I recently was engaged in an email discussion with a peer on the topic of non-inclusiveness in SFR and during that discussion, one point in particular jumped out at me. I've done a lot of thinking on that particular insight and decided it might make a good subject for a blog. In paraphrasing, this captures the basic sentiments in my own words: Science Fiction Romance seems to be a genre where diversity flourishes, yet ironically that diversity might also be what has kept some readers away from the genre altogether. Whoa, I thought to myself. Could that observation explain much about SFR's "failing to fire" with a larger audience? The meaning behind "some readers" is pretty clear here. It infers those readers who are intolerant of reading books where a hero and/or heroine aren't classified as "white-hetero." Something I think a large majority of SFR books tend to deviate from just by their very nature.
In my series, for instance, there are no races. There are human subspecies. These subspecies have prejudices and differences in outlook based on their nature (fear-mongering vs. peaceful, for instance), history and/or political outlook, but it has nothing to do with the pigmentation of their skin or archaic Terran prejudices. It's a future where all races merged into one big human stew, then separated into subspecies due to differing conditions on the planets they chose to colonize (ala Protodog research). Racism is a moot point in this future. But the antagonism between certain subspecies did allow me to explore the human capacity toward pre-judgment and bias (think Sair the Rathskian vs. Zjel the Purmian) and how those differences were eventually overcome by an understanding borne from an unlikely alliance. From my perspective, diversity is an inherent part of SFR because I don't think many of us imagine--or pen--a future (should the SFR be set in the future) where space exploration belongs exclusively to white males. By its very nature, SFR envisions a very different universe from what is often seen in other genres. Which is to say, some genres have a tendency toward white aristocratic/privileged hetero hero and white-but-of-a-lesser-social-ranking hetero female. Yet, genres that often entail these dynamics have a far larger romance audience than SFR could ever dream of having. (But don't ever change SFR--we love you just the way you are!) On a different angle, I've often puzzled over why SFR hasn't enjoyed the same popularity in written form in terms of readership that it has on the big and small screen in terms of viewership. Some of the biggest theatrical blockbusters and TV hits of our time involve SF and romance elements (Avatar, Star Wars, The Expanse, Firefly and many of the recent Superhero/ine releases, to name a few.) So why doesn't that huge SF with R audience translate to SFR readership? Is it because the demographics of readership vs. viewership are so very different? Are readers less likely to embrace diverse characters than viewers, something that has put SFR at a disadvantage for growth because of its very tendency toward diversity? I don't have an answer for that. It's something I'll be mulling over for quite some time. But I do think it suggests a brighter future for SFR as readers begin, more and more, to explore and embrace diversity in fiction books. At least, I certainly hope that's the case. Have a great week.
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.
From its earliest days, science fiction has
served not only to light the way into the future, but to shine a light on the
darkest aspects of the present. Our greatest writers have not only extrapolated
from the science and technologies of their day, but also from the political and
cultural structures around them. What if becomes a question, then, not only of what if
space travel becomes common, but what if humans encounter our origins in space
(Arthur C. Clarke)? What if modern communication technology and/or drugs are used
to further the aims of a totalitarian state (Orwell, Huxley)? What if an alien
culture is made up of creatures that are male sometimes and female sometimes
and of no gender most of the time (LeGuin)?
Questions of diversity in SF and SFR plague
us from a dozen different directions (and not least because we have so few
authors of color). But the issues of white supremacy and racism that have
boiled over into violence so recently in our current culture can be brilliantly
addressed in science fiction in the work of the right author. Let me recommend
that author to you: N.K. Jemisin, winner of the 2016 and 2017 Hugo Awards for
Books One and Two in her Broken Earth series, The Fifth Season and The Obelisk Gate. The third and final
book in the series, The Stone Sky,
debuted in August.
Given the very open and ugly debate in the
SF world just a few years ago over the supposed “dilution” of the genre’s
purity by female sensibilities and diverse POVs, it’s nothing short of a
miracle that Jemisin, a woman of color, won recognition for her books in this
way. But, then, the books themselves are phenomenal—wildly imaginative,
beautifully written, perfect examples of what character-driven SF is supposed
to be.
The world Jemisin creates is detailed,
compelling and believable. Her
characters are warm, alive and unforgettable. And the issues she addresses are
so subtly intertwined with each plot point, each descriptive passage and bit of
dialogue, that you hardly know what’s happening until the insight hits you.
