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Essay About Science Fiction

Science Fiction Essay: Examples & Easy Steps Guide

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Whether you are a science or literature student, you have one task in common:

Writing an essay about science fiction!

Writing essays can be hard, but writing about science fiction can be even harder. How do you write an essay about something so diverse and deep? And where do you even start?

In this guide, we will discuss what science fiction is and how to write an essay about it. You will also get possible topics and example essays to help get your creative juices flowing.

So read on for all the information you need to ace that science fiction essay.

• 1. What Is Science Fiction?
• 2. Science Fiction Essay Examples
• 3. How to Write an Essay About Science Fiction?
• 4. Science Fiction Essay Ideas
• 5. Science Fiction Essay Questions
• 6. Science Fiction Essay Tips

What Is Science Fiction?

Science fiction, often abbreviated as sci-fi, is a genre of literature, film, and art that explores imaginative and speculative concepts rooted in science and technology. 

It typically involves scenarios that are futuristic, speculative, or based on alternative realities. Science fiction is popular in novels, films, television, and other media.

At its core, science fiction is a genre that uses scientific concepts to explore the human condition or to create alternate realities. It often asks questions about the nature of reality, morality, and ethics in light of scientific advancements.

What Is a Science Fiction Essay?

A science fiction essay explores themes, ideas, characters, settings, or stories within the genre. 

It differs from science essays that deal with factual information and data. Instead, science fiction essays dive into imaginative scenarios and speculative ideas. 

They analyze and interpret these elements to uncover deeper meanings and insights about the future, technology, and society.

Let's explore some science fiction essay examples so you can have a better understanding of them.

Science Fiction Essay Examples

It can be helpful to look at examples when you're learning how to write an essay. Here is an example of an argumentative essay about science fiction:

Here is another example of easy on science fiction and fantasy:

Check out more sample science fiction essay PDF examples:

Science Fiction Short Story Example

How to Start a Science Fiction Essay

Le Guin Science Fiction Essay

Pessimism In Science Fiction

Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Peculiarities Of Science Fiction Films

Essay on Science Fiction Movies

Essay on Science Fiction Literature Example

Example Essay About Science Fiction

Short Essay About Science Fiction - Example Essay

Looking for range of science essays? Here is a blog with some flawless science essay examples .

How to Write an Essay About Science Fiction?

Writing an essay on science fiction can be fun and exciting. It gives you the opportunity to explore new ideas and worlds.

Here are a few key steps you should follow for science fiction essay writing.

Know What Kind of Essay To Write

Before diving into your essay, understand the type of essay you want to write. 

Are you writing an analytical essay that looks into a specific theme? Perhaps you're working on a compare and contrast essay , examining different works or concepts. Or are you exploring the impact of science fiction on society?

Clarifying your essay's focus will guide your research and structure.

Find an Interesting Topic

There is a lot of science fiction out there. Find a movie, novel, or science fiction concept you want to discuss.

Think about what themes, messages, and ideas you want to explore. Look for interesting topics about science and technology that can help make your essay stand out.

You can find a good topic by brainstorming the concepts or ideas that you find interesting. For instance, do you like the idea of traveling to the past or visiting futuristic worlds?

You'll find some great science fiction topics about the ideas you like to explore.

Do Some Research

Read more about the topic or idea you have selected. 

Read articles, reviews, research papers, and talk to people who know science fiction. Get a better understanding of the idea you want to explore before diving in.

When doing research, take notes and keep track of sources. This will come in handy when you start writing your essay.

Organize Your Essay Outline

Now that you have done your research and have a good understanding of the topic, it's time to create an outline.

An outline will help you organize your thoughts and make sure all parts of your essay fit together. Your outline should include a thesis statement , supporting evidence, and a conclusion.

Once the outline is complete, start writing your essay.

Start Writing Your First Draft

Start your first draft by writing the introduction. Include a hook , provide background information, and identify your thesis statement.

Here is the example of hook for science fiction essay:

Your introduction should be catchy and interesting. But it also needs to show what the essay is about clearly.

Afterward, write your body paragraphs. In these paragraphs, you should provide supporting evidence for your main thesis statement. This could include quotes from books, films, or other related sources. Make sure you also cite any sources you use to avoid plagiarism.

Finally, conclude your essay with a summary of your main points and any final thoughts. Your science fiction essay conclusion should tie everything together and leave the reader with something to think about.

Edit and Proofread

Once your first draft is complete, it's time to edit and proofread.

Edit for any grammar mistakes, typos, or errors in facts. Check for sentence structure and make sure all your points are supported with evidence.

Finally, make sure that the science fiction essay format is followed. Your instructor will provide you with specific formatting instructions. These will include font style, page settings, and heading styles. So make sure to format your essay accordingly.

Once you're happy with your final draft, submit your essay with confidence. With these steps, you'll surely write a great essay on science fiction!

Science Fiction Essay Ideas

Finding a topic for your science fiction essay is a difficult part. You need to find something that is interesting as well as relatable. 

That is why we have collected a list of good topics to help you brainstorm more ideas. You can create a topic similar to these or choose one from here. 

