I hanker for the Golden Age, which I would characterise as hopeful, confident in science and in the abilities of the human race to overcome all challenges, come what may. Some would say it was naive, and maybe it was, but it was fun and inspiring.

How would you characterise today's tastes? To me, today's tastes seem more dysopian, doom-laden, more inclined to revenge than justice.

Are reading tastes a reflection of the times?

now if they had more interisting stories to read then maybe i would not have failed it on purpuse.

I will make a couple of comments but as someone who has very limited tastes in Science Fiction.

I think the tendancy toward seeing a dark future may have hurt Science Fiction sales. How much are science fiction sales down now over two decades ago in books? I hear it has decreased more than 50%.

However there is a lot of science fiction out there still that isn't dark. I assume it doesn't fit your taste since you kind of act like it doesn't exist.

I enjoy the Sassinak novels, for instance, when it comes to space opera (not sure that's the right category actually since I consider MOST science fiction to be space opera lol). I'm something of a fan of David Weber and really like some of his novels such as his March Upcountry as well as a number of his other newer novels. I have all the Honor Herrington novels. Maybe I wouldn't put them on my "favorites" lists, but they are novels that I buy, read, and enjoy.

I like science fiction of the character-driven variety such as the great, award winning, Speed of Dark.

And if anything (except for the pressure for everything to be YA) I think fantasy is better than ever.

Edit: However, more and more I dislike all SHORT speculative fiction as it is currently published. To me, that is a separate subject from novels. That has to do with what serial editors want. Somewhere in Hatrack there is a link to an interesting article by Dave Wolverton that touches on that subject.

Here is the article: http://www.sff.net/people/DTruesdale/wolverton1.htp

He discusses the trend toward elitism in speculative short fiction at the end but the entire article is well worth reading.

In the sci-fi arena specifically, there is a contemporary author I discovered not too long ago who writes awesome sci-fi and that is Peter F. Hamilton. I read Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. Those are phenomenal stories with multi-layered plotlines that in the end all come together in expected and unexpected ways. It's kind of like Star Wars but taken to a higher, incredible level. Anyway, very worthwile to read.

On the other hand, you have George Orwell's 1984, written in the 40's which is full of doom and gloom and has one of the most depressing endings I ever had anything to do with. It was sci-fi when it was written and I guess still is and sadly a lot of it has come true.

Yes, I too think that dark and elitism have hurt SF sales and wonder why the magazine editors don't see it. It seems so obvious: dark means depressing and we read for enjoyment, mostly. Elite means small audience, self defeating surely for a magazine trying to build circulation.

Thanks for the refs to the McCaffrey and Moon books, they slipped under my radar somehow.

Edited to add: Okay, rereading the original post, I realized i didn't actually respond to it.

I think modern stuff does tend to the darker. I think it's a matter of people wanting to twist things in the search for originality. In some ways, its easier to make twists in darker, pessimistic directions.

Edit: three years seems short, now that I've posted. A year for booksellers to notice, a half-year for agents to notice, a year and a half for writers to notice and respond and a year and a half for a book to be edited/printed/distributed. 4 1/2 yrs. I've done this with serialization of the process in mind.

So, I feel like my problem is a lack of knowledge of who is out there, and a poor memory for names. People give suggestions, but I get to the bookstore and draw a blank. Plus, with limited time, I don't want to waste the time (or money) on a book that might suck, or one that will be depressing. With two small ones pulling on me it's not like I have the luxury to read all the back covers, first few pages, and all that to pick out a winner. Wish they'd do some kind of "depressing alert!" at the front of a book, wouldn't that be nice? I read for entertainment and enjoyment and seek uplifting optimistic stuff in what I read (and watch, same for me with movies/TV as well.)

Every once in a while I get my act together and write a list of titles others have recommended. Sometimes my library even has them! Though usually that is also an exercise in futility as I hunt through the stacks with two barking seals. They love the library, but not the adult or even the YA section. I bide my time, they'll join me in reading fiction soon enough. Heck, my 6 yr old is getting close already.

I think that is true, annepin. It makes me ask myself: Are we more cynical now about the abilities of the human race and our science to overcome challanges? Is it harder now to suspend disbelief in optimistic SciFi than it was in the Golden Age? Is this one reason Fantasy is today so much more popular?

Pat

I hate apocalyptic movies, by the way. I don't care how well the story is told, I probably won't like it.

quote:

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I think most people right now are pessimistic, and I believe that carries over into writing. I am always thoroughly optimistic with everything in my life, and thus I am often called foolish and naive.

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I share both those sentiments.

I think general pessimism is one reason fantasy sales exceed SF. Not only does fantasy offer escape from a seemingly-hopeless world, SF for a pessimistic audience is usually dystopian SF (because hope seems naive and readers won't willingly suspend disbelief) and there's surely a limited market for disheartening stories.

Pat