Having survived Hurricane Ian and continuing to struggle
through the aftermath, I’ve become aware of the ‘tempest tossed’ as a theme in
sci-fi romance and space opera romance. All begin with a cataclysmic
event—natural disasters, battles or invasions, deep-space disasters— and then
the story focuses on surviving the aftermath.
Cara Bristol explores this theme in her Alien Castaways Series
where a group of advanced aliens escape the destruction of their home world and
end up stranded on modern future earth. Each book features one of the aliens struggling to adapt to
their new reality while grappling with the grief of their loss.
Veronica Scott’s Escape from Zulaire is a
classic space opera where surviving the attack is only the beginning. The main characters' flight toward safety takes them on a harrowing journey through hostile and alien territory.
Anna Hackett’s Hell Squad books explore
a dystopian earth where the survivors of an alien invasion battle to rescue
others while clinging to hope for a better future.
The stories are as different as the authors’ writing styles,
but the heroes and heroines share similar traits. All of them are resilient,
tenacious, and determined to endure while retaining their moral compass, compassion,
and hope for a better future.
In The Twelve Systems Chronicles, The Cartel opens after
Lilian has survived the threat of execution. In the aftermath, she will
struggle to rebuild her life and future, ultimately altering the fate of her
galaxy.
Celebrating The Cartel’s 10th Anniversary ~ Entire Series 50% Off December 1-31!
*** Excerpt from The Cartel ***
The amphitheater that is the Associates’ Hall is an archaic
remnant of the founding days of Serengeti when armed servitors gathered for
battle training. Known for its reverence of tradition and strict adherence to
protocol, the Serengeti Group’s commitment to ancient formality serves as a
reminder that in these modern, civilized times, commerce remains conflict.
Serengeti associates are expected to excel in all forms of commercial warfare.
Lilian enters warily as the thirty or so occupants focus on
her. Honor acts as duty commands.
A handful of associates arrayed in the finest of commerce
couture are seated in the first of the tiered rows designed to accommodate five
hundred. These are the protégés. Two months gone she expected to have an
honored place in this elite group. Instead, the elegant crowd greets her with
sneers. “Coward. Shadeless twist. Demon shit. Doxy.”
As she reaches the middle rows, twenty or so associates
garbed by the better merchants join in the hostility, the murmurs swelling in
volume as she passes. Chin high, eyes forward, pace even, she continues on,
refusing to acknowledge her tormentors. She should be accustomed to insult and
able to ignore it by now. This day. There is
only this day.
The definition of slipstream fiction has evolved since the
term was coined. In current usage, it commonly refers to “novels not
categorized as strictly under science fiction, fantasy, or horror,” but some
combination. In relation to space opera, space opera romance, and science
fiction romance, it encompasses a growing group of novels that reside at the
intersection of science fiction and fantasy or the paranormal: shaping shifting
aliens, vampires from the stars, and other paranormal creatures.
But what of the grayish
areas? Veronica Scott’s Danger in the Stars features an empathic heroine who is not human.
Is it fantasy or an acceptable projection of an alternate evolutionary path?
Does a character with paranormal abilities make Danger in the Stars any
less science fiction than the winged aliens in Lea Kirk’s SilverstarIntergalacticDating Agency novels or the telepathic bond that forms
between mates in Tasha Black’s Stargazer Alien Barbarian Brides?
Then there is the flip side
of slipstream, where paranormal fiction intersects science and science fiction.
Rebecca Zanetti’s paranormal Dark Protector series explains the vampires’ ability to
teleport and perform other ‘magic’ through advanced genetics and physics.
With so much potential for
creative storytelling available within the classic boundaries of science
fiction and paranormal fiction, why the merging? What is the appeal of the
genre mash-ups? Veronica Scott likes to include a touch of the inexplicable in
her stories since science cannot explain everything. It is a sentiment I share.
My space opera romance series The Twelve Systems Chronicles, includes elements of what may or may not be
divine intervention.
