1. Nomenclature (or the words they use)

Whether SF is called scientifiction, science fiction, space fiction, science fantasy or speculative fiction, it is still a literature of the future. So many different sorts of stories are classified as SF that it is hard to word a definition that will encompass all.

An inherent element in SF is that of speculation — hence the preference of some for the 'speculative fiction' title. This speculation can be of any kind. Today's SF is a far cry from the original hard science stories of the 30's and 40's.

SF writers can speculate on the consequences of many new concepts, whether of the physical sciences, social sciences or the current amalgam sciences. A.E. van Vogt created the science of 'nexialism' in The voyage of the Space Beagle and this amalgam science involved the co-ordination of all the other specialist subjects on the spaceship. Needless to say the sole nexialist aboard ends up running the whole show.

The other element in all SF (or should be) is the fiction element. SF should tell a story. Whether there is a message or vision behind the story or not doesn't matter The story is there to be told and the reader may or may not get anything extra from the story. Of course, some stories are better than others, and a message or a vision can improve a story.

Science is a very grey element in a lot of current SF. The early stories all dealt with scientific extrapolation, but as science has expanded, so too has the range of materials used in SF. Depending on you definition, science is still important in SF, but the sort of science is changing.

Streams of Literature

If SF is considered as a stream of literature, then the majority of other writing is called mainstream literature. SF likes to grab mainstream success's and claim them as SF successes that have had wider appeal. The huge success of mainstream novels like Brave New World, 1984, On the Beach, and and writers like Vonnegut points to the interaction between the two streams.

SF justifies its existence as a stream of literature. Mainstream contains a number of substreams (mystery, gothic, humour, western, philosophical, etc.) and similarily the same substreams can be found in SF.

Because of its speculative nature, SF can use a far wider range of ideas in a story. Any mainstream category can have its SF equivalent. Aurthur C. Clarke has written a SF western, Isaac Asimov perfected the SF mystery and now has several imitators, Gordon Dickson's Dorsai cycle has a strong military flavour, Philip Jose Farmer introduced alien sex to the genre Larry Niven and Laurence James both have their alternative to James Bond — suitably enhanced by technology, Harry Harrington has introduced various ideas but can be remembered for his excellent SF humour, and Mark Adlard has written about the executives and the management of automated cities of the future.

Search for New Ideas

One of the constantly amazing things about being a frequent SF reader is the variety of new ideas that can be found in new stories. SF writers are always finding some new idea and introducing it in their stories.

Philip Jose Farmer burst onto the scene in 1952 with The Lovers, a story of sex and aliens. His later work in that direction is collected in Strange Relations. His World of the Tiers series (yet to be finished) deals with an immortal society and their constructed universes, petty squabbles and cultures. The Gate of Time involves alternate time universes. He deals more profoundly with the resurrection of mankind for an experiment in his River-world tetralogy (third volume recently published overseas). To further excercise his talents he is official biographer of Tarzan (and his book Lord Tyger is along similar lines), Doc Savage and he has recently published two stories of Opar in the time before Tarzan arrived. The adventure of the Peerless Peer tells of a humourous encouter between Sherlock Holmes and Tarzan. The Wind Whales of Ishmael tells the sequal to Moby Dick.

SF writers come from a variety of backgrounds to give their contribution to the genre. Some were professional writers from the start — Moorcock and Brunner both began in their teens and haven't slowed since. Others have backgrounds in science and engineering — Asimov has a Ph.D. in biochemistry, Jerry Pournelle was involved with NASA for a long while. Currently even wider fields are contributing. Samuel Delany is the editor of a poetry magazine, Mark Adlard is an executive for a UK steel company, Theodore Sturgeon trained to be a trapeze artist, etc. From all these backgrounds comes the cream of SF. Every writer makes a contribution to the reader, and the genre as a whole.

Helping Hands lift you Higher

Harlan Ellison made the comment in Again, Dangerous Visions that there is something special about the SF community. There are regular get togethers where the older established writers will talk to newcomers about the craft of writing. Can you imagine Norman Mailer or Jaqueline Susann or Erich Segal getting together with his (or her) juniors to help them on to the paths of success?

Robin Scott Wilson runs the Clarion workshops — one of the better known and more successful. Such an exercise disproves the George Bernard Shaw quotation: "Those who can, do: Those who cannot, teach."

This is done by having prominent writers talk about writing. The Garion has a very good record, but closer to home, Ursala Le Guin operates a writing workshop in Australia and the resultant efforts are printed in The Altered I (edited by Lee Harding, Norstrilia Press).

Alternate Media

So far in this article I have been mainly talking about stories and novels. SF however is not confined to these media.

There is a large following of SF illustrations which make their appearance on book covers, magazines, record album covers and in special art publications (Patrick Woodroffe's Mythopoekon, Roger Dean's Visions or the compilation by Harry Harrison: Great Balls of Fire! — A History of Sex in SF Illustration. There are many others.

The comic medium is distinct from illustration. Comics combine visual art with a story. I don't mean the Walt Disney comics) although they do contain some fantastic elements — I mean a talking duck with a large fortune). Marvel comics contain a lot of SF related material but it would take an expert in the field to discuss it properly — I'm not.

I would like to mention however. New Zealand's own comic book Strips which is exported from Ponsonby every few months. It contains a number of very well drawn strips, including a few serials and some commentary comics — all very adult stuff.

The film medium has been producing a lot of SF material lately after the success of Star Wars and Close Encouters of the Thrid Kind. I will have more to say on that at a later date.

At a more obscure level is the recording medium. Many very talented musicians are recording some SF related albums. The better known are Bowie (Space Oddity, Low, Diamond Dogs, etc.). Pink Floyd (Saucerful of Secrets, Ummagumma, More, Obscured by Clouds, etc.). Sometimes the level of SF is concealed by obscurity, but at other times it is very apparent. This is something I will have more to say about later too.

The Shape of Things to Come

At this stage it is intended for this article to be followed by more. There is a lot of material that needs more attention and I hope I am able to contribute on a regular basis.

Future topics will include a look at fandom, history, the giants of the genre, SF themes, movies and music. At the same time I welcome any inquiries about anything mentioned here. If there is something you wish to know then I will try to answer. You can write to me c/o Salient.

Bruce Ferguson