description New Worlds (anthology) Overview
New Worlds was a British science fiction magazine whose origins date to the 1930s, initially emerging from a science fiction fan organization before becoming a professional periodical. Under Michael Moorcock's editorship during the 1960s, it became closely associated with New Wave science fiction and published formally experimental, psychologically focused, and politically engaged work. Its contributors included J. G.
Ballard, Brian Aldiss, and other writers seeking alternatives to conventional adventure narratives.
help New Worlds (anthology) FAQ
Was "New Worlds" originally a magazine or a book anthology?
It began as a British science-fiction fanzine and became a professional magazine after World War II. Financial and distribution problems later pushed it into irregular paperback and anthology formats, so surviving volumes do not all look like conventional magazines.
What changed when Michael Moorcock became editor of "New Worlds"?
Moorcock took over with issue 142 in 1964 and encouraged experimental form, controversial subjects, and literary ambition. Under his editorship, the publication became the central British venue associated with science fiction's New Wave.
Which writers are most closely associated with "New Worlds"?
J. G. Ballard, Brian Aldiss, Thomas M. Disch, and Norman Spinrad were among the writers linked to its experimental period. Moorcock also published work that challenged the technological optimism and conventional storytelling of earlier genre magazines.
Why was "New Worlds" controversial in the 1960s?
Its stories addressed sex, politics, psychology, and stylistic experimentation in ways that unsettled parts of the traditional science-fiction readership. Norman Spinrad's "Bug Jack Barron" became especially contentious when excerpts appeared while the magazine was receiving support from the British Arts Council.
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