endeavour for Xavier Dollo and Djibril Morissette-Phan, not only to investigate and highlight, but to put into a somehow coherent story all the information regarding a subject that continues to expand. Let me explain myself: This graphic novel could have been just separated into independent chapters and then put together, but the authors managed to link every single detail, data and moment in a fascinating way.
There are certain parts that feel heavier than others, moments when the reader receives so much information they just need to breathe, stop reading and take in everything they just learnt, but I do not feel this is something that could be reviewed as negative, but simply as the perfect description of what this title is: a massive encyclopaedia to which one should refer to when exploring certain passages of the History of science fiction, a basic in any documentation bibliography list, a book to come back to when in need of specific titles or data.
One of the highlights are, in fact, the different lists the reader can find throughout the book, such as basic bibliographies of great authors such as Robert A. Heinlein or Ursula K. Le Guin; lists regarding comic books, with examples such as Twelve comics to help you discover science fiction or thirty-nine(!) representative science-fiction graphic novels; Ten science-fiction novels to initiate your children; and a long etc. I found myself constantly taking notes and expanding my ever-growing to-read list.
There are certain parts that feel heavier than others, moments when the reader receives so much information they just need to breathe, stop reading and take in everything they just learnt, but I do not feel this is something that could be reviewed as negative, but simply as the perfect description of what this title is: a massive encyclopaedia to which one should refer to when exploring certain passages of the History of science fiction, a basic in any documentation bibliography list, a book to come back to when in need of specific titles or data.
One of the highlights are, in fact, the different lists the reader can find throughout the book, such as basic bibliographies of great authors such as Robert A. Heinlein or Ursula K. Le Guin; lists regarding comic books, with examples such as Twelve comics to help you discover science fiction or thirty-nine(!) representative science-fiction graphic novels; Ten science-fiction novels to initiate your children; and a long etc. I found myself constantly taking notes and expanding my ever-growing to-read list.
May 30, 2022
BookTubers - like Science Fiction Reads, Bookpilled, BOB's Books, and Outlaw Bookseller - have been grabbing up some of my attention recently, especially the SF junkies, and thanks to Moid and his Media Death Cult channel, I became aware of this book and ordered it despite promising myself I would not buy any books for awhile (that's the kind of stuff you hear frequently from the BookTubers - paradoxically, since they get sent boatloads of stuff for free; the world is a strange and delightful place).
I don't really need to be sucked in with pictures to read an up-to-date SF history book, but even at my age I have consciously decided to still read graphic novels (comic-books included), because they are vital, literate, and diverse now, and there's so much more going on than just superheroes (which I need less of). Graphic novels seem to be dealing in History books and Biographies more than ever before - and if that's how you can get young'uns to read something a teacher peddling a fat book can't get them to bother with, then let's do it.
This book passes THE SELFISH TEST quite impressively. What the hell does that mean. Well, what that means is that I'm fully expecting H. G. Wells, Robert Heinlein, Ursula le Guin, Olaf Stapledon, Frank Herbert and even the likes of Jack Williamson and Joanna Russ (the minor of the major, let's say) to Not Get Skipped. As regards anyone who Should be Mentioned, and then Predictably Was Mentioned, the book is almost perfect. I could even have predicted how many panels, paragraphs, or pages, each big name in SF was going to get, based on the size of this book and how things were going in the first fifteen pages ago. Most of my predictions would have been right; that's a good thing.
But...The Selfish Test... Okay, so, some of my very favourite SF scribes of yesteryear can be used by me as a sort of indicator of just how thorough the book is being. They qualify as important, but will a book like this - which is clearly scooping up and spewing out as many names as possible so as to make the word "History" really count for something - mention my test subjects even once. I mean, I'm not a niche-crazy weirdo; I'm not using Men Like Rats by Rob Chilson, or Natfact 7, or the Omega Sub series as my better-get-mentioned names...let's give the book a fighting chance (not fans of any of any of those things, anyway - just making a deep-cut point).
