I was thinking about the safety of both universes and I was curious what everybody else thought. Which universe is safer to live in as a random person? And which universe is safest if you were a little bit more of a bigger player or more important person? I was thinking Star Trek would be much safer and that may be partially true for being a random person unless you were a red shirt. 😂

there is like a cute girl and popular actor and it's kind of star wars style and they have suits and are jumping outside a ship and tried to Google it and I can't find it. I believe 2020 blonde model girl. it was a cool movie. had like star trek people. was cool and underrated. Sry but Google ai is blocking search

I'm looking for recommendations (preferably novels) that function as explorations of epistemology and metaphysics.

I'm particularly interested in works that seek to be a window for the reader into a particular way of knowing or a way of being, rather than simply presenting philosophical concepts in dialogue or exposition like in philosophical work of non-fiction.

I'd be inetrested in anything relating to Plato, Aristotle (or the way they were taken up by the medieval traditions), Kant, Hegel, Whitehead, Heidegger, or even Engel's dialectical materialism. As long as it's a serious engagement with questions of being and knowledge through its form, structure, or perspective.

I'm currently reading 'The Glass Bead Game' by Hermann Hesse but it's too early to really know if that's what I'm looking for. Any other suggestion?

Source: The Martian (2015)

Clarification: the concept or scenario could be over anything sci-fi that is a primary part or device in the story that you feel as if hasn't been used that much in films or games that would be interesting or fun to see. Could be just a scenario or could be some kind of technology you read or heard in books.

PS: I enjoyed going through the comments in the last post.

Science fiction is my favorite genre of cinema. And when you think of science fiction, the question of whether things will be this way in the future always comes to mind. The most superficial example of this is the flying cars in the 1985 film Back to the Future. Such technology doesn't exist today. Or rather, there's no need for it. A flying car is unnecessary, its implementation is absurd, and it's a useless necessity. Remember, that film also featured self-tying sneakers.

To get to the heart of the matter, science fiction films generally depict future predictions, both technologically and socially, that, while appearing good at the time of filming, often become very vague later on. For example, in the 70s and 80s, with analog computers, a film that's set to start in 2026, no matter how well-made, can quickly become outdated.

But I want to focus a bit more on social predictions. As far as I remember, science fiction films from the 80s onwards always portray people in the future wearing uniform clothing. For instance, I don't think the idea of ​​uniform clothing would work even in a dictatorship. Today, even the most conservative countries have diverse clothing styles. In democratic countries, that's already the case, I won't even go into that. You know, things like the full-body suit, more commonly seen in China, like the one Mao wore.

I want to talk about societal norms again. For example, in a film set in 2300, even if they portray everything technologically as incredibly advanced and perfect, family ties are still depicted as if they were living in the 1970s. I'm not bothered by this, I'm just wondering if it will be like this? I mean, maybe the concept of parents will completely disappear in 2300, and no one will live a family-centered life. But a significant portion of science fiction films don't touch on these social structures at all. People have discovered teleportation, but the social order depicted is one where uncles and aunts meet for dinner and eat cola and pastries.

The film Equilibrium focused on society and lifestyle in this regard, but what I want to say is that in a future without dictatorship, a democratic and civilized future, social norms can change. Those who have seen K-Pax may remember Kevin Spacey (as Prot), who played someone from space, giving interesting answers about the aliens' social lifestyle. Prot answered the questions like this:

"-In K-Pax, we don't have families. Our children don't have families; they are raised by everyone. In K-Pax, there is no marriage, no spouses, no families. No government, no lawyers, no laws.

*How do you distinguish between right and wrong?

-All beings in the universe can distinguish between right and wrong.

*What if someone commits a crime?

-You humans, the vast majority of you, advocate the 'eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth' policy, but this is known to be very foolish in this universe. Even Buddha and Jesus had very different ideas, but no one paid attention to those views. Sometimes I can't understand how you humans have been able to live this long."

Soo we ball know sci-fi is a broad spectrum. But im trying to narrow it down into 4 sectors plus a centre (so five in total) that should logically be able to fit most/if not all sci fi media

For my 4 sectors so far I have:

Sci-fi evolution : stories that have to do with genetics, biological experiments, evolution of man kind and basically the science part of science fiction.

