The Archive · A decade in science fiction

1950s

Post-war optimism meets Cold War anxiety. The space race inspires grand visions of humanity among the stars.

1592 titles 482 authors

Defining themes

Social SF Space Opera First Contact Colonization Hard SF Psychic Powers Dystopia Post-Apocalyptic

Its notable voices

Stephen Marlowe Randall Garrett Robert Silverberg Bryce Walton Alan Edward Nourse H. Beam Piper Murray Leinster Winston K. Marks

The collection

Cover of Madmen of Mars by Erik Fennel

Erik Fennel · 1950

First ContactSpace Opera

Martians, keep out!

Cover of Martians, keep out! by Fritz Leiber

Martians, keep out!

Fritz Leiber · 1950

First ContactSocial SF

Meet Me in Tomorrow

Cover of Meet Me in Tomorrow by Chester S. Geier

Meet Me in Tomorrow

Chester S. Geier · 1950

Social SFTime Travel

Moon of Treason

Cover of Moon of Treason by Robert Emmett McDowell

Moon of Treason

Robert Emmett McDowell · 1950

Psychic PowersSpace Opera

Cover of Moon of memory by Bryce Walton

Bryce Walton · 1950

AdventureSpace Opera

Operation Interstellar

Cover of Operation Interstellar by George O. Smith

Operation Interstellar

George O. Smith · 1950

3 hr 49 min read

Hard SFSpace Opera

Parking, unlimited

Cover of Parking, unlimited by Noel M. Loomis

Parking, unlimited

Noel M. Loomis · 1950

Hard SFSocial SF

Cover of Patch by William Shedenhelm

William Shedenhelm · 1950

Hard SFSpace Opera

Scanners live in vain

Cover of Scanners live in vain by Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger

Scanners live in vain

Paul Myron Anthony Linebarger · 1950

Social SFSpace Opera

Sidewinders From Sirius

Cover of Sidewinders From Sirius by Fox B. Holden

Sidewinders From Sirius

Fox B. Holden · 1950

First ContactMilitary SF

Slave of eternity

Cover of Slave of eternity by Roger D. Aycock

Slave of eternity

Roger D. Aycock · 1950

Social SFSpace Opera

Smugglers' Reef: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story

Cover of Smugglers' Reef: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story by Harold L. Goodwin

Smugglers' Reef: A Rick Brant Science-Adventure Story

Harold L. Goodwin · 1950

3 hr 59 min read

AdventureJuvenile

Cover of Star Ship by Poul Anderson

Poul Anderson · 1950

ColonizationSpace Opera

Cover of Strange Exodus by Robert Abernathy

Robert Abernathy · 1950

Post-ApocalypticSpace Opera

Suicide Command

Cover of Suicide Command by Stanley Mullen

Suicide Command

Stanley Mullen · 1950

Military SFSpace Opera

The Brave Walk Alone

Cover of The Brave Walk Alone by John McGreevey

The Brave Walk Alone

John McGreevey · 1950

Military SFSpace Opera

The Crowded Colony

Cover of The Crowded Colony by Jerome Bixby

The Crowded Colony

Jerome Bixby · 1950

ColonizationFirst Contact

The Enormous Word

Cover of The Enormous Word by William Oberfield

The Enormous Word

William Oberfield · 1950

First ContactPost-Apocalyptic

The First Man on the Moon

Cover of The First Man on the Moon by Alfred Coppel

The First Man on the Moon

Alfred Coppel · 1950

Hard SFSpace Opera

The Last Two Alive!

Cover of The Last Two Alive! by Alfred Coppel

The Last Two Alive!

Alfred Coppel · 1950

1 hr 7 min read

Post-ApocalypticSpace Opera

The Mercenaries

Cover of The Mercenaries by H. Beam Piper

The Mercenaries

H. Beam Piper · 1950

Military SFSocial SF

Cover of The Old Ones by Betsy Curtis

Betsy Curtis · 1950

1 hr 14 min read

ColonizationSocial SF

The Rebel of Valkyr

Cover of The Rebel of Valkyr by Alfred Coppel

The Rebel of Valkyr

Alfred Coppel · 1950

1 hr 11 min read

AdventureSpace Opera

The Rocketeers Have Shaggy Ears

Cover of The Rocketeers Have Shaggy Ears by Keith Bennett

The Rocketeers Have Shaggy Ears

Keith Bennett · 1950

ColonizationSpace Opera

Comments 0

Sign in to join the conversation.

No comments yet. Sign in to be the first.