Jemisin’s characters are not simply black
and white, Asian and Native American. They are people with a mix of genetic
traits, some of which we readers have not seen before. Her world is one of
constant danger from geological activity—earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes, even
the shifting of magnetic poles. One group of people—orogenes—can detect and, in
some cases, control these events. Orogenes are feared and hated by their
neighbors. Often they are killed as infants, before they can cause the events
they might later learn to control with training.
The main protagonist of the trilogy is a
female origene who is known variously as Essun, Damaya and Syenite. Since it is
her point of view we perceive, we feel the
hatred of her family as they learn what she is, the suspicion of the neighbors
she has just saved from a killing earthquake as they see her in a new and
dangerous light. These passages are some of the most powerful you will ever
read in describing what it is like to be “other” in a dominant culture. This is
what it feels like to have people you think are your friends suddenly look at
you like you are a pariah. You don’t think racism is real? Read and be
educated.
Jemisin’s Stillness is not our Earth. Yet it
is. The people she describes are human, at least most of them are, and they act
like the humans we know. As we read further, it becomes clear that at some
point in the distant past, these humans have destroyed their planet. And the
planet is taking a very particular kind of revenge.
I rarely read science fiction anymore, but these
books live up to all their promises. The diverse viewpoint, the high concept,
the character-driven story all speak to me and lead me to recommend this
series. (Note: I noticed that some reviewers classify the series as “epic
fantasy,” despite the lack of any elves, swords, sorcery or the like. There is
the briefest mention of “magic” as an explanation of how one form of orogeny
works, but it really is more like the concept of internal energy, or “chi” in
Chinese philosophy than true magic, if you ask me. Just sayin’.) I’m very much
looking forward to Book 3 in the Broken Earth series, The Stone Sky.
Greta’s thought-provoking post earlier this
week on the subject of diversity, and the enlightening response from blogger
and SFR advocate Heather Massey of THE GALAXY EXPRESS, woke me up a bit.
I’ve long admired Heather’s efforts to bring
more attention to the need for more diversity in SFR (both in terms of the
writers we read and the characters we read about). And I’ve done what I can to
make sure my writing reflects both the reality of our current world, and the
complexity of the universe I believe we’ll be part of in the future.
My favorite “character of color,” Rescue
agent Rayna Carver, is of African-American heritage, but grew up in the
polyglot returned-slave colony of Terrene in the universeof my Interstellar Rescue series.
Rayna started out as an important secondary character in the first book in the
series, Unchained Memory. Her own
story is told in Book Three, Fools Rush
In, due out next year.
Rayna’s story is interesting, and I’m sure
I’ll tell it as we get closer to the pub date for Fools Rush In. But in the world I have created for my Interstellar Rescue series—her character
is not unique. She is part of a galaxy full of diverse beings, both human and
nonhuman, representative of as many cultures as you can imagine.
And that is the point. In science fiction
romance, we can imagine any kind of universe we want. Why limit ourselves? We
should be imagining the unexpected as much as possible.
The unexpected is the normal in SF and SFR
for three reasons:
--To escape this world. Many readers choose
SF and, by extension SFR, to leave Earth (and its conventions) altogether. They
want to fly among the stars, visit other worlds, to bravely go where no one, etc.,
etc. It’s not as easy to do this as it once was—just look at the differences in
Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Princess of Mars
and Andy Weir’s The Martian—but it’s
still a worthy goal. So, instead of the rocketships of old, we have sentient
spaceships (The Ship Who Sang),
spaceships that require drug addicted pilots (Dune) or ones that court insanity (Grimspace). Or spaceships for which their pilots are integral--or
is it the other way around (Inherit the
Stars)?
All of these are unexpected twists on old
tropes. They take us to new places, not only in our minds, but in the SF/R
world. We don’t need to carry old prejudices with us when we go, either. We can
imagine the crews of those starships in any shape, color, species, gender or
sexual orientation.
The first SF novel, penned by a woman
--To shine a new light on this world. The
very first true science fiction novel, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, written in 1818, examined the questions raised by the
new Industrial Revolution. In the earliest days of science fiction, Jules Verne
took us to new worlds, but H.G. Wells took us to the future of our own world,
whether it was the lost far-future of The
Time Machine, or the fearful tomorrow of The War of the Worlds. In his stories, his readers saw a reflection
of their own fears in a time of near-constant war and economic uncertainty at
the end of the Nineteenth Century. Later, Aldous Huxley (Brave New World), George Orwell (1984), Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit
451) and Phillip K. Dick (“Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” among
other titles) did the same for their times.
The creation of an alternate “Earth,” be it a
full dystopia or simply a peek behind a curtain she never knew was there,
provides an unexpected jolt for the reader, prompting her to re-examine the
world she lives in. An exotic setting isn’t needed for this kind of SF/R novel;
just an exotic viewpoint. In fact, the more “alien” the viewpoint, the greater
the sense of the unexpected and the bigger the reader’s delight.
