Comments on: Burn After Reading – ‘Science Fiction, And Why It Needs Secret Decoder Rings’ by Gary Gibson

By: Stuart Clark

Stuart Clark — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:25:15 +0000

All too true. Another classic example of SF not being called SF and doing extremely well in the mainstream is Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” which is clearly post-apocalyptic SF. Yet I’m sure if you asked most of Oprah’s book club who read it if they read or have ever read SF they would tell you no.

It’s funny. When I’m doing book signings I’m amazed at the number of people who straight up tell me “I don’t read science fiction.” What’s also interesting is that if I tell people my novel is more of an adventure story than it is Sci-Fi, they’re more inclined to pick up a copy.

It’s all very interesting but somewhat sad that we need to distance ourselves from a genre we love to make it acceptable to the mainstream.

By: Medora

Medora — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:56:28 +0000

This reminds me of the issues surrounding the romance genre. As Gibson notes, it is, regardless of genre, about people – the human response to a variety of circumstances. I look for good writing, not a specific genre, when I read, and can cross genres in my reading preferences from day to day with that as my guide. I absolutely get strange looks or comments (recently during lunch, while reading a Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic graphic novel a stranger approached me and laughed – “are you really reading that? Is that your kid’s?”) and I feel sorry for those readers who write off a genre based on fear of reprisal or prejudgment of the ‘maturity’ or quality of the content. They are missing so much insight into humanity, into themselves – as well as great entertainment.

Jay – don’t get me started on Never Let Me Go. I am writing an essay on it for a postcolonial lit class and am basically sleeping with it. I have yet to find the right place in my head for this very disturbing – yes – science fiction title.

By: Jay Tomio

Jay Tomio — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 10:51:13 +0000

This got me thinking in how many time I’ve actually heard the word ‘Science fiction” spoken. Not being an author in the form (or otherwise) or in the business of it it seems slightly odd that I can’t really recall every hearing it, even though so many popular shows use the elements. While book nerds would argue ‘fantasy’ and ‘SF’ to mainstream audiences, Lost could or should be science fiction. As much as I hear “BSG’ (which still isn’t much, mind you) I never hear the term ‘Science fiction”. Among my own circle of friends, I find that it’s quite possible the words have never left their mouths.

Still, even with ‘the genre’ you’ll get people fighting on opposite ‘sides’ like (I think) I remembered with Ishiguro’s ‘Never Let Me Go’.

By: Matt Cibula

Matt Cibula — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:56:20 +0000

Haha there IS a rebranding going on — look at Syfy!

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:07:11 +0000

If the term SF has acquired negative brand equity, it may be time to rebrand the genre. I can imagine the blurbs: Gary Gibson’s new XENOPROSE; or Gibson’s new VOID DRAMA; or Gary gives a reading from his next SQUIDBLATHER book; the possibilities are endless!