Science Fiction (Part I)

As anyone who knows me knows, I’m a true, hard-core, through-and-through, trekkie-loving, obscure-reference embracing science fiction fan. I’ve read many different genres in my life, and I do enjoy a good classic, Shakespeare, engaging history novels, and fantasy only if Tolkien writes it. However, when I finish a day of hard work, or am on a long and lazy vacation, I only read science fiction. This blog is my attempt to share my love of scifi with all of you diligent and numerous readers.

Before I start, let me define what I believe to be real science fiction (which I’ll call SF because I’m lazy). Real SF takes a realistic concept and molds our society around that concept is a believable and insightful way. Real SF sticks in your brain for the rest of your life. Small, random, and usually irrelevant events trigger a memory of a certain scene or image or saying from a SF story and forces, even if only temporarily, an elevated analysis of the event.

There are many specific forms of SF, but before I get into those let me tell you what is NOT SF:

1. SexFi

These are a swarm of new stories and shows (this may include portions of stories and shows) that do not introduce a new or insightful element in any way, shape, or form. They usually end up having long and pointless sexual encounters and, sadly, are generally popular in today’s world. One clear example is the 10-minute sex-orgy-dance-party scene in the Matrix Reloaded. There was no real message or point being delivered in that scene. It provided no insight, and could withstand no analysis of a deeper meaning. I’ve heard arguments that that scene shows the humanity of humanity (...?) but no, showing that humans are humans does not need a 600 seconds of wet bouncing semi-clad bodies.

2. AniSCIFIme

Although there are a few (very few) examples of anime holding up the true spirit of SF, the vast majority of anime is nowhere close and I don’t think (for anyone who’s seen anime) I need to go into more detail.

3. CrapFi. These are books and movies and TV shows that believe they represent SF, but they’ve forgotten what SF is and give in to extended and pointless action scenes, unrealistic events that, although cleverly done and interesting, are so far from reality that a part of me dies every time I see one.

There are other examples of non-SF but they are boring.

Now the sub-categories of real SF:

1. Hard SF (HSF)

These stories take the science fiction and make it look more like SCIENCE fiction. The hearts of HSF writers are generally in the scientific fact of a society or situation. They tend to care less about the humanity portion of the story. One good example of HSF is the Canadian writer Peter F. Hamilton. He’s created a series of novels that are tough reads. Here’s an example from the series in a book called the Neutronium Alchemist Part 2: Conflict:

“Lady Macbeth slipped slowly into place above the docking cradle, her equitorial verniers sparkling briefly as Joshua compensated for drift. Optical-band sensors gave a poor re-turn here; Tunja’s ruby glow was insipid even in clear space, and down where Ayacucho lurked among the disk particles it was an abiding roseate gloom. Laser radar guided the starship in until the cradle latches clamped home.”

Or even better:

“There was a gap between the deuterium tank’s cryostat ducts and the power feed sub-module which routed superconductor cables to nearby patterning nodes, a narrow crevice amid the boxy, nultherm foam-coated machinery. In the schematics which the flight computer provided, it was listed as a crawlway.”

I don’t think I need to explain why it’s called Hard SF.

***I will continue this blog in the not too distant future***