I don’t have a science brain, so yes, I skipped over the impenetrably mathematical or scientific notes. They’re labelled as “notes for the interested”, and he claims it’s possible to skip them if you’re not interested. But he doesn’t want lots of exposition-heavy dialogue or infodumps, so he’s going to explain the sciencey stuff and some of the social background via … author’s notes shoved into the story. In the foreword author Barnes makes a big deal out of this being hard SF. The problem is, one of them is a sociopath. Sure, they’ll be in trouble when they’re caught, but they’ll be sooooooo famous. On reaching adulthood, the children of eenies have to demonstrate that they’re entitled to enjoy the lifestyle of their parents: through talent, through academic achievement, or by becoming really, really famous.Īs the book opens, a group of wannabes - picture the Hilton sisters, a few lesser British royals and maybe some washed up K-pop stars - set out to become famous by stowing away on a ship to Mars. Losers in Space is a YA science fiction novel set in the 22nd century, when famine, war and social divisions (and, apparently, any culture that’s not American) has been replaced by a system where work is optional, the UN provides everyone with a comfortable upper middle class income, and a tiny minority have the opportunity to become “eenies” - people whose talent or fame entitles them to much greater wealth and privilege. And I’ve still never seen it executed well. Until I read Losers in Space, I had never seen the mid-story author’s note appear in published fiction. (In this age of downloading longer fics in epub or Kindle format, it’s jarring enough to hit the otherwise acceptable end-or-beginning-of-chapter-notes.) It’s the kind of thing that has me backspacing right out of a story.
That’s a common rookie mistake, and except in parodies of bad fic, I’ve never seen it executed well. Never, ever, ever put author’s notes in the middle of the story. The exception, in my experience, is this: Most of fan fiction’s rules can be broken, and at least someone out there will find the result entertaining. Not only is the internet chockers with guides to How To Write Fic But Good, but if you break the rules, people will tell you about it. It’s a useful way to learn valuable skills (with the general exception of worldbuilding, unfortunately). Been writing fic since I was 12, been participating in the community since I was 16. I have no qualms at all in admitting that my creative writing background is in fan fiction. Hence “response”.) Losers in Space by John Barnes Sometimes I just want to feelsplode all over the internet. That suggests a level of detachment and professionalism that I can’t really guarantee. (I’m kinda hesitant to call my book posts “reviews”.
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