Widescreen baroque

Widescreen baroque is a style of science fiction writing "characterized by larger-than-life characters, violence, intrigue, extravagant settings or actions, and fast-paced plotting".[1] It is closely aligned with, and an outgrowth of, space opera fiction.

The term widescreen baroque was coined by Brian Aldiss (as "wide-screen baroque") in his 1973 work The Billion Year Spree in reference to works by E.E. Smith and A.E. van Vogt.[2]

Authors associated with widescreen baroque include:

  • Stephen Baxter
  • Barrington Bayley
  • Alfred Bester
  • Samuel Delany
  • Charles L. Harness
  • Stanislaw Lem
  • Mariko Ohara
  • Alastair Reynolds
  • E.E. Smith
  • A.E. van Vogt

References

  1. ^ "Widescreen baroque". Jeff Prucher, ed. The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction. Oxford University Press, 2006. (paywall link)
  2. ^ Wide-screen Baroque Revisited. University of Wales Press, November 10, 2016.


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