Fantasy and Sci Fi- for me?

(image by Caz Lobo (c) Dec.16, 2021 on flickr)

When I was in grade six, my teacher had us read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle and it was nothing short of a life-changing experience. I was amazed how this book transported me to other possibilities of existence I had never considered. As a teenager, I enjoyed books and movies like the Hobbit, Soylent Green, Tron, and Bladerunner.

So why, as an adult, have I veered away from these genres? Now I am choosing women’s fiction and realism. Perhaps, as I got older, I became more unwilling to suspend my disbelief and embrace what might be possible. This seems kind of sad to me. Have I become closed-minded and dull?

I follow many fantasy writers on social media and the genre is certainly flourishing. I have recently purchased some of their books to try and re-immerse myself. I am currently reading Scorched Earth by Elana McDougall, where the characters can travel between a magical world and the current everyday USA by car. They simply drive into the woods and there is an alternate reality. I am forcing my brain to accept this while trying to suppress my critical inner voice.

And then there’s the sex! These superhuman characters are having hot, steamy sex in graphic detail. Apparently, the fantasy-romance genre is alive and well. There is even inter-species lust, as the trolls are often very horny and keep hitting on the human women. This made me laugh.

I am starting to understand the popularity of the genre once again. Sci-fi and fantasy allow us to escape from our everyday humdrum lives and tune out life’s problems. Alternatively, some writers do include deep speculative meaning and themes that reflect on our real lives, for example how the film Avatar focused on environmental protection. I will continue to support my fellow indie authors to check out their work and expand my horizons.

Do you like science fiction or fantasy? Please leave a comment below.