Chapter 19
In the midst of silence from science fiction authors and the noise from readers, the release day of "Science Fiction World" quietly arrived. From printing to binding to nationwide distribution, the magazine company worked methodically, and everyone was eagerly awaiting the sales and reviews of this issue.
As students carried their backpacks to school and adults hurried to work, every city's newsstands and bookstores quietly displayed the latest issue of "Science Fiction World" in prominent positions.
China's cultural industry has developed rapidly, and reading has become a trend. People reading magazines or books on the subway or bus are no longer a minority.
There are a wide variety of reading choices, with various types of literature developing together. However, it seems that science fiction literature has become a weak point. Chinese science fiction is still in its early stages, with an audience that is only one-tenth of that in the United States.
Science fiction novels mainly use artistic techniques to unfold scientific ideas, inspiring and motivating readers in their thinking, allowing them to understand some real scientific and technological developments, and leading them to envision the future and embrace bold innovation.
This is also a form of popular science work. In Lin Han's novel "Country Teacher," readers can experience the content of Newton's three classical mechanics and feel the vastness of the universe and their own scarcity.
Classic science fiction novels mostly come from the European and American novel circles, with various themes emerging. They explore imagination about artificial intelligence, thoughts on the universe and stars, reflections on the end of the world, and ideas of anti-utopia. They can depict battles with aliens in spaceships or imagine the destruction of the Earth. They can also speculate on whether robots will dominate the world in a few hundred years and whether humans will lose their ability to speak.
With the progress of the current era, it seems that the world imagined by science fiction writers has finally arrived. From not many people understanding what science fiction was years ago, there are now more and more readers who love science fiction.
Many science fiction magazines have good sales, and some top science fiction writers can barely make it onto the bestseller lists.
There is even a saying that humans are carbon-based life forms, but people who love science fiction are made of silicon. This generation is closely linked to silicon, and modern products and ideas revolve around it.
Most of the things we use now were invented by Westerners. The madness of those people questioning the ultimate questions led to the theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and technological development, which in turn led to industrialization, and we have smartphones and the internet. The future lifestyles depicted in science fiction novels may also become a reality.
Many years ago, when Jules Verne wrote works such as "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea," "From the Earth to the Moon," and "Around the Moon," many of his ideas were realized. The combination of extraordinary imagination and scientific thinking earned him the title of prophet of the scientific age.
Today is indeed the best era for science fiction novels. Young people's imagination of the future and their acceptance of science have reached unprecedented heights. The creation of Chinese science fiction is attracting many novelists to explore and cultivate the field!
In such an era, the sales of each issue of "Science Fiction World" exceed 800,000 copies, and the sales of magazines such as "Science Fiction Literature Show," "Science Fiction King," and "World Science Fiction Expo" are also not small. They together support Chinese science fiction literature.
Readers who have been purchasing "Science Fiction World" for a long time have been eagerly awaiting the release of the latest issue. On the 20th, these people bought this issue from nearby newsstands and then enthusiastically began reading it.
Lin Han, on the other hand, had directly subscribed to the annual version, which was delivered to the logistics management office in the community by a mailman, so he didn't need to go outside to buy it, which was quite convenient.
But in order to obtain first-hand information, Lin Han tied a scarf around his neck and walked out of the neighborhood. He approached the newsstand outside the neighborhood to ask the owner.
"Boss, do you have the latest issue of 'Science Fiction World'?"
The newsstand was not big. The little sun heating stove inside the small room was very eye-catching. Various magazines were neatly arranged under the shelf outside the newsstand.
The owner sitting on a chair was engrossed in the magazine in his hand and didn't hear Lin Han's words at all. He was completely immersed in it, not afraid that people would just take a book and walk away.
Most of the magazine vendors love reading. They are the first to get each issue and sell them to others after reading them. This feeling of happiness is far beyond imagination.
Helplessly looking at the owner, Lin Han tapped on the wooden tabletop with his hand, raising his voice a bit, "Boss, do you have 'Science Fiction World' here?"
"Oh, it's on your left. Take a look yourself. 8 yuan per copy. Don't disturb me."
This unconventional owner showed no intention of selling at all. On the contrary, he glanced at Lin Han, full of annoyance at being disturbed.
Lin Han touched his nose and started searching attentively. The words "Science Fiction World" on the cover caught his eye. The cover was probably specially designed by a dedicated artist, and it looked very delicate, filled with a sense of future science fiction.
The stark contrast between the massive warship and the dilapidated classroom was eye-catching. On one side was an extremely powerful alien fleet, and on the other side was a backward countryside school. What kind of connection do these two have?
This was a cover specially made for "Country Teacher," and it was probably made with a lot of thought. This attention made Lin Han feel comfortable.
He casually flipped through a couple of pages and found the table of contents. He discovered that his story, "Country Teacher," occupied the most space, about seven or eight pages. All the more than 20,000 words were published at once, without being serialized over several issues.
When he took out his wallet to pay, the owner took the 10 yuan that Lin Han handed over, then closed the magazine in his hand and revealed a familiar cover.
"Here, take your 2 yuan change. Have a nice day."
Eager to sit back down, the middle-aged man prepared to continue reading. At this moment, Lin Han directly asked, "Boss, are you also reading 'Science Fiction World'? What do you think of this issue? Is it good?"
"It's great. Every issue has good articles. Apart from 'Country Teacher,' I also really like 'Cat on the Moon' and 'Future Fantasia.' You should take a good look."
"What about 'Country Teacher'? Is it good? I saw many people criticizing this story on Weibo." Lin Han wanted to hear a real evaluation from a true reader.
After asking about something that interested him, the owner's coldness disappeared in an instant. He said excitedly, "Brother, let me tell you, this story is incredible. I think it's the best short story I've read this year, and I finished reading it all at once. It's written so well. I'm reading it again now. I was wondering what the connection was between a village teacher and science fiction, but now I want to reread the mechanical principles in my textbooks in case I get chosen by aliens to answer questions. That would be a disaster for everyone!"
"Is it really that good?"
"Yes, I'm not exaggerating. Just take a look and you'll understand. This author is really something. It's said that he even made it to the Galaxy Award semi-finals. I'm going to vote for him when I close the shop tonight."
Hearing the owner's enthusiastic praise, even though Lin Han wanted to remain calm, the slight smile on his face revealed his feelings. "Thanks, I'll take it back and read it slowly."