Imagine a world that's nothing but desert!
A big advantage to setting a sci-fi world in a desert is that it's easy to conceptualize, compared to a geographically and culturally diverse world like Earth. That's not to say you can't include diversity...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Off we go, out of this desert world and onto whatever happens next.
What is happening next? Take a look. There's a surprise near the end.
September 6th - DreamPunk
DreamPunk, contrary to the name, doesn't necessarily have to involve dreams. They can also be visions, drug-induced or otherwise. DreamPunk is surreal sci-fi, often merging with fantasy at times. To use a word the kids are saying while they take turns huffing a bottle of jenkem and blowing smoke up each other's asses: DreamPunk is "trippy." But it can be more than that, too—it can make you think. Think David Lynch doing science fiction. Alternatively, think some of Philip K. Dick's books and stories.
DreamPunk differs from AcidPunk in that AcidPunk typically takes heavy influence from the '60s and '70s, whereas DreamPunk... not so much, more of an '80s and '90s influence. Think of DreamPunk as maybe being a dissociating, dreamy relative of the psychedelia-drenched AcidPunk. Instead of classic psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin and mescaline, imagine something more akin to a ketamine, ibogaine or salvinorin A experience.
October 4th - Zombie SF
It's been a while since we did something spooky for Halloween! And that's just what we'll do this time around. Zombie SF. No, it's not just zombies in space! Maybe you've got a sci-fi cause for the outbreak?
November 15th - Best of 2020
We're keeping 2020's Best Of issue small and fuckin' awesome. See all those previous 2020 sub-genres? Let's get a brand-fuckin'-new story for every single one. Exclusive writer privilege is granted to tenured TK writers first, everybody else second. This is a tradition that comes from its ancient, humble beginnings as a TK issue of utmost secrecy. Don't ask us to write for it—we'll ask you.
December 20th - A Very Merry Dystopian Christmas
The "Merry" is back, and so is the Ooorah Crew's take on Dystopian SF (with that Christmassy twist we know and love!) We haven't touched this sub-genre by itself—because loads of -Punk and non-Punk sci-fi stories happen to be dystopian—since Tevun-Krus #8. Man, that's a long time ago!
Dystopian SF is the opposite of Utopian SF. Where those are paradise, these are hellish and mean. Dystopians typically feature some form of oppressive government, but not always. The oppression can also come from the environment, as in post-apocalyptic dystopians, from the self, or from any other imaginable source.
---
And... because we love our mothertroopers very much... We are pleased to announce that 2021 will officially be known as The Year of Punk! This one goes out to the nameless naysayer who said we did too much -Punk this year! Ooorah!
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
