I’ll be blunt – I love space-faring science fiction. It all stems back to a little movie George Lucas put together in 1977, a movie I saw five times that summer and have watched dozens of times in the decades since. Now, Star Wars may not be everyone’s favourite science fiction series but my holiday reading over the last couple of weeks has been dominated by the most recent series of books set in that galaxy far, far away … The Legacy of the Force. From the Star Wars books by Timothy Zahn released in 1991 to the numerous stories along the Star Wars timeline, I’ve read most of these books. And I recently realized that I horde them and save them up for times when I need to relax and let my mind wander. Brian Herbert’s Dune series, Terry Brooks‘ fantastical worlds, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Avalon, the Star Trek franchises, and many science fiction and fantasy series can all have that same transporting effect. Why is it so important?
I Love Spacefaring Science Fiction
I think it has something to do with an innate desire to hear stories, perhaps a throwback to our oral history in a time before the printing press. Our motives might vary – distraction, entertainment, procrastination, and a myriad of other possibilities – but we devour legends and tales all the same. Beyond motivation, all books, regardless of genre, create a shared cultural experience. Its something to talk about with friends, family and that person with the next grocery cart in the check-out line. They give us a common cultural fabric that defies international borders and creates unlikely friendships and is a great way to connect through social media.