[BrassMan]

This morning I found a review of the movie Solaris by Roger Ebert, which said this, in part:

"One of the most frequent charges against science-fiction is that it replaces emotion with intellect. Its characters are people who live by and for the mind, and their personal relationships are likely to be stifled and awkward, That's probably true enough of most s-f novels (although exceptions range from Fredric Brown's "The Lights in the Sky are Stars" to a lot of the work by Theodore Sturgeon), but it's even more true of science-fiction movies."

I don't have time to check out those books, but fans of the genre might, if so inclined. I think I'll take a look at Solaris. Anyone know it?

Ebert's comment made me feel better about my own stuff....

 

[BrassMan]

You are correct, Mr. Trout, that was the movie he reviewed. It struck a chord with me because I used to like sci-fi (in print, this was before all the movies got so big), but I burned out on the genre in high school. I think I got tired of all the impossible gadgets and the galactic conflicts. That was one reason it took me so long to dare to write my own. I wasn't sure I could write a story that I myself could stand (and if I could, could anyone else?).

Then I got this today from an unnamed KindleBoarder who shall remain anonymous. (I hope I'm not violating anything by mentioning it.    If so, I'll delete it.) At least it speaks directly to the point about characters coming before hardware:

    "You SUCK!!!  Ever since I started Distant Cousin, my dishes haven't gotten done, I have an entire house to pack, which isn't getting done, and I was up till 2AM last night to finish it!!!  I haven't spent more than 10 minutes at a time online and we have been eating premade casseroles so I don't have to cook much and there is less clean up.  It's all your fault!  My husband thinks it's funny.  I am not going to start the second one till the weekend so I can get some work done around here.  Thank you for entertaining me. You are wonderful at drawing a reader in.  The characters, especially Darcy, become so real.  I know I am reading a good story when I worry about the characters well being and celebrate their successes!"

 

[BrassMan]

I disagree. I think the Star Wars films and the Star Trek TV shows are probably the two worst examples of science fiction imaginable. It is unfortunate that the layman, who never reads, is likely to name these two franchise as examples of good science fiction, but they are space fantasy with starships and aliens instead of wizards and dragons. Sure, I enjoyed Star Wars when I was twelve or thirteen, but they are as not nearly as deep as Solaris (the book) or Dune (the book).

I respect your opinion, but personally I would say that there are far worse, truly lousy, hackneyed, stereotypical examples out there. Better not to think about them.

What would you say to a story that featured no slimy aliens, no wormholes or warp drives, took place on earth only, and featured only humans? Could that possibly be science fiction, do you think?

Just wondering....

 

[BrassMan]

Great point, KW. Heaven knows, I've had people pass up my stories because "they're science fiction," and others call them that and like it. Still others have called them a romance, an adventure, and one (my second daughter, no less) said she thought it was a West Texas Chicano action story.

I'm pretty dang tired of niches.

 

[BrassMan]

That is a spot-on criticism. The difference between a good scifi/fantasy writer and an amateur one is summed up right there. A lot of not so good scifi writers will throw their jargon or their concepts in your face ad nauseum, while making the characters secondary. Good writing, whatever the genre (but especially in scifi and fantasy where it's more necessary) needs to concentrate on fleshing out your characters and weaving your plot. The best scifi and fantasy writers are careful to integrate their technology or their fantasy WITHIN that story, to enhance rather than dominate it.

Yes. Bingo. I agree completely. I can't help thinking about this discussion in personal terms, so pardon me please, but I started with the character first. The story grew up around her. Suppose the first known alien to visit Earth was completely human? What then? That's where it started. I didn't need a lot of gadgetry for that. It's her story, and eventually, the story of her family. I guess that's why I've never been sure it really is science fiction.