Conversely, even in the
most fantastic of magic-driven stories, there is a desire to ground it in the
known; to recognize physics, chemistry, and biology. My newest release, Elemental Fire, is an urban fantasy, but I could not resist
speculating on science, and science fiction.
Sin Marston is a rare human who can see
through glamor. With the veil with the treaty of 2010, the magical visitors,
known as the Hidden, flowed into the Terran realm. With her unique talent,
Sin's services are in demand from businesses and law enforcement with Hidden
problems. She also has a growing clientele of Hidden visitors wishing to avoid
confrontation with the Human Protection Society and other anti-Hidden Terrans.
After thwarting a daring art heist, Sin
encounters a stunning fire elemental who reveals the theft was something very
different. Everything she thought she knew changes.
Radzik Cray has lived for centuries,
building his magical and political power base. The appointment as the Elders’
Council Warden for the Eastern United States comes with untold wealth and
power, as well as untold danger. When he meets Sin Marston, he is interested in
a pleasant distraction. Instead, he discovers that Sin is not all she appears
and his control over his territory is not as absolute as he thought.
***Excerpt***
My fingers laced with Rad’s, I take in the starlit night. “Space
travel. Are there Hidden on the moon? Mars? Is there a magical version of faster
than light speed?”
Rad’s laugh is a deep, rich rumble that sends shivers down my
spine. “There is no magical passage through the void of space. As I understand the
theory of spacetime, it is not so much a matter of faster-than-light engines, but a mechanism to bridge between two points long
enough for the transit. I know of no Hidden magic with such capability. Although,
it is possible some undiscovered realm has the ability.”
“How is the void of space different from the veil? I don’t breathe
when we pass through.” We turn off the riverwalk toward his building. “What do you
mean, ‘undiscovered realms’?”
Rad’s step slows, his expression suggesting he is searching for
words. “Are you familiar with the multiverse theory?”
“Parallel planes of existence coexisting side by side?”
“Think of those planes as not parallel so much,but
as beads suspended in liquid. The liquid is the veil. Some of the beads are quite
close,and transit is a simple jump. A dozen are close enough to Terra for the Hidden
to cross. Beyond those, there is another score of realms within control of the Elders’
Council. A dozen more that will not join and do not permit passage into their realms.
What lies beyond those realms is unknown.”
“So, there’s truth to the multiverse concept, but it’s not exactly
as science fiction portrays it?”
He swings my hand as we start walking. “Because Terra has so
little ambient magic, you have developed your science to compensate. When physics
becomes far enough advanced,it may well match magic in its capabilities.”
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from
magic.”
He chuckles. “I like that. One of your scientists?”
“Science fiction writer. Arthur C. Clarke. You are so watching
Star Trek Voyager with me this weekend.”
“If you insist.”
“Three episodes. If you hate it, we’ll do something else.”
His sexy half smile emerges. “I will plan to hate it.”
According to a 2022 Gallup poll, eighty-one percent of
Americans believe in God. According to Wikipedia, worldwide religious adherents
are 7.8 billion. While recognizing that ‘adherent’ does not necessarily mean
‘believer’, with the 2022 world population at 8 billion, it is safe to say that
most of the world acknowledges some form of deity.
Yet, it is rare to see
faith or spiritual observance reflected in contemporary fiction outside of a
few narrow sub-genres. I suspect that mainstream contemporary fiction avoids
spiritual topics because they can be so controversial. Science fiction has
fewer boundaries, allowing the inclusion and exploration of faith and
spirituality without the baggage of modern sensitivities.
The incorporation of faith
can be as minimal as occasional references to The Lords of
Space in VeronicaScott’sSectors stories, or fuller blown as seen in the Badari Goddess who appears to various Badaris in both the Badari Warrior and Badari Gladiator series. Not only do I love the female persona,
but also that the Badaris were stolen from their home world and enslaved, yet
their Goddess finds them and aids them in their times of trial.
The use of the use the
female to personify the ultimate spiritual power is also seen in Cara Bristol’s Alien Dragon
Shifter series
where an immortal priestess is the guardian of their Eternal Fyre; a collective
of all their fyres (souls).
