Science, Social Questions, and Science Fiction at Brenda Cooper

Science, Social Questions, and Science Fiction

June 29th 2008 at 3:03 pm

I’m starting a series of blog posts related to THE SILVER SHIP AND THE SEA, which comes out in paperback July 1st, and FREMONT’S CHILDREN which has it’s hardcover release July 22nd.

Sometimes science fiction is just a good story. And all of the best science fiction is a good story, even if it’s also more. Since I’m a futurist, the things I talk about and think about end up in my books, some on purpose, and some by accident. For example, as I was writing THE SILVER SHIP AND THE SEA, the Iraq war was just being contemplated, and eventually beginning. The book acquired a much stronger message about the evils of war than it probably would have if it weren’t being written next to real-world war.

I hope these blog posts will be conversational and that readers and friends will comment on them. I plan to put out a post every Sunday starting on July 6th. Topics will be things like living on a wild world versus a world that is largely created and managed by people, and how taking charge of our own evolution through genetic engineering might change us.

I’m also interested in writing about topics that interest readers. Please feel free to email me (use the contact button on this blog) or post ideas here in the comments. While I may also choose to answer plot or character questions, I’m really looking for questions about the science or, more exactly, the social implications of the science in this book. I use nanotechnology and genetic engineering and other tools in the books. Since these stories happen far in our future, the science doesn’t match our real science today, although I tried to keep it plausibly linked. I’m fascinated by how the science we are experimenting with today could change us as humans in the future, and that’s what I tried to write about. As well about the fate of six genetically engineered kids.

I hope you enjoy this series of posts, and the books.

Filed in About Writing, Reading the Wind, Silver Ship and the Sea, Wings of Creation. You can subscribe to the RSS feed for this entry to keep track of comments. You can also use this URL to trackback.

2 Responses so far

1. Jim Van Pelt on Jun 30th, 2008 at 9:03 pm

Brenda, the website is beautiful. I really like the header image!
2. Brenda on Jul 3rd, 2008 at 7:45 pm

Thanks Jim. The image is from the book cover, and its by Stephan Martinniere, who is one of the artists up for the Hugo this year.

Books

Reading the Wind by Brenda Cooper

Audio promo:

"Brenda Cooper's newest novel is a feast of character and concept. She depicts the devastation of war on microcosmic and macrocosmic levels, and even more so, the driving motives of young men and women caught in deadly conflict. Cooper is a master explorer of the interaction of society and individuals. She probes the psychology of her genetically enhanced characters with both rare depth and fidelity to scientific plausibility. Moral conundrums drive the plot in this unforgettable narrative. Don't miss this compelling work by a major new talent." - Mary A. Turzillo, An Old-Fashioned Martian Girl.

"Brenda Cooper tells a tale of a powerful brother and sister in a fight for their lives, offering insights along the way into the nature of courage and the hunger for community that burns in every human being. This is a lively book, full of colorful images and a memorable cast of human and animal characters, a worthy successor to The Silver Ship and the Sea." - Louise Marley

Available in July, 2008, from Tor Books.

The Silver Ship and the Sea by Brenda Cooper

Audio promo:

"The first solo novel by Larry Niven's Building Harlequin's Moon (2005) coauthor portrays the thoroughly convincing human colonial society on Fremont, a dangerous planet rife with vicious predators, frequent earthquakes, and falling meteors....Distinctive characterizations, well-limned interrelationships, and the vividly realized Fremont contribute to an exciting coming-of-age story with a strong message about the evils of prejudice." - Sally Estes, Copyright American Library Association.

Mass Market Paperback, July 2008.
Included by Booklist as a "Best Adult Book for Young Adults."

Building Harlequin's Moon by Brenda Cooper and Larry Niven

"Fans of both hard and softer, psychological SF will welcome veteran Niven and newcome Cooper's well-written tale of a 60,000 year layover in space, in which physical challenges of world building are matched by the social challenges of collaboration among disparate groups." - Publisher's Weekly

About

I am a writer, public speaker, and a futurist. I'm interested in how new technologies might change us and our world, particularly for the better, and in global warming. Learn more.

Speaking

I can be booked for keynote speeches on the future. I'm a generalist, with wide interests, and tailor my talks to the topics audiences are most curious about. Talking about the future is one of the most important conversations we can have. I can also talk about writing and publishing books and stories. Learn more.

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