Recursive Science Fiction

Recursive SF is self-referential science fiction. As defined by Tony Lewis, a story is recursive if it refers back to the genre or its people: any SF story that refers to SF is recursive. But Tuckerizations that use names from fandom only are not recursive.

Two of the most famous recursive genre novels are What Mad Universe by Fredric Brown and Rocket to the Morgue by H. H. Holmes (Anthony Boucher).

An Annotated Bibliography of Recursive Science Fiction, compiled by Anthony R. Lewis (with an introduction by Barry N. Malzberg), was published by NESFA Press in 1990 and lists over a hundred recursive stories.

Entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction.

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Fanspeak

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