Marie A. Perez’s The Curse of
Sotkari Ta series
includes two contrasting belief systems with the patriarchal Arandans believing
in a single deity while the contrasting Sotkari Ta seek The Farthest
Light, which represents
total evolution and perfection.
In a departure from
humanoid deities, Alexis Glynn Latner’sAeon Legacy series contains two ancient and powerful alien
intelligences, one plant-based and the other pure energy. The humans who
encounter them come away from the experience as if they had met
archangels—powerful lieutenants of a greater force.
In all cases, the ability
to incorporate spirituality or religion allows for greater scope in both
plotting and character development, the different depictions as varied and
fascinating as the stories.
In The Twelve Systems
Chronicles, the
main character’s spirituality and spiritual growth are a central theme and
source of her strength. The primary belief system is based on deified ancient
heroes, The Five Warriors, and Adelaide. As a result, society reveres martial arts and even
considers them a form of prayer. It was not an accident that when inventing
this pantheon of six ‘gods’, three are female. Each of the six has a dedicated
sect with a clerical hierarchy. While the sects are rivals and some ways, for
the most part, they are cooperative and unified.
There is even a dissenting
group that practice a more zen-like, pacifist spirituality known as the
Universal Way. Considered odd by the mainstream and somewhat marginalized, this
group has a profound impact on the successful resolution of several crises throughout
the series. The stage is set for the importance of Lilian’s faith in the first
volume, The Cartel, when she undergoes a formal rite where Adelaide’s symbol is
tattooed on her hip.
***Excerpt***
By canon and custom, Five Warrior Rituals are open to the
public. They are to be witnessed by any with an interest in the Will of the
Shades. Only members of the warrior class receive warrior marks. At the
dedication, the Warrior’s Mark is drawn in henna on a four-year-old child. A
true tattoo is incised at the consecration.
Although she no longer holds warrior status, having been
dedicated, Lilian cannot be undedicated. She is bound by tradition and faith to
consecrate the bond with a rededication made of her own free will.
Chrys frowns. “I did not know one could be dedicated to
Adelaide Warleader. I thought it was only the Five Warriors that accepted the
dedication of their descendants and their retainers’ descendants.”
“It is a small sect but supported by the canons. There was
some controversy when I was dedicated to her,” Lilian explains.
Chrys is ever curious about both Lilian and the ways of the
warriors. “How so?”
Leaning against a console, she regards the far wall of the
windowless chamber. “I was intended for the Fourth Warrior. At that time, I was
the eldest and only offspring of the newly formed Grey Gyre Cartouche. It was
my duty to demonstrate our loyalty to, and descent from, the house of Jonathan
Metricelli. It was to have been an elaborate ritual.”
Releasing her regard of the wall, she searches her friend’s
face.
Fascinated, Chrys nods his understanding. Lilian has never
yielded so much before this. The ritual must be extremely important to her.
She continues, “Apparently, I became bored and wandered off.
They eventually found me in the Adelaide Alcove. I was seated in the lap of the
effigy happily singing to myself and playing with her warbelt. The keeper
decided that Adelaide had called me to her. They dedicated me as I sat there.
By the time anyone else knew what went forward, it was too late. What was done
could not be undone.”
~~~
The prelate waits in front of the statue of Adelaide
Warleader as Lilian moves to the center of the semi-circle. “Do you come of your own will to answer the
call of Adelaide Warleader? Do you become her true servant in this time and
this place? To live by her discipline and listen for her voice?”
Lilian’s voice clear and certain. “Of my own will.”
Pulling the thorn from her belt, Lilian places it on her
palms and bows at the statue. Straightening, she transitions smoothly into a
series of rapid movements, the thorn flashing like a flame before her. The
rhythm shifts and the flame becomes a flickering light before disappearing
entirely for the final set of maneuvers playing in light and shadow. At the
completion of the demonstration, she folds to her knees and places the thorn on
the stone floor in front of the statue.