Bob Shaw, he's my fave SF writer ("Really?!") and a juicy test name; flip a coin...Mentioned, or Skipped? He gets mentioned - so, test passed, I'm happy. He gets mentioned once, and in a semi-pejorative sense as a notable writer, but working in a tradition other writers are trying to move beyond in terms of experimentation. I thought his novel Orbitsville might get mentioned earlier, when the deservedly lengthy part about Arthur C. Clarke inevitably came round to Rendezvous With Rama, and segued over to Dyson Spheres for just a second. But just the one, rather sour-tasting, mention of Bob Shaw.
By contrast...Fredric Brown gets "over-mentioned". No he doesn't - you can't over-mention Fredric Brown - but he's definitely a favourite writer of mine whose name is also great for The Selfish Test; too off-center to even get a mention? No (and Hurrah!) - I daresay they drop Fredric Brown's name five or six times, which caught me by surprise. And unlike poor ol' Bob Shaw, Fredric Brown gets lumped in with some Golden Age innovators; me at my happiest while applying The Selfish Test.
Sadly, no mention of D. G. Compton, or Mike McQuay (okay, that last one is for The A Bit Too Selfish, Go Back To Your Little Corner, Test). But overall, this is an excellent History of Science Fiction, and like the book says a couple of times, it's impossible to name everyone or cover the whole SF field. A superior SF history always acknowledges it's not quite complete; an inferior History of anything calls itself Complete, while leaving out much of what you need to know.
This one is well worth the time, and you get to apply your own Selfish Test, show up with your own favourite names and see if they get a nod, while you learn so much else.
I don't really need to be sucked in with pictures to read an up-to-date SF history book, but even at my age I have consciously decided to still read graphic novels (comic-books included), because they are vital, literate, and diverse now, and there's so much more going on than just superheroes (which I need less of). Graphic novels seem to be dealing in History books and Biographies more than ever before - and if that's how you can get young'uns to read something a teacher peddling a fat book can't get them to bother with, then let's do it.
This book passes THE SELFISH TEST quite impressively. What the hell does that mean. Well, what that means is that I'm fully expecting H. G. Wells, Robert Heinlein, Ursula le Guin, Olaf Stapledon, Frank Herbert and even the likes of Jack Williamson and Joanna Russ (the minor of the major, let's say) to Not Get Skipped. As regards anyone who Should be Mentioned, and then Predictably Was Mentioned, the book is almost perfect. I could even have predicted how many panels, paragraphs, or pages, each big name in SF was going to get, based on the size of this book and how things were going in the first fifteen pages ago. Most of my predictions would have been right; that's a good thing.
But...The Selfish Test... Okay, so, some of my very favourite SF scribes of yesteryear can be used by me as a sort of indicator of just how thorough the book is being. They qualify as important, but will a book like this - which is clearly scooping up and spewing out as many names as possible so as to make the word "History" really count for something - mention my test subjects even once. I mean, I'm not a niche-crazy weirdo; I'm not using Men Like Rats by Rob Chilson, or Natfact 7, or the Omega Sub series as my better-get-mentioned names...let's give the book a fighting chance (not fans of any of any of those things, anyway - just making a deep-cut point).
Bob Shaw, he's my fave SF writer ("Really?!") and a juicy test name; flip a coin...Mentioned, or Skipped? He gets mentioned - so, test passed, I'm happy. He gets mentioned once, and in a semi-pejorative sense as a notable writer, but working in a tradition other writers are trying to move beyond in terms of experimentation. I thought his novel Orbitsville might get mentioned earlier, when the deservedly lengthy part about Arthur C. Clarke inevitably came round to Rendezvous With Rama, and segued over to Dyson Spheres for just a second. But just the one, rather sour-tasting, mention of Bob Shaw.
By contrast...Fredric Brown gets "over-mentioned". No he doesn't - you can't over-mention Fredric Brown - but he's definitely a favourite writer of mine whose name is also great for The Selfish Test; too off-center to even get a mention? No (and Hurrah!) - I daresay they drop Fredric Brown's name five or six times, which caught me by surprise. And unlike poor ol' Bob Shaw, Fredric Brown gets lumped in with some Golden Age innovators; me at my happiest while applying The Selfish Test.
