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Sunday 22 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 18 March 2026
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Deighton, Len
Working name of UK illustrator and author Leonard Cyril Deighton (1929-2026), mostly not resident in Britain after 1969; author of spy novels, cookery books and some other nonfiction, but still perhaps best known for early espionage thrillers like The Ipcress File (1962), the first of the Secret File sequence which features the same undisciplined and unnamed secret agent, and the subsequent Funeral in Berlin (1964). The fourth volume of the series, ...
Dietz, William C
(1945-2026) US author who began to publish sf with War World (1986; vt Galactic Bounty 1997), the first volume of his Sam McCade sequence of sf adventures about an interstellar bounty hunter, which continued with Imperial Bounty (1988) and two further titles. The galactic venue of the series exhibits some interesting kinks, and McCade himself gradually gains individuality. Although the angle of approach differs – the protagonist this time ...
File 770
US Fanzine since January 1978, edited from Los Angeles by Mike Glyer, roughly bimonthly until 1999 but thereafter publishing three or fewer issues per year until 2016 (see below); the name alludes to the legendary (though only in Fandom) party in Room 770 of the 1951 Worldcon hotel that ran for two days and was a highlight of the event. / A newsletter covering Fandom, with ...
Timeslip [tv]
UK tv series (1970-1971). Associated Television (ATV). Created by James Boswell and Ruth Boswell. Produced by John Cooper. Directed primarily by Peter Jefferies, with John Cooper, David Foster and Ron Francis. Written by James Boswell, Ruth Boswell, Victor Pemberton and Bruce Stewart (19 episodes). Cast included Spencer Banks, Derek Benfield, Cheryl Burfield, Iain Fairbairn, Mary Preston, Denis Quilley and Iris ...
Postman, The
Film (1997). Warner Bros presents a Tig production. Directed by Kevin Costner. Written by Brian Helgeland and Eric Roth, based on the novel The Postman (fixup 1985) by David Brin. Cast includes Scott Bairstow, Daniel von Bergen, Kevin Costner, Roberta Maxwell, Ron McLarty, Will Patton, Tom Petty, Giovanni Ribisi, James Russo, Joe Santos, Larenz Tate, Olivia Williams and Brian Anthony Wilson. Colour. 170 minutes. / The ...
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 ...