presented at the The librarian’s guide to the galaxy #ra2015

1. Science Fiction
Readers’ Advisory
Presented March 18, 2015
for the State Library of New South Wales
Megan McArdle
megmcardle@gmail.com
Genrify.com
@megmcardle

2. ● What is SF?
● Who reads SF?
● Why do people read SF?
● Subgenres
● Core authors & titles
● Keeping up with SF
● Questions
Goals for Today

3. Science Fiction is the “What if?” genre
Intellect + Imagination
SCIENCE fiction
● Future
● Space
● Technology
What is SF?

4. Literary Fiction Genre Fiction
● Reflects the reality of people’s lives
● Explores the human condition
● Focuses on inner life, emotions
● Scope is small, intimate
● Escape from the reality of
people’s lives
● Explores the human condition
● Focus more on external stimuli
● Scope is large, expansive

5. Who reads
SF?
photo via Manchester Evening News
Stereotype vs reality

6. If you build it, they will come
● Self-service
● Collectors and completists
● Respect for the classics
● Displays and exposed covers

7. Appeals: Pacing, Characters, Story, Frame (Saricks)
● Fast paced
● Characters to ground the story
● Wide range of stories in SF
○ Science, Technology, Life on other planets
● Near-future, Far future, even the past
● Earth, Solar System, Universe
Why do people read SF?

8. ● Space Opera
● Military SF
● Post-Apocalypse
● Dystopian
● Alternate History
○ Steampunk
● Time Travel
● SF Romance
● Planetary Romance
Subgenres, Movements & Themes
● Science Fantasy
● Near Future SF
● First Contact
● Sociological SF
● Comic SF
● Cyberpunk
● Hard SF
● Technothriller

9. APPEAL LABEL
I like fast reads with lots of battles and interesting
worlds
MILITARY SF
SPACE OPERA
HARD SF
I like to learn about science & technology. It’s
really important to me that the science is right.
NEAR-FUTURE SF
SOCIOLOGICAL SF
I like books about the characters dealing with
the consequences of changing technology
POST-APOCALYPTIC
DYSTOPIA
I like stories that are about dark turns the future
can take & end of the world disasters
Forget the future! I like books about the past,
but with robots and gadgets.
STEAMPUNK

10. NEWish
● Peter Watts
● Greg Egan
● Robert Charles Wilson
● Hannu Rajaiemi
● Kim Stanley Robinson
● Stephen Baxter
● Alastair Reynolds
BACKLIST
● Arthur C. Clarke
● Isaac Asimov
● Vernor Vinge
● Poul Anderson
● Larry Niven
HARD SF

11. THE MARTIAN
by Andy Weir

12. NEWish
● John Scalzi
● Joel Shepherd
● Jack Campbell
● T.C. McCarthy
● Charles E. Gannon
BACKLIST
● Robert Heinlein
● Joe Haldeman
● David Weber
● John Ringo
● Elizabeth Moon
● Jerry Pournelle
● David Drake
Military SF

13. OLD MAN’S WAR
by John Scalzi

14. NEWish
● James S.A. Corey
● Rachel Bach
● John Scalzi
● Jack McDevitt
● Pierce Brown
● Brian K. Vaughan
BACKLIST
● Iain M. Banks
● Frederik Pohl
● Lois McMaster Bujold
● Peter F. Hamilton
● David Weber
● Sharon Lee & Steve
Miller
● E.E. Smith
SPACE OPERA

15. LEVIATHAN WAKES
by James S.A. Corey

16. NEWish
● Ernest Cline
● Ramez Naam
● Lauren Beukes
● Charles Stross
● Paolo Bacigalupi
● Tobias S. Buckell
● Daryl Gregory
BACKLIST
● Neal Stephenson
● William Gibson
● Nancy Kress
● J.G. Ballard
● Philip K. Dick
● Bruce Sterling
● Walter Jon Williams
NEAR FUTURE

17. READY PLAYER ONE
by Ernest Cline

18. NEWish
● Ann Leckie
● Karen Lord
● Ian McDonald
● Jo Walton
BACKLIST
● Ursula LeGuin
● C.J. Cherryh
● Ray Bradbury
● Octavia Butler
SOCIOLOGICAL SF

19. ANCILLARY JUSTICE
by Ann Leckie

20. NEWish
● Ben H. Winters
● Hugh Howey
● Adam Sternbergh
● M.R. Carey
● Emily St. John Mandel
BACKLIST
● David Brin
● John Brunner
● Sheri S. Tepper
● Octavia Butler
● Gene Wolfe
DYSTOPIAS & POST-APOCALYPTIC

21. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE
GIFTS
by M.R. Carey

22. NEWish
● Cherie Priest
● China Mieville
● Chris Wooding
● Meljean Brooks
● Gail Carriger
● Ian Tregillis
BACKLIST
● Tim Powers
● K.W. Jeter
● Neal Stephenson
● Jeff VanderMeer
● Philip Pullman
● Connie Willis
● George Mann
STEAMPUNK & ALT HISTORY

23. KAREN MEMORY
by Elizabeth Bear

24. Magazines: Locus, Review journals
Websites: Tor.com, sfsignal.com, io9.com
Awards: Hugo & the Nebula
Media tie-ins: Movies, TV, streaming
Talk to fans
Keeping up with SF

25. Find me on twitter @megmcardle &
at my website Genrify.com
Thank you!