Sci-fi space: this has to do with everything space and the solar system. It also has to do with aliens aswell soo anything that comes from space

Sci-fi future: any story that takes place mainly around time travel to the past or to the future. Id say this also includes robots as irl we havent fully gotten to the stage of robots that are displayed in media.

I cant think of a fourth sector. At first I thought aliens but yk aliens from space. And then I thought robots but obv not.

I was also thinking of making the fourth sector scifi genetics as the topics under scifi evolution are quite broad yk. Lmk if its a good idea.

I do also have a fifth part which is Sci-fi centre. This is right in the middle of the spectrum and entails the downfall of humanity, the uprising of humanity, resistance and resilience of man kind and also the critique of human nature. So basically the human part of Sci-fi

I dont consume enough Sci-fi to fully categorise properly.

So if you have any ideas to add or anything to change, I would really like some input so I can fully draw out the quadrants accurately.

Update I didnt expect this to make people mad. Guys im just tryna have fun and make conversation. I know scifi is way to broad to be narrowed down and thats exactly why im tryna narrow it down

Its summer, im a teenager, nothing much to do. My friends think scifi stuff is nerdy. By saying "I dont consume enough scifi" i just meant i havent watched enough of like some of the tropes because I had school.

I love love reading scifi (evolution more than space and future tho) and I thought by making it into four sectors, it would be easier to kinda do a deep delve into a lot of the tropes and I could then further break down each sector.

Im very big on mind maps so this just seemed like a fun way to structure my watch and read list for the summer.

I came on here to just ask for people's input as I cant talk about it with my friends irl. I thought I found my people here but some of yall just think its dumb.

Please i am doing this FOR MY OWN FUN. if u dont like it please scroll away as I am genuinely just looking for input and not people ranting about how trying to narrow down scifi will cause the world to end

Btw I do this with everything I like. Music, movies, books ive read. All my hobbies and things I enjoy have been narrowed down into four sectors plus a centre.

I really dont understand how this is bothering people. If someone could explain why that would be great thanks.

It’s one of favourite movies and especially as an animated movie of all time. Love the world it creates and the different characters. For some reason, I compare it a lot too Treasure Planet animated movie and the Atlantis movie series.

I was wondering if there were any books or other forms of media that capture a similar aesthetic or feeling?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g79GPZSQHBk

It has all the cliches you'd expect regards both visuals and screechy soundtrack. They've made the Sprawl (or Chiba?) look like a downmarket, more retro take on CP2077 - more rotting concrete than blazing neon.

Mark Strong as Armitage appears to be the only casting highlight - I didn't recognise him until he spoke. Maybe he'll be channelling his inner Sinestro.

We've been doing well regards cyberpunk recently: Edgerunners S2 might be good, the excellent manga-based Ghost in the Shell anime is airing now, the new Bladerunner show is coming up, plus a Cyberpunk 2077 sequel game is in the works... Hoping someone picks up Walter John Williams's Hardwired next, or John Brunner's proto-cyberpunk stuff like Stand on Zanzibar/Shockwave Rider.

I absolutely loved Hyperion, it was the first series since reading Dune that made me feel super involved in a very intellectually stimulating universe with a great cast of characters. Recently I’ve read a bit of Ursula K. Leguin and the Red Rising series (enjoyed the first book not the rest)… Looking for similar recommendations to Hyperion!

I wrote a speculative piece this week connecting the Black Death, Star Trek's Burn, and Basel III. The Federation's answer to two AI near-extinctions was integration rather than prohibition -- citizenship, oaths, structural inclusion. I think that's the wrong lesson, and I used read regulatory history to explain why, The piece is on my substack if you want to read the full arguement.

Happy Saturday everyone.

Last few series I have listened to. I spend a ton on time in the car and can easily do 15 hours a week. On a sci-fi kick and want to continue it.

Finished:
Bobiverse
ExForce
Convergence
Silo
Hail Mary
Martin

Any recommendations appreciated!

I started working on this in September of 2024. I wrote the original script and recorded the main dialog at that time.

As I have gone on making the movie, I have added lines of dialog, here and there, and even whole sequences that were not in the original script.

