ATLANTA
Has science fiction literature lost its appeal? Or is there a resurgence of interest and popularity for it?
That is the issue a panel of distinguished, award-winning SF writers discussed at a Dragon Con panel last month.
What has happened, the authors said, that while there might have been a period of less interest, the volume of books and stories being issued is so huge and the variety is so much greater than it used to be.
“I don’t consider myself ancient, but I can remember when I could read everything that came out,” said author S.M. Stirling.
Author Jack Campbell said another issue is that many people don’t regard some literature akin to SF to be science fiction unless it is “hard science fiction.”
Dragon Con 2015 writers panel on science fiction literature. Photo by Ronald Hawkins.
Some would say that science fiction writing should be detailed enough that the writer could describe how to build a starship.
“If I could do that, I wouldn’t be here,” McDevitt said.
McDevitt was an English teacher for several years. He came under fire from a school board when he developed a student production based on science fiction literature. Teachers, however, have found science fiction was one way to encourage their students to read.
“An English teacher’s job is get kids interested in reading, rather than teaching them the details of classical literature,” McDevitt said. “Science fiction is the way to go.”
Science fiction conventions have increasingly attracted more young people and in many cases the gatherings at smaller events such as InConJunction and Starbase Indy turn out to be family outings, authors said.
“I remember conventions where there were no kids and very few young adults, particularly those my age,” author Stephen Antczak said.
Author Alexandra Duncan said there has been a particular resurgence in the interest in space exploration, not just in science fiction but in the idea that an average person might be able someday to travel into space.
There also is a distinction between SF literature and science fiction films and television, said Timothy Zahn, an author of Star Wars novels and other works. What works in literature doesn’t always turn out to be a good film and a good movie isn’t necessarily the basis of a good book.
The development of technology is another factor in the changes in SF literature. Science fiction technology isn’t just space technology, Stirling said.
“There is biological and medical technology and interaction between humans and machines,” Stirling said. “Those are things that are actually going to accelerate more rapidly.”
Hawkins may be contacted at rhawkins@reporter-times.com or rondhawkins@msn.com. His Facebook page is RonaldDHawkins.