Here are some possible essay topics about science fiction:

• The Evolution of Science Fiction
• The Impact of Science Fiction on Society
• The Relationship Between Science and Science Fiction
• Discuss the Different Subgenres of Science Fiction
• The Influence of Science Fiction on Pop Culture
• The Role of Women in Science Fiction
• Describe Your Favorite Sci-Fi Novel or Film
• The Relationship Between Science Fiction and Fantasy
• Discuss the Major Themes of Your Favorite Science Fiction Story
• Explore the themes of identity in sci-fi films

Need prompts for your next science essay? Check out our 150+ science essay topics blog!

Science Fiction Essay Questions

Explore thought-provoking themes with these science fiction essay questions. From futuristic technology to extraterrestrial encounters, these prompts will ignite your creativity and critical thinking skills.

• How does sci-fi depict AI's societal influence?
• What ethical issues arise in genetic engineering in sci-fi?
• How have alien civilizations evolved in the genre?
• What's the contemporary relevance of dystopian themes in sci-fi?
• How do time travel narratives handle causality?
• What role does climate change play in science fiction?
• Ethical considerations of human augmentation in sci-fi?
• How does gender feature in future societies in sci-fi?
• What social commentary is embedded in sci-fi narratives?
• Themes of space exploration in sci-fi?

Science Fiction Essay Tips

Here are some helpful tips to get you started on writing a science fiction essay that will impress your teacher and guarantee you a top grade.

• Select a theme or concept that interests you within science fiction.
• Familiarize yourself with common themes and influential works.
• Consider how these elements contribute to the narrative and its themes.
• Discuss hypothetical situations and their implications on society or technology.
• Interpret symbols, metaphors, and allegories to uncover deeper meanings.
• Use quotes and examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.
• Reflect on cultural and historical influences on the science fiction work.
• Provide your own interpretations and perspectives.
• Ensure clarity, coherence, and effective organization in your writing.

To conclude the blog,

Writing a science fiction essay doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With these steps, examples, and tips, you can be sure to write an essay that will impress your teacher and guarantee you a top grade. 

Whether it’s an essay about science fiction movies or novels, you can ace it with these steps! Remember, the key is to be creative and organized in your writing!

Don't have time to write your essay? 

Don't stress! Leave it to us! Our science essay writing service is here to help! 

Contact the team of experts at our essay writing service . We can help you write a creative, well-organized, and engaging essay for the reader. We provide free revisions and other exclusive perks!

Have questions? Ask our 24/7 customer support!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to start a science fiction essay.

To start a science fiction essay, begin with a captivating hook that grabs the reader's attention. This could be a thought-provoking quote from a science fiction work, an intriguing question, or a fascinating fact about the genre. Follow this with some background information on the topic to set the context.

What is the purpose of science fiction?

The purpose of science fiction is to explore imaginative and speculative concepts, often grounded in scientific principles, to address complex questions about the future, technology, and humanity. It serves to entertain, provoke thought, and offer commentary on societal issues, ethical dilemmas, and the potential consequences of scientific advancements. By pushing the boundaries of what is known, science fiction encourages readers to reflect on the possibilities and challenges that lie ahead.

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Betty is a freelance writer and researcher. She has a Masters in literature and enjoys providing writing services to her clients. Betty is an avid reader and loves learning new things. She has provided writing services to clients from all academic levels and related academic fields.

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Let’s Stop with the Realism Versus Science Fiction and Fantasy Debate

Lincoln michel proposes a new way to think about fictional worlds.

We live in unreal times. I wake up in the middle of a global pandemic to watch a reality-TV president spout conspiracy theories while dystopian corporations enact new science fiction tech. In this chaos, I’ve found myself turning to escapist fiction. Stories that conjure a different, more peaceful and stable world. For me that’s been stories labeled “realism.”

Recently I escaped into James Salter’s masterful Last Night . Salter’s short stories are deeply moving and filled with gorgeous prose. Yet these stories of wealthy people having affairs and dinner parties are scrubbed of bitter partisan politics, foreign wars, and crumbling economics that have defined my own experience of American life, even though the book was published in Bush’s second term.

I’m not critiquing Salter, who is one of the most stunning prose writers in American literature. But it’s made me wonder about “realism.” Are Salter’s stories more real than, say, the stories of George Saunders which may include fantasy or SF elements yet more clearly evoke the daily news? Is “realism” a useful term in 2020? Was it ever?

Imagine a football field of fiction. The left endzone perfectly imitates reality. The right endzone fully invents a new one. Art, being imperfect, can never reach either goal. But perhaps the left five-yard line is dotted with the dirty realism of Raymond Carver or researched historical fiction like Wolf Hall   while the other five-yard line has the fantastic imaginings of Star Wars  or Lord of the Rings . Everything to the left of the 50-yard line is “realism” and everything to the right of it is “science fiction and fantasy.”

This is how many readers, authors, and even critics view the terrain of literature. (And, yes, sadly many view it as a competition where we must choose a side.) Literary discourse often devolves into squabbling over the failed “realism” of stylized novels like Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch and Hanya Yanagihara’s  A Little Life or debates about whether magical realism is just fantasy for literary snobs .

Last year, an award-winning SFF author told me that non-realist literary authors like Karen Russell and Donald Barthelme were “actually science fiction and fantasy writers” while also mocking non-realist literary authors for “not even thinking through their worldbuilding.” The result is a big confused mess that leaves whole swaths of literature—fabulism, surrealism, hysterical realism, postmodernism, and so on—floating in the ether.