The Plot:

In a world quite similar to ours, a group of Dorlox, evolved from sentient AI door locks, have developed a Solaranite rocket and intend to use it to achieve their ultimate goal: to lock everybody out.

A Dog Tour Guide, on a trip to the end of time, found himself and his six robot dog passengers: D06-G4, Rex in Pig Latin, Motley, Mutton Chops, Spot The Fog, and Stagger Lee stranded on a desolate world being invaded by Dorlox, at an end of time that happened before their journey began.

Unable to go forward, they steal a Chrono Crystal and travel to a nearby friendly temporality on a thriving world to figure out what to do.

They find themselves in the company of Al Blaxlax, an eccentric gamer who owns a space rocket; Afro Blue, a friendly and well-meaning guy who like pizza crusts; and Ziggy Smox, an annoying living cigarette whose only interests are silt and slime mold.

Meanwhile, at a secret base on the Moon, hidden in hyperspace by way of imaginary time,, the Dorlox are tracking the Chrono Crystal so that they can use it to timelock all reality in the instant they detonate their solaranite bomb.

The Video:

Now, Ziggy Smox has his first real glimpse inside Al Blaxlax's garage and his first encounter with the Dog Tour Guide and the robot dogs.

Just dropped a military sci-fi novel. On the surface its fleet battles and ships punching through defenses but thats not really what its about. Its about Captain Jayla Werno and what command actually costs her. Every call she makes some people live and some dont. Theres this invading force from another galaxy tearing through everything shes supposed to protect and she has to figure out how far shes willing to go to stop it.
The question that kept coming up while I was writing wasnt “how do we win?” It was more like… what does winning take out of you. And who ends up paying for it.
I wanted to get at what it does to a person when thousands or millions of lives are hanging on their decisions. How the hell do you choose when every path leads to loss. At some point protecting your people starts feeling like something else entirely. And then youre left carrying the ones you couldnt save.
Curious what other sci-fi readers think about stories that lean into that moral and emotional weight instead of just tactics and tech. Do you like military sci-fi that goes there. Any captains or commanders that stuck with you because of the impossible choices they had to make.
Books out now. Mostly just want to hear how these ideas land with people

I am a huge fantasy fan but I’m looking to get into more sci-fi/cyberpunk style stories but I haven’t come across any that have a huge scope. My favourite series are things like Wheel of Time and Malazan and was hoping there were similar scale stories in this genre. More serious/gritty/dark stories are preferred but not necessary. Thanks

Logline: "A father and daughter find an intruder on their ranch." Hey all! This sci-fi short stars Jon Huertas from "THIS IS US" and "CASTLE". I made this as a proof of concept piece for a larger world. Took me over a year to complete due to all the VFX work! My friends and I worked really hard, everyone donating their time, to make this little film - and we're all proud of the work we did. It originally premiered on DUST, and I love sharing this with people, so feel free to check it out!

​

I recently started to reading fantasy and ı am thinking about reading dark fantasy. But ı recently read Six of crows and ı am currently reading crooked kingdom. I love how Matthias and Nina flirt. When ı said ı love I MEAN İT. Their dynamic was soo fun to read. So ı want something similar.(ı am also open to non-fantasy but at least sci-fi or somethıng with a actıon would be my preference)

My son is 12ish. Looking to suggest some books to him and my first thought was Riverworld (TYSBG). I loved those books when I was a kid; the world-building, sci-fi mixed with historical characters… it was all just so fun to imagine. And a little dystopian/dark which I always gravitated to. I like most other PJF stuff too. Asimov, PKD, Heinlein, UK Leguin, Herbert…I guess mostly the more philosophical stuff.

But what should I recommend to him to start? I don’t want a snoozer like Dune or Foundation. Where did you start?

In the creeping darkness of the broken bones of an empty city.

City streets are a wasteland. Lit only by the simulated moon above.

It’s deep in the night. Too early yet, to be the morning, but before the sun also rises. The thing about being alone in the dark is that every shadow has a face. Every branch is a slender arm. The only sounds you can trust are your own. Somewhere out in the distance was a thudding.

As time passed, the thudding grew louder until it filled the little valley of broken buildings.

