<i>A Companion to Science Fiction</i> assembles essays by an international range of scholars which discuss the contexts, themes and methods used by science fiction writers. <br/><ul><li><br/></li><li>This <i>Companion</i> conveys the scale and variety of science fiction.<br/></li><li>Shows how science fiction has been used as a means of debating cultural issues.<br/></li><li>Essays by an international range of scholars discuss the contexts, themes and methods used by science fiction writers.<br/></li><li>Addresses general topics, such as the history and origins of the genre, its engagement with science and gender, and national variations of science fiction around the English-speaking world.<br/></li><li>Maps out connections between science fiction, television, the cinema, virtual reality technology, and other aspects of the culture.<br/></li><li>Includes a section focusing on major figures, such as H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ursula Le Guin.<br/><