One key aspect of long science fiction stories is the exploration of big ideas. They can take on concepts like time travel, artificial intelligence, or the nature of humanity over a long narrative arc. Take '2001: A Space Odyssey'. It delved deeply into the relationship between humans and advanced technology. Also, long science fiction stories may have multiple plotlines that intertwine. This adds to the complexity and richness of the story, like in 'The Wheel of Time' series which has numerous story threads that all contribute to the overall epic tale.
Well, 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons is an excellent long - form science fiction. It features a group of pilgrims on a journey to the Time Tombs on the planet Hyperion, and each pilgrim has a unique and fascinating story to tell. Also, 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson is a classic. It's a cyberpunk - style story that introduced many concepts about the future of technology and the relationship between humans and machines.
There could be various events. Check local libraries in Long Beach, they sometimes host science fiction book clubs or author talks. Also, keep an eye on community centers which might organize movie screenings of classic sci - fi flicks.
One could be 'Dune'. It has a complex and far - reaching plot much like 'the long way around'. Another might be 'Foundation' series which also involves long - term developments and a journey through different concepts in a science - fictional universe. And 'Hyperion' is also a good choice as it has a multi - faceted story that unfolds in an elaborate way, somewhat similar to the long - winding nature of 'the long way around science fiction story'.
A long science fiction story often has a complex world - building. It needs to create a whole new universe, whether it's a far - off planet or a future Earth. For example, in 'Star Wars' novels, there are different species, political systems, and technologies.
It can vary a lot. Some sci-fi novels are short, around 50,000 words, while others can be really long, like over 150,000 words. It depends on the story and the author's style.
The length of an average sci-fi novel is kind of hard to pin down exactly. It depends on various factors like the author's style and the complexity of the story. Generally, though, you could expect something between 70,000 and 120,000 words.