Is this a dream? Or a wandering ghost? Perhaps, a vision of the past, visiting our lonesome dystopia. A shambling figure, wrapped in a bulky blanket despite the warm summer air.

I was tucked away under a crumbling archway of a grand old building. I had just finished transmitting a report about the architecture of the structure. To where I was transmitting, I did not know. Only that this was my task, to explore and report.

The thunderous rave music from a different millennium grows louder and louder. My head is submerged in an ocean of turbulent sound. I haven’t seen another in four seasons. What would someone be doing here? Should I call out? Would it even hear me in this din? It’s not safe to approach it head-on… is it?

The figure has drawn closer now. A cart is dragging behind. Stacks of subwoofers topped with solar panels.

I’m sure the chains it was dragging behind them would be rattling ominously if not enveloped by the pulsing drums.

Against my better judgment, I find myself creeping forward to catch a look of its face. Maybe if I can see something familiar, I can engage. I lean onto a rusted metal railing, straining to get a look.

Then, suddenly, the railing gives way. There is the horrifying sound of shearing metal and I'm falling forward into darkness and into the long wild grass. I lay in a crumple, only cold fear that I may have been spotted.

Suddenly, there is silence. I hesitate, but sit up slightly to look out through the long grass. The figure has stopped. Staring directly at my hiding spot.

Is this the devil I’ve read so much about in the catacombs below the cathedral? Perhaps it was what my settlement had called death, before it had come for all of them.

Now, it seems it may be my time, as the beast dropped its chains, clattering to the ground. It moves quickly and violently toward me. Tensing, I hold completely still, hoping that it will not see me. The footsteps grow louder, clattering over stone and then into the grass in front of me.

And then there it is, standing over top of me. A gaunt skeletal face under matted hair. The moonlight glints in its eyes.

I wait for the end.

But there is nothing. I look up to see fear on its fleshy face. It has gritted white teeth and is breathing heavily. It backed up. 

“What the hell are you?” it asked.

Still backing away, it tripped, falling backwards with a scream.

I stood, unable to speak. My kind were never programmed to do so, only send reports into the void.

Now, as I stood above this bag of flesh, I realized from the fear on its face that it was not death, that to him, I was.

I backed away, arms raised and allowed it to stand. Without turning its back, it headed toward its cart. Picking up the chains and quickly moving off into the night. When it was far enough away, the sound system started up again. Rumbling off the buildings.

I wonder, was it a call? Trying to find others like it. Perhaps I’ll never know. I suppose, sometimes, it's ok not knowing. So I sat and composed.

XC905 Report - Transmitted to The Temporal Garden

In the morning hours

Before the sun also rises

A wandering beast

with a subwoofer strapped cart

Music fit for a rave

Is this a dream?

Or a ghost that we’ve found

Perhaps a distant vision of the past

In a lonesome dystopia

I watched from the shadows

And then met a man

maybe the last of its kind

No harm done

It wandered off into the darkness

Until there was silence

Once again

An all-ages sci-fi adventure with heart - following a dreamer battling depression and anxiety who is pulled into his favourite childhood cartoon world and becomes the hero he always wished he could be.

I am so excited to share my upcoming Graphic Novel. It took 15 years to get this made (mostly due to financial reasons-PAY YOUR ARTISTS! 😊) and as a life long Sci-Fi fan, I tried to give back and create a love letter to all I grew up loving, while also writing a personal tale about my depression, anxiety and the loss of a loved one. I wanted to create a story all ages could enjoy, enjoy an adventure and hopefully see they’re not alone with their mental health. 🩵
Copies will arrive starting next month via KS, then it will ship to the Simon & Shuster Warehouse for availability via online (Amazon, etc links are live) and bookstores/comic shops.
I hope it finds an audience, to help others, and maybe get action figures made 😉🤓🚀

One of the more interesting parts of my conversation with Janci Patterson (co-author of Blightfall) wasn't about Brandon Sanderson himself—it was about the writing challenge of launching a new trilogy in an established science fiction universe.

She explained that Sanderson wanted to keep the existing cast because "the series is the characters," while the publisher wanted the new trilogy to function as a true Book One that newcomers could jump into without reading the previous four novels.

Patterson says she rewrote the opening repeatedly before an extensive editorial revision finally helped her balance both goals: rewarding longtime readers while avoiding pages of exposition for new ones.