At this point, Chrys moves to the alcove entrance and places
his back to it, crossing his arms. Trevelyan notes that the young man is easily
able to block the opening with his frame. Chrys’ stance is casual and his smile
unexceptional. His presence neatly breaks up the small group gathered to
observe.
Trevelyan finds the young man also makes an effective
screen. He cannot see beyond him into the alcove where, bared to the waist,
Lilian is receiving Adelaide’s mark. Long moments pass before Chrys turns and reenters
the alcove, where Lilian, still kneeling, raises her left palm, right hand
holding her thorn. She makes a quick pass with the blade, leaving a red trail
of blood forming on the raised palm. Rising, she cuts a silver coin from her
belt and rolls it in her bleeding hand. Placing it on the altar, she says, “For
skill in the discipline of attack.”
Freeing a second coin, Lilian rolls it in her blood and then
places it in the effigy’s lap with the words, “For skill in the discipline of
defense.”
For the third coin, she voices, “For skill in the discipline
of avoidance.”
The final coin is anointed. “For Adelaide’s will and voice.”
Stepping back, facing the statue, Lilian carefully cleans
the thorn before sheathing it and bowing a final time.
The alcove keeper comes forward to collect the cloth used to
clean the thorn and place it on the sacred flame. Returning, the prelate binds
Lilian’s hand. “By your own will, you are Adelaide’s to command. Listen to her
voice.”
As they leave, Chrys cannot contain himself. “Were you truly
sitting in the lap of the statue playing with that grisly belt?”
“They are stuffed leather balls, not shrunken heads, and I
was but four.”
“She was singing the Warriors’ Litany, as well,” her sister
puts in, thrilled to have something to contribute.
Chrys offers a teasing grin. “Were you truly?”
“So, the alcove attendants attested. I do not recall the
matter,” Lilian says dismissively. She lacks not reverence. She is far too
pragmatic to give much credence to the shrines’ obsession with unsubstantiated
manifestations.
“It is no wonder that they dedicated you immediately.
Perhaps the Warleader did summon you. Certainly, it is well that your patron
force is known for extended combat.” For all his teasing, Chrys is serious.
Considering his friend’s trial, a deity renowned for endurance is a positive.
***
The Twelve
Systems Chronicles have won numerous awards: three Paranormal Guild Reviewers’
Choice Awards, five RONE Finalists,
and Shield Bearer received the 2021 RONE for
Science Fiction. All ten volumes are available in both e-book and
paperback, with the e-book available on multiple platforms.
I was a science fiction reader before I dipped my
toe into the vast ocean of romance. More than that, I like space opera. Yes,
I'm a Star Wars fan, despite the rather ordinary science. What attracts me is
the aliens and the space ships and the amazing different worlds out there. And
after all, with current estimates for the number of habitable worlds in the
Milky Way – those with liquid water – at up to five billion (New Scientist Nov
2020), why not?
Although my Ptorix Empire series and Morgan Selwood series
are set in an indeterminate part of the galaxy, when I decided to write stories
for the Dryden franchise, I wanted somewhere real in our very own Milky Way. My
Dryden stories had an Empire and a number of sentient aliens, some space-faring,
some not. I wanted a region of real space where the planets were closer
together so that a cohesive Empire could form.
Accordingly, I did some homework on star clusters. Globular
clusters, it seemed, were not the best fit. The stars are very old first
generation, and gravitationally bound to each other. Current knowledge
suggested that mitigates against planetary systems, both because of the forces,
and also because the material from which planets (and we humans) are formed
comes from supernova debris, and these clusters are poor in such material.
However, open clusters are very different. The stars are
younger, without being too young for planetary systems to have formed. They form in the usual stellar nurseries
like the gas clouds of the mighty Orion Nebula. From there, they remain in a
more 'open' gravitational relationship until they leave home on their own. Our
sun was probably part of an open cluster when it was a teenager. You can find out more about open clusters here.
I eventually settled on M24. According to the article in the
Messier objects website, M24 is in the constellation
Sagittarius and it's pretty big - ten to sixteen thousand light years across.
There are thousands and thousands and thousands of stars in there, relatively
close together, so it seems to be an ideal place for an author to set up a
civilization. Yay me.
