Question 1
It is not easy to define science fiction genre because there are so many subcategories genres. Such as horror and fantasy science fiction like Frankenstein and space western science fiction like Ender's Game. The setting of Sci-Fi in general is futuristic based on space and science and exploration. The plot usually involves, advanced technology and imagination. The desire to write such stories can be traced back as early as the second century. For example Lucian's True History in the 2nd century, some of the Arabian Nights tales, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter in the 10th century, Ibn al-Nafis' Theologus Autodidactus in the 13th century, and Jules Verne's A Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea in the 19th century. In the 21st century, we have Star Wars, 2012 and the day after tomorrow are all written in the 21st century. There are many other genres that directly or indirectly affecting sci-fi such as millitary SF, superhuman and apocalyptic.
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Question 2
There are too many sub categories to put down, these are some general ones.
· Hard science fiction – Type of stories that rely heavily on classic science fiction. Writer generally needs to have a good knowledge of Science and Technology, for example, Issac Asminov
· Other worlds – Setting are on other planets, for example, Frank Herbert’s “Dune”
· First contact- Stories based on contact between aliens and humans for example, the movie “E.T.”
· Space exploration – Stories where characters explores space
· Cyberpunk- Stories that write about advancement through technology such as robots
· Near-future science fiction- Stories that take place in the future and includes technology that is in real life or in development
· Time Travel- Stories where characters that travel to the past of future or visited by time travellers.
· Military science fiction- Combat and wars in the future against aliens, “Ender’s game” by Orson Scott Card is an example
· Sociological science fiction- Stories that talk about future of social sciences instead of hard technology and focusing on individuals and social groups.
· Light/humorous science fiction- Spoof of science fiction, one example of a book made to a movie is “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” by Douglas Adams
· Science fantasy/future fantasy- Based on a few elements on science but ignore scientific principles involved.
· Cross-Genre- Novels mixing science fiction with fantasy, romance, mystery, suspense and other genres.
· Space opera- Similar to space westerns where good guys shoot bad guys in space, one famous example is “Star Wars”
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3.
When reading a book or watching a movie, there are techniques in the book that is made as science fiction, it very easy to see if a movie is Science-Fiction, basically because if you see any movies or read any books and if it includes robots, space, aliens and about the future or future wars, then it is Science Fiction. Here are a few example on which types of sub genres which include science fiction:
Hard SF- "A fall of Moon dust" by Arthur C. Clark: Talks about space and planets such as the moon.
Soft and social SF: Psychology, economics, political science, sociology and anthropology
Cyberpunk- "Cyberpunk" by Bruce Bethke. Timeline of the story was in the near future
Time travel- "Back to the future" by Michael Klastorin and Sally Hibbin. Going to the past (and the future) using a time machine car.
Alternate History- Historical events that were not written as in real life (history was tweaked for a few stories) "The man in the castle" by Phillip K. Dick, this was where Germany and Japan win World War II.
Military SF- "Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. Space and galactic wars.
Superhuman- Human Enchantment, basically, humans having powers such as super strength and many other things.
Apocalyptic: End of civilisation through wars, spacial impact and other things
Space Opera: Adventure science fiction on other planets
Space Western: Good guys shooting bad guys in other planets with future weapons
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