Aerin’s Reviews > Trace Elements: Conversations on the Project of Science Fiction and Fantasy > Status Update
Aerin
is on page 40 of 368
(Sigh) I’m back to yelling at this book. The authors are now claiming that “true” SF isn’t metaphorical; if it has zombies those are real zombies, and any deeper readings are secondary and probably hallucinated by the reader.
And sure, that’s sometimes true. But—and call me a bad dumb SF reader I guess—if the zombies aren’t actually ABOUT something it’s probably not a very interesting book.
— Jul 14, 2026 07:39PM
And sure, that’s sometimes true. But—and call me a bad dumb SF reader I guess—if the zombies aren’t actually ABOUT something it’s probably not a very interesting book.
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Aerin’s Previous Updates
Aerin
is on page 24 of 368
I get so viscerally annoyed every time SF authors start whining about “mainstream” authors publishing SF novels through “mainstream” publishers, appealing to “mainstream” readers. Wahhh, they’re not part of our CLUB, they’re not part of our CONVERSATION, it’s not REAL science fiction! Yes it fucking is, and it appeals to wider audiences often because it’s GOOD. Die mad about it, I guess.
— Jul 12, 2026 08:39PM
Aerin
is starting
I dislike both Walton’s and Palmer’s SF, buuuut I am still hopeful they might have something worthwhile to add to the metaconversation? Maybe?
— Jul 12, 2026 07:42PM
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And one more critique but in a less yelly mode:Walton and Palmer spend a lot of time sorting particular books into ones that fit into their idea of true SF (what they term “imprint SF”) and ones that violate some unspoken genre rule and so must be something else (lit fic, magical realism, “external SF”). I just don’t find this kind of sorting valuable, a) because they are stating their opinions about particular books as though they are facts, b) they are trying VERY hard (and failing) not to sound smug and obnoxious while they do so, and most importantly c) they never even consider that breaking these expectations (of themes, pacing, worldbuilding, tone, etc) can be both intentional on the author’s part and highly enjoyable for many readers.
Because no, that experience DOESN’T break a contract I had with the writer, it DOESN’T frustrate me or break my immersion in the story. And it certainly doesn’t boot the whole book out of SF territory. Not always! What it DOES do is prompt me to ask why the author chose to write it that way, and often the answers are very interesting and make me appreciate the book on a whole other level. I wish Walton and Palmer would quit implying I’m not a true or experienced SF fan for feeling that way.
“SF is like a mystery, where it’s not simple human motivations for murdering each other but the world and the history of the world that are mysterious, and putting that all together in your mind is as interesting as the characters and the plot, if not more interesting.”