How to Read a Science Fiction Novel

Some advice about approaching a science fiction novel (particularly for those of you who are "REALISTS")

First off, you need to know that science fiction and fantasy are two genres often lumped together. They are considered special MARKETS in the publishing world. It has been found that people who like sci-fi & fantasy will read a lot of it. People who don't like it, rarely will. So the sci-fi/fantasy market is specific. In order for publishing companies to make money, they will advertise specifically TO markets.

Remember that sci-fi & fantasy are intended for FANTASIST readers. Readers who want to escape or forget their world and consider other things. They want strange events and weird characters. What you need to know is that these weird characters and strange events are just like normal events in real life, except that characters have neat names or take place in exotic locations, or deal with situations that are unlikely, but often, sometimes possible.

All sci-fi is what we call SPECULATIVE FICTION. A speculation is an idea or belief or thought that is developed. All speculative fiction hinges on a single question: "What if?"

What if the world were destroyed?
What if aliens landed on earth?
What if time travel were possible?

The speculative idea, then, is central to understanding a sci-fi novel. You should be able to answer: what is being examined as the central speculative idea in the story?

From this speculative idea (or perhaps because of it) writers of speculative (Sci-fi) writing use the idea to make a metaphor. They are suggesting that one thing represents another. Aliens, for example, represent outsiders (hence their popularity with a group of readers who, themselves, feel like outsiders). The end of the world represents the fact that all of us (and our societies...whether we like it or not) will come to an end. Many times sci-fi deals with themes of transcendence, religion or religious issues, and the flow of memory and time.

Realist fiction does the same thing, but they tackle these themes literally. The sci-fi, speculative fantasist does this FIGURATIVELY (or metaphorically).

So for you realists, don't be thrown with a story about Xygort from the planet Hegamelonia who has found that a secret weapon is being used to destroy the universe so he has to time travel to stop this from happening. This is just Steve, the pimply 9th grade wall-flower who can't get a date, until he uncovers the truth about himself by searching his past.