199–230. … Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials. [92], Emerging themes in late 20th and early 21st century science fiction include environmental issues, the implications of the Internet and the expanding information universe, questions about biotechnology, nanotechnology, and post-scarcity societies. Science fiction, whose roots go back to ancient times, is related to fantasy, horror, and superhero fiction, and contains many subgenres. It has been called the "literature of ideas", and often explores the potential consequences of scientific, social, and technological innovations.[1][2]. [253] The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) was founded by Damon Knight in 1965 as a non-profit organization to serve the community of professional science fiction authors. "[7], Forrest J Ackerman is credited with first using the term "sci-fi" (analogous to the then-trendy "hi-fi") in 1954. This is the only stand-alone book on this list, as the rest are all in a … Ten Authors Weigh In On 'Hard' vs. 'Soft' SF", "Ursula K. Le Guin Proved That Sci-Fi is for Everyone", "Laughing in the Face of Death: A Vonnegut Roundtable", "Ray Bradbury, Master of Science Fiction, Dies at 91", "Science fiction: the genre that dare not speak its name", "Doris Lessing on Feminism, Communism and 'Space Fiction, "SEXISM IN GENRE PUBLISHING: A PUBLISHER'S PERSPECTIVE", "This year's Hugo Award nominees are a messy political controversy", "The Academy of Science Fiction Fantasy and Horror Films", "Aurora Awards | Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association", "science fiction | Definiton, Examples, & Characteristics", "A History Of The Science Fiction Convention", "ScifiConventions.com - Worldwide SciFi and Fantasy Conventions Directory - About Cons", https://www.ldc.upenn.edu/sites/www.ldc.upenn.edu/files/ads2010-conomastics.pdf, "What Are Science Fiction Conventions Like? [233] One notable award for science fiction films and TV programs is the Saturn Award, which is presented annually by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films. Television or television-like technologies frequently appeared in science fiction long before television itself became widely available in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Please select which sections you would like to print: While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Mike Ashley (14 May 2007). Crossover issues between the sciences and the humanities are crucial for the century to come. Benford, Gregory (1998) "Meaning-Stuffed Dreams:Thomas Disch and the future of SF". [123], Science fiction and television have consistently been in a close relationship. works you ponder over as the water is running out of the bathtub or as you walk through the woods in an early winter snowfall. Science Fiction and Pseudoscience", "The Impact of Science Fiction on Attitudes Toward Technology", "Human Culture and Science Fiction: A Review of the Literature, 1980–2016", "George Slusser, Co-founder of Renowned Eaton Collection, Dies", "As a Trump protest, theaters worldwide will screen the film version of Orwell's '1984, "Nineteen Eighty-Four and the politics of dystopia", "James Cameron: Pushing the limits of imagination", "College Classes Use Arts to Brace for Climate Change", "What Is The Purpose of Science Fiction Stories? [71] The novel dealt with the theme of human limitations as its characters attempted to study a seemingly intelligent ocean on a newly discovered planet. Mary Shelley wrote a number of science fiction novels including Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818), and is considered a major writer of the Romantic Age. [98][99], The first, or at least one of the first, recorded science fiction film is 1902's A Trip to the Moon, directed by French filmmaker Georges Méliès. It is an appeal to the sense of wonder. The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction (Oxford University Press, 2007) page 179. This dark dystopian side can be seen especially in the work of T.H. "Science Fiction" means—to us—everything found in the science fiction section of a bookstore, or at a science fiction convention, or amongst the winners of the Hugo awards given by the World Science Fiction Society. They feel the loss of a 'sense of wonder' because what was once truly confined to 'wonder' has now become prosaic and mundane. Science fiction editor and critic David Hartwell wrote: "Science fiction’s appeal lies in combination of the rational, the believable, with the miraculous. ... English United States. The sense of dread was also cultivated by H.P. [58][59] In 1959, Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers marked a departure from his earlier juvenile stories and novels. Omissions? This approach was central to the work of H.G. [228] A controversy about voting slates in the 2015 Hugo Awards