Resources on the Web:
Science Fiction
General Sites and Portals
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SF-Lover's Home
Page: One of the best general sites for web resources on
science fiction. Includes a long-running e-mail newsletter,
information on conventions, and an excellent resource
guide.
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Ultimate
Science Fiction Web Guide: Another excellent general
site. Includes "almost six thousand links to web science
fiction resources" (I'm taking their word for this--I haven't
counted them), including a fascinating and slightly eccentric timeline
of science and sci-fi history.
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Locus
Online Links Portal: Locus is included below, under
magazines and journals, but its extensive links page is too useful to
be omitted here.
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ScifiSource:
Extensive portal site for sci-fi, fantasy and horror. Covers
movies, TV shows, fan sites, etc., as well as fiction and artwork.
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Links
for Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror: An MSN groups
page. Extensive portal site for sci-fi, fantasy and
horror. Also includes reviews, artwork, etc.
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SciFan:
Searchable database of novels. Includes author/title searches,
searches by "theme" (everything from "aliens" to
"clones" to "Venus"), a long pre-set list of
"classic" works, a database of series works, a useful awards
page, etc.
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Science Fiction and
Fantasy Books and Authors: Searchable database of novelsand
short stories. Includes author/title searches, searches by
"theme," an extensive list of writers' home pages,
etc. Many database entries include publishers'
blurbs/descriptions.
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Google
Directory: Science Fiction and Fantasy: Extensive set
of links from the Google search engine. Useful, but not very
selective; takes a while to sort through.
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Yahoo
Directory: Literature > Science Fiction: A useful set of
links from the Yahoo directory listings. Not as extensive as
Google, but perhaps a little more selective.
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Solar System Montage
NASA
(Planetary Photojournal) |
Reference Sites
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Linkoping
Fantasy and Science Fiction Archive: Archive of book and
movie reviews (from Usenet postings). Also includes galleries
of sci-fi/fantasy artists' work and a clip-art gallery. (Mats Ohrman)
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Spacelight:
An odd site, "designed primarily for the literary researcher to quickly locate vital statistics and personal data on deceased members of the F&SF community."
Covers well over a hundred sci-fi and fantasy writers, including many
influential ones. Includes vital statistics, a brief biography,
a bibliography, and generally links to additional obituaries or other
material for each
entry.
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Interzone:
Gary Westfahl's Biographical Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Film:
Self-described as "a work in progress." Includes
biographies and filmographies of almost a hundred writers, directors,
producers, actors, etc., who have done work in sci-fi films and
television. Coverage is rather erratic so far. Articles
are deliberately opinionated and sometimes caustic, but well
written. Enjoyable and periodically infuriating reading.
Attached to Interzone,
the British sci-fi magazine, and hosted by sfsite.com.
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The Multiverse
Database: Searchable database that is self-described as
"a compilation of stars, planets, and alternate universes from the many worlds of science fiction."
Covers Heinlein's "Future History," Farmer's "Riverworld,"
Roddenberry & company's "Star Trek," Niven's "Known
Space," Brin's "Uplift," and a whole host of
others. Includes details on planets and stars, inhabitants,
etc. Designed for searches, but also browsable with a little
trouble.
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Science
Fiction TV Shows: Site with information on sci-fi and
fantasy TV series. Includes casts, basic series descriptions,
listings of episode titles, etc. Not a lot of depth, but useful
as a reference.
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A Few Special-Interest Sites
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FSFSFF:
Feminist Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction, & Fantasy:
An excellent guide to resources for feminist sci-fi. Includes
links to criticism, bibliographies, academic materials, archives, and
a wealth of other material. The site is still under
construction, but is already very valuable. (Trudy Mercer)
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Feminist
Science Fiction, Fantasy & Utopia: Another excellent
guide to resources for feminist sci-fi. Includes links to
criticism, bibliographies, academic materials, indices, etc.
Also supports two listserves. Still under construction, but very
valuable. (Laura Quilter)
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Mirrorshades
Postmodern Archive: A cyber punk page. It describes
itself as "a mix of weblog, archive, and commonplace book, plucked out of Bruce Sterling's email and from websites worldwide. Currently tracking: art, science, design, environmental catastrophe, crime, virtual war, rip-off cybercreeps, dead media, anarchy, spooks, sickening outrages and cheering developments."
(Bruce Sterling and Jon Lebkowsky)
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ThePulp.net:
An extensive and well-established page on early pulp magazines, with
considerable attention given to sci-fi. Includes background on pulp
magazines, pages devoted to particular pulp heroes, a bibliography of
pulp-related articles, extensive links to other resources, and
information of interest to collectors.
