The recent successes of Star Trek and Star Wars have sparked quite an interest in all things Sci-Fi. Though the popularity of these types of movies and television shows has risen in recent years, the genre has always been of interest to readers everywhere.
Take Jules Verne, for instance. He was writing science fiction before any of us were born. He is best known for the novel, “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” written in 1864. His intriguing descriptions of subterranean earth are a delight to read and can be enjoyed over and over.
“Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” is still a classic today. Captain Nemo is the type of character that sticks in your mind, whether you are twelve years old or eighty. Many a youngster has no doubt fallen asleep imagining what it would be like to explore the ocean depths on the submarine, Nautilus.
And, of course, no one can forget Phileas Fogg and his amazing adventures as he takes on a dare from the Reform Club to travel “Around the World in Eighty Days”.
Science Fiction lovers have one thing in common: they love to explore the unknown. And since many of us cannot soar on a Starship through uncharted galaxies or discover new aquatic creatures that only exist at the bottom of the ocean, we must find our pleasures and joys through reading.
It is widely believed that the term “Science Fiction” actually began when Mary Shelley wrote her groundbreaking novel, “Frankenstein”. It was the first story of its kind and readers everywhere were intrigued at the idea of creating a human with random body parts. In her story, the horrific creature, feared and hunted by frightened villagers, shows us his human side and we are suddenly drawn to him.
Each of us as humans can relate to the feelings of the Frankenstein monster. He is largely misunderstood and hated because he is different than everyone else. For this reason, we find ourselves rooting for the monster when angry townspeople come to murder him. The story stirs something deep within each of us and instantly becomes a classic; still read and loved by millions today.
Mary Shelley also wrote “The Last Man”, an apocalyptic science fiction novel about a future world that has been ravaged by a horrible plague. At the time of its original publication, the book was poorly reviewed. Today though, we consider it a forerunner and predecessor to stories such as, “Soylent Green” and “The Omega Man”.
As a writer, Mary Shelley was way ahead of her time and her literary skills were never appreciated in her day and time as they would have been in the twenty-first century. Though the thought is chilling, we are drawn to stories of a possible future where mankind is on the brink of extinction and this author certainly brings her story to life.
In a little known work by Rudyard Kipling, “With the Night Mail”, Kipling predicts that by the year 2000, Airships would rule the skies. His prediction might have come true
if not for the horrible Hindenburg disaster in 1937. This disaster curtailed any future development possibilities for the airship and our society began to work toward perfecting the airplane instead. But Rudyard Kipling’s futuristic novel gave the people of his day much to talk about and debate over.
This is what great fiction does: it opens realms of possibility far beyond anything we have previously considered. Especially, when we’re talking about science fiction. The works of science fiction writers such as Gene Roddenberry, have paved the way for the science community. Those cool machines and gadgets we read about in a novel today are tomorrow’s latest inventions.
Great writers and novels are more than just entertainment for a rainy afternoon. They’re the stuff legends are made of. They often spur development of tangible discoveries that shape our society and our future.