highlighted tensions in the science fiction community between a trend of increasingly diverse works and authors being honored by awards, and reaction by groups of authors and fans who preferred what they considered more "traditional" science fiction. (f) means that a noun is feminine. Sci-fi novels take readers on adventures from faraway galaxies to underwater worlds and everywhere in between, introducing them to otherworldly characters and technologies along the way. "[192], The study of science fiction, or science fiction studies, is the critical assessment, interpretation, and discussion of science fiction literature, film, TV shows, new media, fandom, and fan fiction. They also tend to support the space program and the idea of contacting extraterrestrial civilizations. Lovecraft, who invented the famous Necronomicon, an imaginary book of knowledge so ferocious that any scientist who dares to read it succumbs to madness. [268][269] Other notable fanzines to win one or more Hugo awards include File 770, Mimosa, and Plokta. The New York Times. [48], In 1937, John W. Campbell became editor of Astounding Science Fiction, an event which is sometimes considered the beginning of the Golden Age of Science Fiction, which is characterized by stories celebrating scientific achievement and progress. [55][56][57] In 1957, Andromeda: A Space-Age Tale by the Russian writer and paleontologist Ivan Yefremov presented a view of a future interstellar communist civilization and is considered one of the most important Soviet science fiction novels. noun. [163] Science fiction has often predicted scientific and technological progress. [127][128] Critics have ranked it as one of the best TV programs of any genre. Baxter, John (1997). [257] In the 1980s, Usenet groups greatly expanded the circle of fans online. "[226] In the same year science fiction author and physicist Gregory Benford wrote: "SF is perhaps the defining genre of the twentieth century, although its conquering armies are still camped outside the Rome of the literary citadels. [50][51] The series was later awarded a one-time Hugo Award for "Best All-Time Series. "[41] His notable science-fiction works include The Time Machine (1895), The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), and The War of the Worlds (1898). Isaac Asimov was a Russian-born, American author, a professor of biochemistry, and a highly successful writer, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. [167][168], In 2001 the National Science Foundation conducted a survey on "Public Attitudes and Public Understanding: Science Fiction and Pseudoscience. [133] It has been extremely popular worldwide and has greatly influenced later TV science fiction. . Bennett, An Introduction, ix–xi, 120–21; Schor, Introduction to. I based inclusion on whether or not many of these factors were to the story's credit: [126], The Twilight Zone (the original series), produced and narrated by Rod Serling, who also wrote or co-wrote most of the episodes, ran from 1959 to 1964. Pages in category "English science fiction writers" The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 272 total. [180], Robots, artificial humans, human clones, intelligent computers, and their possible conflicts with human society have all been major themes of science fiction since, at least, the publication of Shelly's Frankenstein. Del Romanticismo al Realismo : Actas del I Coloquio de la S. L. E. S. XIX, Barcelona, 24–26 October 1996 / edited by Luis F. Díaz Larios, Enrique Miralles. Science Fiction TV, J. P. Telotte, Routledge, 26 March 2014, pages 112, 179, British Science Fiction Television: A Hitchhiker's Guide, John R. Cook, Peter Wright, I.B.Tauris, 6 January 2006, page 9. Edwards, Malcolm J.; Nicholls, Peter (1995). Mass markets and juvenile science fiction, Alternate histories and parallel universes, https://www.britannica.com/art/science-fiction, LiveAbout - A Guide to the Intricacies of Science Fiction, science fiction - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), science fiction - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Outlawed. Dr. Abu Shadi Al-Roubi (1982), "Ibn al-Nafis as a philosopher". by John | Mar 4, 2021 | Science Fiction | 0 | It’s not a big collection of free reads, but 29 is a good starting point for any of your Steampunk or Cyberpunk cravings. Free to read short stories: crime, mystery, science fiction, romance, horror, fantasy and more. | Project Hieroglyph", "Science Fiction Research Association - About", "English: Science Fiction Studies MA - Overview - Postgraduate Taught Courses - University of Liverpool", "Gunn Center for the Study of Science Fiction", "Ten Authors on the 'Hard' vs. 