<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><br><li>This <i>Companion</i> conveys the scale and variety of science fiction. <br><li>Shows how science fiction has been used as a means of debating cultural issues. <br><li>Essays by an international range of scholars discuss the contexts, themes and methods used by science fiction writers. <br><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>Maps out connections between science fiction, television, the cinema, virtual reality technology, and other aspects of the culture. <br><li>Includes a section focusing on major figures, such as H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ursula Le Guin. <br><li>Offers close readings of particular novels, from Mary Shelley's <i>Frankenstein</i> to Margaret Atwood's <i>The Handmaid's Tale</i>. </li></ul>