Science fiction is works of literature, now made mass-media, that speculates the world (or worlds) where real elements are reimagined. Science fiction explores the possibilities of what might be possible in our world or other worlds, and how it would affect us if these things were to become reality. This could be time travel, space exploration, alternate histories, and hyper technology (or the lack thereof).
A Brief History of Science Fiction Literature
The first stories to be classified as science fiction were written by Jules Verne in the 19th century. These early works include From the Earth to the Moon, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in Eighty Days, Journey to the Center of the Earth and A Trip to the Moon.
However ancient texts found in first civilization ruins that could be classified as science fiction had allusions to extra-terrestrial beings and space travel, but many also believe this is just allegory to religious writing about meeting god among the stars. So, take it as you see fit.
The term “science fiction” was coined in 1920 by Hugo Gernsback, who published his own magazine called Amazing Stories. In 1926 he also founded the Science Fiction League, which later became the Science Fiction Writers of America.
In 1939, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series launched what would become one of the most influential subgenres of science fiction literature. Since then, many other authors have contributed to this genre, including Arthur C. Clarke, Frank Herbert, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Philip K. Dick, and more.
Hard vs Soft Science Fiction
Science fiction, no matter the subgenre, can arguably be broken down into 2 factions of sci fi.
- Hard science fiction is based on “hard” sciences, meaning scientific fact. That is to say the natural sciences like physics, biology, chemistry, etc.
- Soft science fiction is based on a less concrete definition of the sciences like psychology and sociology.
The terms are flexible, and quite frankly the definition itself is often under contention among many sci fi connoisseurs since there’s quite a wide range of grey area that crossing into both definitions, and sci fi literature for the most part, needs both hard and soft sciences to work together.
For example, Frank Herbert’s Dune series deals with Hard science fiction elements like space travel, while also dealing with the ecology and psychology of beings. Is Dune Hard or Soft Sci fi?
It’s dealer’s choice at this point.
10 Science Fiction Sub-genres
- Cyberpunk: focuses on the impact of advanced technologies on society. Cyberpunk is characterized by its gritty style and focus on technology.
- Steampunk: involves Victorian-era inventions such as steam power and airships. It’s often depicted as taking place in the past, but this is not a strict rule.
- Dystopian fiction: describes societies in which basic human rights are suppressed through totalitarianism or other means.
- Utopian fiction: depicts an idealized future society. Arguably Utopian fiction is just another form of Dystopia where the populace is pacified by lies that hide a horrifying truth.
- Space opera: set in outer space. It usually features large scale conflicts between various races and civilizations and rarely is the story just about a single planet.
- Cyber noire: is a subgenre of cyberpunk that incorporates elements from crime fiction and film noir. The setting typically takes place in urban environments.
- Military sci fi: centers around futuristic militant societies, weapons and warfare. War is life in this hyper masculine subgenre.
- Post-apocalypse: is a subgenre of speculative fiction that portrays a world after a major disaster has occurred.
- Science fantasy: emphasizes fantastic elements such as magic, monsters, aliens, time travel, alternate universes, and so on. A veritable hybrid of science and, uh…fantasy.
- Retrofuturism: explores the possible consequences of advances in technology rather than glorifying technology as a problem-solver.
Check out our full list of 30 popular sci fi subgenres.
Common Characteristics of Science Fiction
If there was a literature style that was simply about expressing ideas, then that would be called Science Fiction. Sci-fi novels explore what could be if we changes just a few, or a lot, of what we know now. Twisting the fabric of reality through words is a fantastic escape that not only entertain us, but force us to seek new perspectives in all that we observe.
A sci-fi novel can be about something as grand as space travel or as mundane as hydrogen replacing fossil fuels.
Classical science fiction novel elements include:
- Time-travel
- Teleportation
- Mind control, telepathy, and telekinesis
- Space travel and exploration
- Multiple or parallel universes
- Aliens and their Worlds
- Alternate history
- Robots
- Cloning
- Mutants
Science fiction elements are not precisely “subgenres”, but rather certain reimaginations of technology or circumstances that ascend reality. Subgenres you can simply think of as “types” of sci fi, since a lot of the same elements can be found among many different subgenres.
10 Classic Science Fiction Novels to Know and Read
For anyone that hasn’t already stumble into a movie theatre to watch a sci fi movie and want to pop their cherry with some classic science fiction literature, give these a try:
- The Time Machine (1895) – H.G. Wells: A man travels back in time to Victorian England. He finds himself in a strange land where he meets a mysterious traveller.
