Welcome

Roadside Picnic is named after a 1971 novel by Russian authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky.  Those who have seen Tarkovsky's gorgeous 1979 film, Stalker, already have some notion of the novel's plot, since the film is loosely based on the text.  For those who have not seen the movie or read the book... I won't ruin anything for you.

This blog is intended as an online space for criticism, discussion, review and general praise or condemnation for various forms of science fiction, primarily literature and cinema.  I do not guarantee any regular posting schedule, nor that this blog will serve as a comprehensive guide to science fiction in any way.  It is merely a place for me (and those who follow my posts) to express different ideas about the genre, of which I consider myself a fan.

I currently am employed as an adjunct instructor at St. Petersburg College in Florida, but will be moving in August to attend a doctoral program in English literature at Boston University.  I sincerely hope to be able to devote a fair amount of time to this blog, but as I said previously, I cannot guarantee any kind of steady schedule for posting.  Furthermore, this is my first foray into "blogging."  It took me quite some time to come around to the idea, but I'm looking forward to it.  I hope everyone enjoys the subject matter, and the posts themselves.

As a final note: I chose the username "Hypothetical" because I believe it reflects exactly what good science fiction does, and what all science fiction should strive to do.  It explores and exposes ideas and realms of a hypothetical nature, usually ones that come into contact with (and perhaps even breach) the limits of the human.

EDIT: Since beginning my PhD program at Boston U, I find that I read almost as much theoretical nonfiction as I do fiction.  In light of this, I'm amending my project slightly to include posts on theory and philosophy.  Some of my posts have, of course, already referenced certain philosophers and their works; however, I want to allow myself some space to work primarily on philosophy and theory, particularly as it relates to the current speculative trend taking place in Europe among thinkers such as Alain Badiou, Quentin Meillassoux, Ray Brassier, and even Slavoj Žižek.  I hope that such exploratory posts will contribute to my critical study of SF in the future.

Currently reading: Nova Swing (M. John Harrison)
Last book read: Three Farmers on Their Way to a Dance (Richard Powers)