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As I am sure all of us here are aware this is predominatley a site for Star Trek (and if you didn't know you might want to pay a bit more attention lol). However if you gather this many Trekkies in one place, albeit a digital one, you are bound to have many fans of other Science Fiction media. As I am sure there are many of these I thought it would be fun to use this as a space to share what we like about them.
Sci-Fi comes in many forms, I am sure most of us are aware of at least a few of the Movies and TV shows, I've seen enough fans of Stargate SG-1, Star Wars, The Orville and Battlestar Galactica to be sure of that. However there some other forms of media I have found quite a few Sci-Fi materials in, for one gaming. I am sure many of us could name quite a few games with a Sci-Fi setting, I've been playing and enjoying enough Helldivers 2 recently to remember that easily enough and of course the Halo series which had an event recently. I could spend all day listing them but I will leave that to you.
Another area, which I have found to be less talked about, is books. There are many novels, comics and manga with Sci-Fi settings that take the story in ways that perhaps aren't practical to render in graphics software or a game engine, and can sometimes give us a more detailed and personal look at the setting.
There are also places such as the subreddits HFY and Humans are Space Orcs which focused on a more Human centric stories, giving us both short 'one-shots' and longer stories spread over multiple posts. These places give budding authors a chance to share shorter and longer ideas that might not be possible to publish traditionally and seeing Humans as ultrapowerful deathworlders who somehow managed to get the largest Space Navy in the Alliance or similar is a funny contrast to some parts of Star Trek with it's less militaristic and more exploratory focus.
And of couse fan works based on any existing media can be found in numerous archives and websites around the internet, playing on What-if's, off screen moments, and even Alternate Universes. I will admit I have engaged with some of this in a few fandoms and I found the Star Trek ones I read to be mostly well written and interesting.
But enough rambling on Sci-Fi and it's many forms (as I could do that all day and night). A lot of what I would consider my favourite Non-Trek Sci-Fi is stuff most of you will already be aware of, Battlestar Galactica, Star Wars (especially Rebels) and sections of Gundam series (particullarly Gundam Witch from Mercury, the 5 built and 4 not yet built models speak to that one). So, instead I want to take this moment to talk about one of my favourite Sci-Fi authors, Glynn Stewart, link to bio.
Stewart is an author from Canada who has done a selection of Sci-Fi and Fantasy stories. Infact my idea for this post came around due to me re-reading his Castle Federation Series. Now most of Stewarts books are what I would classify as 'Military Space Operas', that is to say, they feature big space battles between large amounts of forces from differing Space Navys and mostly follow Military officers or someone in a similar position (Veterans or Civilian attaches to Military missions for examples). I understand why some members here who like Starfleets technically not a Military system, in which case I would love to hear about what you like, but I find them to be very exciting.
Stewart has 6 amazing Sci-Fi series along with a few disconted Sci-Fi novellas, as can be seen here, (and if you want reccomendations hit me up on Discord). The thing I find most amazing is that each one has it's own completley different tech base. Some have Starfighters while others don't. Some are very alien heavy while others are completly deviod of them and the propulsion systems vary wildly, Antimatter rockets, Mass manipulators and positron production, or even small energy based black holes (Kugelblitzes). And the FTL is just as varied, Wormholes, Alcubierre based drives, a jump style system.
Every series has something to bring to the table and that's what make them all so interesting, and more are coming all the time. Book 7 of the Peacekeeper of Sol series (Wartorn Stars) arriving later this month, Book 15 of Starship Mage, and books 2 of Aether Spheres and House Adamant all expected in the next 9-12 months. With a pretty speedy one book every 3-4 months schedule which has been held for the last few years you are only one or two full series rereads away from the next book. I hope at least a few of you will have a look at one of Stewarts series and I hope I get to find some great books you have been reading.
So What is your favourite Non-Trek Sci-Fi? Tell us down below and perhaps we can all find a new favourite together