But then I discovered that M24 isn't any sort of cluster.
It's a window. This 8 minute video explains it better than I could (well worth
a watch if you like astronomy).
So my Dryden Universe books are set in somewhere a lot like
the previous understanding of M24. It's fiction, after all.
NGC 1980 *
I used another open cluster for my Ptorix Empire book, The
Stuff of Legend. For the purposes
of my story I wanted the gas clouds that you see around Orion as part of the
legends associated with my cluster. I went back to research, and discovered
that an open cluster that had been thought to be part of the Orion Nebula, was
in fact a different entity, situated in front of the nebula. Here's
the story of NGC 1980. It was perfect. So my story takes place with
regard to a star cluster that has some similarities to NGC 1980.
I love astronomy.
* NGC 1980 photo By Donald Pelletier - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53485691
I recently read Jenny Schwartz's "Space Deputy", which I thoroughly enjoyed, (here's the review) . I'd also read her "Demon Hunter", a paranormal romance, and I'd thoroughly enjoyed that, too, so I bought "Her Robot Wolf".Here's the blurb:
Jaya Romanov is an independent star ship shaman. She studies the energy
flows of the universe and—for a price—will harness them to her
employer’s purpose. Wormholes are a whole lot safer to travel when a
shaman guides the jump.
Vulf Trent is a bounty hunter. It was
that or join the family business, piracy, and Vulf is too much the lone
wolf to tolerate the demands of a large pirate crew. Where his family
enjoys the bonds of pack, he prefers the freedom of ranging the
universe, alone.
Seven generations ago, humanity evacuated Earth
and the shifter clans’ ability to transform into their animal forms was
one of the most terrible losses of that time. Now, the werewolves,
werebears and other shifters are trapped in their human bodies and
slowly losing the essence of their primal souls. Jaya is determined to
heal their torn transformational abilities, but Vulf doesn’t believe
her.
He didn’t kidnap her for her healing abilities.
***
The book has been well-received, with 110 reviews on Amazon, the vast majority 5 star.
Schwatrz is an accomplished writer, with a flowing, easy to read style. Vulf and Jaya - and the ship's AI - are well-drawn and the locations and aliens are described in sufficient detail. The plot moves at a fair pace, first introducing the main characters in a dramatic meeting on an alien beach. Family is an important element for the two protagonists, but in very different ways. Vulf prefers to be a lone wolf, while Jaya had no choice. The 'family' thread weaves through the story as a sub-plot.
In typical space opera fashion, the story hops from one location to another, be it a planet or a space station. Jaya's ability to smooth transitions through worm holes proves to be invaluable more than once. Needless to say, this is a romance. While the novel is not in any way sexually explicit, the narrative sizzles with sensuality from quite early in the piece.
Although I finished the book (which is always a vote of confidence from me - I DNF many) I wasn't entirely convinced. I'm a died-in-the-wool Star Wars fan but even in that universe, I prefer to avoid too much of the Force. I like my SF to be SCIENCE fiction. I'm also not a huge fan of shifter stories, especially the 'fated mates' trope. For me, this attempt to blend shifters, shamans, and space opera didn't quite work. Jaya's conflicted relationship with Ivan Mishkin left me unconvinced. I also felt Jaya was a bit TOO powerful given her heritage. The importance of Earth's 'sha' energy in a shifter's ability to change form was reasonable but the book's outcome challenged my suspension of disbelief, always a problem when you're reading a fantasy. The final denouement, too, left me wondering about motivations on both sides.
All in all, it's a fun read which will no doubt appeal to readers of shifter romance, as well as those who enjoy reading about wielders of 'magic' in SF. This is book one of a series and judging by the response to Her Robot Wolf, Jeny Schwartz has a winner on her hands. I wish her well.
Now that both Laurie and Greta have chimed
in, I might as well add my two cents’ worth on the subject of recent trends in science
fiction romance and how I fit in. No surprise, really, but I’m still surfing
along on the outside curl of whatever market wave may be building for SFR. If
that genre wave ever reaches towering proportions, I may get a decent lift and
a fun ride, but I doubt I’ll see the inside of that monster “tube,” if it
comes.
