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Rare jewels of Victorian fiction highlight the fantastic contributions made by women writers in the early development of science fiction A selection of early science fiction short stories by women are collected here, along with an introduction exploring the contributions women made in the early development of the field—in particular the different perspectives they cast on the wonders or fears that technological and scientific advances may bring. The contributions of women to the history of science fiction and to the genre's development has been sorely overlooked. Frankenstein, generally reckoned as the first true work of science fiction, was by Mary Shelley, and one of the first utopian works written in America was also by a woman, Mary Griffith. A companion volume to his acclaimed The Darker Sex, Mike Ashley's latest collection is more essential reading by such female writers as Mary Shelley, Clare Winger Harris, Adeline Knapp, and many others.