#9 – The Dystopia Classic – A Reader's History of Science Fiction
Dystopian fiction has become a popular subgenre of sci-fi in its own right, but the earliest dystopian novels shared some unique elements in common, inverting the standard tropes of the hero's journey. In this episode, we explore what has made these stories so enduring. Book recommendation: Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. My essay on the inverted hero's journey. Link to the Heroine's journey. Link to O'Brien's speech.
H. P. Lovecraft brought the Gothic horror of the previous century into the modern era with his new genre of cosmic horror, which placed humankind at the mercy of vast and inscrutable alien entities. Despite a tarnished legacy, he is still considered the master of sci-fi-horror and a great influence on the genre ever since.
Book recommendation: At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft.
Other stories mentioned:
The Call of Cthulhu
The Shadow Out of Time
The Shadow over Innsmouth
The Dunwich Horror
Lovecraft’s stories may be read at hplovecraft.com.
