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What do people look for in science fiction?
Upon mentioning the genre, people typically think of alien invasions, space exploration, and creature features. These are the premier trends in science fiction and are prime examples of what the genre is composed of. However, as science fiction continues to dominate not only literature but also the entertainment field, there needs to be intrigue.
Gone are the days when creators automatically jump on these themes and craft stories around them. Instead, there is a demand for something new – or at least subjects that haven’t been oversaturated. If authors wish to stand out, they must develop foreign themes to explore.
What Makes Science Fiction Popular?
Beyond social influence, trends in science fiction rapidly rose in popularity because of the intrigue that came with the stories. The thing is, the genre isn’t only crafted in similar manners as popular stories. Instead, it has an added zing! of interesting scientific matters that typically haunt people’s minds. Science fiction is the harmonious amalgamation of fascination about reality and testing its limits. It perfectly blends what’s true, what could be true, and matters that are far from reality.
The genre came to the mainstream not only because of actors that enticed people to buy movie tickets. Instead, it taps into what humanity is naturally interested in and captivated by. Trends in science fiction were first sparked by people’s curiosity about what’s beyond their perceptions. Themes like aliens, life on other planets, creatures, and even the paranormal first came to be to satiate this curiosity.
Author Bob Ticer is among the creatives that jumped into this course.
Writing a unique story about an alien invasion, Bob merged people’s fascination with life beyond their planet with a possible curiosity about whether aliens would feel or behave similarly to humans. In his book, he tells the story of a girl and an alien who cross paths and form an unlikely team. This distinctiveness is one of the reasons why science fiction has made its way into people’s choices.
How Has Science Fiction Changed Over Time?
The trends in science fiction are ever-changing depending on what current subjects and superstitions are popular during the period.
The genre’s early voyages focused on adventures most couldn’t have gone on. These included journeys to the moon and through machines that have yet to be invented or may never see the light of day. During this period, not much of the galaxy was discovered and explored, and society has yet to revolutionize the things around it.
With most everything discovered, science fiction must tread on grounds that haven’t been explored. Trends in science fiction have become more diverse than ever. It not only birthed concepts like cyberpunk but has also pushed people to think in future tenses. The genre explores the impacts of matters yet to exist, challenging the limits of reality.
What New Trends in Science Fiction Should Authors Write?
With the popularity and demand of science fiction, most concepts have already been tackled. This leaves new and rising authors little to no new exciting themes to write about. The genre is constantly evolving. This demands new ideas and trends in science fiction to write and discuss.
Climate Fiction
The world is experiencing the debilitating effects of climate change, and it’s a pressing concept that demands to be tackled. This gives the genre enough room for inspiring stories to explore. The latest trends in science fiction revolve around climate change’s impact on society, its search for sustainable solutions, and geoengineering attempts.
Most authors now write about extreme changes and consequences that impact the world. It allows them to imagine a future that may be desolate or contradictory to what they have now.
Biopunk
This subgenre has gradually caught people’s eyes. It delves into the social ramifications of bioengineering, including genetic manipulation, engineered viruses, and human-animal hybrids that pose a danger and challenges how people cope with consequential changes. This concept in science fiction isn’t only interesting to read about but also significantly influences how society perceives the matters they’re experimenting on.
Post-Gender Worlds
Gender may be a serious topic in reality, but in science fiction, it is only a factor to experiment with. The newest trends in science fiction revolve around challenging existing genders and forwarding the possibility of technologically achieved immortality or genderless beings. This concept can be an exciting and limitless theme to experiment with and explore. While it may not be possible in the near future, it is an intriguing topic to tackle.
AI Narratives
With artificial intelligence becoming increasingly integrated into society, it has also faced developments that made it increasingly sophisticated. Nowadays, science fiction stories commonly involve AI in their plots. They examine consciousness and the line between human and machine. With the progress of development, there’s more about artificial intelligence to discuss and tackle.
Interested in reading about Bob Ticer’s contribution to the beautiful world of science fiction? Grab a copy of his book The Alien Stranger.
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