Only recently did I discover that there is a sub or sub-sub-genre
for what I write. That is science
fiction romance. I realized right from the beginning that it was not something
everyone would like. Hardcore fans of speculative and hard science fiction are probably
not going to enjoy my romantic science fiction.
My Aledan Series is probably more correctly classified as paranormal
romance and space opera.
The hero and heroine are telepathic psi-mates. Hankura was
born on a world that discriminates against psions of all types. Chelle, his
psi-mate, was born on a dystopian Earth of the distant future where she must
fight for survival. I started the series quite a few years ago and was influenced
by Star Trek and Star Wars and a good number of science fiction writers.
Recently, someone on Google+ was outraged that I dared call
my Aledan Series science fiction. Okay,
so he didn’t like it. Not everybody is
going to like it. That’s just a given.
Looking at the science, it’s a bit iffy considering that part of the
plot hinges on faster than light space travel, but that’s space opera. Some of
the other science including the medical science is a bit vague, deliberately
so.
The science is not the point of the story. It’s the
relationship between Hankura and Chelle and how they deal with the prejudice
against psions in Aledan society and within Hankura’s family. As I wrote the book I had in mind how racial
prejudice can divide people and cause them to be treated unfairly because of an
ability or even the color of one’s skin.
They know it’s going to be hard and degrading at times, but
they take it on, because Hankura wants to reunite with his family and prove to
himself he can live in Aledan society. But
at what price?
Hankura and Chelle’s relationship continues through the
Aledan Series as they meet new challenges and hardships. In a lot of science
fiction and other genres the hero is not in a long term relationship. If he
does actually fall in love, his love interest is either killed or they go their
separate ways. Or his wife is killed at
the beginning of the story and he is out to avenge her.
Unlike the super couples in the soap operas, Hankura and
Chelle stick together and don’t give up on their relationship when times are
hard. However I wanted to keep things interesting, so in each novel, a new romance
emerges in an intersecting plotline.
Each of the four Aledan Series novels is available for
Kindle at Amazon.com for $0.99 each or as a box set for $1.99. The Aledan: A Psionic Love Story is also
available in trade paperback.
Chris Myers
Copyright ©2016
All Rights Reserved.
FTL is a staple of science fiction. Psi is okay, as long as it's explained in a sciency sort of way. Anne McCaffrey's Talent series was all about those sorts of abilities. For the rest, yep, some will love it, some will loathe it. Maybe that's one of the things about SFR - it's character-driven. Good luck with yur books.
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