Realism is not a binary. It is at a minimum a spectrum. If you charted fictional realities on a football field, you’d find that work on the 45-yard “Realism” side is closer to the 45-yard “SFF” marker than it is to, say, Sally Rooney over the 8-yard line. But even a spectrum doesn’t accurately capture the vast ocean of fiction that takes our reality and heightens, stylizes, distorts, or warps it in different ways.

Take Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Wilde’s play is “realism” in the narrow sense of taking place in our world—gravity is the same, there are no dragons or vampires, etc.—yet the plot revolves around a series of intentionally absurd coincidences and the characters speak in polished bon mots. Wilde, who hated the trend toward realism , was certainly not attempting to recreate reality. But there’s little in common between Lady Bracknell and a Balrog.

On the other hand, where do we place a chillingly realistic yet reinvented version of our world like Philip Roth’s The Plot Against America , which imagines an alternate American history where fascism ascends during World War II? Once, someone passionately argued it was science fiction because of some rationale involving wormholes and the multiverse. Somehow, I doubt wormholes were what was on Roth’s mind. And I’ve yet to see anyone argue that Curtis Sittenfeld’s Rodham , which imagines an alternative history where Hillary never married Bill Clinton, is science fiction.

Lastly, think of Franz Kafka’s “The Judgement.” This story, like most of Kafka’s work, has no overt fantasy or SF elements. (“The Metamorphosis” is an outlier in this regard.) In “The Judgement,” a guy is in a house talking to his father about his engagement and business. But the tale has a dream logic and nightmarish atmosphere that is operating on a field far away from realism.

These examples—the aestheticism of Wilde, alternate histories of Roth and Sittenfeld, and Kafkaesque nightmares—are just three of countless ways reality can be skewed, distorted, or heightened. When we look at the scope of literature, very little of it fits neatly into the realist box.

A couple years ago I was teaching Ursula K. Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” when a student complained that the whole thing was “too unrealistic.” On his desk, I saw a copy of A Game of Thrones .

At the time I found the comment, like the above tweet, funny. But in truth this student, like the SFF author who claims magical realists are “not even thinking through their worldbuilding,” was not entirely  wrong. The fabulist parable of “Omelas” is not operating in the (relatively speaking) realistic mode of A Game of Thrones . Le Guin herself has argued that “serious science fiction is a mode of realism, not of fantasy.” Serious attempts to portray changes to reality have more in common with realism than they do with, say, fairy tales. The modes are similar.

Historically, “Realism” was a question of mode. The term was used to distinguish naturalistic works from forms like Romances (chivalric, not bodice-ripping) and Gothic novels. Those latter modes sometimes contained unreal elements like dragons or ghosts, but not necessarily. Mainly they differed in presenting a heightened reality  with increased drama, humor, sentiment, grotesquerie, and so on.

What would it look like to reject realism/SFF as a binary and to acknowledge mode? While making notes for this essay I thought of the political compass that frequently makes its way ( often as memes ) around the internet. The compass uses two axes to give us four broad quadrants to give us a somewhat more nuanced view of the ideological spectrum than a left/right binary:

We could chart literature this way with two axes I’ll label the mimetic—fantastic and the naturalistic—expressionist. You might call these the world scale and the mode scale. The first axis is pretty obvious. To what degree does the fictional world follow the physical laws and actual history of our world? For the mode axis, it might be useful to think of visual art. In a naturalistic painting, the image attempts to look as it does through our eyes. In an expressionist painting the contents of the painting may be mundane, but the depiction is twisted and estranged.

Graphing literature with a world axis and a mode axis gives us four quadrants that I’ll label Realist, Speculative, Fabulist, and Stylized. (Note: what I label “stylized” reality is not a claim that these books are written with more or less stylish  prose.)

Some of the styles and subgenres are more locked-in than others. Surrealist authors are always in the lower right corner. However, some postmodernists like Barthelme and Coover fit in the lower middle while others might be more mimetic or more naturalistic. Similarly, before I try scattering some authors on this graph, a major caveat: few authors stay entirely in one area. Indeed some authors—Kazuo Ishiguro and Margaret Atwood, for example—move all over the map.

I want to stress here that this is a chart of fictional realities, which is only one part of fiction. Ishiguro has a consistent style and deploys similar themes whether he is writing realism ( The Remains of the Day ) or fabulism inspired by Arthurian legend ( The Buried Giant ). And two books on the same point of this chart might read wildly different in terms of the authors’ styles or structures—to say nothing of plot, story, and character. All placements are tentative and inexact. Authors roam. With that caveat, here’s an old college try:

I’m sure people can (and will—muting my Twitter notifications now) disagree about the exact placements, but I think this chart reveals a whole lot that the realism/SFF binary obscures. Expressionist and fantastic styles like magical realism use magic for poetic and symbolic effect that is in many ways closer to postmodernism than it is to, say, a high fantasy writer like Brandon Sanderson who says “magic works best for me when it aligns with scientific principles.”

On the other hand, one could make a strong argument that the immersive and (relatively) naturalistic worldbuilding of A Song of Ice and Fire  has more in common with historical fiction like Wolf Hall and I, Claudius than it does with the surrealism of Leonora Carrington. Dreamy Gothic works like Wuthering Heights  may be closer to Franz Kafka than they are to Raymond Carver, and so on.

Decentering “realism” also reminds us that what we find “realistic” is more ideological than it is aesthetic. To declare Lorrie Moore is more real than Carmen Maria Machado or Raymond Carver more real than Toni Morrison is to privilege a certain experience of reality. It is not a coincidence that the work of straight white Americans is more likely to be called realism while authors from other cultures, backgrounds, and traditions are frequently all lumped together as “magical realism.”

