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It's no surprise that science fiction didn't surface till the end of the 19th century....and the beginning of the Technological Age. Modern man is preoccupied with technology, both as villain and hero, and though most people probably associate sci-fi with Star Wars and Doctor Who, originally it was a literary genre devoted to serious (and often terrifying themes).

That's not to say it hasn't always been plain fun. H.G. Wells was making weighty social commentary when he wrote The War of the Worlds and The Invisible Man, but both of those are also rousing adventure stories with themes that remain stock elements of the genre. Dune is Frank Herbert's political and ecological manifesto, as well as a desert saga filled with knife fights and mysterious Fremen wanderers.

At first glance a lot of science fiction looks pretty much like tech-savvy fantasy. In some cases it is—the aforementioned Star Wars has swords and knights and an evil emperor, just like The Prydain Chronicles or John White's Archives of Anthropos. But this kind of swashbuckling galactic adventure is typically called "space opera" and not taken very seriously except as great entertainment.

The more contemplative (but no less exciting) work of Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Orson Scott Card is what comprises the canon of Science Fiction proper. Subjects range from psychological investigations to the ethics of human-robot relations, but all of them are concerned primarily with human society and the moral obligations of those within its bounds.

In 1896, H.G. Wells published a novel called The Island of Dr. Moreau. It follows a captive of the crazed Dr. Moreau, whose experiments uniting animal and human organisms reach a gruesome level. While the implications would seem distant from any realm of possibility, Wells' fable touches on many contemporary themes, from stem cell research to the Creation/Evolution debate. It is in this tradition that the greatest science fiction authors write, making some small sense of the growing senseless complexity of modern life.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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	20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Bantam Classics by Jules Verne, translated by Anthony Bonner from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.99
	2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke from ROC Science Fiction for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.99
	Around the World in Eighty Days Puffin Classics by Jules Verne from Puffin Books Adventure Stories for 6th-10th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99
	Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller from Bantam Books for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.99
	Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller from Harper & Row for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Children of Dune Dune Chronicles Book 3 by Frank Herbert from ACE Publishing Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $9.99
	Dune Dune Chronicles Book 1 by Frank Herbert from ACE Publishing Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $10.99
	Dune Messiah Dune Chronicles Book 2 by Frank Herbert from ACE Publishing Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $9.99
	Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card from Tor Classic Science Fiction for 7th-Adult in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $9.99
	First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells from Magnum for 7th-Adult in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Foundation Foundation Trilogy #1 by Isaac Asimov Revised from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.99
	Foundation and Empire Foundation Trilogy #2 by Isaac Asimov from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.99
	Frankenstein Puffin Classics by Mary Shelley from Puffin Books Horror for 7th-10th grade in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $8.99
	Giver by Lois Lowry from HMH Books for Young Readers for 7th-10th grade 1994 Newbery Medal winner in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $11.99
	Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh from Sunburst Book in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $5.95 $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Green Book by Jill Paton Walsh from Square Fish Publishing in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $7.99
	Harriet's Hare by Dick King-Smith from Yearling Animal Stories: Fantasy for 3rd-5th grade in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $5.99
	Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Hitchhiker's Trilogy #1 by Douglas Adams from Ballantine Books Humorous Science Fiction for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $7.99
	I, Robot by Isaac Asimov from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 7th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $7.99
	Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury from Simon and Schuster for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $10.99
	Invisible Man by H. G. Wells from Signet Classics Science Fiction for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Island of Dr. Moreau Signet Classics by H. G. Wells from Signet Classics Speculative Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.95
	Island of Dr. Moreau Signet Classics by H. G. Wells from Dover Publications Speculative Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.00
	Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells from SeaWolf Press Speculative Fiction for 9th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW)
	Journey to the Center of the Earth Puffin Classics by Jules Verne Reprint from Puffin Books Science Fiction for 6th-10th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99
	Life, the Universe and Everything Hitchhiker's Trilogy #3 by Douglas Adams from Ballantine Books Humorous Science Fiction for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.99
	Many Waters Wrinkle in Time Series #4 by Madeleine L'Engle from Square Fish Publishing Fantasy for 7th-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99
	Many Waters Wrinkle in Time Series #4 by Madeleine L'Engle from Quality Paperback Book Club Fantasy for 7th-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $6.00
	Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury Reprint from Simon & Schuster Macmillan Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.99
	Missing Collection - Boxed Set Found; Sent; Sabotaged; Torn; Caught; Risked; Revealed; Redeemed by Margaret Peterson Haddix from Simon and Schuster for 6th-9th grade in Boxed Sets & Literature Packages (Location: FIC-BOX) $71.99
	Mostly Harmless Hitchhiker's Trilogy #5 by Douglas Adams from Del Rey for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.99
	Mysterious Island Signet Classics by Jules Verne from Signet Classics Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.95
	Out of the Silent Planet Space Trilogy Book 1 by C. S. Lewis 46th Printing from Collier Books for 8th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20)
	Quest of the Three Worlds by Cordwainer Smith 1978 first Ballantine edition from Ballantine Books for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Restaurant At the End of the Universe Hitchhiker's Trilogy #2 by Douglas Adams from Ballantine Books Humorous Science Fiction for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $8.99
	Second Foundation Foundation Trilogy #3 by Isaac Asimov from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $7.99
	So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish Hitchhiker's Trilogy #4 by Douglas Adams from Ballantine Books Humorous Science Fiction for 9th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $7.99
	Star Wars: Dark Force Rising Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy #2 by Timothy Zahn from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)
	Star Wars: Heir to the Empire Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy #1 by Timothy Zahn from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	Star Wars: Last Command Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy #3 by Timothy Zahn from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	Star Wars: Specter of the Past Star Wars: Hand of Thrawn #1 by Timothy Zahn from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	Star Wars: Vision of the Future Star Wars: Hand of Thrawn #2 by Timothy Zahn from Bantam Books Science Fiction for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	Swiftly Tilting Planet Wrinkle in Time Series #3 by Madeleine L'Engle from Square Fish Publishing Fantasy for 4th-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $7.99 $5.00 (2 in stock)
	The People: No Different Flesh by Zenna Henderson from Avon Books for 10th-Adult in 20th & 21st Century Literature (Location: LIT7-20) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Time Machine by H. G. Wells from Dover Publications for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Time Machine by H. G. Wells from Signet Classics Science Fiction/Dystopian Literature for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Tripods: City of Gold and Lead Tripods Book 2 by John Christopher Reprint from Simon Pulse for 6th-10th grade in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $8.99
	Tripods: Pool of Fire Tripods Book 3 by John Christopher from Simon Pulse for 6th-10th grade in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $8.99
	Tripods: When the Tripods Came Tripods Book 0 by John Christopher Reissue from Simon Pulse for 6th-10th grade in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $8.99
	Tripods: White Mountains Tripods Book 1 by John Christopher from Simon Pulse for 6th-10th grade in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI)
	Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Signet Classics by Jules Verne, translated by Mendor Brunetti from Signet Classics Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Vintage Classics by Jules Verne, translated by Henry Frith from Vintage Classics Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $10.00
	Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (abridged) Puffin Classics by Jules Verne from Puffin Books Science Fiction for 5th-8th grade in Science Fiction (Location: FIC-SCI) $6.99
	War of the Worlds Signet Classics by H. G. Wells from Signet Classics Science Fiction for 10th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95 $3.50 (1 in stock)
	Wind in the Door Wrinkle in Time Series #2 by Madeleine L'Engle from Square Fish Publishing Fantasy for 4th-9th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $8.99
	Wrinkle in Time Wrinkle in Time Series #1 by Madeleine L'Engle from Square Fish Publishing Fantasy for 4th-9th grade 1963 Newbery Medal winner in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN)

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