Green Fiction

Perhaps there's another a term for it, but I haven't run across it yet. Until I find an official name for it, I'm describing my work-in-progress novel as "Green" fiction. I don't think utopian is quite the right word for it, although it's definitely not dystopian. So, what do I mean by green?

When I picture the world where my main character lives, it's lush with thriving plants. The reasons I named the planet Arden are because Arden was the name of an idealized forest in As You Like It, and because it sounds like garden. With hover technology applied to transportation, there's isn't an expanse of pavement for roads and runways. People often build down, with houses fit into rolling hills with a grass-covered roof. Some towns are built as floating islands along the coasts. Natural building materials are preferred. Many people maintain a garden and grow some of their own food.

So... green. A place where the environment is well-cared for, where the climate is conducive to human life.

In fact, I envision it as a world where many of today's woes aren't an issue anymore. Racism is a thing of the past. People aren't judged based on their gender or sexual orientation. Healthcare and education are free. No one lives in poverty, and there isn't a vast divide in wealth. Are you wondering yet why I don't call this a utopia?

It's because people are still people. They still look for shortcuts and put themselves first. They still commit crimes. They still fear what they don't understand.

And that brings us to a major theme of the story. In a world where most prejudices have been wiped out, would people be able to recognize a new prejudice emerging? Could it be stamped out before it fully takes root?

On a related note, I sometimes describe the novel as science-fiction, but I think speculative fiction is more accurate. The story is set hundreds of years in the future, and certainly there are large advances in technology, however the technology isn't the focus of the story. My aim is to explore the society, and not the science. In fact, I'm also seeing futuristic fantasy as a sub-genre name that fits, especially given my emphasis on psychic powers.