In modern American literature, both the literary fiction world and the SFF world have a bias toward naturalistic modes. In the literary world, this means a bias toward the naturalistic realism of Carver types and autofiction. In the SFF world, this means a bias toward worldbuilding-focused works, “hard” over “soft” science fiction, and Sanderson-type “scientific” fantasy authors. But this bias is not eternal or global. It is recent and cultural.

For my tastes, there is no point on this chart that is better, more rigorous, more moving, or more relevant than any spot. Every single point on this chart has its own strengths and possibilities. The pleasures of fabulist literature are simply different  from the pleasures of hard science fiction, just as the effects of noir are different than the effects of autofiction.

As authors, understanding where our stories chart helps us improve and sharpen the work. As critics, understanding the multiple directions that reality can be skewed might help avoid the still-far-too-common complaints about “unrealistic” elements of intentionally unreal works. Once we understand all that, perhaps we can do away with “realism” altogether.

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50 Science Fiction Plot Ideas and Writing Prompts

One of my most popular blog posts is my 50 Fantasy Plot Ideas and Writing Prompts , so I thought I’d share a companion post of sci fi story ideas and writing prompts. Some of these may be more along the lines of “speculative fiction” than science fiction. They include prompts about the environment, artificial intelligence, genetics, medicine, time travel, space exploration, alien races, and alternative histories.

The real value of sci fi ideas, of course, is the way the author uses them to explore questions about society, humanity, and relationships. I created these as interesting writing prompts for adults, but many of them might be appropriate for teen writers, too. I think in order to really learn how to write a science fiction story, you need to read a lot in the genre, but this can still be a fun place to start.

If you’re interested in writing science fiction and you don’t have an agent, you might want to take a look at my roundup of fantasy and science fiction publishers who accept unsolicited (or unagented) manuscripts. And if you’re not writing scifi right now, but you might be in the future, you might want to pin or bookmark the post for future reference!

• All citizens are temporarily neutered at birth. Would-be parents must prove to the government that they’ll be suitable caretakers and providers before they are allowed to procreate.
• All marriages must be approved by a department of the government, which analyzes massive amounts of data to predict the success of the union, its economic and social impact on society, the health and welfare of any children, and so on. It’s such a hassle that many people opt for government-arranged marriages instead.
• Global warming prompts rapid mutations in the human species.
• The world’s leaders broker a deal with the alien invaders that many see as unfair.
• Humans have discovered a way to communicate directly with animals, and all the meat they consume is lab-created.
• Extreme elective surgery is the societal norm, and humans undergo creative modifications that include extra limbs, cartoon-like features, and so on.
• Breeding modern humans with large amounts of Neanderthal DNA leads to interesting results.
• In this world, Napoleon’s army took over Australia, he never lost at Waterloo, France took control of most of Europe, and World War I and World War II never happened.
• An alien from a planet where no one else experiences empathy comes to live on Earth, believing they will fit in better there.
• A drug that makes people non-confrontational has been added to the public water supply and to all beverages sold by major corporations.
• The huge, thin sheets of material covering some trees and yards turn out to be discarded placentas.
• A low-level employee in a bureaucratic government office realizes the paperwork he files every day contains codes that determine others’ fates.
• A human and alien fall in love, causing an interplanetary crisis.

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• An alien doesn’t know how to tell the humans s/he’s become intimately involved with that s/he’s an alien, even though they will find out soon.
• High-speed robotic horses become a trendy alternative to cars and weave through heavy traffic with ease.
• Birds and butterflies are able to navigate on long migrations due to proteins in their bodies that align with the earth’s magnetic fields. Scientists put these proteins to a new use.
• An entertainment company synthesizes huge amounts of data they collected about viewer’s responses to movies and shows, and they use it to create a TV show that’s dangerously addictive.
• Mars has been terraformed by dropping nuclear bombs on its poles, and the first human colonists have been assured that almost all of the radiation has escaped the atmosphere.
• An attempt to save the honeybees had surprising consequences.
• Online bullying is made a felony, which leads to unforeseen complications.
• At a new underwater amusement park and resort, built at a greater depth than any other construction before, the guests face an unforeseen threat.
• Spies use tiny implants in the retina that record and transmit everything to the commanders in another country. The implants dissolve after a certain amount of time.
• The first time travellers seem to have no ability to improve the course of human events. If they kill Hitler, for instance, some other person does exactly what he did. They search for the way to really alter the timeline.
• Astronauts develop strange and unexpected symptoms in response to traveling at light speed.
• It’s easy to look up exactly where any person is at any given time.
• New fitness devices track your movements and everything you eat automatically.
• A new device automatically tracks your mood levels and emotions. This leads people to avoid more of what makes them unhappy and do more of what makes them feel good.
• People become human mood rings: they get implants that make them change color along with their mood.
• Criminals and dissidents undergo illegal genetic therapy to change their DNA so the government has no record of them.
• Euthanasia is legal and painless means are widely available. A detective specializes in suspicious cases of euthanasia that may have been murder.
• Books and videogames have both been replaced by interactive virtual worlds filled with fascinating characters.
• Colonists on another planet want to be an independent country and lead a rebellion.
• People from a civilization that mysteriously disappeared centuries ago, such as ancestral Puebloans in the U.S. Southwest, return.
• An alien planet outsources city planning by creating a complex, engrossing city-building videogame popular with humans.
• A time traveler from centuries in the future fails in their attempt to impersonate a person of the twenty-first century. They enlist someone’s help to carry out a mission.
• A virus can be transmitted from computers or other machines to humans with bionic upgrades.
• Advertisements appear randomly in thin air in front of a person. Getting media without this advertising is prohibitively expensive.
• A team of scientists attempt to genetically alter a human to adapt to another planet’s terrain or outer space travel. They accidentally make him or her immortal.
• Implants make telepathy possible between the humans who get them.
• The Air Force uses invisibility technology for the first time, but the pilot realizes her mission is morally reprehensible.
• People are nostalgic for snow, so they create artificial snowstorms.
• In a world where pain and suffering have been eliminated, people pay to experience a variety of negative sensations under safe and controlled circumstances.
• A secret society of scientists labors to make medical discoveries and to save the planet, even though a religious fundamentalist government has outlawed their activities.
• Medical researchers are attempting to bring people back to life after they’ve been dead for thirty minutes or even an hour and give them a full recovery. Their experimentation is unethical and/or leads to strange alterations to people’s brains.
• Someone is shrunk to a tiny size to perform a life-saving or planet-saving procedure impossible for a machine or an average-sized human.
• His loved one died, but is alive in a parallel universe, and he is somehow getting messages or clues about her life there.
• On Ceres, a large asteroid, there’s a fueling station for spaceships. Terrorists take over the station and disrupt space travel and trade.
• Because it’s too hard to screen for performance-enhancing drugs, they are made legal and are an important component of sports.
• The ability to make visual recordings of dreams has exhilarating and terrifying consequences.
• Because android “kids” have become so lifelike, amusing, and hassle-free, no one wants to have real ones.
• (bonus) Patients are woken up from hibernation when the cures to their diseases have been discovered.