Subgenre: Retrofuturism
Elements: Time-travel
Pages: 84 - A Wrinkle in Time (1962) – Madeleine L’Engle: Three friends journey across dimensions to find their lost father who has been kidnapped by the forces of evil.
Subgenre: Retrofuturism
Elements: Science Fantasy, Time-travel
Pages: 416 - 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – Arthur C. Clarke: A monolith appears on the moon, which sends an alien spacecraft to Earth.
Subgenre: Hard Science Fiction
Elements: Space travel, Robots
Pages: 221 - Dune (1965) – Frank Herbert: A young boy is chosen by his family to inherit the desert planet Arrakis until war breaks out and he must choose his destiny.
Subgenre: Space Opera
Elements: Space Travel, Teleportation, Mind control, Robots, Aliens, Cloning
Pages: ~600 (depending on version) - Neuromancer (1984) – William Gibson: A detective investigates the murder of a hacker in a world where humans enhance their bodies with cyber tech.
Subgenre: Cyberpunk
Elements: Robots
Pages: 271 - Starship Troopers (1959) – Robert Heinlein: A military officer becomes disillusioned with the state of humanity after they’re attacked by buglike aliens.
Subgenre: Military Sci Fi
Elements: Aliens, Space travel
Pages: - Foundation (1953) – Isaac Asimov: The Galactic Empire leverage modified human psychology and physiology to power the conquest of planets throughout the galaxy
Subgenre: Space Opera
Elements: Space travel, Telekinesis
Pages: 255 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1969) – Philip K. Dick: An android is sent to kill a group of people because they’ve discovered how to create life from machines. You might know the movie version as Blade Runner.
Subgenre: Cyberpunk
Elements: Cloning
Pages: 210 - Nineteen Eighty-four (1949) – George Orwell: An employee for the Ministry of Truth where he writes propaganda to keep the population under control finds himself unveiling the truth.
Subgenre: Dystopian
Elements: Alternate History
Pages: 328 - Roadside Picnic (1971) – Arkady & Boris Strugatsky: Two brothers go on vacation in Russia, but when they get there, they discover that it’s not what they expected.
Subgenre: Post-apocalypse
Elements: Mutants, Telepathy
Pages: 224
Not enough? Here’s a list of other great science fiction novels and books.
5 Tips for Science Fiction Writers
As you write your sci-fi novel, consider the following:
- Start with the real world. Take an idea from current events and knowledge. It’s tough to come up with a reimagined world all on your own without it having blossomed from some sense of realism. For instance, start with the fact that we know Ultraviolet light exists, but maybe your book tells the story of artificial UV light attracting aliens to Earth.
- Research what you’re about to break. It may seem backwards, but research will help your claims of unrealism. Don’t over-research to the point where your research leads to you writing non-fiction, but getting details wrong on things in your story that are proven in the real world will lose your reader’s belief in your story. Like if you say a human gets sucked out into space but he can somehow breathe and scream in space without any explanation. Like, come on, your reader is gone at this point.
- Create rules for your world. No one automatically accepts a sci fi story just shoved in front of them. Set rules that compel the reader to understand the world you’ve created and keep reading. You can always break or bend your own rules later, but without rules at the very least in the beginning, the suspension of disbelief may be too much for fresh readers to continue.
- Keep it grounded in reality…or don’t. Decide early on, is your story based on the current “timeline”? Or is it just something completely “out there”? Build a world the way you want, but stick to a direction. Does your world need real-world elements to stay alive? Or can it live without it? Making this distinction early on will make it easier for the reader to believe even the most unbelievable story.
- Go hard. Once you have a plan for what kind of science fiction you want to write, just let it rip. Stay within your own rules and you’ll find that creating characters and stories end up becoming easier and more natural, as they are constrained by your rules and therefore predictable for you to write, and compelling for the reader to follow.
For a more in-depth guide, check out our science fiction writing guide.
Science Fiction Literature Today
No matter the setting and characters, all sci-fi stories are tend to follow our normal preconceived notions of literature. While the world may be fiction in nature, the story and it’s characters follow familiar story-telling patterns, relationship building, and conversation flows as we may have experience today. After all, every science fiction written or told has come from a very real person here on this Earth, and for that reason, our current exploration of science fiction is often held back by the human element.
No doubt new works of science fiction are ever pushing the boundary of the unbelievable, but can you imagine what it must be like to explore a world that didn’t have to come from the mind of a human?
