I was reading an interesting post analyzing keywords of published science fiction over time. The key takeaway is that the fiction I grew up with (and still write) is dying. Stories about space and starships and planets have been in decline for years. Meanwhile, fantasy elements are up.
I can’t pretend I’m not bummed out. Maybe we just live in such a future that it is too difficult to imagine more? Perhaps people have tech fatigue? After all, in 1960, the idea of a computer was exotic, and a video call was a fantasy. Now we all own dozens of computers (granted, some very specialized), and video calls are nothing.
But it seems like that just means we need to imagine more. Can you fly in space without a ship? What does that look like? What bizarre tech might aliens have? In today’s world, what is the technology that would captivate the typical 15-year-old?
If I knew, I’d write a story about it. But I remain convinced we must imagine more to inspire the next generation of dreamers, inventors, and engineers.
I'm reading (OK, re-reading...) Anathem by Neal Stephenson. The second half of the book has lots of space travel, people in individual space suits traveling in high orbit, and an trans-cosmos ship with 16 mile-diameter spheres with water and people in them. Written in 2008. He wrote another called Seven Eves about the moon being destroyed. Lots of space travel stuff in there, too. Both of these books mention that orbital plane-changing maneuvers are expensive of fuel!