1952 in science fiction

The year 1952 was marked, in science fiction, by the following events.

Births and deaths

Births

• Douglas Adams (d. 2001)
• Robin Wayne Bailey
• Kage Baker (d. 2010)
• Steven Barnes
• João Barreiros
• Candas Dorsey
• Debra Doyle (d. 2020)
• Valerio Evangelisti (d. 2022)
• Jane Fancher
• Kathleen Ann Goonan (d. 2021)
• Muhammed Zafar Iqbal
• Gwyneth Jones
• Sharon Lee
• Brad Linaweaver (d. 2019)
• Nathan Lowell
• Susan R. Matthews
• Patrick O'Leary
• Marek Oramus
• Tim Powers
• Kim Stanley Robinson
• Mary Rosenblum (d. 2018)
• Al Sarrantonio
• Dana Stabenow
• Somtow Sucharitkul (also known as S. P. Somtow)
• Yoshiki Tanaka
• Tais Teng
• Lisa Tuttle
• Kathy Tyers
• David Weber
• David Zindell

Literary releases

Further information: Category:1952 science fiction novels

Serialized novels

• Big Planet by Jack Vance, Startling Stories (September), published in book form in 1957.
• The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester, Galaxy Science Fiction (January–March), published in book form in 1953, when it won the Hugo Award for Best Novel.
• Gravy Planet by Frederik Pohl and Cyril M. Kornbluth, published in book form as The Space Merchants in 1953.
• Tramp Space Ship by Robert A. Heinlein, Boys' Life (September–December), expanded and published in book form as The Rolling Stones, also in 1952.

First editions

• Les Animaux dénaturés by Vercors (in French), anthropologists find "missing links" in New Guinea, sparking a trial over their humanity after a scientist kills a hybrid offspring.
• Ballroom of the Skies by John D. MacDonald, leaders of an intergalactic empire are always chosen from among humans but must first be tested by extreme hardship.
• City by Clifford D. Simak, a collection of interconnected stories exploring humanity's future and its interactions with robots and aliens.
• The Crystal Horde by John Taine, silicon crystalline lifeforms threaten to overwhelm carbon life on Earth.
• The Currents of Space by Isaac Asimov, involves intrigue and political maneuvering on a remote planet in a galactic empire.
• Double Jeopardy by Fletcher Pratt, tackles industrial espionage and a locked-room mystery, both linked to a revolutionary matter-duplication process.
• Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov, continues the saga of the Foundation as it confronts challenges from within and without the galaxy.
• The Long Loud Silence by Wilson Tucker, Corporal Gary survives a post-apocalyptic America, facing quarantine, cannibals, and military, ultimately reuniting with a fellow survivor.
• Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut, dystopian novel exploring the consequences of automation and its impact on society.
• Sentinels From Space by Eric Frank Russell, Captain David Raven must stop a mutant-led war for Mars and Venus's independence to keep humanity united for interstellar contact.
• The Sound of His Horn by Sarban, an alternate history where a Nazi officer hunts humans for sport in a dystopian future.
• The Starmen by Leigh Brackett, a space opera concerning the only race that is able to endure the rigors of interstellar travel.
• This Island Earth by Raymond F. Jones, a race of aliens recruiting "Peace Engineers" are actually using Earth as a pawn in an intergalactic war.
• The Weapon Makers (revised edition) by A. E. van Vogt, explores a future society where advanced weapons technology plays a crucial role in political power struggles.

Novellas

• Cholwell's Chickens by Jack Vance, Thrilling Wonder Stories (August)

Short stories

• "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury, Collier's (June 28, 1952)
• "Surface Tension" by James Blish, Galaxy Science Fiction (August)

Juveniles

• Five Against Venus by Philip Latham (juvenile), the Robinson family crash-lands on Venus, survives with a scientist's help, and discovers a valuable antibiotic from a nuisance mold.
• Islands in the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke (juvenile), follows a young boy's adventure aboard a space station and his encounters with space travel.
• Marooned on Mars by Lester del Rey (juvenile), survival and adventure on the Martian surface.
• Mists of Dawn by Chad Oliver (juvenile), Dr. Nye's space-time machine sends his nephew to 50,000 BC, where he must survive for two weeks with minimal supplies.
• Rip Foster Rides the Gray Planet by Blake Savage (juvenile), Lt. Rip Foster must retrieve a valuable thorium asteroid while facing rival Space Force crew and enemy agents.
• Rocket Jockey by Lester del Rey (juvenile), a young man dreams of becoming a rocket pilot and exploring space.
• The Rolling Stones by Robert A. Heinlein (juvenile), follows the Stone family's spacefaring adventures.
• Son of the Stars by Raymond F. Jones (juvenile), a teenager discovers an alien survivor and works to protect him from the military while signaling for his rescue.

Movies

Main article: List of science fiction films of the 1950s

Title	Director	Cast	Country	Subgenre/Notes
Alraune	Arthur Maria Rabenalt	Hildegard Knef, Erich von Stroheim	West Germany	Horror
1. April 2000	Wolfgang Liebeneiner	Hilde Krahl, Joseph Meinrad, Curd Jürgens	Austria	Comedy Fantasy Romance
Captive Women	Stuart Gilmore	Robert Clarke, Margaret Field, Gloria Saunders	United States
Invasion USA	Alfred E Green	Gerald Mohr, Peggie Castle, Dan O'Herlihy	United States	Drama War
Mother Riley Meets the Vampire a.k.a My Son, the Vampire (USA)	John Gilling	Arthur Lucan, Bela Lugosi	UK	Horror Comedy
Radar Men from the Moon	Fred C. Brannon	George D. Wallace, Aline Towne, Roy Barcroft	United States	Action Family Serial film
Red Planet Mars	Harry Horner	Peter Graves, Andrea King, Orley Lindgren	United States	Drama
Untamed Women	Merle W. Connell, James R. Connell	Mikel Conrad, Doris Merrick, Richard Monahan	United States	War
Zombies of the Stratosphere	Fred C. Brannon	Judd Holdren	United States	Action Adventure Serial film

Awards

The main science-fiction awards known at the present time did not exist at this time.

See also

• 1952 in science