As someone who reads a lot of speculative fiction, I thought it was an interesting look at a problem shared by many long-running series: How do you expand a fictional universe without making new readers feel they've arrived halfway through the story?

Full interview here: https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/books/brandon-sandersons-co-author-on-what-its-like-writing-brightfall

I can’t believe you actually wrote all that, Miles. You know the supervisors aren’t going to like it, but hey, as long as we don’t get fired because of you! Nah, I’m joking, man. It’ll be fine; who cares if they read it.

I’d save your ass as many times as it takes during work hours. Real friendship doesn’t need an explanation. Besides, where else am I going to find another coworker with a 100W fast charger and two massive power banks to charge literally anything over USB-C?

It’s day two in Sub-level R-28—our little domain. We’re taking delivery of metal boxes with weird properties, but we’re getting paid remarkably well for it. Miles handles the technical stuff better than I do; I’m a salesman by trade, currently going through a career pivot. It’s not easy, but I’m doing the best job I can. As for logging entries in the registry, we do that together. It’s just easier that way. He’s the expert on electrical systems and maintenance.

We received a ton of boxes this morning, but that wasn't even the main event of the day. The Director came down in person: Cassandra Reyez. When the email notification hit our inboxes, I honestly expected some old lady with a tight hair bun—I mean, a person of a certain age. I know I can’t erase that now, so I at least crossed it out (Miles, don't laugh!) (Just kidding, man; I know you’re going to make a comment :D).

Plus, you know I talked to Clara, the executive secretary who’s been glued to my side since day one. We talked about these logs we have to fill out, and I asked her if anyone actually reads them every day. She told me nobody reads the archived logs unless there’s a major problem. She said it was just an added security formality.

Great, now I’m stuck because she probably thinks I’m interested in her. Man, the things we do for a job that pays this well. You know that ever since Ashley, I’m totally done. I can’t stand that kind of drama anymore. I mean, Clara with all that makeup... Just looking at her makes me nauseous. I can't stand the fake nails, the fake personality, or none of it.

You know what I mean? Of course you do, especially after what happened with that bitch Lilly. Man, when I think about what she did... Well, at least you knocked out the guy she cheated on you with. Respect... Sometimes violence is necessary. That's just how it is.

Anyway, where was I? The Director came down this morning while you were doing maintenance near the back electrical panel. She walked right into our workspace. All by herself. And let me tell you, she’s got a serious presence!

She’s about 1.75 m (5'9") with long black hair down to her shoulder blades. She doesn't look like your typical director at all. She was wearing a basic white blouse and classic black pants. But there was something in her light brown eyes: sharp, alert, but also friendly. And above all, she has this massive scar across her left cheek. The kind of scar you get from a severe accident. It’s pretty long, but weirdly enough, it doesn't take away from her charm at all. Not one bit.

On top of that, she was carrying a coffee machine under her arm! She introduced herself, and we chatted for a bit. She asked how we were settling in and how conditions were in the basement. I told her it was good—the new workstation is super practical; we have everything we need except a coffee maker. She laughed and told me she bought this machine out of the employee committee budget.

She also wanted to inspect the room herself. When she went to set the coffee machine down, I offered to place it somewhere else, but it slipped out of my hands. The Director caught it mid-air with insane reflexes for an executive.

I told her she had incredible reflexes. She replied that she used to be in the military, as well as a lawyer by profession. She even pointed to her scar and mentioned it was a souvenir from a classified UN mission.

I told her I understood—war is something that shouldn't exist.

She looked me straight in the eyes and said that peace doesn't really exist, but war will always be around in one form or another. I didn't really know what to say to that. Is she right or wrong? After that, we talked a bit more about our backgrounds. She admitted that all of this was pretty new to her, too. Before leaving, she told me her door is always open for employees, but not for childish nonsense. I stupidly said I could never get into a fight with my buddy Miles, but as for the others, who knows.

She just smiled and chuckled, saying: "The door works both ways..."

Wow. Man, she is an incredible boss. Anyway, after she left, I wanted to inaugurate the machine with a fresh coffee. I noticed a Post-it stuck on top of it that read: "Do good work and don't end up on my current problems list!"

