Prejudiced Against Science Fiction?

I've often asked myself why certain people are so prejudiced against science fiction. Here are a few of the reasons I've come up with:

1) They've read some really bad SF.
2) They've read some really good SF, but couldn't get into it because it had too much technical jargon, way-out theories, or high-faluting vocabulary. ( I could name a few examples, but I'll refrain! )
3) They presume SF will be boring.
4) They consider all SF to be along the lines of "Star Wars" ( which is really space opera, not SF. )
5) They've read only SF that is outdated, the ones reality has already far surpassed.
6) They haven't yet discovered that one book that would really, truly appeal to them.

I've read a great deal of science fiction over the years, as well as related genres. Do I enjoy all of it? Frankly, no. But since I write mainly in the field of SF, I need to be aware, at least somewhat, of what other authors have done. But that doesn't mean I consider all equally good or to my tastes.

Once in a while I find something that I really admire, something that speaks to me. For instance, long ago I fell in love with the work of Zenna Henderson. Her " People" stories perfectly suit my tastes; they have humor, emotion, characters I could easily identify with, warmth, and a great sense of place ( the southwest ).

And much more recently I've, oddly enough, acquired a taste for urban fantasy, such as Tanya Huff's "Blood" books, Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse books, and Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments books. A bit of an odd combination, eh?

Any suggestions about converting those who purport to "hate" SF?

MRTighe

Hard vs. Soft

Not all science fiction is created equal! By that I mean that there is an SF book to suit all tastes; many sub-genres exist, so if you don't appreciate what is generally referred to as "hard" SF---which is primarily based upon advanced technology and scientific principles and theories---there is plenty of "soft" SF out there, including space opera.

Although I've read quite a bit of hard SF ( for example, Larry Niven's Ringworld comes to mind ), I actually prefer to read and write "soft" SF---as well as a bit of space opera. If you don't enjoy reading the hard stuff, I recommend Zenna Henderson's People books---actually a compendium of her short stories about a group of aliens who land on Earth and pass themselves off as humans. They have some extraordinary powers, such as levitation and causing musical instruments to play by themselves.

I dearly wish someone would base a movie on that series; it would undoubtedly bring viewers to tears. Some of those stories are so heart-breaking I can barely get through them! They are definitely NOT your typical SF. And if you like dragons, I suggest you check out Anne McCaffrey's Dragonrider series, especially Dragonflight, one of my all-time favorites. I've been hoping for many years now that these books would be filmed; dragon-tech is now so advanced ( ala Harry Potter, Avatar, and Reign of Fire ) that the movie would be spectacular! Well, I can always dream.

All for now,

MRTighe

My Favorite Books and Authors

Hello again,

I just wanted to share a few of my favorites with you. It's possible you may also enjoy some of them, and it will give you some idea of what I write. First of all, I love Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. I try to read this classic, high-fantasy once a year. I find it very inspirational and unbeatable.

I also love all the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. She is a fantastic writer, and,no, her books are not just for kids (especially the later ones!)  I also enjoy the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Myer. Notice so far these are all fantasies of one sort or another.

As far as science fiction is concerned, probably my all-time favorite author is Zenna Henderson. I'm a big fan of her People stories/books. If you've never read them, run to the library and look them up. NESFA has published a collection of her stories in a book titled Ingathering. Her "People" are aliens from a destroyed world who are very much like us--only with a few extra "talents". Her work is the best example of "soft" science fiction I know of, beautifully written and very moving.

I also love the early Dragonrider books by Anne McCaffrey, especially the first three in the series. When I first read them, I considered them fantasy, but as the series progressed and she explained the back history of the planet Pern, it became clear that she was indeed writing SF. Sometimes the boundaries between genres are unclear, and as long as things don't get too muddled, I'm fine with that. Please note that by no means do I put myself in the same category as any of these fine writers, but I hope if you enjoy their work, you'll also enjoy reading mine.

Thanks for reading,

MRTighe