Sadly, no mention of D. G. Compton, or Mike McQuay (okay, that last one is for The A Bit Too Selfish, Go Back To Your Little Corner, Test). But overall, this is an excellent History of Science Fiction, and like the book says a couple of times, it's impossible to name everyone or cover the whole SF field. A superior SF history always acknowledges it's not quite complete; an inferior History of anything calls itself Complete, while leaving out much of what you need to know.
This one is well worth the time, and you get to apply your own Selfish Test, show up with your own favourite names and see if they get a nod, while you learn so much else.
January 26, 2022
Crítica publicada com imagens em https://osrascunhos.com/2022/01/18/th...
Eis uma leitura pouco apropriada para quem está a tentar controlar as aquisições de livros! Esta abordagem em banda desenhada da história da ficção científica está carregada de listas de sugestões por género e tipo, contendo não só as referências mais óbvias, mas algumas menos conhecidas!
O livro começa por levar dois robots do futuro a conhecer a história da ficção científica, referindo, claro, as primeiras obras como Frankenstein, debruçando-se para as supostas influências da obra. Estas primeiras páginas são menos interessantes, não usando a totalidade das capacidades da banda desenhada, mas apresentando-se mais como texto ilustrado, onde o desenho não participa na história mas apresenta imagens estáticas.
Após estas primeiras páginas, a abordagem muda, colocando vários autores conhecidos a conversar sobre as suas obras e as críticas que receberam. Assim explicam a formação das primeiras revistas e dos primeiros encontros de fãs, mostrando como se influenciaram e progrediram para uma época de ouro da ficção científica.
Este formato decorre primeiro para autores americanos, progredindo quase até à actualidade. De seguida, passa para o mercado inglês (mais contido) referindo as obras mais emblemáticas com o seu humor peculiar. Existem, no final, textos mais dedicados a obras de mulheres, mostrando como a diversidade trouxe outro tipo de histórias. Existe, também, uma mais breve referência ao enquadramento cultural ou racial de autores com outras origens.
Ultrapassando as primeiras páginas (mais estáticas), o livro consegue tornar-se mais interessante pela forma como coloca cada autor a conversar sobre o género. Adicionalmente, no final de cada página, podem ser encontradas listas com sugestões de leitura.
Apesar de ser uma visão interessante da história da ficção científica, à semelhança de outras histórias da FC, faltam as referências a outros mercados ou culturas, ou a livros de autores traduzidos que se encontram disponíveis noutros idiomas. Desta forma, teria sido mais adequado referir no título do livro que se detalha apenas a história da ficção científica inglesa. De resto, é uma boa leitura que aumentou excessivamente a minha lista de futuras aquisições.
Eis uma leitura pouco apropriada para quem está a tentar controlar as aquisições de livros! Esta abordagem em banda desenhada da história da ficção científica está carregada de listas de sugestões por género e tipo, contendo não só as referências mais óbvias, mas algumas menos conhecidas!
O livro começa por levar dois robots do futuro a conhecer a história da ficção científica, referindo, claro, as primeiras obras como Frankenstein, debruçando-se para as supostas influências da obra. Estas primeiras páginas são menos interessantes, não usando a totalidade das capacidades da banda desenhada, mas apresentando-se mais como texto ilustrado, onde o desenho não participa na história mas apresenta imagens estáticas.
Após estas primeiras páginas, a abordagem muda, colocando vários autores conhecidos a conversar sobre as suas obras e as críticas que receberam. Assim explicam a formação das primeiras revistas e dos primeiros encontros de fãs, mostrando como se influenciaram e progrediram para uma época de ouro da ficção científica.
Este formato decorre primeiro para autores americanos, progredindo quase até à actualidade. De seguida, passa para o mercado inglês (mais contido) referindo as obras mais emblemáticas com o seu humor peculiar. Existem, no final, textos mais dedicados a obras de mulheres, mostrando como a diversidade trouxe outro tipo de histórias. Existe, também, uma mais breve referência ao enquadramento cultural ou racial de autores com outras origens.
Ultrapassando as primeiras páginas (mais estáticas), o livro consegue tornar-se mais interessante pela forma como coloca cada autor a conversar sobre o género. Adicionalmente, no final de cada página, podem ser encontradas listas com sugestões de leitura.