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The Pulp Zone:
A nicely designed and extensive site on early pulp magazines, with
considerable attention to sci-fi. Includes background on
particular pulp heroes, links to other resources, reprints of a few
pulp stories and articles, a gallery of cover art, and information of
interest to collectors.
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Uchronia: The
Alternate History List: A well-designed site dealing with
works of "alternate history." Self-described as
"an annotated bibliography of approximately 2300 novels, stories, essays and other material involving the "what ifs" of history."
Includes an introduction to the genre, a gallery of cover art, links
to other resources, etc.
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Scientists
Who Write Science Fiction: A limited page on science fiction
writers who are (or were) qualified as scientists in one discipline or
another. Consists mostly of links to web pages about the
individual writers. Nevertheless, provides an interesting slant on the science
connections of "hard" sci-fi.
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Academic Sites
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Online Magazines
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SF Site:
Extensive online magazine, updated twice a month. Covers
science fiction and fantasy. Includes reviews, interviews,
commentary, lists of author web sites, resource links, etc.
Interesting site, and well worth exploring. Use the Contents
page for general browsing, and the Site
Index for more detail. See their Web Magazines List
page for links to more e-zines.
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Locus Online:
Started out as a short, cheaply printed fan magazine (I was very
young then), and has become one of the leading sci-fi
periodicals. Includes news, reviews, commentary, convention
and awards updates, and one of the best resource/links portals on
the web.
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Analog
Science Fiction and Fact: Online version of one of the oldest
continuously-published American sci-fi magazines (edited for many
years by John W. Campbell, Jr.); still one of the best. Full
access requires subscription, but free content is worth a
visit. Free content includes columns, some fiction, the links
page, etc.
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Magazine of
Fantasy and Science Fiction: Online version of a
long-running American sci-fi magazine; still
one of best. Full access requires a subscription, but there is
some free content as well. Free content includes reviews,
science articles, etc., and is accessible through the Samples
page. Occasional issues feature free fiction.
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Asimov's Science
Fiction: A more recent American sci-fi magazine; possibly
the best at this point. Full access requires a subscription,
but there is some free content as well. Free content includes
reviews, articles, occasional fiction.
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Interzone:
Important British sci-fi magazine. Full access requires a
subscription, but there is a good bit of free content as
well. Free content includes reviews, articles, etc., as well
as about a dozen archived fiction pieces, accessible through the Samples
page.
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Infinite
Matrix: Online magazine "featuring new science fiction by major writers, reviews by respected critics, and essays by original thinkers, including a daily weblog by Bruce Sterling."
Has an archive
of past material.
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Strange
Horizons: Self-described as "a weekly web-based magazine of and about "speculative fiction." The term refers to what is usually referred to in the media as "sci-fi," but which properly embraces science fiction, fantasy, magic realism, and a host of sub-genres."
Includes fiction, reviews, articles, etc., and has a searchable
archive of past material.
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RevolutionSF:
Online magazine publishing "literate, strongly plotted science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories,"
as well as reviews, news, and other features. Has an archive
of past material.
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The
Alien Online: Online magazine with a fanzine feel to
it. Covers sci-fi, fantasy and horror. Includes news,
reviews, commentary, interviews, etc.
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Science Fiction
Weekly: Sci-fi and entertainment news, from the Science
Fiction Channel (Scifi.com). Also see the "sister
site," Sci Fi Wire,
for daily updates.
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SF
Magazines: Check here for links to more e-zines. (from
SFAuthor.com)
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Science
Fiction Resource Guide: Zines, Magazines, Web E-Zines:
More links to e-zines. Also check their Fiction
guide. (from SF-lovers)
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Online Fiction: Archives and Texts
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Baen Free
Library: Remarkable site from Baen Books.
Provides free access to the full text of over fifty sci-fi novels,
many of them by well-known writers (and many of them very
good). Read Eric Flint's introductory page for an explanation
of the library, and for a different commercial view of the
"problem" of online piracy.
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Infinity
Plus: Another remarkable site, devoted to short fiction
rather than novels. Reissues stories that have previously
appeared in print magazines, but may now be hard to find.
Includes complete stories by well over a hundred writers, selected
and submitted by the writers themselves. Some very good
stuff here. Also includes reviews, interviews, etc.
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SFWA:
Science Fiction and Fantasy Available in Electronic Form:
From the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America web
site. Provides links to online versions of stories, novels,
excerpts, etc. by SFFWA members. Many pay versions, but also
quite a lot of free fiction by both well-established and lesser-known
writers. Very extensive; a good place to start searching.
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SciFiction Archive: Archive of fiction published on SciFi.com
(Science Fiction channel web site). Currently over 150
stories, including many by well-established writers. Has both
"originals" and "classics" (stories previously
published elsewhere).
