Prehistoric fiction explained

Prehistoric fiction is a science fiction subgenre 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]

One of the derivatives of cyberpunk is stonepunk, a subgenre of cyberpunk. 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

Print

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
• 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

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)
• The Flintstones (1960–1966)
• One Million Years B.C. (1966)
• Mighty Mightor (1967–1968)

• (1974–1975)
• Quest for Fire (1981)
• 10,000 BC (2008)
• (2010)^[12]
• Alpha (2018)^[13]
• Iceman (2017)^[14]
• Primal (2019)

Games

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

• Ancient astronauts in popular culture
• Caveman
• Historical fiction
• Lost World (genre)
• Stonepunk

Further reading

• Ruddick, Nicholas. The Fire in the Stone: Prehistoric Fiction from Charles Darwin to Jean M. Auel. Middletown, CT. Wesleyan University Press, 2009.

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: Prehistoric Fiction. Trussel. Stephen. www.trussel.com. 2020-04-03.
2. News: What was prehistoric Britain like?. BBC Bitesize. 2020-04-05. en-GB.
3. Web site: Prehistoric SF. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. 2020-04-05.
4. Book: Annales zoologici fennici . 1991 . Finnish Zoological and Botanical Pub. Board . en.
5. Web site: Punkpunk: A Compendium of Literary Punk Genres. 2021-12-31. LitReactor. en.
6. Web site: Curiosities - Sambaqui: A Novel of Pre-History, by Stella Carr Ribeiro (1987). de Sousa Causo. Roberto. SF Site. 2020-04-03.
7. Web site: Spear and Fang: A Prehistoric Premiere. Thomas. G. W.. 2020-02-03. Dark Worlds Quarterly. en-US. 2020-04-03.
8. Book: Appelbaum. Stanley. Great Drawings and Illustrations from Punch, 1841-1901: 192 Works by Leech, Keene, Du Maurier, May and 21 Others. Kelly. Richard Michael. 1981-01-01. Courier Corporation. 978-0-486-24110-4. en.
9. Web site: BD de préhistoire - Pascal Semonsut - Hominidés. www.hominides.com. 2020-04-05.
10. Web site: Shiko faz releitura ousada de personagem de Mauricio de Sousa. EPEDITORA. 2013-11-19. EP GRUPO Agência de Conteúdo. pt-BR. 2020-04-03.
11. Web site: Piteco - Fogo Preview da Graphic MSP mostra luta de tribos; confira. Avila. Gabriel. 2019-06-05. Omelete. pt-br. 2020-04-03.
12. Web site: La préhistoire sur grand écran - Pascal Semonsut - Hominidés. www.hominides.com. 2020-04-05.
13. Web site: Gleiberman. Owen. 2018-08-15. Film Review: 'Alpha'. 2021-05-06. Variety. en-US.
14. News: Catsoulis. Jeannette. 2019-03-14. 'Iceman' Review: Retribution in the Neolithic Age. en-US. The New York Times. 2021-05-06. 0362-4331.
15. Web site: 'Roots of Pacha' . en-US. 2023-05-19.