I fell in love with SF back in the day of
rockets and robots, but I was drawn to the eerie twists of Twilight Zone just as much as the unbounded space adventures of Star Trek. So it follows that my work
reflects those twin fascinations. My head is in the stars, but my feet are
solidly on Earth. It’s not the Earth that everyone sees, however. Things in my Interstellar Rescue series universe are
just a little . . . different.
I have written the occasional space opera
(all my early Trek fan fiction and my
SFR Galaxy Award-winning Fools Rush In,
Interstellar Rescue Series Book 3.) But most of what I do I call contemporary science fiction romance,
because it takes place here and now. A lot of the action (though not all
of it) takes place on Earth in the present day. Many, though not all, of the
characters are human. In Unchained Memory,
the first novel in the series, the true villains, the alien Grays, remain unseen
for the entire book! Yet their actions have a profound impact on the heroine
and her hero. It is, after all, a story of alien abduction, interstellar
slavery, mind control, and, ultimately, the fight to overcome all those evils.
Contemporary SFR has a lot in common with its
better-known counterpart, contemporary romance, since it has a familiar setting
and timeframe. It also shares elements with romantic suspense, since the lovers
must solve a mystery at the heart of every novel in order to reach their
happily ever after. But, unlike shorter contemporary romance novels, my Interstellar Rescue books tend to be
complex, with multiple subplots and points of view. I often take the reader
off-planet with these subplots, exploring alien cultures or characters, or the
villain’s POV, to give the books depth.
Then there's the heat level. I tend to write a little sexier than the average contemporary romance or romantic suspense. Heck, I write sexier than the average SFR, too, unless you count SFR erotica. My books have a well-defined romantic arc; my lovers deserve a well-defined love life.
Recently another term has arisen to describe
the kind of thing I do with my Earth-bound stories: cozy SFR. Author and
long-time SFR booster Jacqueline Lichtenberg wrote an illuminating
pair of articles last year on the subject, framing the concept using the characteristics
of the “cozy mystery” for comparison. Lichtenberg argues that in these
mysteries, the protagonist’s world is “cozy” (that is, comfortable,
predictable, safe) to begin with, but is turned upside down by some event at
the beginning of the novel which precipitates the action (eg. a murder in a
small town). The protagonist (or the hero and heroine in the case of a romance)
must act then to put the world straight/safe again (solve the murder, win the
day).
Bilbo's cozy life is about to be disrupted!
It’s no stretch to apply this to SFR or
fantasy. A precipitating event must always set the quest in motion (Gandalf
arrives at the door of Bilbo’s cozy hobbit hole). In the case of Unchained Memory, my heroine Asia wakes
up on a lonely country road, missing three hours. At home, a fire has taken the
lives of her children. Her quest to find out what happened leads her to discover
her world is not what she thought it was.
The idea that the world is not what we thought it was is central to the “cozy” novel,
according to Lichtenberg. It’s also central to my Interstellar Rescue series. The setting may be familiar, but each
of my heroines suddenly finds her worldview is transformed by what she learns throughout
the novel. Nothing will ever seem the same.
This excerpt from my latest novel gives you
an idea of what that might feel like:
Charlie
stared into her mug, studied the greenish ring in the bottom that was all that
was left of her third cup of tea? Her fourth? She’d lost track. Her mind was
reeling, her body buzzing with caffeine, adrenalin and lack of sleep. She was
working hard to comprehend the information she’d been given over the last hour
or so, trying to reconstruct her world according to a whole new design,
fighting to make her altered reality seem, well, real.
But she
was failing miserably. To believe the galaxy was filled with inhabited planets.
Beings moved easily among the stars through a system of wormhole-like “jump
nodes” that had been discovered and mapped long ago. Bad guys—aliens—called
“Grays” stole people, including humans from Earth, and used them as slaves. Good
guys called “the Interstellar Council for Abolition and Rescue” fought the
aliens, and sometimes returned the slaves to Earth.
