The future of Science Fiction & Fantasy is here
Or at least it will be in a bit…
This site may be called ScifiWard, but it covers science fiction & fantasy. There are many who debate the division between the two genres, and – fine – I get it. But I adore both and will cover both. They both deserve their own sections in a bookshop – but those sections should be right next to each other.
Ideally, sharing the ‘selected titles’ table.
But I digress.
I have neglected this site recently as I took on a full-time job as an editor while also still working as a journalist. That is set to change as I switch from writing for those who hire me to focusing on this glorious site. It is an awesome time to be a science fiction & fantasy fan (and I’ve been one since the 70s), and so expect a lot more action here from now on.
The idea for 2024 is:
1/ Have a week off and read books on the beach. (Objective – achieved.)
2/ Become more of a hub for science fiction & fantasy generally. (Objective – started.)
What kind of science fiction & fantasy to look forward to
The plan is to include reviews of random science fiction and fantasy that I have enjoyed over the years. And it has been a depressingly large number of years. Unlike a lot of reviewers and sites, there will be everything from the classics right up to the latest stuff. With news.
What kind of stuff can I expect? I hear you or the voices in my head ask. Although I am English / Irish / Australian, I was born and raised in Hong Kong in the 1970s. So I grew up watching mostly Japanese stuff – primarily Kamen Rider V3 and Battle of the Planets / Gatchaman – in Cantonese. God, I loved those shows.
Then, when I was around five, Star Wars came out and blew my young tiny mind. When I was nine, my dad gave me a Conan book, The Hobbit, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. All of which blew my then slightly bigger mind. Since then, I have devoured science fiction & fantasy books, films, comics, and games. I am now just over 50 and still enjoy all those things.
So what can you expect from now on? Imagine a website and variety of social media run by someone in their late teens who is obsessed with the genres of science fiction & fantasy but has somehow enjoyed over 40 years of content. I’m essentially a nerdy teen trapped in a good-looking 50-year-old body. I am also someone who can write and enjoys everything from classics like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, through a couple of Golden Ages, and stuff being released now.
I have a degree in Literature and am a professional writer, so books will feature a fair amount (currently reading Pierce Brown’s Golden Son – spoiler: it’s awesome). But, as I said, I still game a lot (currently enjoying Hogwarts Legacy), enjoy comics and get previews from Titan Comics (I am still obsessed with Conan but also recently got into Berserk and Saga), TV shows (loving Monarch: Legacy of Monsters right now), and films (any good film from Metropolis onwards).
So strap in and join the upcoming nerd fest!
I struggle to find a decent hub for science fiction & fantasy stuff, which is weird as it is a huge genre. There are sites that are really specific or niche or cater to a certain audience. This site has been around for almost 13 years, but it was mostly a hobby while I held down a proper job. Now, it will be my main focus, and hopefully, it will be a fun place for science fiction & fantasy fans to pick up some ideas and share stuff they like.
So look out for a newsletter (I’m thinking weekly) and more social media stuff. I’ve been a bit rubbish at social media, and although I have somehow got several thousand Twitter / X followers for my older writing/ranting site, I only just started the ScifiWard site. You can follow me there – @scifiward.
Make it so, and may the force be with you by almighty Crom!