Sci-fi book themes we’re bored of
Science fiction has been a popular genre for decades, capturing our imaginations with tales of space exploration, time travel, and the future of humanity. However, as with any genre, certain themes and tropes have become overused and repetitive, leaving us bored and uninterested. Here are some sci-fi book themes we’re tired of.
The chosen one saves the world
It seems like every other sci-fi book involves a protagonist who is somehow chosen to save the world or the galaxy from destruction. They are often an unlikely hero who discovers hidden powers or abilities that make them the only hope for defeating the evil force threatening the universe. While this trope can be done well, it’s been overused to the point of predictability.
Aliens Are Either Friendly Or Murderers
Regardless of their distance from Earth, even aliens from half a universe away are fascinated by its inhabitants, its ecology, and, most importantly, its resources. Despite the fact that there are probably hundreds of planets teeming with life in every galaxy, these extraterrestrials are only interested in our solar system. So, when they arrive they either tend to be friendly and help us or want to invade our planet turning into monstrous murderers.
Romeo/Juliet except with different combos
It could be either of these aliens/humans, robots/humans, humans/genetically superior advanced race of humans, humans/cyborgs etc. One can just get the story from the synopsis itself. Let’s not get started on Star Crossed, the most ridiculously soft sci-fi, waste of paper. The whole story is based on the Romeo/Juliet cliché, which is so done to death as to be nearly unbearable to read. If one more robot or alien falls into a forbidden romance with the human who taught them how to feel, we’ll just go mad.
Apocalyptic disasters
From asteroid collisions to nuclear war, there have been countless books exploring apocalyptic disasters that threaten the future of humanity. While it can be interesting to explore the ways in which humans would cope with such a catastrophe, it’s become a bit repetitive. The human race can apparently be ended in an infinite number of ways, and writers seem to think that we need to know every one of them. From aliens to human selfishness, we have seen and read them all.
Post-apocalyptic societies
From “The Road” to “The Hunger Games,” there have been countless books exploring post-apocalyptic societies struggling to survive in a harsh, dangerous world. While it can be interesting to explore the ways in which humans would adapt and survive in such a world, it’s become a bit overdone. It is always one of these, post-apocalyptic world is a wasteland where people have to carve out a brutal living after a virus/zombies/aliens/advanced technology/super weapons/ monster wiped out most of the population and ended civilization as we know it. Talk about originality. Sorry, we don’t know that word.
What’s a sci-fi trope you’re tired of?
