Anyone notice the massive explosion of space adventure fiction being published?

Back in the 2000s the space sci fi genre was a tiny niche that was dominated by British hard sci fi writers and gung ho Baen military sci. Since the beginning of this decade I have noticed that there has been a massive explosion in the amount of space adventure being published. Series like The Expanse by James S.A. Corey, Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach, and Red Rising by Pierce Brown are just some of the creative new space adventures this decade has given us. The author of one of this month's new space adventures, Chilling Effect pitched their story as The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet meets Mass Effect.

What has led to this explosion? People who grew up with epic space stories like Babylon 5, Battlestar Galactica, and Mass Effect are finally coming of age and are inspired to write their own take on the genre?

Or is it a plot to make people wish for the UN to take over?

a reply to: CmdrShep2154

In e-books it is very big as well.

The increase is multi-faceted.

Spell check all the way up to sophisticated author software has made it easier in much the same way that computers did away with typewriters. Thus, it is easier than ever to be an Author.

The golden years of Sci-fi as you mention, but don't forget that all of these older generation Authors also grew up with Marine Boy and Prince Planet as just two of the sci-fi cartoons. Jonny Quest was great but a little later. So they were the first generation to have sci-fi in many forms.

It is easier and faster and retirees do need a hobby, so why not!

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Evidently you were not around in the 50s till the 80s

I am actually seeing many plots from the 50's onwards repurposed nowadays. It's all been done before, or rehashed in some miniscule way.

a reply to: CmdrShep2154

All types of fiction have seen an explosion in the last decade because publishing has become so much easier. Everything from kindle style digital distribution to crowd funding means that books can be published without the need virgin actual publisher, or with minimal financial risk.

The refuse also been an explosion in arm chair reviewers online. So you get to hear about more fiction than ever as well.