'Soft' Science Fiction Debate", "How Do You Like Your Science Fiction? [32][33] Jules Verne was noted for his attention to detail and scientific accuracy, especially in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870). "How Does Your Favorite Rate? Even still, the science fiction genre has thrived in the English language with some remarkable writers. "[52][53] The "Golden Age" is often said to have ended in 1946, but sometimes the late 1940s and the 1950s are included. It is the literary source of the Blade Runner movie franchise. [105] Though not well received in its time,[106] it is now considered a great and influential film. [218] Doris Lessing, who was later awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, wrote a series of five SF novels, Canopus in Argos: Archives (1979-1983), which depict the efforts of more advanced species and civilizations to influence those less advanced, including humans on Earth. [238] Magazines may organize reader polls, notably the Locus Award. According to American writer and professor of biochemistry Isaac Asimov, "Science fiction can be defined as that branch of literature which deals with the reaction of human beings to changes in science and technology. [93][94] Recent trends and subgenres include steampunk,[95] biopunk,[96][97] and mundane science fiction. [152] Red Dwarf, a comic science fiction series aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, and on Dave since 2009. Free eBooks - Science Fiction. . [258] In the 1990s, the development of the World-Wide Web exploded the community of online fandom by orders of magnitude, with thousands and then millions of websites devoted to science fiction and related genres for all media. (general) a. la ciencia ficción. [187], Libertarian science fiction focuses on the politics and social order implied by right libertarian philosophies with an emphasis on individualism and private property, and in some cases anti-statism. Written during the Scientific Revolution and the Age of Enlightenment, Johannes Kepler's Somnium (1634), Francis Bacon's New Atlantis (1627),[20] Athanasius Kircher's Itinerarium extaticum (1656),[21] Cyrano de Bergerac's Comical History of the States and Empires of the Moon (1657) and The States and Empires of the Sun (1662), Margaret Cavendish's "The Blazing World" (1666),[22][23][24][25] Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels (1726), Ludvig Holberg's Nicolai Klimii Iter Subterraneum (1741) and Voltaire's Micromégas (1752) are regarded as some of the first true science-fantasy works. pp. 4.1 out of 5 stars 1,091. (futuristic, speculative stories) science-fiction nf. Science fiction definition is - fiction dealing principally with the impact of actual or imagined science on society or individuals or having a scientific factor as an essential orienting component. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). "Nielsen Ratings Are Dim on New Shows." Its avid followers and practitioners constituted a thriving worldwide subculture. New York, New York, USA: Twayne. [261][262], The first science fiction fanzine, The Comet, was published in 1930 by the Science Correspondence Club in Chicago, Illinois. "[171], Brian Aldiss described science fiction as "cultural wallpaper. The term science fiction was popularized, if not invented, in the 1920s by one of the genre’s principal advocates, the American publisher Hugo Gernsback. The story might be set in space, in the future and about new technology or a scientific innovation. [256], The earliest organized online fandom was the SF Lovers Community, originally a mailing list in the late 1970s with a text archive file that was updated regularly. Following World War II, science fiction spread throughout the world from its epicentre in the United States, spurred on by ever more staggering scientific feats, from the development of nuclear energy and atomic bombs to the advent of space travel, human visits to the Moon, and the real possibility of cloning human life. uncountable noun. . [147][148][149][150], The miniseries V premiered in 1983 on NBC. man, dog, house). . "[169] It found that people who read or prefer science fiction may think about or relate to science differently than other people. In Hayes, Kevin J. [239], Conventions (in fandom, often shortened as "cons," such as "comic-con") are held in cities around the world, catering to a local, regional, national, or international membership. Astounding Wonder: Imagining Science and Science Fiction in Interwar America, John Cheng, University of Pennsylvania Press, 19 March 2012 pages 1–12. Refine See titles to … Too hard. [266] Contemporary fanzines are largely printed on computer printers or at local copy shops, or they may only be sent as email (termed "Ezines") or otherwise made available online (termed "webzines"). The Immortal Professor, Astro Adventures No.7, p.6. [79][80][81], In 1979, Science Fiction World began publication in the People's Republic of China. Merril Collection of Science Fiction, Speculation and Fantasy, Science