SF Encyclopedia Home Page
Thursday 12 March 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.
Site updated on 9 March 2026
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Walshe, Jennifer
(1974- ) Irish composer, vocalist and artist, much acclaimed for often unclassifiable installations and musical theatre works, marked by an irreverent and witty investigation of her chosen texts and sources. Several of her pieces verge on the uncanny, such as XXX Live Nude Girls (2003), in which Barbie dolls act out teenage girls' darkest fantasies. Her ongoing Mars series begins with Mars I (2022) "for two singers, ensemble, live ...
Knapp, George L
(1872-1950) US journalist and author, whose The Face of Air (1912) is set on an apparently deserted ship "haunted" by an ape whose Invisibility is the result of a chemist's misapplied Invention. [JC]
Taylor, Isaac
(1787-1865) UK author, also known as Isaac Taylor of Stanford Rivers, one of several children of Isaac Taylor (1759-1829), an engraver and author with whom his son should not be confused, a task with some difficulty as the younger Isaac Taylor often published anonymously, as did his several siblings (almost all of whom were authors) including Jefferys Taylor; he followed this practice with The Temple of Melekartha (1831 3vols) anonymous, a long ...
Astounding Stories Yearbook
One of the many reprint Digest magazines published by Sol Cohen's Ultimate Publishing Co, reprinting material from Amazing Stories from the 1930s and 1940s. Two issues were released in 1970, the second under the title Astounding SF. Cohen's use of such a celebrated magazine title (see Astounding) was thought by fans to be cheeky. [BS/PN/MA] links / ...
Biggles
1. Nickname of airman James Bigglesworth, a character created by W E Johns (whom see) for a lengthy sequence of books and stories published from 1932, beginning with his exploits flying Sopwith Camels in World War One. Biggles's adventures continued through World War Two and well into the post-war era until the author's death in 1968, and after; a final book of uncollected stories appeared ...
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 ...