A Companion to Science Fiction" assembles essays by an international range of scholars that discuss the contexts, themes and methods used by science fiction writers. It conveys the scale and variety of science fiction and also shows how science fiction novels have been used as a means of debating cultural issues.

The first section of the volume addresses general topics, such as the history and origins of the genre, its engagement with science and gender, and national variations of science fiction around the English-speaking world. It also maps out connections between science fiction, television, the cinema, virtual-reality technology, and other aspects of the culture. The next section is devoted to major figures, such as H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ursula Le Guin. Finally, the "Companion" offers close discussions of key novels, from Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" to Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale.