Prehistoric fiction

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
Ivory Carver Trilogy (1990-1994) by Sue Harrison
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]
“Dinosaur Destroyer” (1949) by Arthur Petticolas
“With Weapons of Stone” (1924) by C. M. Eddy Jr.
"Arhl-a of the Caves "(1925) by C. M. Eddy Jr.

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)
Out Of Darkness (2022)

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]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c 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.
^ "Shiko faz releitura ousada de personagem de Mauricio de Sousa". EP Grupo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2013-11-19. 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.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "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)

[trussel-1] Trussel, Stephen. "Prehistoric Fiction". www.trussel.com. Retrieved 2020-04-03.

[2] "What was prehistoric Britain like?". BBC Bitesize. Retrieved 2020-04-05.

[3] "Prehistoric SF". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved 2020-04-05.

[4] Annales zoologici fennici. Finnish Zoological and Botanical Pub. Board. 1991.

[5] "Punkpunk: A Compendium of Literary Punk Genres". LitReactor. Retrieved 2021-12-31.

[6] Sousa Causo, Roberto. "Curiosities - Sambaqui: A Novel of Pre-History, by Stella Carr Ribeiro (1987)". SF Site. Retrieved 2020-04-03.

[7] Thomas, G. W. (2020-02-03). "Spear and Fang: A Prehistoric Premiere". Dark Worlds Quarterly. Retrieved 2020-04-03.

[8] 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.

[9] "BD de préhistoire - Pascal Semonsut - Hominidés". www.hominides.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.

[10] "Shiko faz releitura ousada de personagem de Mauricio de Sousa". EP Grupo (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2013-11-19. Retrieved 2020-04-03.

[11] Avila, Gabriel (2019-06-05). "Piteco - Fogo | Preview da Graphic MSP mostra luta de tribos; confira". Omelete (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2020-04-03.

[:0-12] "La préhistoire sur grand écran - Pascal Semonsut - Hominidés". www.hominides.com. Retrieved 2020-04-05.

[13] Gleiberman, Owen (2018-08-15). "Film Review: 'Alpha'". Variety. Retrieved 2021-05-06.

[14] Catsoulis, Jeannette (2019-03-14). "'Iceman' Review: Retribution in the Neolithic Age". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-06.

[15] "'Roots of Pacha'". Retrieved 2023-05-19.

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