horror n.

a genre intended to create a feeling of fear in the reader or viewer, especially one employing supernatural elements or monstrous creatures

SF Encyclopedia


SF Criticism

Genre

  • 1898 Philadelphia Inquirer 3 July 22/4 page image

    The Home Magazine for July (Binghamton and New York) contains ‘The Patriots' War Chant,’ a poem by Douglas Malloch; ‘The Story of the War,’ by Theodore Waters; ‘A Horseman in the Sky,’ by Ambrose Bierce, with a portrait of Mr. Bierce, whose tales of horror are horrible of themselves, not as war is horrible; ‘A Yankee Hero,’ by W. L. Calver; ‘The Warfare of the Future,’ by Louis Seemuller; ‘Florence Nightingale,’ by Susan E. Dickenson, with two rare portraits, etc.

  • 1917 N.Y. Times 11 Feb. (Book review section) 52/2

    Those who enjoy horror, stories overflowing with blood and black mystery, will be grateful to Richard Marsh for writing ‘The Beetle.’

  • 1934 P. Hutchison Short Stories of Pirandello in N.Y. Times Bk. Rev. 9 Sept. 2/3

    ‘The Fly,’ as a pure achievement in horror fiction, leaving aside for the moment the Pirandello philosophic slant, must be ranked as one of the world’s masterpieces within that disagreeable genre.

  • 1949 L. E. Spivak in Magazine of Fantasy Fall Introd. 5

    To readers we will offer the best of imaginative fiction, from obscure treasures of the past to the latest creations in the field, from the chill of the unknown to the comedy of the known-gone-wrong. In short, the best of fantasy and horror.

  • 1972 R. Hodgens Brief, Tragical History of Science Fiction Film in Focus on Science Fiction Film 82

    The great villain was The Thing from Another World, which appeared in 1951. The Thing was based on a short novel by John W. Campbell, Jr., the editor of Astounding Science Fiction, where it appeared in 1938 with the title ‘Who Goes There?’ The story is regarded as one of the most original and effective science fiction stories, subspecies‘horror’.

  • 1978 F. Rottensteiner Fantasy Book 77

    F. Marion Crawford’s style of horror is more robust and straightforward, featuring such events as decaying bodies which come to life, like the clammy corpse in ‘The Upper Berth’ (1894).

  • 1989 B. Searles On Books in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction Magazine Sept. 190/1

    The editors of Horror:100 Best Books, Stephen Jones and Kim Newman, have taken a different tack; they have invited a hundred writers to each write an entry on his/her favorite work of horror.

  • 1992 K. K. Rusch Editorial in Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction Dec. 7/1

    Even mystery fiction explores the paranormal: psychics abound, and odd, unexplainable events appear in the most rational novel. And science fiction, fantasy and horror are becoming more realistic, with settings closer to home.

  • 1993 N. Spinrad On Books in Asimov’s Science Fiction July 168/2 Norman Spinrad

    The Harvest is neither horror nor hard science fiction, but peculiarly enough, since we do not usually associate horrific ends with hard science fiction means, Assemblers of Infinity by Kevin J. Anderson and Doug Beason is both.

Research requirements

antedating 1898
Earliest cite

in the Philadelphia Inquirer
Research History
Irene Grumman submitted a 1992 cite from an editorial by Kris Rusch in F&SF. Irene Grumman submitted a 1989 cite from a review by Baird Searles in Asimov's. Irene Grumman submitted a 1993 cite from a review by Norman Spinrad in Asimov's. Irene Grumman submitted a 1972 cite from Richard Hodgens in "Focus on the Science Fiction Film". Mark English submitted a 1978 cite from Franz Rottensteiner's "The Fantasy Book". Mark English found a reference to "The Magazine of Horror", which was published from 1963-1971; we no longer need a cite from this magazine, since we have antedated it now. Fred Galvin submitted a 1949 cite from editorial material in the first issue of The Magazine of Fantasy. Jeff Prucher submitted a 1934 cite from the New York Times Book Review. Jeff Prucher submitted a 1917 cite from the New York Times Book Review. Bill Mullins submitted a 1898 cite from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Last modified 2020-12-16 04:08:47
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.