The World Beyond the Hill: Science Fiction and the Quest for Transcendence

The massive history of science fiction. It took authors more than 15 years to research and write. The book was originally released in 1989 to wide critical acclaim and won the 1990 Hugo Award for Best Non-fiction Nook.

The book is a comprehensive look at the evolution of science fiction from Horace Walpole's 1764 fantasy, The Castle of Otranto to modern science fiction writers through the middle of the twentieth century.

With a particular emphasis on the mythological aspects of the genre, The World Beyond the Hill , offers a look at the premise that science fiction is the primary modern vehicle for carrying on humanity's ageless preoccupation with myth creation.

While the mythological arc provides a unifying factor for the material covered in the book, the book also provides a detailed look at the development of major science fiction writers and editors through the years, and how each generation advanced the genre, widening its scope and the imaginative context within which it operates.