Love them or hate them there are a lot of common tropes across the science fiction genre. What are some of your favorite and least favorite tropes?

I think it goes without saying that one of the least favorite tropes is Deux ex Machina. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it at first, but after watching the German TV show “Dark” I was utterly dissatisfied with it. The entire series up until the very last episode is about this inescapable time loop and alternative universes which is pretty cool while watching it, but then you get closer and closer to the end wondering how they are going to solve this impossible problem. Then surprise they just do it instantly in the last episode.

Another trope I am not very fond of is nanotechnology where there are trillions of tiny robots that can effectively act as magic. It just feels like a lazy way to write science fiction because you really want a fantasy.

A trope I do actually like despite how overdone it is, is the idea of a precursor or forerunner. It often brings to light the absolutely massive scale of the universe which I find fun to think about.

  • @PanaX
    link
    211 year ago

    That almost every alien species is bipedal and hominoid in shape.

    • IzzyOP
      link
      111 year ago

      You might really like the book The Final Architecture. The author has very imaginative ideas on alien species that basically share nothing in common with humans biologically.

      • @PanaX
        link
        71 year ago

        Are you referring to the series with Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky?

        • IzzyOP
          link
          51 year ago

          Yes. Shards of Earth, Eyes of the Void and Lords of Uncreation are all The Final Architecture trilogy. I had a great time with them.

        • @CitizenKong
          link
          1
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          To add to that, there also Embassy Town by China Mieville. The Ariekei are so alien that they can only be understood by telepathically linked twins (since the Ariekei have two mouths speaking simultaneously).

          Also, Eden by Stanislaw Lem is a classical sci-fi novel about a planet with alien life that’s very different to Earth and stranded astronauts who try to make sense of it while finding a way home.

      • @clockwork_octopus
        link
        11 year ago

        Becky Chambers as well. Her aliens are all so, well, alien! Highly recommend!