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Monday 9 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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Matthews, Susan R
(1952- ) US author whose childhood in a peripatetic military family and two years of military service clearly provide background and ambience throughout her main work, the Jurisdiction Universe Military SF sequence, comprising An Exchange of Hostages (1997), Prisoner of Conscience (1998), Hour of Judgment (1999), Angel of Destruction (2001), The Devil and Deep Space ...
Towers, Ivar
A Fictioneers Inc House Name (1940-1942), used once by Harry Dockweiler, C M Kornbluth and Richard Wilson for "Stepsons of Mars" (April 1940 Astonishing Stories) – Kornbluth's first story – and once by Wilson alone for "The Man Without a Planet" (November 1942 Super Science Stories). ...
McKay, Herbert
(1881-? ) UK author of much nonfiction, and of A Camouflage Revolution (1929), in which the threat of a clandestine communist takeover of Great Britain is set in the Near Future. [JC]
Reit, Seymour
(1918-2001) US author, well known for having sold to Paramount Studios for $200 all rights to his unpublished story, "The Friendly Ghost"; the Caspar the Friendly Ghost cartoon series made vast sums for its owners. Much of his work, in various genres, fiction and nonfiction, was written for younger children and latterly for the Young Adult market. In Benvenuto (1974), one of his rare fantasies, a boy brings home a dragon (see ...
Gilbert, Sheila E
(1949- ) US editor and publisher who for many years has shared the roles of editor-in-chief and publisher of DAW Books with Betsy Wollheim (whom see). For her work at DAW she has also shared Chesley Awards for best art director with Wollheim in 1990 and 1992, and received a solo 2016 Hugo award as best professional editor (long form). Her only ...
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 ...