Fiction Studies' Chronological Bibliography of Science Fiction History, Theory, and Criticism, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Science_fiction&oldid=1015575292, Articles with incomplete citations from December 2019, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the ODNB, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using Sister project links with wikidata mismatch, Pages using Sister project links with default search, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Undiscovered scientific possibilities such as, New and different political and social systems and situations, including, This page was last edited on 2 April 2021, at 07:48. I knew you were expecting a Philip K. Dick novel on this list. 27 Free Steampunk and Cyberpunk Web Serials and Ebooks. . Gould, Jack. [181], Feminist science fiction poses questions about social issues such as how society constructs gender roles, the role reproduction plays in defining gender, and the inequitable political or personal power of one gender over others. Among the earliest examples is the 2nd-century-ce Syrian-born Greek satirist Lucian, who in Trips to the Moon describes sailing to the Moon. [240][241][242] General-interest conventions cover all aspects of science fiction, while others focus on a particular interest like media fandom, filking, and so on. Extra! ", "NESFA - New England Science Fiction Association", "The Science Fiction Book Club (London, United Kingdom)", "Denver Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Club", "Usenet Fandom - Crisis on Infinite Earths", "Vincent Docherty Discusses Online Hugo Eligibility", "11 of the best online sci-fi communities you should join now", "The SF Site: The Best in Science Fiction and Fantasy", https://www.libs.uga.edu/hargrett/pexhibit/brooks/a%20word%20about%20zines%20and%20printing.pdf, "Zines, E-Zines: The History and Characteristics of Zines, Part I", "Culture : Fanzine : SFE : Science Fiction Encyclopedia", Trillion Year Spree: The History of Science Fiction, Anatomy of Wonder: A Critical Guide to Science Fiction, Science fiction fanzines (current and historical) online. Science Fiction Film: A Critical Introduction, Keith M. Johnston, Berg, 9 May 2013, pages 24–25. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. I could almost … X MEN full movie Movies 2020 – Best Action Movies Full Length English – science fiction movie Action Movie 2020 Full Length English Best Action Movies 2020 Hollywood HD new Action movies, new Action movies 2020, new Action movies 2020, Action movies, Action movie, best Action movies, Action movies 2019, best Action movie, Action movie […] "[6] Author and editor Damon Knight summed up the difficulty, saying "science fiction is what we point to when we say it. [248][249][250][251] They may be associated with an ongoing science fiction convention, or have regular club meetings, or both. Perhaps bleakest of all, the English philosopher Olaf Stapledon’s mind-stretching novels picture all of human history as a frail, passing bubble in the cold galactic stream of space and time. But I am. Peter Swirski (ed), The Art and Science of Stanislaw Lem, McGill-Queen's University Press, 2008. Science fiction is a modern genre. [100] It was profoundly influential on later filmmakers, bringing a different kind of creativity and fantasy to the cinematic medium. Science Fiction Movies for 2021: Most Popular Sci-Fi Feature Films Released in 2021. Brian Aldiss has argued that Frankenstein was the first work of science fiction. p. 27. Chicago Tribune. Although this and his other SF-like writings were published only posthumously and in various censored versions, Cyrano had a great influence on later satirists and social critics. He is the author of. According to 2013 statistics by the science fiction publisher Tor Books, men outnumber women by 78% to 22% among submissions to the publisher. [219][220][221][222], In her much reprinted 1976 essay "Science Fiction and Mrs Brown," Ursula K. Le Guin was asked: "Can a science fiction writer write a novel?" Huxley’s grandson, Aldous Huxley, who was a social satirist, an advocate of psychedelic drugs, and the author of a dystopian classic, Brave New World (1932). Originally published in the April 1926 issue of. [255] Once they were in regular contact, fans wanted to meet each other, and they organized local clubs. Champions of Shelley as the “mother of science fiction” emphasize her innovative fictional scheme. [156][157] Stargate, a film about ancient astronauts and interstellar teleportation, was released in 1994. [246] These commonly include a dealer's room, art show, and hospitality lounge (or "con suites"). Asimov, Isaac. [246] Additional activities occur throughout the convention that are not part of the program. Presenting Ursula Le Guin. Recommandé pour vous en fonction de ce qui est populaire • Avis . El anacronópete, English translation (2014), www.storypilot.com, Michael Main, accessed 13 April 2016. Please note : This list excludes animated and superhero movies. Science fiction had its beginnings in ancient times, when the line between myth and fact was blurred. It became a very popular and influential franchise with many films and television shows, novels, and other works and products. Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars, published in 1912, was the first of his three-decade-long planetary romance series of Barsoom novels which were set on Mars and featured John Carter as the hero. The clearest forerunner of the genre, however, was the 17th-century swashbuckler Cyrano de Bergerac, who wrote of a voyager to the Moon finding a utopian society of men free from war, disease, and hunger. [153] The X-Files, which featured UFOs and conspiracy theories, was created by Chris Carter and broadcast by Fox Broadcasting Company from 1993 to 2002,[154][155] and again from 2016 to 2018. By the beginning of the 20th century, an array of standard science fiction “sets” had developed around certain themes, among them space travel, robots, alien beings, and time travel (see below Major science fiction themes). [246], Conventions may host award ceremonies. Stapledon’s views were rather specialized for the typical science fiction reader. [125] The first popular science fiction program on American television was the children's adventure serial Captain Video and His Video Rangers, which ran from June 1949 to April 1955. COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. [34][35][36][37] In 1887, the novel El anacronópete by Spanish author Enrique Gaspar y Rimbau introduced the first time machine. On a more personal level, the works of Philip K. Dick (often adapted for film) present metaphysical conundrums about identity, humanity, and the nature of reality. "Kubrick Beyond the Infinite". [229], Among the most respected and well-known awards for science fiction are the Hugo Award for literature, presented by the World Science Fiction Society at Worldcon, and voted on by fans;[230] the Nebula Award for literature, presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and voted on by the community of authors;[231] the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel, presented by a jury of writers;[232] and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for short fiction, presented by a jury. "The Lessons of Cyberpunk". Hardcover $16.35 $ 16. His science fiction imagined alien invasion, biological engineering, invisibility, and time travel. "[171], In 1967, Isaac Asimov commented on the changes then occurring in the science fiction community: "And because today’s real life so resembles day-before-yesterday’s fantasy, the old-time fans are restless. . [63][64][65] The German space opera series Perry Rhodan, written by various authors, started in 1961 with an account of the first Moon landing[66] and has since expanded in space to multiple universes, and in time by billions of years. Definition of 'science fiction'. "[117] The series, often called a space opera,[118] went on to become a worldwide popular culture phenomenon,[119][120] and the second-highest-grossing film series of all time. Boston, Massachusetts, USA: Twayne Publishers. [54], Theodore Sturgeon's More Than Human (1953) explored possible future human evolution. [211][212][213] Other science fiction authors whose works are widely considered to be "serious" literature include Ray Bradbury (including, especially, Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and The Martian Chronicles (1951)),[214] Arthur C. Clarke (especially for Childhood's End),[215][216] and Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger, writing under the name Cordwainer Smith. In his non-fiction futurologist works he predicted the advent of airplanes, military tanks, nuclear weapons, satellite television, space travel, and something resembling the World Wide Web.[42]. (See below Utopias and dystopias.) [234], There are other national awards, like Canada's Prix Aurora Awards,[235] regional awards, like the Endeavour Award presented at Orycon for works from the U.S. Pacific Northwest,[236] and special interest or subgenre awards such as the Chesley Award for art, presented by the Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists,[237] or the World Fantasy Award for fantasy. From the Cambridge English Corpus. (previous page) () Some consider it the first science-fiction novel. Ex : fille - nf > On dira " la fille" ou " une fille". Such flights of fancy, or fantastic tales, provided a popular format in which to satirize government, society, and religion while evading libel suits, censorship, and persecution. Science fiction has a long history and wide influence. [206] Aldous Huxley's Brave New World (1932) is often