I hope you liked these! And if one of them sparks your imagination, don’t feel guilty about using it–you’ll wind up putting your personal spin on it, anyway. Or maybe something on the list will inspire a completely different idea of your own!

Would you like some more? My book 5,000 Writing Prompts has 100 more science fiction writing prompts in addition to the ones on this list, plus hundreds of other master plots by genre, dialogue and character prompts, and much more.

Thanks for stopping by, and happy writing!

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21 thoughts on “ 50 science fiction plot ideas and writing prompts ”.

As much as I love reading and writing books, I’d definitely be interested in interacting with a virtual fantasy world. I’d also like the automatic fitness and mood trackers. I don’t write science fiction, but I’d love some of these to be real someday. Great prompts!

Hi Renea! Yeah, a few of these were wishful thinking. 🙂 Thanks for the kind words!

Hi, what a wonderful list! Thank you. I noticed that there are two #25’s listed so the list is actually 51. 🙂

Hahaha! Hey, I’m a writer, not a numbers gal. 😉 I re-numbered it so #51 is a bonus. Thanks, Laurie!

I like you list as well. “Bryn laughed as she posted her answer for miscounting her plots. Then the total number of characters in her post quickly appeared in her mind. “That’s never happened to me before.” as she smiled to herself. She started to get up to get a bottle of water. As she looked down pressed the keys to lock her computer screen, she quickly counted the pores on the back of her hand. “Wait a minute. What the heck is going on?”

Thanks for all the great sci-fi prompts, Bryn. 🙂 — Suzanne

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34. Is interesting. Outsourcing anything to other civilizations by means of games is a great idea.

Well written and interesting! You should check out my article on the physics of Black Holes: https://therealsciblog.wordpress.com/2018/06/20/black-holes/

Also I will follow anyone who follows me, so please please please follow me!

“In a world where pain and suffering have been eliminated, people pay to experience a variety of negative sensations under safe and controlled circumstances.”

That was actually the plot of a Star Trek: Voyager episode (Random Thoughts) in the 1990s. The only exception is that the trade of negative sensations was illegal, and sanctioned by the government.

Hello! I love your ideas. But what if someone uses one of your story plots and publishes the book? Would you want credit?

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I think you meant to say that Napoleon invades Austria, not Australia?

I have a good plot. the idea itself has been forming and ripening in my mind for 15 years. can i share with you? if so, please contact me by this mail. [email protected]

Science fiction is not just about aliens, mermaids, time travel, and more. Here, you can also write about deep and philosophical stuff, and even tackle societal issues. For example, issues on technological advancement such as the possible takeover of robots and the impending destruction of the planet are commonly emphasized in numerous science fiction novels. These and all the other issues in the society today are tackled in length in science fiction because there is no better place to explore them than in this genre.

Fantastic Plot Ideas! Thanks for sharing. Science fiction stories often illustrate the social reality of the current times. These stories give us a clear picture of how the technologies of today are affecting our daily lives, particularly our interaction and connection with one another. These stories help us understand the things that make up our current reality.

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Thankyou very much! I often write dilemma stories for my ethics class pupils to start or to complement a teaching unit. Fantasy and Science Fiction help us to talk to children even about explosive subjects. But I have less imagination as everyone thinks: Four or five ideas, and that´s it. So I just visited your collection to find more Ideas for my pupils. This was very helpful. Thanx in the name of the children.

Hi Cora! Ow wow, that is so cool! Your class sounds like so much fun. I’m so glad this was useful!

