Science fiction facts for kids
Science fiction (often called sci-fi or SF) is a type of story. These stories can be novels, movies, TV shows, comic books, and other literature.
SF stories often take place in the future. They can be about new science and inventions. Examples include spaceships, time machines, and robots. Science fiction often shows worlds very different from our own. These worlds might have science and tools that do not exist yet. Many stories happen on other planets. They often feature alien creatures.
Science fiction is different from fantasy. Fantasy stories usually have magic and things that are not based on science. Isaac Asimov, a famous science fiction writer, once said that science fiction is possible, but fantasy is not.
Writers often use SF to explore everyday questions. They might put these questions in a future setting. This helps people think about important ideas in a new way.
Contents
Early Science Fiction Stories
Science fiction has changed over time. Some authors wrote SF books before the name "science fiction" existed. These books were not called SF when they came out. But today, we often see them as early science fiction.
- Jonathan Swift – Gulliver's Travels (1726)
- Mary Shelley – Frankenstein (1818)
- Jules Verne – Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1870)
- H. G. Wells – The Time Machine (1895)
Science Fiction in the 20th Century
- Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, and Arthur C. Clarke are known as the "Big Three" SF authors of the 20th century.
- Other well-known authors include Philip K. Dick, Poul Anderson, and William Gibson.
- Star Trek is a 1960s American TV show. It led to many movies and new TV series.
- Doctor Who is a very long-running British TV show.
Different Kinds of Science Fiction
There are two main types of science fiction: Hard SF and Soft SF. People might not always agree on their exact definitions. But they differ in how they use science in their stories.
Hard Science Fiction
Hard science fiction, or "hard SF", uses real facts and theories from science. Physics, astrophysics, and chemistry are very important in Hard SF. These stories can show worlds that advanced technology might make possible. Some correct predictions about the future have come from hard SF. However, many incorrect ideas have also appeared. Some hard SF writers are also scientists. Examples include Gregory Benford and Geoffrey A. Landis. Other famous hard SF authors are Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Larry Niven.
Soft Science Fiction
Soft science fiction stories get ideas from social sciences. These include psychology, economics, political science, and sociology. Important writers in this group are Ursula K. Le Guin and Philip K. Dick. Soft SF often focuses on characters and their feelings. Ray Bradbury, who won a major SF award, wrote in this style.
Some Soft SF can be a type of speculative fiction. This includes utopian (perfect world) or dystopian (bad world) stories. Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley are examples. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood is another.
Popular Styles of Science Fiction
Within Hard or Soft SF, there are many different styles. These are called subgenres. Each subgenre groups stories with similar ideas or writing styles. This helps readers choose books or movies. Sometimes, a story can fit into more than one subgenre.
Alternate History
In alternate history stories, writers imagine how the past could have been different. These stories might use time travel to change history. Or they might set a story in a world with a different past than ours.
- Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore imagines the South winning the American Civil War.
- The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick shows a world where Germany and Japan won World War II.
Harry Turtledove is a very famous writer in this subgenre. He is often called the "master of alternate history."
Apocalyptic Stories
Apocalyptic fiction is about the end of civilization. This can happen in many ways. It might be through war (like On The Beach). It could be a disease (The Last Man). Or it might be a giant space rock hitting Earth (When Worlds Collide). Stories can also be about the world after such a disaster.
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk started in the early 1980s. The word combines "cybernetics" (about control systems) and "punk" (a music style). William Gibson's book Neuromancer is a classic example. Cyberpunk stories often take place in the near future. They are usually set in dystopian (unpleasant) societies. These societies have very advanced technology. Often, a few huge corporations control everything.
Military Science Fiction
Military science fiction stories happen during wars. These wars can be between countries, planets, or even different species. The stories are often told by soldiers. They include details about military technology, rules, and history. Some military SF can feel like real historical wars. Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers is an early example. Joe Haldeman's The Forever War is another important book.
Superhuman Stories
Superhuman stories are about people who gain special, unusual abilities. These powers might come from nature. Examples include Olaf Stapledon's Odd John. Sometimes, scientists give people special powers on purpose. In Frederik Pohl's Man Plus, scientists turn a man into a powerful cyborg (part human, part machine).
These stories often explore two main ideas. One is how lonely these superhuman people might feel. The other is how society reacts to them.
Space Opera
Space opera is adventure science fiction set in outer space or on distant planets. Action is usually more important than the science or characters. There is often a strong hero and a very big conflict. The story usually moves to many different places. Flash Gordon and Star Wars are popular examples.