listed as one of England's most important novels, both for its criticism of modern culture and its prediction of future trends including reproductive technology and social engineering. Brave New Words. Here’s a quick tour through some of this genre’s greatest writers. [28][29], Following the 17th-century development of the novel as a literary form, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) and The Last Man (1826) helped define the form of the science-fiction novel. This was followed by a Buck Rogers comic strip, the first serious science-fiction comic. Science fiction stories are often in a world that is very different from the real world. Fans relished the seemingly endless variety of SF-related products and pastimes, including books, movies, television shows, computer games, magazines, paintings, comics, and, increasingly, collectible figurines, Web sites, DVDs, and toy weaponry. Science fiction consists of stories in books, magazines, and films about events that take place in the future or in other parts of the universe . The Hugo Awards, given annually since 1953 by the World Science Fiction Society, are named after him. She answered: "I believe that all novels, . [193] Science fiction scholars study science fiction to better understand it and its relationship to science, technology, politics, other genres, and culture-at-large. [182][183], Climate fiction, or "cli-fi," deals with issues concerning climate change and global warming. Otherwise they would not be novelists, but poets, historians, or pamphleteers. Russo, Joe; Landsman, Larry; Gross, Edward (2001). ", Bedell, Sally (1983-05-04). Sammon, Paul M. (1996). This list may not reflect recent changes (). [132] The original series ran until 1989 and was revived in 2005. Science fiction writers often seek out new scientific and technical developments in order to prognosticate freely the techno-social changes that will shock the readers’ sense of cultural propriety and expand their consciousness. [202], Max Gladstone defined "hard" science fiction as stories "where the math works," but pointed out that this ends up with stories that often seem "weirdly dated," as scientific paradigms shift over time. Deep within, whether they admit it or not, is a feeling of disappointment and even outrage that the outer world has invaded their private domain. The customary “theatrics” of science fiction include prophetic warnings, utopian aspirations, elaborate scenarios for entirely imaginary worlds, titanic disasters, strange voyages, and political agitation of many extremist flavours, presented in the form of sermons, meditations, satires, allegories, and parodies—exhibiting every conceivable attitude toward the process of techno-social change, from cynical despair to cosmic bliss. For instance, Worldcon presents the Hugo Awards each year. Reid, Suzanne Elizabeth (1997). "[202], Ursula K. Le Guin also criticized the more traditional view on the difference between "hard" and "soft" SF: "The 'hard' science fiction writers dismiss everything except, well, physics, astronomy, and maybe chemistry. [60] It is one of the first and most influential examples of military science fiction,[61][62] and introduced the concept of powered armor exoskeletons. the culture in which new ideas emerge and grow before being released into society at large. [131] In 1963, the time travel-themed Doctor Who premiered on BBC Television. [200], Science fiction has historically been sub-divided between hard science fiction and soft science fiction–with the division centering on the feasibility of the science central to the story. The Sequel to One Last Mission. [122][121] Science fiction films often "cross-over" with other genres, including animation (WALL-E - 2008, Big Hero 6 - 2014), gangster (Sky Racket - 1937), Western (Serenity - 2005), comedy (Spaceballs -1987, Galaxy Quest - 1999), war (Enemy Mine - 1985), action (Edge of Tomorrow - 2014, The Matrix - 1999), adventure (Jupiter Ascending - 2015, Interstellar - 2014), sports (Rollerball - 1975), mystery (Minority Report - 2002), thriller (Ex Machina - 2014), horror (Alien - 1979), film noir (Blade Runner - 1982), superhero (Marvel Cinematic Universe - 2008-), drama (Melancholia - 2011, Predestination - 2014), and romance (Her (film) - 2013). Some consider it the first science-fiction novel. Written in the 2nd century CE by the satirist Lucian, A True Story contains many themes and tropes characteristic of modern science fiction, including travel to other worlds, extraterrestrial lifeforms, interplanetary warfare, and artificial life. [203] Michael Swanwick dismissed the traditional definition of "hard" SF altogether, instead saying that it was defined by characters striving to solve problems "in the right way–with determination, a touch of stoicism, and the consciousness that the universe is not on his or her side.