[QuickTidal]

So this is a relatively new concept. It's an aesthetic that applies to a bunch of things, and not just entertainment. It seems to be based around a brighter future, where things like Environmental responsibility, rejection of late state capitalism, success of movements like BLM and other Equality pushes succeeded, and other clean views of our future.

It seems to include, clothing, art, and other aesthetic stuff too, along with media like fiction and non-fiction.

It seems to be a kind of rejection of Dysptopian stuff and Cyberpunk.

 Rita+Fei.png (1.3MB)
Number of downloads: 0

Anyways, I figured I'd a throw a few titles out there onto the thread, and anyone can chime in with stuff they come across that seems to fit the bill.

The only novel I know of that was written in the genre with the genre as her clear point is Becky Chambers PSALM FOR THE WILD BUILT (which I've not yet read, but I've heard just wonderful things about), and it's forthcoming sequel A PRAYER FOR THE CROWN-SHY.

Of older stuff that aligns with the genre, here are the ones I've found.

WALKAWAY - Cory Doctorow

SUNVAULT: STORIES OF SOLARPUNK & ECOSPECULATION - anthology edited by Phoebe Wagner & Brontë Christopher Wieland

GLASS & GARDENS: SOLARPUNK SUMMERS - anthology edited by Sarena Ulibari

MULTISPECIES CITIES: SOLARPUNK URBAN FUTURES - Anthology edited by Christoph Ruprecht

NEW YORK 2140- Kim Stanley Robinson (I own this one, but have yet to read it)

PARABLE OF THE SOWER - Octavia E. Butler

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS - Octavia E. Butler

THE SUMMER PRINCE - Alaya Dawn Johnson (This one is Brazilian, and Iv'e heard Solarpunk originated there as a concept?)

ECOTOPIA - Ernest Callenbach (probably the oldest book on the list, but sounds like it fits the bill)

THE DISPOSSESSED - Urslua K. LeGuin

Please feel free to add anything you think fits this genre, even tangentially, and hopefully we will have a thread for people who want to explore this genre as it gains more momentum.

EDIT: The lovely art above is the cover of the MULTISPECIES CITIES book by artist Rita Fei.

Movies

STRANGE WORLD (2022)

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 04 January 2023 - 06:45 PM

[Tiste Simeon]

I like this idea. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!

[QuickTidal]

No problem. I was so impressed that this existed as a concept.

[amphibian]

I read a bit more about solarpunk as a concept and kinda like it. I would especially like to explore this - I'll pick up Jemisin's Emergency Skin and see how that goes.

I disagree mightily with a few lists I saw online of "solarpunk novels" that Dune is within this general aesthetic, although I do think that some of the Iain Banks Culture books, The Algebraist, and House of Suns would be solarpunk.

Dan Abnett's Hypernaturals might be solar punk. I'd have to dig up the comics again and re-read them to confirm, but I do remember it being much, much less grim than his written works (which I also love).

I also nominate The Dervish House by Ian McDonald. The mundane and occasionally wondrous tech boosts just about everyone in Istanbul has makes it seem a bit brighter in tone. The Luna novels he wrote are absolutely amazing, yet they do have a tone that's a bit more like space Game of Thrones with a very money-driven set of pursuits for many of the characters. I don't know if those fit.

Bacigalupi's Windup Girl is definitely an exploration of late stage capitalism, with a set of goals very similar to Dune. So I don't think it belongs in this genre.

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 16 February 2022 - 07:47 PM, said:

I read a bit more about solarpunk as a concept and kinda like it. I would especially like to explore this - I'll pick up Jemisin's Emergency Skin and see how that goes.

Is that her Amazon novella? I saw that and wondered if it would be good. Let me know.

[QuickTidal]

Dropping into the thread to add Disney's STRANGE WORLD to the list of solarpunk media out there. It's probably the most Solarpunk movie I've ever seen actually, considering how new that concept is.

I know it didn't make a huge splash in theatres, but it's REALLY good, and worth your time if these concepts at all interest you.

Bonus, my kids loved it!

[QuickTidal]

Oh and here's a recent Twitter thread/comic that Ursula Vernon (T. Kingfisher) posted that's super Solarpunk, and made me cry it was so beautiful.

[Tiste Simeon]

QuickTidal, on 04 January 2023 - 06:43 PM, said:

Dropping into the thread to add Disney's STRANGE WORLD to the list of solarpunk media out there. It's probably the most Solarpunk movie I've ever seen actually, considering how new that concept is.

I know it didn't make a huge splash in theatres, but it's REALLY good, and worth your time if these concepts at all interest you.

Bonus, my kids loved it!

This one's been on our radar to watch with our son. Good to hear it's a good film!

[worry]

I definitely wanna see Strange World. Dunno about outside the U.S., but it seemed to have almost no advertising push here. I didn't know its release date, I didn't know what it was about (and mostly still don't), and I wasn't even aware it was a Disney movie until very close to its premiere.

I don't know if it was sabotaged, I don't even know why that would happen, but in retrospect it seemed pre-emptively buried like no other Disney property I have ever seen. And it's not like Disney has been otherwise dormant -- Encanto has (deservedly imo) continued to get a huge push in the zeitgeist, but weirdly as if it was still Disney's latest.

[QuickTidal]

worry, on 04 January 2023 - 11:09 PM, said:

I definitely wanna see Strange World. Dunno about outside the U.S., but it seemed to have almost no advertising push here. I didn't know its release date, I didn't know what it was about (and mostly still don't), and I wasn't even aware it was a Disney movie until very close to its premiere.

I don't know if it was sabotaged, I don't even know why that would happen, but in retrospect it seemed pre-emptively buried like no other Disney property I have ever seen. And it's not like Disney has been otherwise dormant -- Encanto has (deservedly imo) continued to get a huge push in the zeitgeist, but weirdly as if it was still Disney's latest.

Considering who Disney is....it's hard not to point at the LGBTQ relationship between the young lead and his crush as the reason they didn't market it in the American to the bigots who populate so much of America. The climate message is another thing perhaps they weren't excited to crow about to the Republican-set.

I dunno, all I know is that it was awesome and I loved all of it.