Gleaming spaceships and buccaneering laser-wielding heroes; impossible gadgets and scantily clad imperial princesses. In the post-World War II era, traditional derring-do combined with chrome technology to provide a whole new version of the boys-own adventure genre.
To the disgruntlement of some of those grown-up boys but to the delight of the reading public, that strand of twentieth century sci-fi pulp genre is merely a single thread in the rich tapestry of contemporary science fiction. Charging through the galaxies of possibilities, today’s writers weave in fantasy, philosophy, experimental fiction and more.
I mentioned, in my New Year’s post, a number of people who have broadened the scope of science fiction’s creative palette. One of the writers leading the charge to include young female protagonists and African themes for an American readership is Nnedi Okorafor, author of the new novella “Remote Control.”