My Marxist sci fi novel concept

[Tolstoy]

This novel takes place either on a made up planet that can support life with only moderate modifications, or simply a colony on the moon.
Welfare has been replaced by a "Minefare" program in which those who wish to recieve government assistance are paid 4.24$ to toil in mines on the colony and recieve meager foodstuffs as rations. If a person is removed from the Minefare program (typically from a positive drug test) they have 6 months to find work on earth or raise enough money to go back to earth (extremly expensive) orthey will have bounty placed on their head by the local government.
The novel follows Conrad Steel, one of these government hitmen who makes a living hunting down these lumpenproles, until his blood tests positive for marijuana and is fired, and soon his name is added to the killlist, leading to seek refuge amongst the poor community he formerly terrorized and finds himself a Marxist revolutionary at the end, with a new empathy for the poor

[khad]

Speculative fiction is for exploring topics which cannot adequately explored in real world settings. If you're going to write a novel about minimum wage and pot, why even go through the trouble of making it science fiction? Even the whole thing about planetary mining makes no sense, as it is infinitely easier from a physical standpoint to mine asteroids, since you don't have to overcome gravity to get the goods into space for shipment.

I'd say that the reason why you are proposing this is because you have an aversion to all the hard work and observational acumen required to craft a serious piece of fiction. Just slapping some sci-fi trim on what is a transparent caricature of contemporary workfare welfare models doesn't make it good sci-fi either.

P.S. Is this entire story about converting cops to glorious Marxism?

[Tolstoy]

Speculative fiction is for exploring topics which cannot adequately explored in real world settings. If you're going to write a novel about minimum wage and pot, why even go through the trouble of making it science fiction? Even the whole thing about planetary mining makes no sense, as it is infinitely easier from a physical standpoint to mine asteroids, since you don't have to overcome gravity to get the goods into space for shipment.

I'd say that the reason why you are proposing this is because you have an aversion to all the hard work and observational acumen required to craft a serious piece of fiction. Just slapping some sci-fi trim on what is a transparent caricature of contemporary workfare welfare models doesn't make it good sci-fi either.

P.S. Is this entire story about converting cops to glorious Marxism?

On the cops point, no. It takes this guy being hunted down like any other fugitive that convinces him to embrace revolutionary socialism.

Actually, I think sci fi is really difficult and now that you mention it, it would be much easier to set it on Earth

[Questionable]

"Conrad Steel"?

That wouldn't be a nod to "Comrade Stalin," would it?

[Tolstoy]

The Steel part is a Stalin reference. I didnt even think of the Conrad/comrad wordplay part and just thought of Joseph Conrad who wrote novels about colonialism

[La Comédie Noire]

You could make it work. I say try writing a first draft and post it back here. A first draft is a good way to feel out what rings hollow or just seems obviously political.

What I can tell you from the concept alone is its been done to death ( Blade Runner for instance) and to be honest you may not have the experience or knowledge to write from a policeman's perspective.

Now you can keep the world, but maybe you could write it from the perspective of a character you do know. Maybe one of the welfare recipients being hunted.

Your best bet is to just read some good science fiction and then write everyday.

[Red Economist]

I've tried to write a Marxist novel in the past (set in a near future capitalist dystopia); it was never finished but was a great way to explore new concepts and to think outside the box. best of luck Tolstoy!

[Paul Pott]

"System enforcer who finds himself on the short end of the system" is a way overdone theme.

[Questionable]

"System enforcer who finds himself on the short end of the system" is a way overdone theme.

You know, I think a well-written reversal of that trope would be interesting.

A revolutionary who lives in the outskirts of society, dedicating his life to its downfall, has a complete change of perspective when he is suddenly welcomed into the upper-echelons of this society, and becomes one of its most ardent defenders.

I have no doubt that's already been done, though.

[Brandon's Impotent Rage]

I've always wanted to write a left-wing military sci-fi novel similar to the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. Something similar to the cold war IN SPAAAAAACE!!! but not quite as.....I dunno, obnoxious? Basically the idea of a revolutionary state defending itself and its allies against the aggression of capitalist and fascists star systems (sorta like Horatio Hornblower in reverse).

......Then again, I've also wanted to do a parody of the Gor novels, but with all the sex in tact. That might be an even less impossible task. :laugh:

[Quail]

The best thing to do is just sit down and write your story. If the first draft is terrible then either you can figure out how to make it better or discard the idea. Also, you might find that as you're writing it, the story begins to evolve and turn into a better and more innovative idea.

I find writing enjoyable so I don't see all the discarded/unfinished stuff I have saved on my computer as a waste of time. It will also probably improve your writing skills, if nothing else.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Comrade Cominternov and the Interplanetary Revolution.

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[Tolstoy]

This guys closer to a bounty hunter than a police man. I may include several other characters and switch perspectives, including a Catholic Priest who tires of his churches defending the US government and capitalism, a standard vagrant in hiding and the colony governor

[bluemangroup]

Conrad Steel"?

That wouldn't be a nod to "Comrade Stalin," would it?

As in "the man of steel," i.e. Joseph Stalin?

As others have said, try writing a first (rough) draft. Tweak it and, if it doesn't work out, rewrite it or writes something else. IMHO this works when I write short stories.

[Paul Pott]

You know, I think a well-written reversal of that trope would be interesting.

A revolutionary who lives in the outskirts of society, dedicating his life to its downfall, has a complete change of perspective when he is suddenly welcomed into the upper-echelons of this society, and becomes one of its most ardent defenders.

I have no doubt that's already been done, though.

And becomes the president of Brazil? that's not a novel

[#FF0000]

Speculative fiction is for exploring topics which cannot adequately explored in real world settings.

It can be useful in that regard but any "genre" is "for" expressing any idea in your own chosen aesthetic vocabulary.

[Os Cangaceiros]

You know, I think a well-written reversal of that trope would be interesting.

A revolutionary who lives in the outskirts of society, dedicating his life to its downfall, has a complete change of perspective when he is suddenly welcomed into the upper-echelons of this society, and becomes one of its most ardent defenders.

I have no doubt that's already been done, though.

There are a ton of narratives like that, although I can't think of many where the main character is like that. Usually it's a secondary character and is used to illustrate the point that revolutions always devour or subsume their own, and end up in a system that's just as corrupt and repressive as the one it replaced.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I like dystopian narratives that illustrate the absurdity of a given society with humor.

Also, I like moral ambiguity and anti-heroes.

[Yuppie Grinder]

A better novel would be about some not particularly interesting dude from Detroit who gets kicked off of welfare for smoking weed.