The subject of this timely book is that body of fiction which speculates in narrative form about the nature of wars likely to break out in the near or distant future. Although earlier instances occur, the origins of this mode lie primarily in the late nineteenth century but writing about future wars continues to this day with notable fiction on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ranging widely across periods and conflicts real and imagined, and boasting contributions from the late I. F. Clarke, H. Bruce Franklin and Patrick Parrinder, Future Wars explores the fascinating process of interaction between politics and literature, science fiction and war in a range of classic texts. Individual essays explore Reagan's 'star wars' project, nuclear fiction, Martian invasion, and the Pax Americana among other topics. The use of future war scenarios in military planning dates back to the nineteenth century. Future Wars concludes with an assessment by an officer in the U.S. Army of the continuing usefulness of future wars fiction.

About the Author
David Seed is Professor of English at the University of Liverpool.

Reviews
Future Wars is a collection of rich, contextualised historical studies. It is a testament to the legacy of I. F. Clarke that the book consists of such strong, original, scholarly work.



Book Information
ISBN 9781846317552
Author David Seed
Format Hardback
Page Count 302
Imprint Liverpool University Press
Publisher Liverpool University Press