Sera Kishor Kalpabigyan by Anish Deb [Hardcover]

Science fiction is a blend of a little science and storytelling. In simple terms, this is perhaps the best way to define the genre. An engaging narrative built around scientific concepts laid the foundation for science fiction in 1818 with the publication of Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus. The novel was written by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, wife of the renowned English poet P. B. Shelley. Mary Shelley began writing it as a teenager, and it was published before she turned twenty-one. The novel’s abridged version, Frankenstein, remains widely known, and even today, on the threshold of the 21st century, its popularity has not waned.

Thus, a new literary genre emerged in Western literature in 1818. In Bengali literature, this genre first appeared in 1896—penned by none other than Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose. Over time, numerous renowned writers enriched the field through their regular contributions. While science fiction for adults has been written, the genre has flourished more in literature aimed at younger readers.

Science fiction is not just about dry scientific facts; it combines curiosity-provoking and exciting narratives that make readers dream of the future and envision new possibilities for life. The thirty-two carefully selected stories in this collection serve as proof of that. With great confidence, editor Anish Deb has aptly titled this book Sera Kishor Kalpabigyan (Best Science Fiction for Young Readers) and proudly considers it his dream project.