Russian Science Fiction Literature and Cinema

“Russian Science Fiction Literature and Cinema is a collection of articles and essays that offers multiple perspectives across many modes, from historical overviews to close readings. There is no single theoretical framework, nor is there an attempt at comprehensive treatment. The resulting haphazardness of the book befits the subject, however. Shaped by the ruptures, pitfalls and political stagnations of the last hundred years, the history of Russian sf is essentially a record of Russian history. As with other forms of art, Russian sf has been hostage to censorship which, together with wars, was responsible for creating gaps, delays and diversions in the evolution of the genre. … The collection illustrates this vividly by patching together perspectives from literary and media studies, intellectual and cultural history, psychoanalysis, as well as science and technology studies.” —Polina Levontin, Imperial College London, Foundation 133, 48.2

Caroline Edwards:

“Cementing her reputation as a leading scholar of world sf, Anindita Banerjee’s edited collection Russian Science Fiction Literature and Cinema introduces readers to the rich tradition of sf in Russia, from the pre-Wellsian period to the present day. … Overall, Russian Science Fiction Literature and Cinema: A Critical Reader provides a much-needed pedagogical tool and informative collection for scholars and fans alike. As it ably demonstrates, Russian sf is a vibrant tradition that contributes to contemporary scholarship on ‘worlding’ sf—incorporating national and globally intersecting traditions beyond the imperial centers of European and American modernity.” —Caroline Edwards, Science Fiction Studies Vol. 46, No. 2

Natalija Majsova:

“Russian Science Fiction and Literature: A Critical Reader consists of 15 remarkable texts on the history, developments and re-appropriations of the genre of science fiction in the context of Soviet and post-Soviet Russian literature and film. The texts collected in this volume edited by Anindita Banerjee succeed in providing a comprehensive overview of a very broad spectrum of topics, approaches and transformations that have marked the developments of the genre of science fiction in Russia from the late eighteenth to the early twenty-first century. ... Each of the essays in this collection addresses science fiction in a markedly intersectional way. In doing so, the reader emphatically points not only to the genre’s national and regional significance, but also to its relations to other genres, its counterparts from the Western tradition of science fiction, its transformations across media, particularly literature and cinema, and its broader socio-cultural influences, inspirations and reverberations.” —Natalija Majsova, University of Antwerp, Studies in Russian and Soviet Cinema Vol. 12

Matthias Schwartz:

“This Critical Reader is a pioneering achievement, not least because it brings together, for the first time, important English-language essays on Russian and Soviet science fiction. … On the whole … the Reader does achieve Banerjee’s stated goal, to ‘highlight the treasure trove’ of Russian SF and its critical literature. Let’s hope this volume will stimulate many further studies in this still largely unexplored field of research.” —Matthias Schwartz, Zentrum für Literatur- und Kulturforschung, Berlin, BASEES Newsletter

Nataliya Shpylova-Saeed, New Books Network, 23 February 2017:
"Russian Science Fiction Literature and Cinema ... offers a compelling investigation of the genre whose development was significantly reshaped in the second half of the 20th century. ... [The book] presents science fiction not only in terms of aesthetic inspirations and experimentations, but also in terms of political contestations and existential crises." —Nataliya Shpylova-Saeed, New Books Network

Ayse Dietrich, Middle East Technical University, International Journal of Russian Studies Issue no. 6, Jan 2017:
This collection of scholarly articles related to the chronological history and development of Russian science fiction in film and literature is a valuable contribution to a little-studied genre.