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RevolutionSF
Fiction: Fiction from RevolutionSF. Includes
an Archive
of fiction from past issues. Includes almost a hundred
stories, many by lesser known and often interesting writers.
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Strange
Horizons Fiction Archive: Searchable archive of fiction
published in Strange Horizons. Includes over 150
stories, many by lesser known and often interesting writers.
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University
of Michigan Fantasy and Science Fiction Website Online Library:
Online access to over a hundred older works of fantasy and science
fiction. Includes a broad range of works, from The Wizard
of Oz, to A Journey to the Center of the Earth, to
Malory's Morte d'Arthur. (U. of Michigan)
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VTSF:
Virginia Tech Online Speculative Fiction Project: Digital
archive of old pulp sci-fi magazines. Still in its infancy,
but worth watching. Eight issues of various pulps online so
far, but the only publicly accessible one is Vol. I, No. 1 of Hugo
Gernsback's Air Wonder Stories. [The Hugo Award is
named after Gernsback.] (Virginia Tech)
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Elfwood:
Archive of amateur fantasy and sci-fi art and fiction. Heavily
weighted toward fantasy, but with over 2,000 science
fiction stories by non-professional writers. (Thomas F
Abrahamsson)
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Fictionwise:
Free eBooks: A limited selection of free stories and
excerpts from the largest online commercial publisher of
sci-fi. (Fictionwise
eBooks)
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Scorpius
Digital Publishing Free Short Stories: About ten free
sample stories from a commercial online publisher (scorpiusdigital.com).
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Edge-on Galaxy (ESO 510-G13)
NASA (Planetary Photojournal)
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Organizations, Awards and Conventions
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World Science Fiction
Society/Worldcon: Official site for the WSFS and the World
Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon). The Society is responsible
for the Hugo Awards and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, as well as
for the annual Worldcons. Site includes information on past and
upcoming Worldcons, a complete list of Hugo
Award winners, the constitution governing the WSFS and the Hugo
awards, etc.
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Science Fiction and
Fantasy Writers of America: Web site for the major
professional organization of sci-fi and fantasy writers. Offers
various services for its members, presents the Nebula Awards, etc.
Site includes a very useful Resource
Page covering resources of interest to writers, information on
agents, official information on the Nebula
Awards and Nebula Award winners, etc.
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European
Science Fiction Society: Self-described as "an international organisation of SF professionals and fans who are committed to promoting Science Fiction in Europe and European Science Fiction worldwide."
Includes links to various national society sites (but you need to be
multi-lingual for these).
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SF-Lovers
Conventions Listing: Good list of sci-fi, fantasy and horror
conventions held worldwide. (SF-Lovers.org)
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AwardWeb:
Probably the best clearinghouse for information on awards given for
sci-fi, fantasy, horror, mystery, and a wide variety of other fields.
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Locus Index
to Science Fiction Awards: Probably the best site for lists of
winners of sci-fi and fantasy awards.
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Science
Fiction Resource Guide: Awards: A useful links page for
a wide variety of awards given for sci-fi and fantasy fiction, art,
etc. (SF-Lovers.org)
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Some Lists of "Best" or "Classic"
Science Fiction
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SFWA Recommended
Reading Lists: A whole group of recommended reading lists from
the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. A rich and
varied exploration of the best the genre has to offer. One of my
favorites is Gardner
Dozois' list.
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Great
Science Fiction and Fantasy Works: A site which recommends and
ranks writers and specific works based on literary considerations rather
than on conventional sci-fi and fantasy genre considerations. A large
and interesting collection.
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The NESFA Core Reading List of Fantasy and Science Fiction:
An extensive list of recommendations from the members of the New England
Science Fiction Association. Includes works from the 19th century
and before, as well as modern works through 1997. A varied and
eclectic selection. The NESFA also compiles
recommendations from its members of works to be considered for the Hugo
Awards each year--an interesting set of year-by-year reading lists
from dedicated fans.
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Classics
of Science Fiction: One of the most interesting sets of lists
on the web, compiled by James Wallace Harris and Anthony Bernardo from
28 other "best of" lists by critics and fans. The link
seems to be dead now, but a version of it can still be accessed at this
location, courtesy of the Internet
Archive.
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The Internet Top 100 SF/Fantasy List:
A list compiled on the basis of e-mail votes and updated weekly.
Includes listings of favorite series as well as individual books.
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Web Pages for Individual Authors
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SFWA Members' Web Pages:
Very extensive list of links to the home pages of individual members
of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America.
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Locus
Online: Links to SFFH Authors: Links page maintained
by Locus magazine. Includes web pages for individual
writers, artist and editors; includes personal pages and some fan or
third-party pages. Covers sci-fi, fantasy and horror.
