Why was American sci fi so bland during the 2000s?

[JakeWIlls92]

Back during the 2000s most American space adventure novels were bland military gung ho stuff published by Baen.

The best space adventures during the 2000s were from British Authors. Alastair Reynolds, Iain M. Banks, Neal Asher, Peter F. Hamilton, etc.

But since James S.A. Corey's "The Expanse" series shown up back in 2011 there has been a boom in space adventure by American authors set in new and creative sci fi futures.

The characters are better. The science is better. The worlds are much more imaginative. They are far less overboard with the excessive right wing politics.

I wish we had stuff like this during the 2000s. It would have been nice if an American author had given the book world it's own equivalent of "Mass Effect" back during the 2000s.

Why didn't Americans dream of space and the future back in the 2000s?

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Don't mess with the Kzin!

 

[fncceo]

I disagree ...

The books (and hopefully, some day, movies) of Dennis E. Taylor are fantastic. Especially the Bob-iverse series. I would also recommend "Children of Time" by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Additionally, "Three Body Problem" by Cixin Liu and "The Martian" by Andy Weir ... made into a movie of the same name.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Robert Heinlein is a Sci-Fi God!!
Starship Troopers was a great book....and a really campy, funny movie.

(yeah, it came out in the 90's..but who's counting?)

 

[ABikerSailor]

Dunno about all American sci-fi in the 2000's, but I do know of one series that I thoroughly enjoyed called "Firefly". Yeah, it was a spaghetti western held out in space, but the characters were enjoyable, and the whole thing was very watchable. I liked it so much that I even got the complete DVD set. Too bad it only ran for a few seasons, because in my opinion, it was a great show. And, apparently enough people squealed about the show going away, because Hollywood saw fit to make a movie from the show called "Serenity". If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Robert Heinlein is a Sci-Fi God!!
Starship Troopers was a great book....and a really campy, funny movie.

(yeah, it came out in the 90's..but who's counting?)

"Have Spacesuit, Will Travel" was one of my favorite books by him.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

Robert Heinlein is a Sci-Fi God!!
Starship Troopers was a great book....and a really campy, funny movie.

(yeah, it came out in the 90's..but who's counting?)

It had a great shower scene, too.

 

[fncceo]

Robert Heinlein is a Sci-Fi God!!
Starship Troopers was a great book....and a really campy, funny movie.

(yeah, it came out in the 90's..but who's counting?)

Actually, "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein was published in 1951.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Dunno about all American sci-fi in the 2000's, but I do know of one series that I thoroughly enjoyed called "Firefly". Yeah, it was a spaghetti western held out in space, but the characters were enjoyable, and the whole thing was very watchable. I liked it so much that I even got the complete DVD set. Too bad it only ran for a few seasons, because in my opinion, it was a great show. And, apparently enough people squealed about the show going away, because Hollywood saw fit to make a movie from the show called "Serenity". If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

I loved Firefly. I even liked the movie that came out on called "Serenity" (save for a death that was just BS!! ;().
It only ran for one season (because it was too much money to produce) but it had all the elements of a great running show. Plot. Characters. Story.

 

[Toddsterpatriot]

Actually, "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein was published in 1951.

1959

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Actually, "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein was published in 1951.

Yeah. I know. I was talking about the movie. I read the book in 1983.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

I haven't read much

Actually, "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein was published in 1951.

a book in 1959. A Movie in 1997.

And the best song ever to listen to while dropping acid in 1972.

 

[ABikerSailor]

I loved Firefly. I even liked the movie that came out on called "Serenity" (save for a death that was just BS!! ;().
It only ran for one season (because it was too much money to produce) but it had all the elements of a great running show. Plot. Characters. Story.

Actually, there were more than just one death. Shepard Book got killed when the Alliance decided to try to make it so Capt. Mal and crew didn't have anyplace to go, and then Wash (the pilot) was killed when they crashed onto the place where all the Reavers were.

I liked both of them! Why did they have to kill them in Serenity?

Both of them were characters I really liked in the series, Book for his philosophical (and sometimes funny) insight, Wash just for being Wash. I think one of the funniest scenes in the series was when River saw Shepard Book with his hair untied. Scared her so bad she didn't want to come out until he tied it back up.

 

[fncceo]

I loved Firefly. I even liked the movie that came out on called "Serenity" (save for a death that was just BS!! ;().
It only ran for one season (because it was too much money to produce) but it had all the elements of a great running show. Plot. Characters. Story.

"Firefly" wasn't killed because of costs...

Actually, "Firefly" was one of the lowest-budget sci-fi series in recent history. Small sets, normal exterior shots and filming locations, cut-rate CGI, a relatively unknown cast that didn't get top dollar. There were more effects in the movie "Serenity" than in the entire season run of "Firefly".

What made it a great series, despite its low budget, was the writing, the chemistry between the characters, and the sheer originality of the concept.

I'm actually glad "Firefly" died, like James Dean, when it was still young, beautiful, and full of promise. I think we all would have hated "Firefly - Season 7"

 

[fncceo]

I haven't read much

a book in 1959. A Movie in 1997.

And the best song ever to listen to while dropping acid in 1972.

 

[Dogmaphobe]

View attachment 691387

Especially about the dropping acid part, right?

 

[Dogmaphobe]

"Firefly" wasn't killed because of costs...

Actually, "Firefly" was one of the lowest-budget sci-fi series in recent history. Small sets, normal exterior shots and filming locations, cut-rate CGI, a relatively unknown cast that didn't get top dollar. There were more effects in the movie "Serenity" than in the entire season run of "Firefly".

What made it a great series, despite its low budget, was the writing, the chemistry between the characters, and the sheer originality of the concept.

I'm actually glad "Firefly" died, like James Dean, when it was still young, beautiful, and full of promise. I think we all would have hated "Firefly - Season 7"

Have you seen Dollhouse?

It's another Joss Whedon sci fi series. Loved that one, too.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

Actually, there were more than just one death. Shepard Book got killed when the Alliance decided to try to make it so Capt. Mal and crew didn't have anyplace to go, and then Wash (the pilot) was killed when they crashed onto the place where all the Reavers were.

I liked both of them! Why did they have to kill them in Serenity?

Both of them were characters I really liked in the series, Book for his philosophical (and sometimes funny) insight, Wash just for being Wash. I think one of the funniest scenes in the series was when River saw Shepard Book with his hair untied. Scared her so bad she didn't want to come out until he tied it back up.

I know. But Wash's death just seemed like a throwaway where as Book's death had some hero's quality to it.

There are some extremely funny outtakes and bloopers from the show and from the movie set.
These actors had a chemistry and a bond that makes it easy to understand why all of them were devastated that the show got cancelled after only 11 episodes.

 

[mamooth]

I haven't read much

a book in 1959. A Movie in 1997.

I read Starship Troopers when I was a kid. At the time, to me it was just a story about fighting bugs.

The movie was open concerning being a satire of the semi-fascist Starship Troopers world.

Now, was Heinlein satirizing that type of world, or endorsing it? That's more difficult to tell. Probably some of both.

 

[fncceo]

Have you seen Dollhouse?

It's another Joss Whedon sci fi series. Loved that one, too.

Yes, the man is a national treasure.