Why Doesn't Sci-Fi Hit the Bestseller Lists?

Pomeranian writes "Sci fi readers often deplore book bestseller lists -- because review editors actively ignore many sci-fi sales, since they don't consider that stuff "popular", even though sci-fi titles often sell in far greater numbers than "serious" highbrow lit. But this all might change soon, with the launch of Bookscan: New technology that tracks actual sales at the cash register with greater precision than ever before. When similar technology launched in the music industry ten years ago, it proved the popularity of "new country" and hip-hop overnight. This story in the Washington Post wonders: Will Bookscan do the same thing to sci-fi? NOTE: this is a *shameless* self-aggrandizing plug, because I wrote the Washington Post story! But I figured it'd be of particular interest to Slashdot readers" CD: While I'd love to see lists that are more reflective of reality, I don't think that a pure unadulterated list is in the interest of the reading public. When I worked at Waldenbooks many moons ago, we would commonly receive copies of one book, Dianetics, from the publisher, with our (And our competitors) sales stickers already on them. While this was an extreme case, it does serve as a cautionary tale about the lengths some will go to manipulate the numbers.

Comments

Sci-fi has lost its edge.

[Starship Trooper]

There hasn't been a single good sci-fi novel since Herbert. Modern authors have fallen into rehashing the same old plots, ideas, and "insights into human nature" over and over again, much like modern popular musicians. This shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, though; every genre eventually loses its lustre as the finite pool of ideas are exhausted. You don't see very many innovative, exciting romance novels hitting the charts these days, do you? Of course not, every possible idea for such a novel has already been hashed and rehashed at least twenty times by now.

Instead of lamenting the sorry state of sci-fi in this modern age, you should be happy that while the genre was viable, it gave us such great works as Dune, The Foundation and Ender's Game. Cherish these old classics, while lying in wait for a fresh exciting new genre to further push the boundaries that science fiction has grown too old to push itself.

there is simply a lack of interest.

[joFFeman]

the everyday reader doesn't want to read Sci-Fi anymore. i feel the only reason most people read books anymore is because oprah tells them to do so... i guess if there aren't any mainstream icons who are vocal proponents of Sci-Fi, it isn't going to sell well. the sheep buy what they're told is 'good'.

in addition, i suppose good Sci-Fi is just too difficult for most to understand. we do take a lot of our knowledge for granted, i mean- can you imagine barbara walters discussing Sci-Fi with any author? that thought in itself is almost creepy.

guess we're command-line individuals in a WYSIWYG society. :p

Re:Paperbacks?

[MisterBlister]

I conclude that your mother is my bitch and she should suck my dick.