Sci-Fi Zine "Science Fiction Review" Archive Featuring Ursula K. Le Guin, Portland, OR 1976-86

Sci-Fi Zine, Science Fiction Review

Archive

[Zines][Sci-Fi][Literature] Archive of seven issues of Science Fiction Review, a science fiction fanzine known for its in-depth critical essays, interviews, and reviews. Portland, OR: edited and published by Richard E. Geis, 1980–1986. Includes issues No. 18, 25, 27, 34, 35, 56 and 58. Printed in black-and-white, staple-bound pictorial self-wrappers. Featuring contributions from prominent voices in science fiction and fantasy criticism, this run documents the intellectual and cultural evolution of sci-fi fan culture.

[1] Science Fiction Review No. 18 (August 1976). Features an extended editor’s note and letters section grappling with the rise of "soft" versus "hard" science fiction, with readers and contributors voicing strong positions on the political and social implications of speculative narratives. Several letters critique the field’s masculinist assumptions, while reviews highlight lesser-known authors working outside conventional genre boundaries.

[2] Science Fiction Review No. 25 (May 1978). Headlined by an in-depth interview with Ursula K. Le Guin conducted by Mark P. Haselkorn. Le Guin responds candidly to critiques from Joanna Russ and others, acknowledging the evolution of her feminist consciousness. “I am a feminist,” she states, “that’s why I write as I do.” Her commentary directly addresses the gender politics embedded in her Earthsea novels and the reception of her work by both progressive and conservative readers. The issue also includes “The Alter-Ego Viewpoint,” a polemical essay defending Russ’s novel The Two of Them, labeling it “a good vehicle for Russ’s core theme: the rage of women for autonomy.” Letters from readers further press the zine’s editorial voice on the need for broader LGBTQ+ inclusion and challenge the heteronormative tropes dominating the field.

[3] Science Fiction Review No. 27 (September 1978). Reviews that foreground feminist authors and letters that critique sexist gatekeeping in publishing. The issue reflects a transitional moment as the fanzine debates its evolving role amid the sociopolitical upheavals of the Carter-era culture wars.

[4] Science Fiction Review No. 34 (1980). Cover features a circuit-themed, abstract black-and-white illustration incorporating embryonic imagery and computer motifs. Contents include a featured interview with Donald A. Wollheim (founder of DAW Books and a central force in American sci-fi editing) and a profile of Harlan Ellison, exploring his authorial temperament and career controversies. Letters and essays by genre commentators address issues in science fiction publishing and fandom.

[5] Science Fiction Review No. 35 (1980). Dramatic cover illustration of a figure rising from water with outstretched arms in a pose blending birth and resurrection symbolism. Content highlights include continued letters on editorial integrity in sci-fi publishing, short columns, and reviews of recent sci-fi novels and fanzines. A transitional issue thematically focused on the genre’s place within the countercultural imagination.

[6] Science Fiction Review No. 56 (Fall 1984). Cover art depicts a stylized warrior in front of a futuristic pyramid city. Contributors include Julian May, Gene DeWeese, and Gregory Benford, alongside commentary by Darrell Schweitzer and Richard Geis. Discussions range from SF worldbuilding to the ideological tensions between hard science and speculative fiction. A lengthy letters section features exchanges between fans and working writers.

[7] Science Fiction Review No. 58 (Spring 1986). Features a humorous drawing of a three-eyed alien slug creature by artist S. Fox. Includes reviews of contemporary sci-fi books, fan commentary on issues of race and politics in the genre, and critical pieces on fandom’s evolution amid shifting market conditions. Also contains letters by Andrew Andrews and Elton T. Elliott.

All issues are complete and intact. Moderate edge toning and light wear to spine folds. Overall very good condition. An archive of one of the most comprehensive and respected sci-fi fanzines of the era.

Item #22233

Price: $650.00