S = Science Fiction
S is for science fiction and all its glorious nuances! Science Fiction is imaginative fiction that often deals with futuristic societies, technologies and discoveries. Popular themes include time travel, space travel, extraterrestrial life, and parallel universes. Unlike fantasy which requires readers to suspend disbelief in the supernatural, science-fiction usually offers logical and scientific explanations for how impossible things are made possible. Sometimes Science Fiction even inspires real life inventions!
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction in which the world as we know it has been devastated and changed by war, pandemic, or some ecological or astronomical event. It's known well by it's currently popular sub genres, dystopian and Utopian. Dystopian which depicts a futuristic society where you wouldn't want to live... And Utopian which depicts a futuristic society where everything is peaceful and you might want to live there; except in Utopian is usually some devastating plot twist where you find out why peace isn't always better.
Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is a classic example of scientific innovation gone awry. Scientists in science fiction are constantly creating, mutating, and designing must have products and creatures that turn around and bite humanity in the ass. Sometimes literally.
The Map of Time by Felix.J Palma, is both steampunk and speculative fiction. Steampunk is one of my favorites, it usually involves clockwork in steam powered inventions sometimes but not always located in historical locales. Speculative fiction usually takes ( not always) place in the past and examines "what if this happened?" And "how would it affect the future?"
And I can't leave out alien invasions that would just be crazy. The Host by Stephanie Meyer is the science-fiction romance, young adults safe, and light on the science bit, but I didn't like Enders Game by Orson Scott Card and War of the Worlds by HG Wells felt a little on the nose. People have been planning for hostile invasion by aliens longer than people have been planning for the zombie apocalypse and let's face it: we're really excited about the possibility of a zombie apocalypse.
Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction in which the world as we know it has been devastated and changed by war, pandemic, or some ecological or astronomical event. It's known well by it's currently popular sub genres, dystopian and Utopian. Dystopian which depicts a futuristic society where you wouldn't want to live... And Utopian which depicts a futuristic society where everything is peaceful and you might want to live there; except in Utopian is usually some devastating plot twist where you find out why peace isn't always better. Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton is a classic example of scientific innovation gone awry. Scientists in science fiction are constantly creating, mutating, and designing must have products and creatures that turn around and bite humanity in the ass. Sometimes literally. The Map of Time by Felix.J Palma, is both steampunk and speculative fiction. Steampunk is one of my favorites, it usually involves clockwork in steam powered inventions sometimes but not always located in historical locales. Speculative fiction usually takes ( not always) place in the past and examines "what if this happened?" And "how would it affect the future?" And I can't leave out alien invasions that would just be crazy. The Host by Stephanie Meyer is the science-fiction romance, young adults safe, and light on the science bit, but I didn't like Enders Game by Orson Scott Card and War of the Worlds by HG Wells felt a little on the nose. People have been planning for hostile invasion by aliens longer than people have been planning for the zombie apocalypse and let's face it: we're really excited about the possibility of a zombie apocalypse.
As for my claim that science-fiction inspires real inventions the iPad was first seen on episode of Star Trek. The technology in Jurassic Park is being used by zoos to resurrect endangered species. Jules Verne imagined the submarine before it was invented.
How do you feel about science-fiction place in our world?
Science Fiction is one of my favourite genres as it pushes the envelope between current reality and what could be possible.
ReplyDeleteSean at His and Her Hobbies
It's really a fantastic thing; someone dreams it one day, someone else makes it a reality another day.
DeleteI've enjoyed science fiction since I first found it as a teenager. I will read any genre though probably post apocalyptic is my favourite. I don't like it when it goes too far over into fantasy, and if I can't pronounce the names I'm liable to give up.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind crazy names in fantasy, but I agree it should be done in moderation in sci fi. I know language evolves, but if the names go crazy and the bulk of dialogue stays the same what's the point?
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