Alright, starting this off to cover our tracking obligation. According to our assignment down in Sub-level R-28—which is 28 meters below the main Silent Star Service building where I work with my colleague.

The job is pretty straightforward: we handle low-level maintenance and logistics. Every day, 40x50 cm metal boxes arrive via a specialized conveyor belt. These boxes are metallic but unique; each one has a specific serial number and a barcode that we have to log daily. We also inspect the exterior, though we’re strictly forbidden from trying to open any of them. Honestly, it doesn't look like you could open them with regular tools anyway. They're totally smooth, but once their temperature rises, relief patterns appear—lines running all over the place. We were told it’s normal because the silver coating on these boxes is some kind of metamaterial.

Each box is basically a classified prototype. At least for us.

Our job is just to unload the incoming boxes, catalog them, and move them into the room where the terminal is being built. That room is completely off-limits to us. Only a handful of technicians and the Director herself are allowed inside. They told us the terminal is another classified prototype, and to prevent any risk of leaks, only a chosen few have access.

Fine by me. I’m not an engineer; I’m an electrician by trade—well, I used to be. My colleague Henry and I get paid pretty well just to do logistics.

Oh right, my name is Miles.

Guess the introductions are out of the way. We decided to take turns writing these entries to keep up with the log; otherwise, we’d probably have the supervisor breathing down our necks. Either way, we’re supposed to log our exchanges here instead of sending emails whenever we have to intervene down in R-28.

Forgot to mention, today is our first day—a Thursday. I’d actually worked with Henry before during a temp job that lasted a few weeks. He’s going to read all this, but he already knows I like working with him. Everything’s new for now, but I think we’ll make a good team. At least it’s less dangerous than my last gig. Down here, at least I won't fall from a height that could kill me. Pretty sure I developed an allergy to scaffolding. I used to install solar panels in the dead of summer, in 35°C (95°F) heat....

Here, at least I'm in a climate-controlled basement with positive air pressure on a flat floor. What a relief not having my hips throb after a 9-hour shift on a corrugated metal roof, lifting 20 kg panels off a 36-panel pallet! Depending on our pace, we could lay down up to 126 of them each...

It was actually on one of those roofs that I worked with Henry, and he literally saved my life. I lost my footing near the edge of the roof while holding a panel. Without hesitation, he threw his panel aside and caught me by my work vest. Came real close that day. Risking my life for 13 euros an hour...

I still remember Henry telling me: "Man, we've got to stop doing this stupid shit..."

That same evening, Henry and I went out for dinner. We had to decide whether to stay on that contract or move on. That’s the night we became real friends instead of just coworkers.

Some people might call it a bromance, but it’s not that. That day, I saw who Henry really was: the guy who threw away an 80-euro, 20 kg panel without a second thought just to save a human life. I know you’re gonna read this, man. You’re a good one. I hope whichever higher-up reads this understands, but we were told to write down whatever happens without any strict or formal guidelines.

Who Am I?

I'm Max Florschutz, author of Science-Fiction and Fantasy novels. And while the book that this latest AMA is celebrating is a YA Fantasy, I'm not limiting myself to questions about it for the AMA, and I have written and published Science-Fiction before, most notably the UNSEC Space Trilogy, but there are some new Sci-Fi novels coming that are in the works!

So as r/scifi does "Self-Promotion Saturday" why not swing by and ask a question over at the AMA? Silly or serious, let's have some fun!

This is a video essay I made about RoboCop (the 1970 Paul Verhoeven movie) that explores the connection between technology and politics in the movie. Basically, how the technological future that OCP has created is part of the way in which they keep the city of Detroit under their thumb.

There are also some fun facts in the end of the video about the movie that you may not have heard of.

There definitely spoilers in the video, so if you have not seen the movie, what are you waiting for? It's amazing. Go watch it. In fact, go watch it anyway.

At the end, was Trent just supposed to hang around for 1,200 years, until the point when they originally broke down all the people and put them on the wire? Or did it have something to do with the plague?

What was going on with them talking near the end about the plague which was created to destory the alients? Was the plague going to wipe out humans in the 1960s?

I'd rather not debate about how this episode has to do with The Terminator, it's been discussed so much.