Time travel, futuristic technology, advanced weaponry outside the scope of possibility, are all themes of the science fiction novel. Teleportation, the ability to travel at faster than the speed of light, and paranormal abilities such as reading minds and mind control are also typically included. It is almost impossible to define a genre, because no two authors are alike and there are not a set list of rules that any one author must follow, but the SF novel has a few commonalities. Outer space travel, or humanoid characters are common. Androids and mutants can play a role in some novels. Typically these novels attempt to explore the outcome of scientific technology on the human race.
Early evidence of this genre can be found in ancient Indian stories such as Ramayana, which tells a story of a flying contraption that can travel in space and underwater, and has advanced weapons capable of destroying an entire city. Hindu myths speak of time travel, so it is apparent that science fiction was an idea long before it even had a name. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is no doubt one of the first SF novels, but it has been argued that it is not the very first. Jonathan Swift has often been given this credit for his novel Gulliver's Travels.
Cyberpunk, a form of the SF genre was created in the 1980s. It usually has a reluctant anti-hero and takes place in the not so distant future. It deals with cyberspace and artificial intelligence. One of the most famous authors of this genre is William Gibson. His novel Neuromancer won three awards, The Hugo Award, Nebula Award, and the Phillip K. Dick Award. Another sub-genre of SF is the time travel novel. H. G. Wells did this best with his Time Machine, but Mark Twain also wrote his own time travel novel with the publishing of A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court.
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card is one of the more famous novels. Other authors credited for great work in this genre include Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Phillip K. Dick, and H. P. Lovecraft.
It is not only novels that bring us this wonderful genre, but the big screen as well. Movies such as War of the Worlds has been redone several times throughout the years for our entertainment. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is another that has different versions. Movies such as Jurassic Park, I am Legend, and The Matrix have all been in theaters.
Television loves the SF genre as well. X-Files was a popular series for many years. Twilight Zone, both the old and more recent version still airs today. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Star Trek started the SF television phenomenon. Today we see SF series with a paranormal twist like Medium or Ghost Whisperer.
Science fiction has been delighting fans for years, and is sure to continue for many more years to come.
Early evidence of this genre can be found in ancient Indian stories such as Ramayana, which tells a story of a flying contraption that can travel in space and underwater, and has advanced weapons capable of destroying an entire city. Hindu myths speak of time travel, so it is apparent that science fiction was an idea long before it even had a name. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is no doubt one of the first SF novels, but it has been argued that it is not the very first. Jonathan Swift has often been given this credit for his novel Gulliver's Travels.
Cyberpunk, a form of the SF genre was created in the 1980s. It usually has a reluctant anti-hero and takes place in the not so distant future. It deals with cyberspace and artificial intelligence. One of the most famous authors of this genre is William Gibson. His novel Neuromancer won three awards, The Hugo Award, Nebula Award, and the Phillip K. Dick Award. Another sub-genre of SF is the time travel novel. H. G. Wells did this best with his Time Machine, but Mark Twain also wrote his own time travel novel with the publishing of A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur's Court.
Enders Game by Orson Scott Card is one of the more famous novels. Other authors credited for great work in this genre include Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein, Phillip K. Dick, and H. P. Lovecraft.
It is not only novels that bring us this wonderful genre, but the big screen as well. Movies such as War of the Worlds has been redone several times throughout the years for our entertainment. Invasion of the Body Snatchers is another that has different versions. Movies such as Jurassic Park, I am Legend, and The Matrix have all been in theaters.
Television loves the SF genre as well. X-Files was a popular series for many years. Twilight Zone, both the old and more recent version still airs today. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Star Trek started the SF television phenomenon. Today we see SF series with a paranormal twist like Medium or Ghost Whisperer.
Science fiction has been delighting fans for years, and is sure to continue for many more years to come.
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