Prehistoric fiction
Prehistoric fiction is a literary genre in which the story is set in the period of time prior to the existence of written record, known as prehistory.[1][2] As a fictional genre, the realistic description of the subject varies, without necessarily a commitment to develop an objective anthropological account. Because of this, it is possible that the author of prehistoric fiction deals with their subject with much more freedom than the author of a historical fiction, and the genre also has connections with speculative fiction.[3] In many narratives, humans and dinosaurs live together, despite the extinction of the dinosaurs and the evolution of humans being separated by millions of years. The paleontologist Björn Kurtén coined the term "paleofiction" to define his works.[4]
Speculative fiction |
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One of the derivatives of cyberpunk is stonepunk, a subgenre of science fiction. Stonepunk is a neologism born from the contraction between a stone and cyberpunk. This is an uchronia that refers to the massive use of technology in prehistoric times.[5]
List of prehistoric fiction
Novels and series
- Shaman (2013) by Kim Stanley Robinson
- Evolution (2003) by Stephen Baxter
- The Books of the Named (1983–2008) by Clare Bell
- Chronicles of Ancient Darkness (2004–2009) by Michelle Paver
- The Clan of the Cave Bear (1980) by Jean M. Auel
- The Cave Boy of the Age of Stone (1907) by Margaret A. McIntyre
- Dance of the Tiger (1978) by Björn Kurtén
- Darkwing (2007) by Kenneth Oppel
- The Eternal Lover (1913) by Edgar Rice Burroughs[1]
- The Inheritors (1955) by William Golding
- The Mammoth Trilogy (1999–2001) by Stephen Baxter
- Mists of Dawn (1952) by Chad Oliver
- The Land That Time Forgot (1918) by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- The People That Time Forgot (1918) by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Out of Time's Abyss (1918) by Edgar Rice Burroughs
- The Quest for Fire (1911) by J.-H. Rosny aîné
- Raptor Red (1995) by Robert T. Bakker
- Sambaqui: A Novel of Pre-History (1975) by Stella Carr Ribeiro[6]
- Saga of Pliocene Exile (1981–1984) by Julian May
- The Story of Ab (1897) by Stanley Waterloo
- Paris Before Man (1861) by Pierre Boitard[1]
Short stories and collections
- The Scorpion God (1971) (two of its three short stories are set in prehistory) by William Golding
- "A Story of the Stone Age" (1897) by H. G. Wells
- "Spear and Fang" (1925) by Robert E. Howard[7]
Comics
- Prehistoric Peeps (1893) by Edward Tennyson[8]
- Alley Oop series (1932–present) by V. T. Hamlin, Dave Graue, Jack Bender, Carole Bender, Joey Alison Sayers, and Jonathan Lemon
- Anthro by Howard Post
- Devil Dinosaur by Jack Kirby
- Rahan series (1969–2010) by Roger Lécureux, André Chéret, and Jean-François Lécureux[9]
- Tor series (1953–1993) by Joe Kubert
- The Cavern Clan series, Mauricio de Sousa and others (1961–present), graphic novels include Piteco – Ingá,[10] by Shiko and Piteco – Fogo, by Eduardo Ferigato.[11]
Film, television, and video
- One Million B.C. (1940)[12]
- The Flintstones (1960–1966)
- One Million Years B.C. (1966)[12]
- Mighty Mightor (1967–1968)
- Korg: 70,000 B.C. (1974–1975)
- Quest for Fire (1981)[12]
- 10,000 BC (2008)
- Ao: The Last Hunter (2010)[12]
- Alpha (2018)[13]
- Iceman (2017)[14]
- Primal (2019)
Tabletop games
- GURPS Ice Age (1989) by Kirk Wilson Tate
- Stone Age (2008)
- Cavemaster (2012) by Jeff Dee and Talzhemir Mrr
- Wolf-Packs and Winter Snow (2016)
- Würm (2017) by Emmanuel Roudier, Olivier Castan, and Éric Gilleron
- Planegea (2023) by David Somerville
Video games
- NetHack (1987)
- UnReal World (1992)
- Far Cry Primal (2016)
- Roots of Pacha (2023)[15]
See also
Further reading
- Ruddick, Nicholas. The Fire in the Stone: Prehistoric Fiction from Charles Darwin to Jean M. Auel. Middletown, CT. Wesleyan University Press, 2009.
References
- Trussel, Stephen. "Prehistoric Fiction". www.trussel.com. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- "What was prehistoric Britain like?". BBC Bitesize. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- "Prehistoric SF". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- Annales zoologici fennici. Finnish Zoological and Botanical Pub. Board. 1991.
- "Punkpunk: A Compendium of Literary Punk Genres". LitReactor. Retrieved 2021-12-31.
- de Sousa Causo, Roberto. "Curiosities - Sambaqui: A Novel of Pre-History, by Stella Carr Ribeiro (1987)". SF Site. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- Thomas, G. W. (2020-02-03). "Spear and Fang: A Prehistoric Premiere". Dark Worlds Quarterly. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- Appelbaum, Stanley; Kelly, Richard Michael (1981-01-01). Great Drawings and Illustrations from Punch, 1841-1901: 192 Works by Leech, Keene, Du Maurier, May and 21 Others. Courier Corporation. ISBN 978-0-486-24110-4.
- "BD de préhistoire - Pascal Semonsut - Hominidés". www.hominides.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- EPEDITORA (2013-11-19). "Shiko faz releitura ousada de personagem de Mauricio de Sousa". EP GRUPO | Agência de Conteúdo (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- Avila, Gabriel (2019-06-05). "Piteco - Fogo | Preview da Graphic MSP mostra luta de tribos; confira". Omelete (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-04-03.
- "La préhistoire sur grand écran - Pascal Semonsut - Hominidés". www.hominides.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
- Gleiberman, Owen (2018-08-15). "Film Review: 'Alpha'". Variety. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- Catsoulis, Jeannette (2019-03-14). "'Iceman' Review: Retribution in the Neolithic Age". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
- "'Roots of Pacha'". Retrieved 2023-05-19.
External links
- Prehistoric Fiction
- Reader's Corner's page
- Prehistoric SF at The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction – with linked entries on "Origin of Man" and related themes
- Novels Set in Prehistoric Times and Time-Sweep Novels
- Entre pédagogie et parodie, la préhistoire dans la bande dessinée francophone (in French)