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Science Fiction & Fantasy: A Research Guide: Reference Sources

• Reference Sources
• Biographical Sources
• New Acquisitions
• Primary Sources

Encyclopedias & Guides

Specialized subject encyclopedias and dictionaries are excellent sources for overviews and introductions to topics within the genres of science fiction and fantasy. Since the 1970s many of these have been published, some with deeper and more extensive coverage than others. Below is a list of reference books available in Olin and Uris libraries. Some may be found in the Olin Reference collection, others are shelved in the Olin/Uris stacks or the Library Annex, as noted.

• Encyclopedia of horror movies by by Tom Milne and Paul Willemen Call Number: Library Annex PN1995.9.H6 M65 Publication Date: Harper & Row, 1986 Considered by many to be the definitive horror film reference. Covers films produced internationally between 1896 and 1985. Chronological arrangement. Illustrated.
• Encyclopedia of science fiction Call Number: Olin Stacks PN3448.S45 E56++ (6th floor) Publication Date: 1978 Contains introduction by Isaac Asimov

• Encyclopedia of science fiction and fantasy through 1968: a bibliographic survey of the fields of science fiction, fantasy, and weird fiction through 1968 by Compiled by Donald H. Tuck Call Number: Olin Reference Z5917.S36 T88 1974+ Publication Date: Advent, 1974-1982 3 vols.

• Horror literature : a core collection and reference guide by edited by Marshall B. Tymn Call Number: Olin Reference Z2014.H6 H81 Publication Date: Bowker, 1981 Provides historical and bibliographic overviews of topics and sub-genres, including the Gothic Romance, Cosmic Horror, Antiquarian Horror, Horror Pulps, Supernatural Verse in English, etc.

• New encyclopedia of science fiction by edited by James Gunn Call Number: Library Annex PN3433.4 .N48x 1988 Publication Date: Viking, 1988 Includes articles on 96 broad topics, as well as relatively brief entries on writers and others in the field. The editor is himself a science fiction writer.
• Penguin encyclopedia of horror and the supernatural Call Number: Olin stacks BF1407 .P39 + Publication Date: Penguin, 1986 Generic title notwithstanding, this volume primarily includes author entries (encompassing artists, actors, directors, etc., as well), individual film entries, and entries on themes (zombies, insects, opera). Illustrated. Introduction by Jacques Barzun.

• Visual encyclopedia of science fiction : a documented pictorial checklist of the SF world : concepts, themes, books, mags, comics, films, TV, radio, art, fandom, cults, personal commentaries by the greatest names in SF writing Call Number: Olin stacks PN3448.S45 V83 1977 + (6th floor) Publication Date: Harmony Books, 1977 Includes a year-by-year chronology and encyclopedic overviews of SF themes (Utopias and Nightmares, Computers and Cybernetics, Cities and Cultures, Mutants and Symbiotes), SF fandom, SF art, recurrent concepts, SF magazines, SF cinema, SF television, etc. Heavily illustrated.
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The Language of the Night: Essays on Writing, Science Fiction, and Fantasy Paperback – May 14, 2024

• Print length 304 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Scribner
• Publication date May 14, 2024
• Dimensions 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.38 inches
• ISBN-10 1668034905
• ISBN-13 978-1668034903
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Scribner (May 14, 2024)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1668034905
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1668034903
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.7 x 8.38 inches
• #27 in Science Fiction & Fantasy Literary Criticism (Books)
• #43 in Science Fiction History & Criticism
• #188 in Literary Criticism & Theory

About the author

Ursula k. le guin.

Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (US /ˈɜːrsələ ˈkroʊbər ləˈɡwɪn/; born October 21, 1929) is an American author of novels, children's books, and short stories, mainly in the genres of fantasy and science fiction. She has also written poetry and essays. First published in the 1960s, her work has often depicted futuristic or imaginary alternative worlds in politics, the natural environment, gender, religion, sexuality and ethnography.

She influenced such Booker Prize winners and other writers as Salman Rushdie and David Mitchell – and notable science fiction and fantasy writers including Neil Gaiman and Iain Banks. She has won the Hugo Award, Nebula Award, Locus Award, and World Fantasy Award, each more than once. In 2014, she was awarded the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. Le Guin has resided in Portland, Oregon since 1959.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

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Science fiction and fantasy

The question is whether it is possible to distinguish between fantasy and true science fiction. I am reminded of the analogy, attributable I believe, to Theodore Sturgeon, of the elf ascending vertically the side of a brick wall. In a science fiction story the knees of the elf would be bent, his center of gravity thrown forward, his stocking cap hanging down his neck, with his feet quite possibly equipped with some form of suction cups. In a fantasy, on the other hand, the elf would simply stride up the wall in a normal walking posture, with his stocking cap standing straight out from his brow.

What is the difference between these scenarios? The typical answer is that the science fiction story must play by the implicit rules of the universe; in this instance, gravitation. Fantasy, however, need not “tip its hat” to the Law of Universal Gravitation the story can bend the rules in which gives it the fantasy genre. But what if, for some specified reason, in the local vicinity of the elf on the wall, the vector of gravitational force just happens to be perpendicular to the side of the wall rather than parallel to it? In this case the behavior of the elf in the fantasy would be in perfect accord with physical law. One might then say that the fantasy is actually science fiction since we have posited a “scientific” explanation for the behavior of the elf.