Apesar de ser uma visão interessante da história da ficção científica, à semelhança de outras histórias da FC, faltam as referências a outros mercados ou culturas, ou a livros de autores traduzidos que se encontram disponíveis noutros idiomas. Desta forma, teria sido mais adequado referir no título do livro que se detalha apenas a história da ficção científica inglesa. De resto, é uma boa leitura que aumentou excessivamente a minha lista de futuras aquisições.
November 14, 2022
Mir hat dieser Comic sehr gut gefallen.
Er enthält wirklich sehr viel Information zur Geschichte der Science Fiction: Von den Ursprüngen bis zum Cyberpunk.
Man merkt, dass das Original aus Frankreich stammt, denn zwei Kapitel beschäftigen sich mit der SF in Frankreich. In diesen Kapiteln war fast alles für mich neu :-) Ansonsten liegt der Schwerpunkt erwartungsgemäß auf der anglo-amerikanischen SF, erst am Schluss wird der “Rest der Welt” auf 6 Seiten abgehandelt, wovon immerhin 1,3 Seiten auf Deutschland entfallen und dabei zwei Bilder Perry Rhodan und eines der SF in der DDR gewidmet sind.
Manchmal fand ich das Buch etwas arg textlastig, aber das liegt auch am Thema. Es gibt allerhand Listen zu wichtigen Büchern, Filmen, Comics, Themen usw. und es werden sehr viele Autoren vorgestellt. Das Kapitel “Die Science-Fiction und der Feminismus” fand ich etwas arg theoretisch. Hier hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass einfach noch mehr Frauen und ihre Werke vorgestellt worden wären und dass Alice B. Sheldon alias James Tiptree jr. nur ganz kurz erwähnt wird, hat mir definitiv nicht gefallen.
Ansonsten ist es ein gelungener Versuch, die Vielfalt und die Entwicklung der SF in einem einigermaßen überschaubaren Rahmen einigermaßen vollständig darzustellen.
Er enthält wirklich sehr viel Information zur Geschichte der Science Fiction: Von den Ursprüngen bis zum Cyberpunk.
Man merkt, dass das Original aus Frankreich stammt, denn zwei Kapitel beschäftigen sich mit der SF in Frankreich. In diesen Kapiteln war fast alles für mich neu :-) Ansonsten liegt der Schwerpunkt erwartungsgemäß auf der anglo-amerikanischen SF, erst am Schluss wird der “Rest der Welt” auf 6 Seiten abgehandelt, wovon immerhin 1,3 Seiten auf Deutschland entfallen und dabei zwei Bilder Perry Rhodan und eines der SF in der DDR gewidmet sind.
Manchmal fand ich das Buch etwas arg textlastig, aber das liegt auch am Thema. Es gibt allerhand Listen zu wichtigen Büchern, Filmen, Comics, Themen usw. und es werden sehr viele Autoren vorgestellt. Das Kapitel “Die Science-Fiction und der Feminismus” fand ich etwas arg theoretisch. Hier hätte ich mir gewünscht, dass einfach noch mehr Frauen und ihre Werke vorgestellt worden wären und dass Alice B. Sheldon alias James Tiptree jr. nur ganz kurz erwähnt wird, hat mir definitiv nicht gefallen.
Ansonsten ist es ein gelungener Versuch, die Vielfalt und die Entwicklung der SF in einem einigermaßen überschaubaren Rahmen einigermaßen vollständig darzustellen.
May 7, 2024
Treść tego komiksu ma ogromny walor edukacyjny. Choć może wykonanie graficzne wydaje się bardzo oldskulowe. Ale z drugiej strony, obraz musiał być podporządkowany treści. To przede wszystkim historia science fiction i twórców gatunku od zarania po współczesność, obejmująca także inne media niż książki. Przeto prezentuje wiedzę w pigułce. Około 250 stron objętości wymagało zwięzłości. Twórcami są Francuzi więc francuska science fiction jest tu opisywana zaraz po angielskiej czy amerykańskiej. Nie jestem w stanie stwierdzić, czy słusznie. Ale wszystkich krajów i twórców zmieścić się nie udałoby w takiej objętości. Dlatego Stanisław Lem jest tu wspomniany zwięźle. I dobrze, że posłowie Tomasza Kołodziejczaka uzupełnia lukę w odniesieniu do polskiej science fiction.
