Is SCIENCE-FICTION in print dying out?

[Dave Vicks]

Opinions please.

 

[Brian G Turner]

What's yours?

 

[Foxbat]

Is ‘in print’ the right phrase? Before printing presses, there was the hand and the pen. Now it looks as if digital may replace much of what is now printed. But that medium change is just that - a change in medium and nothing more. The imagination of writers need not suffer because of this.

Perhaps the right question is - is Science Fiction dying out? To which, I cry emphatically NO!

 

[Rodders]

SF in print is just moving on to a different format. I don't think SF is dying out at all and stats posted on another thread indicate that the printed word is more popular than the electronic word.

Also, Brian asked what you're opinion was. I'd be quite interested to read what you think.

 

[.matthew.]

I suspect it's more that book stores tend to sell what is popular and in the often tiny 'sci-fi & fantasy' section, fantasy is represented a lot more than sci-fi.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Definitely not. Sci fi sells well in print. Not just as well as eg crime, romance, general fiction, but that's okay. But the readers are dedicated, and like to see new books coming out. For us, it sells better than fantasy (but I do probably have a better range of SF as I'm more confident with buying it)

 

[Vladd67]

Definitely not. Sci fi sells well in print. Not just as well as eg crime, romance, general fiction, but that's okay. But the readers are dedicated, and like to see new books coming out. For us, it sells better than fantasy (but I do probably have a better range of SF as I'm more confident with buying it)

and your biased.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

and your biased.

Totally and unashamedly

 

[Wayne Mack]

With one exception, I think the challenge facing written science fiction is creating a sense of wonder in the reader. Modern technology has become such a mystery to people that even tremendous advances seem within reach and mundane. Movies and TV shows can somewhat overcome this by throwing in some awe-inspiring visual effects, but even these only consume a fraction of the story time.

My exception case is the recent wave of dystopian futures. My postulate is that these provide a negative sense of awe, they present a somewhat horrific view of the future. Rather than advancing mankind, technology is making things worse.

Until people in general come to grips with the actual capabilities and limitations of current technology, it is difficult to wow them with projected advances.

 

[Dave Vicks]

I think e-books are the future for SF.

 

[Dave]

My exception case is the recent wave of dystopian futures. My postulate is that these provide a negative sense of awe, they present a somewhat horrific view of the future. Rather than advancing mankind, technology is making things worse.

Would that be the recent wave that began in 1818 with the publication of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus where rather than advancing mankind, technology was making things worse? Or the recent wave that began with the publication of The Time Machine in 1895 that warned against the inevitable progress of the man, or that he would endure forever, or that technology will always make human life better. If so, then I wouldn't be too concerned about these recent waves. I have serious doubts that this genre will endure past the Victorian age

 

[Dave Vicks]

I remember typewriters, bookstores,video stores,ALIEN NATION,The Jetsons etc ...

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I think e-books are the future for SF.

Why, may I ask? It's going against current book buying trends. What do you think will change?

 

[Foxbat]

Remember the days when Vinyl was old hat? When CDs and then downloads were the future? And yet, vinyl has made a comeback and sales are growing.

As long as there are people looking to buy them, I think books will still be around for a long time (or at least make a comeback just like vinyl).

 

[Dave]

I think e-books are the future for SF.

I disagree, e-books are already history, and they are just pretending to be hard copy books. The "future" would look something more like a Brain-Computer Interface.

It's going against current book buying trends.

Some would argue that e-books are being read in huge numbers, they just aren't being tracked effectively by the publishing industry.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

I disagree, e-books are already history, and they are just pretending to be hard copy books. The "future" would look something more like a Brain-Computer Interface.


Some would argue that e-books are being read in huge numbers, they just aren't being tracked effectively by the publishing industry.

No one is denying that ebooks are being read in huge numbers. But we do know that print book sales are rising. That is traceable.

 

[Matteo]

Remember the days when Vinyl was old hat? When CDs and then downloads were the future? And yet, vinyl has made a comeback and sales are growing.

As long as there are people looking to buy them, I think books will still be around for a long time (or at least make a comeback just like vinyl).

Heh! For me vinyl has not made a comeback...

...it never went away .

(2000 LPs and around 20cds (for the car)).

And print for me - just don't like e-books. And to answer the question; no, I don't think so...I think physical books are still popular. And perhaps more popular with the (ahem) older generation who are perhaps the main readers of sci fi??

 

[Jo Zebedee]

And print for me - just don't like e-books. And to answer the question; no, I don't think so...I think physical books are still popular. And perhaps more popular with the (ahem) older generation who are perhaps the main readers of sci fi??

Honestly, based on what I see in the shop - nope. Readers cross all the generations, with some voracious younger readers. Sci fi isn't an old market at all - in fact, it's quite young. Now, history books about the war.... they're another matter.

 

[Dave]

I think Covid-19 will shake things up further. When I went to Iceland I was surprised at the number of independent bookshops, haberdasheries and craft shops in Reykjavik, but quickly realised that in the very long dark nights there isn't much else to do, and alcohol is extremely expensive too. Now we are in lockdown in the UK, even younger people are doing jigsaws, knitting, sowing, crocheting, building models. They must be reading more too. They can't be all watching TV 24-hours a day, playing first-person shooter games, or getting blind drunk.

 

[Vince W]

I vastly prefer a book to e-reading. I retain the information better and I get more enjoyment out of the story. I think we may see a different printing medium shortly, however. Much like paper currency giving way to plastic currency.