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Science
Fiction Resource Guide: Authors: Links Page maintained
by SF-Lovers. Includes web pages for individual writers;
includes both personal pages and fan/third-party pages.
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Films
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Internet Movie
Database: A huge site, covering all genres of film.
Searchable in a variety of ways. Includes information on
films, actors, directors, etc. Probably the most useful
general film site on the web.
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SciFi.com
Web Guide: Film: A useful portal site for
sci-fi movie resources on the web. Seems to include several
hundred sites, divided into subcategories. (from SciFi.com)
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SciFlicks.com:
Movie site covering science fiction. Main page is almost all
current films, but archives have a good deal of depth.
Includes databases of films, reviews, commentary, discussion forums,
etc. A good place to get basic profiles of a wide range of
sci-fi films.
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Sci-Fi
Movie Page: Movie site covering science fiction.
Main page is almost all current filmsand DVD releases, but archives
are searchable and cover a wide range of material.
Includes reviews, articles, commentary, etc.
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Rotten
Tomatoes: An archive of movie reviews. Covers all
genres of film, as well as video games. Searchable archives,
with multiple reviews for each film, as well as plot summaries, cast
and crew lists, discussion forums, etc.
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Films in the Class: Web Pages
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James
Whale's Frankenstein: A Face for the Monster:
Excellent site on the history of the Frankenstein story, with
particular attention to Shelley's novel and to Whale's film
version. Includes extensive background on earlier and
later adaptations for film and stage, the full text of the
novel, links, etc.
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2001:
A Space Odyssey Internet Resource Archive: Nicely
designed resource page for the film. Includes background
information, interpretation, an early version of the screenplay,
etc., as well as links to off-site resources.
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Dreamer's
The Day the Earth Stood Still: Superb page on the
film. Includes 885 stills from the film, the screenplay of
a deleted scene, the text of Harry Bates' original short story,
color plates of promotional posters, cast and crew lists
(including some uncredited ones), and extensive FAQ--the list
goes on... Sadly, slated to disappear on December 31,
2003.
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20th
Century Fox: Minority Report: The
commercial home page for the film.
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Unofficial
Forbidden Planet Movie Home Page: An interesting page
on the film. Includes captioned stills, credits,
background on the making of the film, artwork, links, etc.
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Total
Recall: A fan site for the film. Includes
images, sound files, a synopsis of most of the film. links, etc.
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The
Matrix Reloaded: The commercial home page for the
Matrix film series. Includes a section on The Matrix.
Films in the Class: Reviews and
information from Rotten
Tomatoes
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Artist's conception of major terrestrial impact by
asteroid
NASA
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Fans and Fan Culture
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Science
Fiction Resource Guide: Fandom: Portal page for fan
"societies, clubs, associations, and archives." See
also the Fannish Home
Pages page. (from SF-Lovers)
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FANDATA's Fandom
Directory: Searchable database of online contact information
for thousands of fans, fan organizations, retailers, etc. Online
companion to the print Fandom Directory.
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Fanac Fan History Page:
A page devoted to the history of sci-fi fandom. Includes
convention history and information, photographs, background on
fanzines, etc. An interesting look at the often fanatical core
audience that helps create and drive sci-fi. (Joe Siclari and Jack
Weaver)
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FanFicWeb:
Extensive, searchable database of links to fan fiction on the
web.
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Fan Fiction on the Net:
Self-described as "a guide to fan fiction on-line including newsgroups, mailing lists, web pages, and ftp sites."
Browsable by category.
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Forest J.
Ackerman's Wide Webbed World: Elaborate home page for the
man who is perhaps the world's most famous sci-fi fan. Worth
exploring.
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Images
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Association of
Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists (ASFA): Web site for
the largest professional organization of sci-fi/fantasy artists and
illustrators. Includes on-site galleries and an extensive
collection of links
to individual artists' pages, online galleries, etc.
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Dark
Matter Art Gallery Links Page: The Dark Matter Art Gallery
is no longer around, but its links page is still up and is a useful
portal for individual artists' sites, online galleries, etc.
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Epilogue.net:
A very extensive site for the work of sci-fi, fantasy and anime
artists. Includes work by hundreds of artists.
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Elfwood:
Archive of amateur fantasy and sci-fi art and fiction. Heavily
weighted toward fantasy, but with sci-fi art as well. Very
extensive site, and well worth browsing.
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Novaspace
Galleries: Commercial online gallery specializing in space
art and in astronaut autographs. Includes fairly extensive and
impressive galleries.
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Chesley
Bonestell Interactive Art Gallery: A limited selection of
work by the late Chesley Bonestell, who was probably the most famous
and influential sci-fi artist of the twentieth century.
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Page background image credit: Hubble
ST image of NGC 3603, NASA
(GRIN)
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