Questions to Consider While Reading Science Fiction

What is the Science fiction ?

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginative content such as futuristic settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, time travel,faster than light travel, parallel universes, and extraterrestrial life. It often explores the potential consequences of scientific and other innovations, and has been called a "literature of ideas".Authors commonly use science fiction as a framework to explore politics, identity, desire, morality, social structure, and other literary themes.

What are the typical elements of the science fiction?

-A setting in the future or in an alternative time line. 
-A setting in outer space or involving aliens or unknown civilizations. 
-The discovery or application of new scientific principles, such as time travel or psionics, or new technology, such as nanotechnology, faster-than-light travel or robots. 
-Political or social systems different from those of the known present or past. 
-Exploring the consequences of such differences is the traditional purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas".

SETTING (TIME AND PLACE)

• Do you think that the author accurately describes scientific

principles in the novel? Why or why not?

• List some details from the novel that describe science and

scientific principles.

• List some items from the story that can be found now. List

some items that seem to be from the future.

CHARACTERS

• Explain the characters’ involvement in the plot and story

line.

• How are the characters important to the action of the novel?

• Are there any characters in the story who are different from

those in other genres?

PLOT (STORY LINE)

• Does the plot focus on a particular area of science or

scientific principle? Explain.

• Do the characters of the story participate in a documented

or controversial area of science? Explain.

• Do you think the conflict of the story is real or fictional?

Provide examples to illustrate your choice.

SUMMARY

• Why do you think the author chose to write about this

particular incident?

• Why is this book considered to be science fiction?

• Do you think this novel is a good or bad science fiction text,

based on the definition of science fiction?

• What scientific principle or technology does the novel reveal?

• How can this novel be compared to contemporary time?