-- To examine what it means to be “human.” For
most of the history of science fiction, from Frankenstein on, SF/R writers have wrestled with this central
question. What is it to be sentient? Is that the same as “being human?” Do all
sentient beings have a “soul?” The answers writers have found to these
questions can be the most unexpected of all. Starships, computers, androids,
aliens of all descriptions, humans of all shapes, colors, sizes, physical and
mental capabilities—all have been declared fully functioning, fully worthy of
respect (and love), fully “human.” Sometimes that declaration comes with
understanding within the world created in the story, sometimes with tragedy.
But as long as we keep asking the questions,
we can keep surprising ourselves—and our readers—with the answers. That is our
job, as writers in a genre that trades in the unexpected. We can no more settle
for a white-bread cast of characters than we can set our stories in a sunny
suburb with no dark underbelly or creepy neighbors. Diversity is our lingua
franca, the common language we must speak to reflect both the present and the
future that is rapidly encompassing more
rather than less.
I've just finished reading yet another article about diversity in fantasy and science fiction. Why we need to build more diverse worlds in fiction. A lot of what this article has to say seems to be about 'people of colour'. Let me quote.
'Fictional worlds that prioritize the representation and reflection of
the lives of people of color is vital; for just like anyone else,
says sci-fi/fantasy author Kirk Johnson, people of color “hunger to see
[themselves] as heroic figures, desperate parents, star-crossed lovers,
or battle-weary outcasts.”'
Yes. True. Here at Spacefreighters we've talked about diversity many times, including how difficult it is for authors who are people of colour to gain recognition. I don't dispute that, not for a moment. But just right now, I want to concentrate on ME. Because I learned that lesson long ago.
My Morgan Selwood stories are NOT about white, anglo-saxon communities. The Manesai - the 'aliens' Morgan encounters - are not Caucasian. Not one of them. Every single one is dark skinned. Their society is based on the Indian caste system. The overall concept is "a place for everyone, and everyone in their place". That, of course, is idealistic in the extreme, and every caste is itself layer upon layer of privilege. Modern day India is full of examples of extreme wealth and extreme poverty, and also instances where people have overcome the restrictions of that society. But one of those restrictions is not skin colour.
Morgan herself isn't dark skinned. But she sure as hell isn't white. I've mentioned before that I think "white" people will become increasingly rare unless they are isolated from those with darker skins, and we'll all end up looking like Brazilians. When we head for the stars, the same sorts of things will happen. In a mixed society you might end up with a rainbow of skin colours. But if a colony is created using one particular sub-type, you'll end up with something like my Manesai. They might all be the same colour, but that doesn't mean they don't find other ways to break themselves up into tribes.
So if you're looking for a strong, Alpha hero with dark skin and a battle cruiser, don't go past Admiral Ashkar Ravindra, the son of an admiral, grandson of an admiral and (no doubt) father of an admiral. If you'd like a short introduction you might like Ink. It's a tale of Ravindra just before he joins the Fleet Academy. Ravindra has a tattoo, you see. But admirals don't have tattoos. That's the cover at top left. And here's the blurb.
INK
Life's good for 18-year-old Ashkar Ravindra. School's over, and he's
been accepted into the Fleet Academy. There's time for one last trip up
into the mountains in the brand new flitter his father gave him as a
graduation present, before his real life, the one he's been groomed for
from the day he was born, begins in earnest.
Up in the mountains not everyone is pleased to see the privileged
admiral's son. Jealousy and ulterior motives turn the pleasant hunting
trip into an ordeal. Lives are a stake. If Ashkar makes the wrong
decision, he will be the first to die.
But I'm not the only one who has written racially diverse SFR stories. Science fiction is such a wonderful genre for "diverse" stories. I particularly enjoyed Elizabeth Moon's books Rules of Engagement and Once a Hero, from the Serrano series. She paints a picture of worlds colonised by splinter groups. In our SFR niche, SJ Pajonas writes SFR with a decidedly Japanese flavour. PJ Dean writes racially diverse books. Please feel free to suggest others in the comments. I know SFR is much more diverse than it is given credit for.
By its very nature, SFR envisions a very different universe from what is often seen in other genres. Which is to say, some genres have a tendency toward white aristocratic/privileged hetero hero and white-but-of-a-lesser-social-ranking hetero female. Yet, genres that often entail these dynamics have a far larger romance audience than SFR could ever dream of having. (But don't ever change SFR--we love you just the way you are!) 
