[Kamakhya]

I've seen a lot of talk about whether or not SF is dying. I've noticed that when talking about "must reads" and such, that the "classics" are predominate. Does this confirm that SF is indeed a dying genre? Perhaps it is the fault of the publishing houses in refusing to carry new and interesting authors and instead focusing on best selling authors? On the other hand, I see some great SF being published in recent times, and not all by well known names.

What do you think? Is SF alive and well, or getting harder and harder to find new and interesting books?

[vortexreader]

Is SF alive and well, or getting harder and harder to find new and interesting books?

Personally, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to find good quality new SF. There seems to be an awful lot of junk on the market these days. I'll probably get my head bitten off for saying this...but I think what's happening with SF now is reminiscent of what's happened with Fantasy over the last 10-15 years...lots of knock offs of successful formulas. I hardly ever read Fantasy these days...I hope things don't decline to the point where I don't read any SF!

[Cadfael]

I shall now climb back upon my soapbox, and voice my usual argument...

As long as publishers keep thinking that the only SF worth publishing is Movie/TV spin off material... yes!! it is dying. Go into any book store, and the SF section is brimming with Star Trek, Star Wars, X Files, Babylon 5, BUFFY!!! (in SF!!!). If you look real close you will see a few classic mainstream SF books tucked away on half a shelf.

Okay... I know... there is a market, and the bookstores and publishers are catering to that market. But it gives a totally false impression of how the genre is doing. For instance... fans of Star Trek are buying ST books in droves, but they are NOT (<-- sweeping generalisation) Science Fiction fans, they are Star Trek fans! They would turn their nose up at EE 'Doc' Smith's Lensman series, or Asimov's Foundation... their loss!!

For the true SF fan, he/she has to look on the net, or other places... and there are some gems to be had... if you can find them.

I have not read an SF book for quite a while now... the last real gem was Tad William's 'Otherland' IMHO.

*climbs off soapbox*

Sorry guys

[vortexreader]

I'll try for a bit more controversy with this next comment...

If SF is a dying genre then some of the blame for that must lie with the readers. I know many 'fans' of SF who only read Star Wars or Star Trek novelisations. Or who think Orson Scott Card or Frank Herbert or Anne McCaffrey or whoever is the only SF author on the planet.

Publishing companies will only put money into discovering new talent if they think someone is going to but the book. While ever people have a narrow focus in their reading general SF sales will decline and consequently so will the quality.

[Cadfael]

Not as black and white as that IMO.

I have a draft for a new ST novel, I also have a draft for an original SF novel... everyone on the planet loves Star Trek, and will buy it, not everyone reads SF... I will go for the bigger market share... and that is not down to the reader of SF, it is down to Star Trek fans, which they have every right to be.

But... I do agree... SF is much more than Herbert et al. But.. as you said they are very hard to find in all this TV/Movie dross.

*climbs back on soapbox*

HOBBIT!!! help me out here, you are a member of SF&Fantasty club... do you not think the offering they give us for Science Fiction are a load of crap, whereas the fantasy section is brilliant.

*Takes a swig of ale, and falls head first of the soapbox*



[This message has been edited by dennizm (edited March 24, 2002).]

[vortexreader]

I guess my point was that I am frustrated by people who only read Star Trek novels and call themselves SF fans...those people who don't take the next step.

[Cadfael]

Vortex... you are preaching to the converted on that point... I agree 100%. Okay... there may not be as many readers of Star Trek books than mainstream SF readers, but put that Star trek fan with the Star Wars, X Files, and Buffy fans... there is a lot of them http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

I must say, I am not having a go at people who read these books, it is just we are into major overkill with them.

[Hobbit]

How did I miss this post? http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Have discussed this one at length elsewhere - there is good stuff out there, though the time taken to nurture new talent is less noticeable. I have hopes though for Alastair Reynolds, (and Richard Morgan, I think!), Adam Roberts amongst others though there does seem to be a lack of other new SF talent generally. The success of the classics in the Orion/Millennium reprint series shows that there is a market out there, but that perhaps the interest in Sf reflects the interest in space generally. It's a shame because I think there's wonders out there to be told but i have read an arguement that the 'loadsawonder' of the early days of space exploration, where anything is possible has been replaced by the corporate imagery of big business and science so techincal that it loses people's interest.

On a simple level, you can see a spacerocket, so this has a bigger impact to many, but genetic engineering (though just as technical, if not more so) is outwardly much less impressive and too technical for most people to follow - it therefore becomes less interesting. Sf becomes a labbook, not a story.

I partly agree with the comments about Star tr*k, Star W*rs, B*ffy etc, but the trick would be then to find them something else to read. If you like this, then try..... in as nice a way as possible.

Hobbit

[Penumbra]

I wish I could do something about it, but I am trapped by circumstances to pursue POD. Without money, there is no way to get a publicity agent or secure the right kind of advertising. All I can do is write. I don't enjoy blowing my own horn, in fact I'm tired of it, but I think if enough people read
The Kaska Trilogy, the answer to your question would be moot. I am not the only one, to be sure. There are many creative spirits out there, besides myself. Like some of the others have said, the publishing houses are at fault. It's not that SF is in danger of demise, but that the quality of what is currently published is diluted and lame in the extreme compared to when the genre was a healthy, striving and exciting.

[fortytwo]

I can't see any decline in quantity of the books on the shelves, unfortunately it is mainly the publishers cashing in on spin off's of TV programmes.Star Trek/Buffy etc......plenty of those on the shelves.It is more difficult to find new authors though as no one seems prepared to gamble with an unknown author.I am optimistic however that there always will be writers using their imagination to write science fiction because man is basically inquisitive and he always wants to know what if...
As long as we buy these books when they appear, hopefully they will continue to be published.

[This message has been edited by fortytwo (edited March 25, 2002).]