Science Fiction Sub-Genres and their Relevance to Chronicles of the Second Invasion

The series of novels tentatively entitled Chronicles of the Second Invasion, currently under massive editing prior to publication by Cameron White, can be most effectively categorized by an amalgam of existing Science Fiction sub-genres, most notably Military Science Fiction and Postcyberpunk.

Military Science Fiction is a specific classification of science fiction or speculative fiction that differs in key aspects from the similar and more widely spread Space Opera sub-genre. Military Science fiction relies upon a soldier or officer's point of view during an armed conflict spanning the stars, whereas Space Opera relies more heavily upon a 'space adventure' story, most usually utilizing some sort of far flung space conflict as background.

Chronicles of the Second Invasion has large similarities with Postcyberpunk as well. The sub-genre of cyberpunk has been on the rise lately, with such films as Blade Runner and the Matrix that emphasize advancing technology and the gritty reality that comes with it, as well as the (potential or otherwise) downfall of society that results from said advancement. Postcyberpunk embraces technology in a more realistic fashion, depicting the darker parts of humanity and the fact that technological advancement will not eradicate them. Lawrence Person has this to say about the differences in Notes Toward a Postcyberpunk Manifesto.

"In cyberpunk, technology facilitates alienation from society. In postcyberpunk, technology is society. Technology is what the characters breathe, eat, and live in."

Postcyberpunk tends to steer away from angst-ridden teenage viewpoints perpetuating chaos and anarchy for the hell of it that so riddled cyberpunk, and veer more towards those miscreants that are content merely to sew havoc, eke out an existence or better themselves within an existing society, rather than bringing down the man and starting over.

Perhaps one could theorize that postcyberpunk is more mature, while still dealing with the 'coming of age' difficulties that are a staple, if not a cliche, of all types of good fiction.

Postcyberpunk also takes a more realistic point of view of technology, citing the fact that the advent of home computers, automobiles and jets hasn't adversely effected society as a whole.

Postcyberpunk is to cyberpunk as a 'practical libertarian' is to a 'tree-hugging lesbian anarchist'.

You can find Notes Toward a Postcyberpunk Manifesto hosted on slashdot, and I highly recommend it as an informative and worthy read.