Science fiction is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative, futuristic and scientific concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life. The genre often explores human responses to the consequences of projected or imagined scientific advances.
Science fiction is related to fantasy, horror, and superhero fiction, and it contains many subgenres. The genre's precise definition has long been disputed among authors, critics, scholars, and readers. Major subgenres include hard science fiction, which emphasizes scientific accuracy, and soft science fiction, which focuses on social sciences. Other notable subgenres are cyberpunk, which explores the interface between technology and society, climate fiction, which addresses environmental issues, and space opera, which emphasizes pure adventure in a universe in which space travel is common.
A
Dafydd ab Hugh (1960–2026) Alexander Abasheli (1884–1954) Edwin Abbott Abbott (1838–1926) Kōbō Abe (1924–1993) Robert Abernathy (1924–1990) Dan Abnett (born 1965) Daniel Abraham (born 1969) Forrest J Ackerman (1916–2008) Douglas Adams (1952–2001) Robert Adams (1932–1990) José Adolph (1933–2008) Ann Aguirre (born 1970) Jerry Ahern (1946–2012) Jim Aikin (born 1948) Alan Burt Akers (1921–2005) (pseudonym of Kenneth Bulmer) Tim Akers (born 1972) Brian Aldiss (1925–2017) David M. Alexander (born 1945) Grant Allen (1848–1899) Roger MacBride Allen (born 1957) Hans Joachim Alpers (1943–2011) Steve Alten (born 1959) Genrich Altshuller (1926–1998) Kingsley Amis (1922–1995) Paul Rafaelovich Amnuél (born 1944) Charlie Jane Anders (born 1969) Chester Anderson (1932–1991) Kevin J. Anderson (born 1962) Poul Anderson (1926–2001) Jean-Pierre Andrevon (born 1937) Arlan Andrews (born 1940) Patricia Anthony (1947–2013) Piers Anthony (born 1934) Christopher Anvil (1925–2009) (pseudonym of Harry C. Crosby) K. A. Applegate (born 1956) E.L. Arch (1922–1988) (pseudonym of Rachel Cosgrove Payes) Eleanor Arnason (born 1942) Robert Arthur (1909–1969) Catherine Asaro (born 1955) Neal Asher (born 1961) Francis Leslie Ashton (1904–1994) Pauline Ashwell (1928–2015) Isaac Asimov (1920–1992) Janet Asimov (1926–2019) Nancy Asire (1945–2021) Robert Asprin (1946–2008) Francis Henry Atkins (1847–1927) A. A. Attanasio (born 1951) Margaret Atwood (born 1939) Ayerdhal (1959–2015)
B
Richard Bachman (pseudonym of Stephen King) Paolo Bacigalupi (born 1972) Hilary Bailey (1936–2017) Robin Wayne Bailey (born 1952) Kage Baker (1952–2010) Scott Baker (born 1947) J. G. Ballard (1930–2009) Edwin Balmer (1883–1959) Iain M. Banks (1954–2013) Michael A. Banks (1951–2023) Raymond E. Banks (1918–1996) (also known as Ray Banks, Ray E. Banks, R.E. Banks, and Fred Freair) Marek Baraniecki (born 1954) Miquel Barceló (1948–2021) René Barjavel (1911–1985) Wayne Barlowe (born 1958) Arthur K. Barnes (1911–1969) John Barnes (born 1957) Steven Barnes (born 1952) William Barnwell (born 1943) Donald Barr (1921–2004) João Barreiros (born 1952) Max Barry (born 1973) William Barton (born 1950) T. J. Bass (1932–2011) (pseudonym of Thomas J. Bassler) Harry Bates (1900–1981) L. Frank Baum (1856–1919) John Baxter (born 1939) Stephen Baxter (born 1957) Georgy Baydukov (1907–1994) Barrington J. Bayley (1937–2008) Elizabeth Bear (born 1971) Greg Bear (1951–2022) Jerome Beatty Jr (1918–2002) Charles Beaumont (1929–1967) Vladimir Beekman (1929–2009) Ugo Bellagamba (born 1972) Edward Bellamy (1850–1898) Alexander Belyaev (1884–1942) Andrei Belyanin (born 1967) Don Bendell (born 1947) (pseudonym of Ron Stillman) Gregory Benford (born 1941) Donald R. Bensen (1927–1997) J. D. Beresford (1873–1947) Fyodor Berezin (born 1960) Cyrano de Bergerac (1619–1655) Jack Bertin (1913–1983) (pseudonym of Peter B. Germano) Alfred Bester (1913–1987) Bruce Bethke (born 1955) Ambrose Bierce (1842 – c. 1914) Lloyd Biggle, Jr. (1923–2002) Eando Binder (joint pseudonym of Earl (1904–1966) and Otto (1911–1974) Binder) John Birmingham (born 1964) David Bischoff (1951–2018) Michael Bishop (1945–2023) Terry Bisson (1942–2024) Jerome Bixby (1923–1998) Malorie Blackman (born 1962) Jayme Lynn Blaschke (born 1969) James Blaylock (born 1950) James Blish (1921–1975) Robert Bloch (1917–1994) Alexander Bogdanov (1873–1928) Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff (born 1954) Kevin Bokeili (1963–2014) John Boland (1913–1976) Nelson S. Bond (1908–2006) Pierre Bordage (born 1955) François Bordes (1919–1981) Anthony Boucher (1911–1968) (pseudonym of William A.P. White) Pierre Boulle (1912–1994) Sydney James Bounds (1920–2006) Louis Henri Boussenard (1847–1910) Ben Bova (1932–2020) Leigh Brackett (1915–1978) Ray Bradbury (1920–2012) Marion Zimmer Bradley (1930–1999) Gillian Bradshaw (born 1956) Johanna Braun (1929–2008) Mark Brandis (1931–2000) Reginald Bretnor (1911–1992) Miles J. Breuer (1889–1945) David Brin (born 1950) Jason V Brock (born 1970) Damien Broderick (1944–2025) Max Brooks (born 1972) Terry Brooks (born 1944) John Brosnan (1947–2005) Eric Brown (born 1960) Fredric Brown (1906–1972) James Cooke Brown (1921–2000) Rosel George Brown (1926–1967) Simon Brown (born 1956) John Brunner (1934–1995) Steven Brust (born 1955) Edward Bryant (1945–2017) Valery Bryusov (1873–1924) Tobias S. Buckell (born 1979) Algis Budrys (1931–2008) Vitaly Bugrov (1938–1994) Lela E. Buis (fl. 1977–present) Lois McMaster Bujold (born 1949) Mikhail Bulgakov (1891–1940) Faddey Bulgarin (1789–1859) Kenneth Bulmer (1921–2005) Kir Bulychev (1934–2003) Chris Bunch (1943–2005) David R. Bunch (1925–2000) Anthony Burgess (1917–1993) Sue Burke (born 1955) Yuli Burkin (born 1960) Arthur J. Burks (1898–1974) Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875–1950) Michael A. Burstein (born 1970) F. M. Busby (1921–2005) Aleksandr Bushkov (1956–2025) Jim Butcher (born 1971) Octavia E. Butler (1947–2006) Stuart J. Byrne (1913–2011)
C
Pat Cadigan (born 1953) Jack Cady (1932–2004) Martin Caidin (1927–1997) Italo Calvino (1923–1985) Jack Campbell (born 1956) John W. Campbell, Jr. (1910–1971) (also known as Don A. Stuart) Karel Čapek (1890–1938) Paul Capon (1912–1969) Orson Scott Card (born 1951) Joseph Carne-Ross (1846–1911) Terry Carr (1937–1987) Lin Carter (1930–1988) Cleve Cartmill (1908–1964) Jeffrey Carver (1949–2026) Jay Caselberg (born 1958) Beth Cato (born 1980) Hugh B. Cave (1910–2004) Franci Cerar (fl. 1979) Jack L. Chalker (1944–2005) Becky Chambers (born 1985) Joël Champetier (1957–2015) A. Bertram Chandler (1912–1984) Suzy McKee Charnas (1939–2023) Daína Chaviano (born 1960) J. Kathleen Cheney (born 1964) C. J. Cherryh (born 1942) Ted Chiang (born 1967) Charles Chilton (1917–2013) Nadia Chonville (born 1989) John Christopher (1922–2012) (pseudonym of Samuel Youd) Richard Chwedyk (born 1955) Massimo Citi (born 1955) Charles Heber Clark (1841–1915) (also known as Max Adeler and John Quill) Arthur C. Clarke (1917–2008) Jo Clayton (1939–1998) Hal Clement (1922–2003) (pseudonym of Harry Clement Stubbs) John Cleve (1934–2013) (pseudonym of Andrew J. Offutt) Mark Clifton (1906–1963) Ernest Cline (born 1972) Mildred Clingerman (1918–1997) Brenda Clough (born 1955) Martha deMey Clow (1932–2010) John Clute (born 1940) Stanton A. Coblentz (1896–1982) Theodore Cogswell (1918–1987) Frona Eunice Wait Colburn (1859–1946) Allan Cole (1943–2019) Robert William Cole (1869–1937) Eoin Colfer (born 1965) Erroll Collins (1906–1991) (pseudonym of Ellen Edith Hannah Redknap) Suzanne Collins (born 1962) D. G. Compton (1930–2023) Michael Coney (1932–2005) Groff Conklin (1904–1968) Storm Constantine (1956–2021) Glen Cook (born 1944) Hugh Cook (1956–2008) Paul Cook (born 1950) Rick Cook (1944–2022) Brenda Cooper (born 1960) Edmund Cooper (1926–1982) Alfred Coppel (1921–2004) James S. A. Corey (joint pseudonym of Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) Larry Correia (born 1977) Juanita Coulson (born 1933) Richard Cowper (1926–2002) (pseudonym John Middleton Murry, Jr. used when writing science fiction) Erle Cox (1873–1950) John G. Cramer (born 1934) Michael Crichton (1942–2008) Robert Cromie (1855–1907) John Crowley (born 1942) Andrew Crumey (born 1961) Ray Cummings (1887–1957) Philippe Curval (1929–2023) Julie E. Czerneda (born 1955)
