Editor | Phoenix Alexander |
---|---|
Editor | Polina Levontin |
Former editors | Jo L. Walton, Anna McFarlane, Glyn Morgan, Shana Worthen, Niall Harrison, Geneva Melzack, Andrew M. Butler, Tony Cullen, Gary Dalkin, Maureen Kincaid Speller, Catie Cary, Kev McVeigh, Boyd Parkinson, David Barrett, Paul Kincaid, Geoff Rippington, Alan Dorey, Kevin Smith, Alan Dorey, Eve Harvey, Joseph Nicholas, Mike Dickinson, Dave Wingrove, Christopher Fowler, Malcolm Edwards, Bob Parkinson, Michael Kenward, Tony Sudberry, Vic Hallett, Phil Muldowney, Doreen Parker, Ken Slater, Steve Oakley, Roger Peyton, Jim Groves, Ella Parker, Archie Mercer, Roberta Gray, Michael Moorcock, Terry Jeeves, E.C. Tubb |
Categories | Science fiction |
Format | A4 |
First issue | Summer 1958 |
Company | British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Website | https://vector-bsfa.com/ |
ISSN | 0505-0448 |
Vector is the critical journal [1] [2] [3] (sometimes called a fanzine [4] ) of the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), established in 1958.
The first issue of Vector was published in 1958 under the editorship of E. C. Tubb. [3] The publication was established as an irregular newsletter for members of the BSFA, founded in the same year, but "almost at once it began to produce reviews and essays, polemics and musings, about the nature and state of science fiction." [5]
The publication has changed format and periodicity many times over the years. [6] Since 2018 it has been edited by Polina Levontin and Jo Lindsay Walton. It currently focuses on articles and interviews, and is published "two to three times per year." [2]
Eric Frank Russell was a British writer best known for his science fiction novels and short stories. Much of his work was first published in the United States, in John W. Campbell's Astounding Science Fiction and other pulp magazines. Russell also wrote horror fiction for Weird Tales and non-fiction articles on Fortean topics. Up to 1955 several of his stories were published under pseudonyms, at least Duncan H. Munro and Niall(e) Wilde.
The BSFA Awards are literary awards presented annually since 1970 by the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) to honour works in the genre of science fiction. Nominees and winners are chosen based on a vote of BSFA members. More recently, members of the Eastercon convention have also been eligible to vote.
The British Science Fiction Association Limited is an organisation founded in 1958 by a group of British academics, science fiction fans, authors, publishers and booksellers in order to promote the writing, criticism, and study of science fiction in every form. The first President of the BSFA was Brian Aldiss. Pat Cadigan became president in August 2020, and Tade Thompson became the Vice President in June 2021.
Edward Frederick James is a British scholar of medieval history and science fiction. He is Emeritus Professor of Medieval History at University College, Dublin. James received the Hugo Award for his non-fiction book The Cambridge Companion to Science Fiction, and the Pilgrim Award for lifetime contribution to SF and fantasy scholarship.
Science Fiction Studies (SFS) is an academic journal founded in 1973 by R. D. Mullen. The journal is published three times per year at DePauw University. As the name implies, the journal publishes articles and book reviews on science fiction, but also occasionally on fantasy and horror when the topic also covers some aspect of science fiction as well. Known as one of the major academic publications of its type, Science Fiction Studies is considered the most "theoretical" of the academic journals that publish on science fiction.
Infinity Science Fiction was an American science fiction magazine, edited by Larry T. Shaw, and published by Royal Publications. The first issue, which appeared in November 1955, included Arthur C. Clarke's "The Star", a story about a planet destroyed by a nova that turns out to have been the Star of Bethlehem; it won the Hugo Award for that year. Shaw obtained stories from some of the leading writers of the day, including Brian Aldiss, Isaac Asimov, and Robert Sheckley, but the material was of variable quality. In 1958 Irwin Stein, the owner of Royal Publications, decided to shut down Infinity; the last issue was dated November 1958.
Kevin Smith was an active British science fiction fan from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, producing such science fiction fanzines as Drilkjis and Dot, writing for fanzines, chairing British science fiction conventions, editing a 1979 anthology of British fanwriting titled Mood 70 for Seacon '79, the 37th World Science Fiction Convention, and serving from 1980 to 1982 as editor of Vector, the critical journal of the British Science Fiction Association. He won the TransAtlantic Fan Fund in 1982.
Malcolm John Edwards is a British editor and critic in the science fiction field. An alumnus of The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School, he received his degree from the University of Cambridge. He was Deputy CEO at the Orion Publishing Group up until 2015, when he stepped down to become the chairman of science fiction publishing house Gollancz. Edwards lives in London with his wife, the CEO of a public relations company.
Beyond Fantasy Fiction was a US fantasy fiction magazine edited by H. L. Gold, with only ten issues published from 1953 to 1955. The last two issues carried the cover title of Beyond Fiction, but the publication's name for copyright purposes remained as before.
Venture Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, first published from 1957 to 1958, and revived for a brief run in 1969 and 1970. Ten issues were published of the 1950s version, with another six in the second run. It was founded in both instances as a companion to The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Robert P. Mills edited the 1950s version, and Edward L. Ferman was editor during the second run. A British edition appeared for 28 issues between 1963 and 1965; it reprinted material from The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction as well as from the US edition of Venture. There was also an Australian edition, which was identical to the British version but dated two months later.
Science fiction studies is the common name for the academic discipline that studies and researches the history, culture, and works of science fiction and, more broadly, speculative fiction.
Niall Sidney Harrison is a British medical writer and science fiction editor, critic and publisher. He was a judge of the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2006 and 2007 and Guest of Honour at Eastercon 2023.
Paul Kincaid is a British science fiction literary critic.
Satellite Science Fiction was an American science-fiction magazine published from October 1956 to April 1959 by Leo Margulies' Renown Publications. Initially, Satellite was digest-sized and ran a full-length novel in each issue with a handful of short stories accompanying it. The policy was intended to help it compete against paperbacks, which were taking a growing share of the market. Sam Merwin edited the first two issues; Margulies took over when Merwin left, and then hired Frank Belknap Long for the February 1959 issue. That issue saw the format change to letter size, in the hope that the magazine would be more prominent on newsstands. The experiment was a failure and Margulies closed the magazine when the sales figures came in.
Gareth Lyn Powell is a British author of science fiction. His works include the Embers of War trilogy, the Continuance series, the Ack-Ack Macaque trilogy, Light Chaser, and About Writing, a guide for aspiring authors. He has also co-written stories with authors Peter F. Hamilton and Aliette de Bodard.
Ian Sales is a British science fiction writer, editor and founder of the SF Mistressworks website. Although born in the UK, he grew up in the Middle-East, in Qatar, Oman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Nina Allan is a British writer of speculative fiction. She has published five collections of short stories, multiple novella-sized works, and five novels. Her stories have appeared in the magazines Interzone, Black Static and Crimewave and have been nominated for or won a number of awards, including the Grand prix de l'Imaginaire and the BSFA Award.
Anne Charnock is a British author of science fiction novels. In 2018, she won the Arthur C. Clarke Award in science fiction, for her novel Dreams Before the Start of Time.