The second day of the year. Just when you think you’ve made it through the holiday season and wham — we’re here to let you know that there’s one more party. But don’t worry, it’s very low-key.
January 2 is National Science Fiction Day. Although not officially recognized by, well, anyone, various like-minded folks decided to dedicate Issac Asimov’s birthday as a day to celebrate all things science fiction. So, we ask: why the hell not? After all, the only other thing competing for January 2 is Run it up the flagpole and see if anyone salutes day, and, well…. meh.
So, in celebration, staff here at LSQ have decided to share our current sci-fi loves — recent books we’ve read and admired, movies we’ve seen, oldies but goodies that we just can’t get out of our heads and hearts, and authors we love. Here’s what National Science Fiction Day means to us. And of course we have to ask: what does it mean to you, dear readers?
LSQ blogger Christina “DZA” Marie: “The best sci-fi book I read this year [2017] was The Guns Above (steampunk battleships + feminism + all the snark = very happy fangirl). And Nova by Margaret Fortune was a close second.”
Assistant editor Tara Calaby: “I’ve just finished playing the original Mass Effect trilogy and was so impressed with the story-telling. It felt as fleshed out as reading a book. “
Blogger Suz Thackston: “I’ve got to shove in a plug for one of my favorite sci-fi books that no one knows about, Hellflower by Eluki bes Shahar — female author, amazing female protagonist, best original lingo since A Clockwork Orange, and virtually zero sexploitation.”
Managing blog editor Anna O’Brien: “1. Let’s hear it for sci-fi anthologies! The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy annual anthology is TOPS and I’ve come across some others lately that have exposed me to such unique, interesting, creative stories that I would not have otherwise come across. So grateful for them! One of them is Invaders, 22 Tales from the Outer Limits of Literature (ed. Jacob Weisman) that is pretty cool and the other is a neat, neat anthology called The Bestiary (ed Ann VanderMeer) where every author takes a letter of the alphabet and writes an entry on a fictional creature that begins with that letter. 2. My discovery of author Molly Gloss. Her short story “Lambing Season” is the most amazing, beautiful, literary combination of western and sci-fi genres I’ve ever read and it’s just wonderful. Her novels are on my to-read list for 2018.”
LSQ editor-in-chief Jennifer Lyn Parsons: “1. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell – The best of the genre has plenty of believable science, but also has amazingly well-rounded and robust characters and this one is no exception. It’s also got such beautiful language and I love the mix of thoughts on religion along with the science, something that’s not often handled this d
eftly, when it’s discussed at all. 2. I love how sci-fi is so often couched in the future but what it actually ends up talking about is the present, the human condition, and how we interact with technology in unexpected ways. It’s very interesting to me that so many sci-fi writers are struggling to write anything speculating on the future because of how rapidly things are changing now. 3. Interstellar – A lot of people didn’t “get” the ending of this film, which I understand is complicated, but is so purely, classically sci-fi that I wonder if those people simply don’t like the genre. For all its possible, believable science, this film was awash in what it means to be human, to explore, to love, and it made me cry for about half the film.”
Blog editor Jen Gheller: “I really loved the movie Arrival. I don’t usually like alien movies, but the way this one focused on patience and compassion rather than violence was super refreshing. And it shows how when you listen to a woman, stuff gets done!”
So, get your party hats on, folks — there’s plenty of material out there to celebrate and we hope to create even more.