And most
devastating of all: the man she had just slept with was one of those Rescue
agents, a fact he’d hidden from her despite their intimacy. She’d known as soon
as the assassin had come through the door that she’d lose Rafe; she knew now
she’d never had him in the first place.
Not
Fade Away, Interstellar Rescue Series Book 4, is
available for pre-order NOW on Amazon.
This is a season debut that I have to take special note of. The Expanse returns this Wednesday, April 11th, on the SyFy Channel.
Returning with a Hugo Award under its belt, which it won in 2017 for the final episode of Season 1, 'Leviathon Wakes,' and with five other award nominations, The Expanse only promises to get better with each passing season.
In case you've missed my rave reviews about The Expanse in past posts--
--let me tell you just five things that make this show so phenomenal.
The Romance!
Yes, I said the "R" word and yes, that's my lead. As a SFR writer, I look for moving, believable romances in the heart of a terrific sci-fi experience, and this series has it all!
The Expanse encompasses a compelling, unpredictable romance between two of the main players (and trust me, it's not the only compelling romance in the series). This one is between Holden, tragic, reluctant hero and tunnel-visioned, windmill-tilter on a quest to save humanity, and Naomi, a brilliant engineer and humanitarian, who's catch phrase is: "You underestimate my ability to break things."
I could attempt to explain the nuances of their relationship, but in all honesty, this fan-made video does it so much better. (So, quick--here it is before YouTube zaps it.)
Don't let this video fool you. The Expanse is about so much more than just a truly awesome romance (or two). This video managed to bring together most of the romantic scenes between these two characters.
The Characters! (Big wow here)
The story is told primarily through three main characters--James Holden, a newly-promoted XO on the ice hauler Canterbury, Joe Miller, a police detective on Ceres Station in the asteroid belt, and Chrisjen Avasarala, a powerful UN Deputy Undersecretary on Earth.
Though The Expanse has much more Sci-Fi than R, the two male leads' actions and motives are initially driven by their tragic longing for women they can't have, and the fates of all the characters are tied to an event that sparks what could be the beginning of a system-wide war. That event is the destruction of the Canterbury by an advanced and previously unknown stealth ship, and a subsequent declaration by James Holden that triggers the catch-phrase of a rising OPA rebellion, "Remember the Cant!"
There are many important secondary characters, including Naomi Nagata (engineer), Amos Burton (muscle), Alex Kamal (pilot), James Holden's shipmates who are all survivors of the doomed Canterbury. Chrisjen Avasarala, political heavyweight. Julie Andromeda Mao--former pilot of the Razorback racing ship and rich girl turned OPA rebel who ultimately is a direct connection between several of the characters. Fred Johnson, who a decade before earned the title the "Butcher of Anderson Station," and now oversees the construction of the largest spacecraft ever built, the LDS generation ship, the Nauvoo, while secretly heading up the OPA.
This is a short study done of hardened, cynical Ceres Station cop, Miller, and his infatuation with Julie Mao and their climatic meeting that happens after her death, but...well...it's a twist as only The Expanse can deliver. And in spite of this heartfelt goodbye to Miller, it promises to keep on delivering.
Pay special attention to the last four words uttered by Miller in this clip.
The Sci-Fi Factors!
There are sooo many things to love about this show, but the authentic science fiction (is that an oxymoron? No, I think not) is one of the most mind-blowing. The shows production team has strived to get everything right. Even the star fields in the backgrounds of some of the space scenes have been researched to be sure they are absolutely correct. How the characters move in a weightless environment and the gear they wear to function in such has been done with realism. How artificial gravity is generated, usually in one of three ways: centrifugal, thrust-based, or spin-generated, is all based on known science.
And space battles? The characters gear up in their enviro-suits before battles with the anticipation that their hull is going to become Swiss cheese. How basic is that? But as elemental as it is, have we ever seen it done before?