July 13, 2021
Très intéressant pour en savoir plus sur l'histoire de la science-fiction en littérature!
June 2, 2022
Great survey of the history of science fiction, in graphic format. It's a book that could easily blow up your TBR pile because of all the great reading recommendations.
November 12, 2021
This is one of the most dangerous books I have ever read... dangerous for my pocketbook and shelf-space.
This wonderfully illustrated and written graphic novel literally walks you through the history of Sci-Fi by presenting it to and thrive the hearts of science fiction history. Tons of name dropping (authors and titles) that left me constantly adding to my books to read list. I thought I was fairly well read in science fiction, but I will be years in reading through just the books that are mentioned in this work that I haven't read before.
The only criticism I have is that it is very western & English in nature. There is little to no mention of authors in the science fiction genre that wrote in other languages or other cultures. Is it that science fiction is inherently an English language genre? I think not, and adding those author would be the only thing that would make this book even more interesting (though many times longer).
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
This wonderfully illustrated and written graphic novel literally walks you through the history of Sci-Fi by presenting it to and thrive the hearts of science fiction history. Tons of name dropping (authors and titles) that left me constantly adding to my books to read list. I thought I was fairly well read in science fiction, but I will be years in reading through just the books that are mentioned in this work that I haven't read before.
The only criticism I have is that it is very western & English in nature. There is little to no mention of authors in the science fiction genre that wrote in other languages or other cultures. Is it that science fiction is inherently an English language genre? I think not, and adding those author would be the only thing that would make this book even more interesting (though many times longer).
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
November 8, 2021
I absolutely loved this book! It’s a bit text heavy - but honestly, I loved that. There is a wealth of information in it. I made a list of books that I want to read while I was reading it, and ending up reading two other books mentioned that really caught my eye (one by Asimov and one by Simak) at the same time as reading this book. It was really fun having different authors guiding the story along and acting as narrators. The illustrations are very well done and helped very much to support the text!
This is definitely something I want on my bookshelf, and will be buying it when it comes out!
Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is definitely something I want on my bookshelf, and will be buying it when it comes out!
Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2022
A slow, dense overview of the science-fiction genre (mostly the written science-fiction genre) whose ambition is overweening. There's certainly good material here giving the broad strokes of the industry, and some of the graphic design is great, but that's all buried amidst mountains of text that are largely lists of authors and books. At least in the teeny section I was most familiar with (the one panel! on a roleplaying game), most of the details were wrong. (Can't speak to the rest, but it makes me suspicious.) I also don't think the use of authors as mouthpieces works well, especially with at least one of them still being alive. It's awkward, and it doesn't give the book the spark that the author must have hoped. And, it needed a spark.
I finished this because I was interested in the history, but it was unfortunately somewhat dull.
Maybe it's just that there was very little in here that was new to me? Other people seemed to love it.
I finished this because I was interested in the history, but it was unfortunately somewhat dull.
Maybe it's just that there was very little in here that was new to me? Other people seemed to love it.
September 16, 2024
If anything it's a great bibliography of sci-fi. Starts off promisingly, having robots guide us through a history deep-dive into sci-fi. At first, it made me think of stuff I read in 6th grade, where complex literature was turned into comic book form, and I was loving it. What a great way to get a child into this wonderful genre. But as it progresses, we meet writers discussing the craft of sci-fi literature, and it devolves into a pedantic discussion of philosophy and style. I'm not sure who this book is for, now. My eyes glazed over by about the 2/3 mark.
It's an ambitious idea, and should be lauded for the attempt. But if I were trying to learn about the wonderful world of sci-fi, this would've ended up turning me off, and that would be a tragedy.
- a half star for only ever mentioning Ursula K. Le Guin in passing multiple times. Having some MAN call her the "greatest female science fiction writer" and then NEVER showing why is unforgivable.
