Fantastical realms, enchanted creatures, and imaginative technologies are but a few of the many elements that draw readers to the science fiction and fantasy genres of literature. Great science fiction and fantasy authors are skilled at blending the unfamiliar with the familiar, making their imaginative tales both grounded and, in some cases, prescient. Writers such as Ray Bradbury, Ursula K. Le Guin, J.K. Rowling, and J.R.R. Tolkien explore themes ranging from conformity and government control to the dual burden and blessing of advanced technology, challenging readers to reimagine the world they know. The lives of some of the most prolific and popular authors of these genres are surveyed in this compelling volume.