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Both science fiction and mainstream fiction explore the political and social implications of religion. The chief difference is one of setting. Science fiction considers what religion may become under vastly altered circumstances. Leigh Brackett The Long Tomorrow (1955) suggests the possibility that one religion might better prepare its followers for post-holocaust existence than others do. Kate Wilhelm Let the Fire Fall (1969) takes place in a future United States swept by millennial fanaticism.

Frank Herbert Dune stories examine in some depth the effects of political rule by characters that are regarded as divine (Martin 1981). Certainly this is not a complete list of the ways science fiction writers treat the theme of religion. But it is suggestive of a much deeper and wider interest in the theme than many has been willing to recognize. So far, literary criticism has not adequately dealt with this fact. In light of the cultural influences already mentioned, these essays, by and large, take a generally Christian and theological approach to the topic.

This is by no means the only possibility, but it is a good beginning, especially as numbers of works recognized as outstanding science fiction have overtly Christian content the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs, for instance. In many books intended to introduce science fiction and/or fantasy to those who are not familiar with the field, there is a curious shilly-shallying about the difference between science fiction and fantasy. Typically the author starts off by stating confidently that the difference consists of the fact that science fiction deals with what is scientifically possible, whereas fantasy deals with what is not scientifically possible. Then the author loses his or her nerve a bit, because, after all, faster than-light travel is, so far as we know, scientifically impossible, and much modern science fiction could not do without it; the solar system is now too small for science fiction. And then there is that good old science fiction theme, time travel, which may be not only scientifically impossible, but somehow logically impossible. So, the grand generalization dies away in a flurry of qualifications, and the subject is tactfully changed.

It was J. R. R. Tolkien who put it all together, who produced adult fantasy that has invention and vision that is more memorable as itself than as the vehicle for any system of beliefs.

He began with The Hobbit in 1937, of which he wrote to W. H. Auden, “It was unhappily really meant, as far as I was concerned, as a ‘children’s story,’ and as I had not learned sense, then . . .

it has some of the silliness of manner caught unthinkingly from the kind of stuff I had had served to me . . . I deeply regret them.

So do intelligent children” (Paul 1972). It is Tolkien, in his superb essay “On Fairy-Stories,” who claims the name Fantasy for the genre in which he himself aspired to work. He knew exactly what he was doing and knew what it should be called. The Lord of the Rings is the paradigm of fantasy in our time. If there is such a thing as science fantasy, we will be able to locate it by its resemblance to and difference from Tolkien’s great work.

I observed earlier that the genre we have learned to call science fiction has been entangled with its other, its antigenre, fantasy, from the beginning, as Herbert Read noted in his usual blundering but perceptive manner, saying of H. G. Wells that he “comes as near as any modern writer to a sense of pure fantasy. He errs, as in The Time Machine, by imparting to his fantasies a pseudo-scientific logicality; it is as though having conceived one arbitrary fantasy he were compelled by the habits of his scientific training to work out the consequences of this fantasy” (Brian 1973). Here Read stumbled upon one of the better definitions of science fiction, but treated the whole enterprise simply as fantasy gone wrong. Read himself has gone wrong here, of course, by following the pseudoscientific logicality of his own definitions, but I want to suggest that he is also, at a very profound level, right.

He is right in seeing science fiction as a branch of fantasy. All in all, it appears that there is a difference between fantasy and true science fiction. That difference is perhaps most evident in the parallel universe genre, a genre which, although appearing to have solid roots in the science fiction camp, nonetheless demarcates the border between fantasy and science fiction. When the anomalies of a parallel universe are explained and rationalized in some detail, we have science fiction. Otherwise, we have fantasy.

A corollary here is that it cannot suffice to treat fantasy as science fiction transpiring in a parallel universe. Rather, fantasy is distinguished from science fiction on the basis of the author’s willingness or unwillingness to ground plot elements in some simulacrum of physical law. Even the distinction of fantasy from other sorts of narrative is not ancient. Although “fantasy” was used to mean some sort of fiction as early as the fourteenth century, the word more often denominated a mental activity of faculty. The appearance of “fantasist” and, with it, the clear sense of fantasies as intentional products of craft or art is recent; the earliest citation of “fantasist” in the Oxford English Dictionary supplement it does not appear in the dictionary proper is from 1923, when it was used of Oscar Wilde. The term “science fiction,” of course, appeared six years later and became widely current during the 1930s.

Some scholars, especially several who labored as apologists for science fiction in the years when it was necessary to make a case for paying attention to these works, took pains to distinguish science fiction from fantasy.

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Science Fiction and the Dark Side of the Future

• Discussions
• September 2, 2024
• By Aaron Jones

Science fiction is one of the most popular genres in literature, film, and TV. It’s easy to see why: aliens, space exploration, time travel, parallel universes, advanced technology; there are endless possibilities within the genre and freedom for writers to share their hopes or concerns of today’s world through their stories. Often, sci-fi will overlap with fantasy and horror, and whilst the genre allows for hope and excitement as we think about the endless possibilities humans may be capable of, there is a flipside that I enjoy even more: what horrors may await us in the future? What dangers do we need to be concerned about as we push technology further and further? There are many great pieces of science fiction that have been written as warnings about what may come to pass as humanity progresses as a species. What can we learn about them whilst watching with a bucket of popcorn?

What makes us human?