D
Roald Dahl (1916–1990) Brian Daley (1947–1996) John Dalmas (1926–2017) Tony Daniel (born 1963) Jack Dann (born 1945) Maurice Georges Dantec (1959–2016) Dennis Danvers (born 1947) Henry Darger (1892–1973) Clark Darlton (1920–2005) (pseudonym of Walter Ernsting) James Dashner (born 1972) Avram Davidson (1923–1993) Chan Davis (1926–2022) (pseudonym of Chandler Davis) Vox Day (born 1968) L. Sprague de Camp (1907–2000) Antonio de Macedo (1931–2017) James De Mille (1833–1880) Marianne de Pierres (born 1961) Stephen Dedman (born 1959) Miriam Allen deFord (1888–1975) Samuel R. Delany (born 1942) Bradley Denton (born 1958) Charles Derennes (1882–1930) August Derleth (1909–1971) A.J. Deutsch (1918–1969) Graham Diamond (born 1949) Philip K. Dick (1928–1982) Terrance Dicks (1935–2019) Gordon R. Dickson (1923–2001) Charles Willard Diffin (1884–1966) Lyuben Dilov (1927–2008) Dougal Dixon (born 1947) William C. Dietz (born 1945) Thomas M. Disch (1940–2008) Cory Doctorow (born 1971) Alfred Döblin (1878–1957) Stephen R. Donaldson (born 1947) Alain Dorémieux (1933–1998) Sonya Dorman (1924–2005) Candas Dorsey (born 1952) Ian Douglas (born 1950) (pseudonym of William H. Keith, Jr.) Terry Dowling (born 1947) Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) Debra Doyle (1952–2020) Gardner Dozois (1947–2018) David Drake (1945–2023) Tananarive Due (born 1966) Catherine Dufour (born 1966) Jacek Dukaj (born 1974) Jean-Claude Dunyach (born 1957) Nictzin Dyalhis (1873–1942)
E
C. M. Eddy, Jr. (1896–1967) G. C. Edmondson (1922–1995) George Alec Effinger (1947–2002) Ivan Antonovich Efremov (1907–1972) (in Russian Иван Антонович Ефремов) Greg Egan (born 1961) Phyllis Eisenstein (1946–2020) Gordon Eklund (born 1945) Suzette Haden Elgin (1936–2015) E. C. Eliott (1908–1971) (pseudonym of Reginald Alec Martin) William B. Ellern (1933–2023) Harlan Ellison (1934–2018) Roger Elwood (1933–2007) Victor Rousseau Emanuel (1879–1960) Carol Emshwiller (1921–2019) M. J. Engh (1933–2024) George Allan England (1877–1936) Inge Eriksen (1935–2015) Steven Erikson (born 1959) pseudonym of Steve Rune Lundin Walter Ernsting (1920–2005) Andreas Eschbach (born 1959) Kelley Eskridge (born 1960) Valerio Evangelisti (1952–2022) Christopher Evans (born 1951) E. Everett Evans (1893–1958)
F
Paul W. Fairman (1916–1977) Jane Fancher (born 1952) Lionel Fanthorpe (born 1935) Ralph Milne Farley (1887–1963) (pseudonym of Roger Sherman Hoar) Philip José Farmer (1918–2009) Nabil Farouk (1956–2020) Howard Fast (1914–2003) John Russell Fearn (1908–1960) Cynthia Felice (born 1942) ISFDB Brad Ferguson (born 1953) Paul Di Filippo (born 1954) Sheila Finch (born 1935) Jack Finney (1911–1995) Eliot Fintushel (born 1948) Nicholas Fisk (1923–2016) (pseudonym of David Higginbottom) Francis Flagg (1898–1946) (pseudonym of George Henry Weiss) Camille Flammarion (1842–1925) Eric Flint (1947–2022) Homer Eon Flint (1888–1924) Michael Flynn (1947–2023) Charles L. Fontenay (1917–2007) Jeffrey Ford (born 1955) John M. Ford (1957–2006) William R. Forstchen (born 1950) E. M. Forster (1879–1970) Robert L. Forward (1932–2002) Richard Foss (born 1956) Alan Dean Foster (born 1946) M. A. Foster (1939–2020) Karen Joy Fowler (born 1950) Gardner Fox (1911–1986) Randall Frakes (born 1947) ISFDB Leo Frankowski (1943–2008) Herbert W. Franke (1927–2022) Yves Fremion (born 1940) C. S. Friedman (born 1957) Oscar J. Friend (1897–1963) Esther Friesner (born 1951)
G
Neil Gaiman (born 1960) Raymond Z. Gallun (1911–1994) Arnould Galopin (1865–1934) Daniel F. Galouye (1920–1976) Charles E. Gannon (born 1960) James Alan Gardner (born 1955) Martin Gardner (1914–2010) Richard Garfinkle (born 1961) Randall Garrett (1927–1987) Laurent Genefort (born 1968) Mary Gentle (born 1956)