Is This Science Fiction? Or This? Both? I started teaching my Science Fiction class at Fullerton College last week, a course we offer every two years. It’s been nice having conversations with students about my favorite genre; some of the students bring a lot of background, and others are “sci fi curious” so it’s a good…
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Over the years, a lot of authors and scholars far more knowledgeable (and opinionated) than me have tried to nail down science fiction, defining it in a variety of ways, sometimes in contrast to other genres like fantasy. Here are a few: John W. Campbell: “Fiction is simply dreams written out. Science fiction consists of…
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When I wrote my first science fiction novel, Take Back Tomorrow, I didn’t have to worry too much about “world building” since it’s a time travel novel set in 1940. Even though it’s technically an alternate history, the world of the novel is essentially the same as the Los Angeles of 1940 familiar to just…
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