Part 1 Early landmarks: from the beginnings to 1900; Chapter 1 The literary background to science fiction, Mark R. Hillegas; Chapter 2 Jules Verne: the last happy utopianist, Marc Angenot; Chapter 3 The science fiction of H. G. Wells, John Huntington; Part 2 Two formative traditions; Chapter 4 Utopia and science fiction, Williams Raymond; Chapter 5 Science fiction and the scientific world-view, Patrick Parrinder; Part 3 Science fiction today: aspects of a contemporary literature; Chapter 6 The cold war in science fiction, 1940–1960, T. A. Shippey; Chapter 7 Science fiction, religion and transcendence, Tom Woodman; Chapter 8 Characterization in science fiction: Two approaches, Scott Sanders; Chapter 9 Characterization in science fiction: Two approaches, Patrick Parrinder; Chapter 10 American science fiction since 1960, J. A. Sutherland; Chapter 11 British science fiction, Christopher Priest; Chapter 12 European science fiction, Franz Rottensteiner.