Space Western
Space Western combines ideas from stories about exploring the American Old West with space in the future. These stories often take place on "frontier" colony worlds. These new colonies are like the wild west, with less law and lots of growth. Examples include the TV show Firefly and the movie Serenity. Anime shows like Cowboy Bebop are also Space Westerns. Han Solo from "Star Wars" is a famous Space Western character.
Time Travel
The first important time travel novel was Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The most famous is H. G. Wells's 1895 novel The Time Machine. Wells's book uses a machine to travel to an exact time. The term "time machine" was invented by Wells. Now it means any vehicle that can take a rider to a different time. Time travel stories can be complex. They sometimes have logical problems, like the grandfather paradox. Time travel is a popular topic in modern science fiction.
Other Science Fiction Styles
- Comic science fiction uses humor with SF ideas.
- Feminist science fiction asks questions about society. It explores how society creates gender roles. It also looks at how having children affects the power of men and women. These stories might show utopias where gender differences don't cause problems. Or they might show dystopias where gender inequality is worse. This shows why feminist work is still needed. Ursula K. Le Guin and Margaret Atwood write in this style.
- Libertarian science fiction is written from a political view. It uses fiction to explore ideas from libertarian political ideas about government. A classic example is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein.
- Steampunk imagines future technology in the past. These stories are usually set in the 19th century, often in Victorian era England. Steampunk stories have strong images from science fiction or fantasy. They can feature imaginary inventions like those in books by H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. Imagining a world where computers were invented long ago is also popular. The name comes from the fact that machines are often powered by steam in this genre.
Science Fiction Fans and Community
Science fiction fandom is a community of people who love SF stories and ideas. Members, called "fans", connect at conventions or clubs. They also use online fanzines and websites.
SF fandom started from letters in Amazing Stories magazine. Soon, fans wrote letters to each other. Then they grouped their comments into informal publications called fanzines. Fans wanted to meet in person, so they formed local clubs. In the 1930s, the first science fiction conventions brought fans together from wider areas. Conventions, clubs, and fanzines were the main fan activities for many years. The Internet later made it easier for many more people to connect.
Awards for Science Fiction
There are two very important science fiction awards: the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award. The World Science Fiction Society gives the Hugo Award at Worldcon each year. The Nebula Award is given by SFWA and voted on by authors. For science fiction movies, the Saturn Award is important. The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror movies gives this award every year.
There are also national awards, like Canada's Aurora Award. Regional awards exist too, like the Endeavour Award for works from the Pacific Northwest. Some awards are for special interests, like the Chesley Award for art. Magazines also have reader polls, like the Locus Award.
Conventions, Clubs, and Groups
Conventions (or "cons") are held in cities worldwide. They bring together fans from local areas, regions, or even different countries. Some conventions cover all types of science fiction. Others focus on specific interests, like media fandom (TV shows and movies). Most are run by volunteers in non-profit groups.
A convention's activities are called the "program." This might include discussions, readings by authors, autograph sessions, and costume contests. Other activities happen throughout the convention. These often include a dealer's room (for buying items), an art show, and a hospitality lounge.
Conventions may also host award ceremonies. Worldcons give out the Hugo Awards every year. SF societies are groups that have activities for fans all year. They might be linked to a convention or have regular club meetings. Most groups meet in libraries, schools, or community centers.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) was started in 1965. It is a non-profit group for professional science fiction authors. Fandom has helped other groups start, like the Society for Creative Anachronism and gaming groups.
Fan Fiction
Fan fiction is writing created by people who love an SF story or world. It is not made for money. Fans write stories that take place in the world of an existing book, movie, or TV series. Some people call it "fanfic." Sometimes, the owners of the original stories ask fans to stop writing fanfic.
Images for kids
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The alien invasion featured in H. G. Wells' 1897 novel The War of the Worlds, as illustrated by Henrique Alvim Corrêa
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The Maschinenmensch from Metropolis
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Don Hastings (left) and Al Hodge in Captain Video and His Video Rangers
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"Happy 1984" in Spanish or Portuguese, referencing George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, on a standing piece of the Berlin Wall (sometime after 1998)
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Illustration by Aubrey Beardsley for Lucian's A True Story
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Plaque at Riverside, Iowa, to honor the "future birth" of Star Trek's James T. Kirk
See also
In Spanish: Ciencia ficción para niños
