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Saturday 5 September 2026
Welcome to the Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, Fourth Edition. Some sample entries appear below. Click here for the Introduction; here for what we mean by Science Fiction; here for the masthead; here for some Statistics; here for the Acknowledgments; here for the FAQ; here for advice on citations. Find entries via the search box above (more details here) or browse the menu categories in the grey bar at the top of this page.
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Murray, Will
Working name of US author William Patrick Murray (1953-2026), who showed an interest throughout his career in Superheroes of the Pulp tradition (on which he was a known authority) such as Doc Savage, about which figure he wrote the nonfiction Secrets of Doc Savage (1981 chap). In this context he had been literary agent for Lester Dent's estate since 1979. ...
Wright, Henry
(1852-circa 1940) UK author whose Mental Travels in Imagined Lands (coll 1878) contains a series of tales set in heavily allegorized Utopian settings, including Fortuneland and Nomunniburgh. Of more direct sf interest is Depopulation: A Romance of the Unlikely (1899), set in a moderately Near Future America, in the city of Minosa where Trusts (dedicated to population growth) are opposed by the ...
Friendship's Death
UK film (1987). British Film Institute / Channel 4 / Modelmark. Written and directed by Peter Wollen (1938-2019), based on his story "Friendship's Death" (Spring 1976 Bananas). Cast includes Patrick Bauchau, Ruby Baker, Bill Paterson and Tilda Swinton. 78 minutes. Colour. / In 1970, a female Android named Friendship (Swinton) is sent on a peace mission to Earth, but misses her ...
Callinan, David
(? - ) UK author whose Fortress Manhattan (1995) hectically depicts a Near Future Manhattan (see New York) as an enclave whose internal environment is redolent of Cyberpunk, while beyond the walls Mutants and others clamour for entrance. [JC]
Jones, Mark
(?1947-2003) UK author of nonfiction about Russia and Communism [not listed below] and of a Technothriller, Black Lightning (1995), in which post-Communist Russia develops a gigantic electromagnetic-pulse Weapon called Molniya ["Lightning"] which is capable of shutting down Power Sources and Communications anywhere in Europe or America. Its ultimate ...
Langford, David
(1953- ) UK author, critic, editor, publisher and sf fan, in the latter capacity recipient of 21 Hugo awards for fan writing – some of the best of his several hundred pieces are assembled as Let's Hear It for the Deaf Man (coll 1992 chap US; much exp vt The Silence of the Langford 1996; exp 2015 ebook) as Dave Langford, edited by Ben Yalow – plus five Best Fanzine Hugos ...