What makes us human? This is a question that has become more prevalent as technology has advanced. Robots are steadily getting more lifelike while games and films are using CGI that get closer to reality than many thought possible, and writers have pondered what may happen when our eyes are unable to distinguish the difference between humans and their creations. Arguments have overtaken the internet about AI-influenced illustrations and writings as some feel the soul of humanity is being lost in such create explorations whilst others feel that the speed of the work (and cost) gives weight to its future use. Do we have to be worried about the realism found in AI? If we pay attention to sci-fi, then perhaps we do.

The Matrix is one of the most critically acclaimed pieces of science fiction ever created. In a world where most humans live in a simulation created by intelligent machines to distract them whilst using their bodies as an energy source, a few humans become aware of the true world and fight to save humanity. The machines had won the war against humans after humans had tried blocking out the sun and then created a world where humans were unable to distinguish what is real and what isn’t. They were unable to process earlier versions of the world which were more like a utopia (fans of grimdark will definitely understand this!).

Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner is a science fiction classic that has the audience (and its characters) questioning who is human and how can we prove it. Harrison Ford’s Decker is tasked with killing a group of violent, lifelike androids. As he progresses with his mission, he begins to question his own identity. It is a powerful story with superb acting and some of the best cinematic lines in history (lost like tears in the rain…) and designed in a way that makes the audience sympathise with the plight of the androids and question the actions of the humans. The danger of AI is part of pop culture now with most people recognising HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey and Arnie’s Terminator from James Cameron’s brilliant films—I wonder if we will heed their warnings.

Are we alone?

Space… the final frontier. Star Trek  showed us a universe where we are but one of many species scattered around space. War of the Worlds, Star Wars, Men in Black, ET, Independence Day, A Quiet Place, Predator; all these films and shows examine whether we are alone in the universe. In some, the aliens we meet are friendly and warm, in others… not so much. We have sent robots (them again…) out into space in search of life and it’s exciting to think of the possibilities. But what would happen if we found something out there? If you want sci-fi horror, then look no further than Alien. Directed by Ridley Scott (him again…) it follows the story of a crew on a commercial space shuttle who accidentally discover and let loose the titular beast on their spaceship. The horror builds beautifully with scenes meant to scar even the toughest of audience members. Chest-busting, acidic blood, narrow corridors, and terrifying practical designs by Swiss artist H. R. Giger will make most people wish that maybe we are alone after all. Sigourney Weaver as Ripley is often heralded as one of the great female leads in all film, not just science fiction as she acts with common sense and bravery seemingly not found in many sci-fi or horror films.

It is a genre that has displayed powerful women for longer than many others: Sarah Connor ( Terminator), Uhura and Janeway ( Star Trek), Louise Banks ( Arrival), Buffy Summers and the rest of the gang (Buffy), Scully ( X-Files) , among others. Science fiction has, at times, been a genre (especially with TV and film) that is forward thinking not just in terms of story but diversity as well. Many fans of the genre argue for the title of Mother of Sci-fi to be attributed to Mary Shelley, the author of Frankenstein in 1818 when she was only eighteen years old. Writing a tale of a scientist obsessed with his work and ignoring the ethical and social consequences has almost become a blueprint for others (just take a look at Jurassic Park, Westworld , etc.), and it kickstarted a genre filled with powerful women.

A Dystopian Future

Actions undertaken today will impact the future. Yet, we still make mistakes such as pollution, global warming, advanced weapons. The pessimist in some writers can only see this leading humanity into a dark future with pain and suffering. Last year’s blockbuster hit was Christopher Nolan’s brilliant Oppenheimer. The difficult aspect of watching that film was knowing that the story it was telling was true and understanding that it was not the end of war but the start of something that could be much more dangerous. Weapons advance at a startling rate and threaten the existence of life as we know it. Since the Cold War, writers have warned of the dangers of what may be before us. Fallout shows a future where nuclear bombs destroyed much of the known world. A few rich people were able to hide in vaults whilst survivors on the surface lived in a harsh wasteland with little rule and monstrosities seemingly around every corner. Even more terrifying is the fact that humanity didn’t seem to learn anything—they continued hurting one another in the same ways.

Fallout , Mad Max, The Walking Dead, and The Last of Us are cautionary stories are cautionary tales about what could happen when everything we know is stripped away from us.

At its core, sci-fi explores humanity and its actions through the lens of unparalleled possibilities. Sometimes, the tales are too close to home (watching Contagion after living through a pandemic was eye-opening) and we are able to recognise the people and actions as ones that we have seen before. District 9 may use aliens for entertainment value but the documentary style and actions of the characters shine a light on South African history and makes for some uncomfortable viewing.

Science fiction gives us both the brightest lights and the darkest depths. The stories show us the best of what we may become and warn us of the dangers if we follow certain paths. These themes allow us to take a good hard look at ourselves as we dream of the future. For fans of grimdark who haven’t dipped their toes into the dark depths of science fiction, now might be the time.

This essay was originally published in Grimdark Magazine #39 .

Read Grimdark Magazine #39

Aaron Jones

Aaron S. Jones is the author of Memories of Blood and Shadow, and The Broken Gods trilogy. He is Head of School at a school in Kent, UK and when he is not tearing his hair out at students struggling with their, they're and there, he is tearing his hair out as he dies for the thousandth time on Elden Ring. You can find him on Twitter @HereticASjones where he is most likely procrastinating for hours at a time instead of focusing on his Orc murder mystery.

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