• In total there is 1 user online :: 0 registered, 0 hidden and 1 guest (based on users active over the past 60 minutes)
    Most users ever online was 789 on Tue Mar 19, 2024 5:08 am

Is the novel, "The True Virus", a thriller or science fiction?

A forum for authors, as well as aspiring authors, to connect, network, and converse about all facets of writing, publishing, and promotion.
Forum rules
Do not promote books in this forum. Instead, promote your books in either Authors: Tell us about your FICTION book! or Authors: Tell us about your NON-FICTION book!.

All other Community Rules apply in this and all other forums.
User avatar
bionov
Agrees that Reading is Fundamental
Posts: 285
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 7:14 pm
11
Location: Sierra Foothills, CA
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 25 times
Contact:

Is the novel, "The True Virus", a thriller or science fiction?

Unread post

Is a novel that uses a concept that is in its experimental stages considered Science Fiction? Since my novel, “The True Virus”, which takes place during the last Gaza/Israeli war and involves the CIA, Mossad and Hamas terrorists with lots of action, I feel this puts it into the thriller genre. However, the plot revolves around a Hamas bioterrorist hacking into the DNA component of the CIA computer, resulting in a real live virus which causes an epidemic.
Scientists have experimented with DNA based computers and have had some success. Also, as a microbiologist, I know that a virus is nothing more than a DNA molecule surrounded by a protein coat. Therefore, is my novel a thriller or science fiction?
For more information about me and this novel check my website:
http://chvrooman.wix.com/thrillers
KentC
Getting Comfortable
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Feb 28, 2015 3:55 am
9

Re: Is the novel, "The True Virus", a thriller or science fiction?

Unread post

I would say this sounds more like a thriller, but I think the main thing is whether it concentrates on fighting the terrorists or on the speculation of what computers like that could do.

It's also simply just a question of which one do you want to market it as? I think stuff like Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt books are marketed as thrillers even though they are set in an alternate reality which has rather big differences with the real world, and even the Jack Ryan series moved into future events and distanced themselves from reality in the later books. Both could be marketed as science fiction, but the author and/or publisher has just chosen to sell them as thrillers.

There are lots of thrillers with completely unrealistic plots and weapons and other things in them anyway...
Post Reply

Return to “Author's Lounge”