Monday, February 15, 2016

Six notably colorblind SF/F universes

"In the modern world, race influences everything—whether we’re aware of (or want to admit it) it or not," writes Jeff Somers at the B & N Sci-Fi & Fantasy Blog. He tagged six "stories notable for the way they address race, sometimes by not explicitly addressing it at all," including:
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, by Robert A. Heinlein

Heinlein was many things (there is so much to talk about), many of them highly controversial, but his classic sci-fi novel about Moon colonists who rebel against their Earthbound rulers is remarkable in its handling of race. While perhaps not, strictly speaking, “colorblind,” the Moon is portrayed as almost entirely without racial distinctions and almost perfectly integrated. While race does creep in once the action shifts to Earth (which is not nearly as integrated), the fact is, the Loonies represent one of the least-racially segregated societies in classic science fiction.
Read about another entry on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue