Australian Speculative Fiction

[girliejones]

What is it about Australian Speculative fiction that makes it Australian? I mean, other than being written by an Australian, what is really unique about the Australian Spec Fic scene?

And why would it, or would it not, appeal to an international audience?

Comments

[curufea]

Because, like Farscape, it is less repressed and more raw than other "civilised" countries.

[girliejones]

Comparing say Farscape to Star Trek you mean?

[curufea]

Comparing Farscape to scifi that wasn't created in Australia.

[girliejones]

But farscape was filmed here - was it written here?

[strangedave]

If your lucky, it can not make the default assumptions about landscape (and cultural stereotypes attached to it) as most UK or US SF. Anything that makes SF less predictable helps, I think. Good examples of SF set in a recognisably Australian but very speculative landscape include Terry Dowlings SF, Sean Williams fantasy. This can mean urban landscape as well (for example the Parris Pleshish books).

[curufea]

I've read Terry. And Joel Shepherd. I'll have to look into reading Sean too.