Have I convinced you yet? If not, take a look at this enthusiastic endorsement by Spacedock.com:
Think science is boring? Check out this scene of a "flip and burn" maneuver, which shows how a ship in space might actually change direction. (Star Wars, please take note: No bank-and-turn in an airless environment!)
"The juice" mentioned in this clip is another factor. It counteracts the effects of a high-G maneuver, keeping arteries and blood vessels elastic so they don't rupture in the forces generated by the thrust, at least for a time. (We learn later that even the juice can't counteract high-G burn for an indefinite period in one heart-pounding space chase scene.)
Diversity and Inclusivity!
This is absolutely one of the most diverse casts of any genre on television, anywhere--and the beauty of it is it's all seamless. Because this future of humanity has resulted in a blending of cultures where race is no longer a factor and ethnicity is a non-issue. People are just people. Some are powerful and calculating, some are exploited and angry, and some are just pawns of one or the other. According to their background, they have beliefs and dialect unique to their situations. (I also wrote these elements into my novel Inherit the Stars, where all races merged and then were divided again according to political, social and planetary differences.)
In The Expanse what divides them is where they hail from -- Earth and Luna, Mars, or the Belt and the Outer Planets -- a trio of cultures that are all at desperate odds with one another. Each society has its own goals, its own priorities, and its own agendas. Whether they are white, black, asian, middle eastern, eastern European, pacific islander, or--in the case of one character -- a genetic blend of eight individuals of unstated ethnicity--their conflicts are based on their place in the solar system, not the skin color or the culture of their ancestors. No one cares.
Gender also doesn't matter, and this series features several standout female role models, including the powerful politician, a formidable Martian Marine, and the brilliant engineer and possible former OPA operative who has a soul-deep compassion for others.
In this future, race and gender elements no longer define the individual. And there are no token anythings, just a beautifully blended cast of brilliant actors.
This fascinating interview done during Comic-Con highlights six of the cast members discussing their characters:
The Politics!
Politics in our time triggers a lot of conflicting emotions, and politics 200 years from now is no different...it just has different dynamics and different triggers. So here's the set-up. The United Nations is now the governing body for Earth and the Moon. Because robotics and artificial intelligence has basically done away with a human workforce, very few people hold jobs and instead live on a small government handout. The masses are poor and struggling. And the wealthy and powerful are enormously so. The attitude of the UN territories is pretty much stated in dialogue by one of the main characters, UN Deputy Undersecretary Chrisjen Avasarala (one of the most influential people in the solar system...and with a powerful mouth to match): "Earth comes first."
Mars has established itself as it's own political entity and is populated by tough, resilient colonists who take great pride in their planet, have a formidable space fleet and a tough-as-carbonite military (MCRN--Martian Congressional Republic Navy). Their ships are some of the best and most advanced in the solar system, that is until the mystery stealth ship comes on the scene. But Mars has a great dream they are striving for but haven't been able to reach. The achievable date keeps getting moved farther into the future.
The Belters are made up of the brave or desperate souls who occupy the asteroid belt and planets beyond. They have evolved in multiple low gravity environments. They're the working class of the system, living on a ships, space stations, a few asteroids and some of the moons of the Outer Planets. They are downtrodden and the exploited. As one Belter put it (paraphrasing): "The Belt had enough water for a thousand generations. And the Earth and Mars took it! They've made their fortunes on our backs!"
The OPA or Outer Planets Alliance is a movement that arose from the malcontent of the Belters. They vow to take back what they feel is rightfully theirs, but they're a scattered, disorganized collection of gangs and groups. One businessman and former military officer headquartered on spacestation Tycho wants to change that, and he'll use every resource he can muster or steal to get it done.
The events in Season One beautifully laid the foundation for a fast-moving, heart-pounding and often shocking Season Two. Season Three promises even more. Here's a quick peek:
This show has something for everyone...and I hope the SFR community will support it, because this kind of quality SF with R television only comes around once in a great while.
I hope you'll tune into Season Three of The Expanse on Wednesday.
Have a great week!
P.S. Thanks for hanging with me to the end of this blog. If you're intrigued with The Expanse, here's one more video you might really enjoy.
