What's so great about Sci-Fi?

So week 1 of Sci-Fi month is practically over, but don't you worry your pretty little heads, there's still so much going on. Be sure to check the schedule, follow @SciFiMonth on twitter, and tweet with the hashtag #RRSciFiMonth to be involved in all the great conversations happening this month. Also, you should probably head over to Rinn Reads and give all your love to Rinn for organizing and slaving away to make this event so freaking awesome!

The greatest thing about Science Fiction as a genre is that there really is something for everybody. It has a ton of sub genres (Steampunk, Dystopia, etc) that you really don't have an excuse to not find something that's your cup of tea. And if you don't like the books, head over to the movies, tv shows, and video games department. For today's post, I asked people why they loved Sci-Fi so much and a couple more questions to get a feel for how other people view the genre. The responses were so fun to read through and I want to thank everyone who submitted. Here are a couple of responses I got. Unfortunately, I couldn't include all of them or this post would be way too ridiculously long  and you would all hate me after.

Let's start with mine because I'm a little bit narcissistic and answering questionnaires are fun!

Name:
Annie D

Blog:
Um, the one you're reading right now...

How long you have been a sci-fi fan:
On and off ever since I read A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engel, but it's become more prevalent since I started watching Doctor Who.

Favorite sci-fi book/movie/tv show/video game/graphic novel/etc:
Like I've said before, I'm very partial to Dystopian novels, Doctor Who, Misfits, Star Trek, Inception.

Why you love sci-fi:
Because it's such a wonderful escape and a completely different world, and you really never know what's going to happen. There could be time travel, or space travel, or travel into the center of the earth.

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
Since I've started participating in this event, I've really gotten the chance to see the sci-fi community and interact with them, and let me tell you, they're awesome! They're passionate, intelligent, and open to making new friends (I've talked to so many cool people the last week!). The community is just full of good people with vivid imaginations.

Anything else you want to share about sci-fi:
It's great and you should explore it. Ask for recommendations from any of the other bloggers, and you're sure to receive something that you'll enjoy.
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Name:
Haley W

Blog:
None

How long have you been a sci-fi fan:
Ever since I saw Star Wars as a kid.

Favorite sci-fi book, movie, tv show, video game, graphic novel, etc:
Inception

Why you love sci-fi:
It is a great escape from boring reality and makes you think about what the future could maybe someday hold.

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
The advancement in technology.
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Name:
Sean M

Blog:
http://beardygeekguy.tumblr.com/

How long you have been a sci-fi fan:
Pretty much since I first saw Transformers G1 when I was younger, maybe about six or seven. Been a long happy journey since then.

Favourite sci-fi book: Dune
Movie: Either Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, The Thing or Inception
TV show: Battlestar Galactica!
Video game: The Mass Effect, Deus Ex and Half Life series, special mention to Dead Space!
Graphic novel: The Red Star
Tabletop: Needs to be Warhammer 40,000 doesn't it!

Why you love sci-fi:
I love sci-fi because a lot of it is in the realm of 'could be' or 'might one day be'. It's the best form of escapism I feel, as although a lot of it could be beyond us now, it feels like it could happen in the future. I love Hard Sci-Fi, but I also love the themes that come with like what it is to be human, the melding of human and machine, do we have souls? It's all wonderful!

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
It is so far reaching, from the pristine corridors of Star Trek to the dribbling horrors of Dead Space, the feel-good air punch of Pacific Rim to the complex despair of the Dune series, it's all amazing!

Anything else you want to share about sci-fi:
Go read the Red Star series by Archangel Studios, it's amazing!
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Name:
Ava D. (This is my lovely cousin!)

Blog (if you have one):
Nope!

How long you have been a sci-fi fan:
About a year.

Favorite sci-fi book, movie, tv show, video game, graphic novel, etc:
The Walking Dead for a TV show, for a book I would have to say it's Enclave or Divergent.

Why you love sci-fi:
I like the different ways they make the society change. I think it's really creative in the way that is seems perfect but it's really not.

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
I like the way the society usually carries secrets and the main character/characters find out and try to solve the problem.

Anything else you want to share about sci-fi:
It's one of my favorite genres. I find it really interesting and usually my favorite books come from it! (or Historical fiction!)
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Name:
Tia M.

Blog (if you have one):
None. :( No time.

How long you have been a sci-fi fan:
Definitely my whole life. I kind of grew up on it because of how obsessed my dad is with the whole genre.

Favorite sci-fi book, movie, tv show, video game, graphic novel, etc:
I love Sci-Fi TV shows (basically anything on SyFy really), and I especially adore Stargate (the movie) SG-1 (the series). As for book, the first book that really got me into the genre was Sci-Fi and it was called The Dark Side of Nowhere by Neal Schusterman. It was amazing.

Why you love sci-fi:
I love Sci-Fi because it offers up an artists perspective on what the future could be. I love that Sci-Fi is all about creation and imagination and interpretation. I really love that there is just always something new in Sci-Fi, like you can't exactly write something that has already been written because people will know. It's also an interesting genre because there are constantly new things coming out and new interpretations on our future. 

The coolest thing about the sci-fi community and/or the genre itself:
It's such a broad community, and I feel like there are a lot of subgroups in the community and they all equally support each other. I think the coolest part is that it is so cool to have so many people interested in the future and looking to fiction to learn the nonfiction in life. 

Anything else you want to share about sci-fi:
I think that there is something for everyone in the Sci-Fi genre, and anyone that thinks otherwise simply hasn't delved far enough in.
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Again, a ginormous thank you to everyone who participated in my questionnaire. I loved all your responses and you gave me so much more insight to Sci-Fi that I never even thought about before. And I hope all you readers enjoyed it as well.

Anyway, next week, I will be doing a review of a YA Sci-Fi book recommended to me by one of my professors (whose book judgment I completely trust). Be sure to stop by and check it out!

Transparent by Natalie Whipple
(synopsis from Amazon)

Transparent’s Fiona McClean could be a superhero. She has a mutation that allows her to become invisible. But her father, a Las Vegas crime lord, forces her to use her power for evil. Since she was five, she’s been stealing cars, robbing banks, and spying on people.

Fiona’s had enough, so she escapes to a small town far from her father’s reach. Happiness is hard to find surrounded by a mother she hates, a brother she can’t trust, and a guy at school she can’t stand, but Fiona manages to make some friends. And when her father finally tracks her down, Fiona discovers how far she’ll go to protect everyone she’s come to love.

Fans of strong heroines like Daughter of Smoke and Bone’s Karou or Maximum Ride’s Max will fall in love with Transparent by Natalie Whipple.

Have an awesome week and be sure to check out the other Sci-Fi posts!

-Annie