It's an ambitious idea, and should be lauded for the attempt. But if I were trying to learn about the wonderful world of sci-fi, this would've ended up turning me off, and that would be a tragedy.
- a half star for only ever mentioning Ursula K. Le Guin in passing multiple times. Having some MAN call her the "greatest female science fiction writer" and then NEVER showing why is unforgivable.
December 12, 2023
An absolutely comprehensive description of the history of the science fiction genre, from the Epic of Gilgamesh, through Frankenstein, to the magazine boom of the Golden Era, to the present day. I love science fiction, and graphic novels, and history, so this should have been great. However, in presentation it is a series of talking heads giving massive info dumps. The idea is two robots are trying to ascertain the meaning of science fiction, and enter “The Crooked House” which is a kind of antechamber to a computer program containing all the great sci-fi writers of history. These writers are woken up and have conversations with one another, but it’s all exposition, all descriptions of how and where and what they published. It’s almost unreadable at times, though there’s lots of good info in it.
December 29, 2024
Such a worthy attempt, but one that became a slog to read, at least as a narrative. A “graphic novel adventure,’ this is not. To be fair, according to some reviews, there were some substantial edits made from the original French edition (I don’t know if this is true), so mebbe that caused some issues?
Dollo really tries to not make this a dry history, like I experiënced reading The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History, always having characters talking instead of narration boxes, and changing the narrators thruöut. But man, that is a failure, with some pages just having text after text after text. I did enjoy reading about some of the sci-fi I might like to read, but that could’ve been delivered another way.
At the beginning, when there is less sci-fi, it’s pretty great, but once there are too many authors, it’s just name-after-name-after-name. Mebbe he should’ve picked ten authors to focus on the way he focuses on Shelley, Verne, and Welles. That’s similar to how Around the World worked, and it did work. In that, I’d also point out that this is all sci-fi literature, with very, very quick reference of major TV and movie sci-fi, so among those ten, include a Lucas and/or Roddenberry and/or Sterling and/or Wachowski(s). I hope it dœsn’t seem contradictory to say I want both less and more: I want more focus and more diversity. Speaking of diversity, tho, I did appreciäte tryïng as best he could to represent the diversity of a very white-male-dominated field, up to including a portion of R. F. Kuang’s speech at the 2020 awards. Heck, include Kuang too: at least if she dœs sci-fi.
Finally, this book suffered for me because I was simultaneöusly reading a flat-out amazing history Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball. Sure, it’s got th’advantage of a less widespread history, but it also talked about th’experiënce of playing pinball, and while The History of Science Fiction did get into trends and hinted at why they were popular at given times, more focus on that would’ve been another worthy approach.
Dollo really tries to not make this a dry history, like I experiënced reading The Black Panther Party: A Graphic Novel History, always having characters talking instead of narration boxes, and changing the narrators thruöut. But man, that is a failure, with some pages just having text after text after text. I did enjoy reading about some of the sci-fi I might like to read, but that could’ve been delivered another way.
At the beginning, when there is less sci-fi, it’s pretty great, but once there are too many authors, it’s just name-after-name-after-name. Mebbe he should’ve picked ten authors to focus on the way he focuses on Shelley, Verne, and Welles. That’s similar to how Around the World worked, and it did work. In that, I’d also point out that this is all sci-fi literature, with very, very quick reference of major TV and movie sci-fi, so among those ten, include a Lucas and/or Roddenberry and/or Sterling and/or Wachowski(s). I hope it dœsn’t seem contradictory to say I want both less and more: I want more focus and more diversity. Speaking of diversity, tho, I did appreciäte tryïng as best he could to represent the diversity of a very white-male-dominated field, up to including a portion of R. F. Kuang’s speech at the 2020 awards. Heck, include Kuang too: at least if she dœs sci-fi.
Finally, this book suffered for me because I was simultaneöusly reading a flat-out amazing history Pinball: A Graphic History of the Silver Ball. Sure, it’s got th’advantage of a less widespread history, but it also talked about th’experiënce of playing pinball, and while The History of Science Fiction did get into trends and hinted at why they were popular at given times, more focus on that would’ve been another worthy approach.
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