The year 1950 was marked, in science fiction, by the following events.
Births and deaths
Births
Deaths
Events
Literary releases
Serialized novels
First editions
- The Cometeers by Jack Williamson, a fix-up novel combining two stories from the Legion of Space series.[nb 1]
- Cosmic Engineers by Clifford D. Simak, a tale of advanced technology and cosmic exploration.[nb 2]
- The Dreaming Jewels by Theodore Sturgeon, in this debut novel, a runaway boy finds refuge in a circus and gets involved in a battle over alien power.
- First Lensman by E. E. "Doc" Smith, an epic space opera in the Lensman series, won the Retro Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2001.
- The House That Stood Still by A. E. van Vogt, examines the impact of alien technology on humanity.
- The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, chronicles human colonization of Mars and its unforeseen consequences.[nb 3]
- Needle by Hal Clement, a symbiotic alien detective partners with a human boy to track down a criminal on Earth.
- Nomad by George O. Smith, a man uses knowledge gained from Martians to conquer the Solar System.[nb 4]
- Pebble in the Sky by Isaac Asimov, this debut novel explores identity and rebellion in a future Earth scenario.
- The Rat Race by Jay Franklin, a naval officer becomes entangled in espionage and experiences bizarre transformations.
- Shadow on the Hearth by Judith Merril, depicts the aftermath of nuclear war on a suburban family.
- The Voyage of the Space Beagle by A. E. van Vogt, follows the Space Beagle and describes its encounters with alien civilizations.[nb 5]
Novellas
Novelettes
Short stories
Short story collections
Juveniles
Movies
Awards
The main science-fiction awards known at the present time did not exist at this time.
See also
Notes
- ^ The Cometeers (1936) and One Against the Legion (1939), both published in Astounding Stories.
- ^ Originally serialized in Astounding Stories in 1939.
- ^ a b Considered a novel, but composed of short stories.
- ^ Originally serialized in three parts in Astounding beginning in December 1944, under Smith's pseudonym, Wesley Long.
- ^ A fix-up compilation of four stories previously published between July 1939 and May 1950.
- ^ Winner of a Retroactive Hugo Award in 2001.
References
- ^ James, Edward; Mendlesohn, Farah (2003). Edward James and Farah Mendlesohn (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. xxii. ISBN 978-0-521-01657-5.
- ^ Clute, John (1995). Science Fiction: the Illustrated Encyclopedia. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 68. ISBN 0-7894-0185-1.