Amazing Stories featured a column by MD Jackson about Mechanical
Men and Women in science fiction. It's a fun snapshot of iconic
robot/android characters, plus other interesting facts involving sexy android
art. The post didn't cover the romance angle, but hey, that's where I come in!
I've blogged about this trope before, but the Amazing
Stories column inspired me to revisit it. Science fiction romance offers its fair
share of romances involving androids. It's a fascinating way to explore the
"Other," meaning that point in time when an android/robot becomes
capable of romantic love. Despite the relatively small number of stories
pairing humans and androids/robots, there's actually quite a bit of variety.
The stories range from sweet heat levels to erotic SFR. The
science fictional aspects are varied as well. Some stories, like Tanith Lee's
SILVER METAL LOVER (bittersweet ending alert!) focus on the
psychological/cultural/sociological themes, while others are hard SF in nature.
Catherine Asaro's books, such as THE PHOENIX CODE and ALPHA, incorporate the nitty gritty hardware involved. L.J. Garland's MECHMAN is all
about the action-adventure. I even wrote a couple of android romances myself:
THE WATCHMAKER'S LADY and HEROES ARE FOREVER. Both titles are squarely in
fantastical fantasy territory.
Here are two more angles for you: the hero in BODY ELECTRIC
by Susan Squires is an A.I. with a human body. Contrast that character with
Pippa Jay's TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY, which features a hero whose
consciousness has been downloaded into an android body!
Based on the blurb for PARAGON
by Aubrey Watt (which is on my TBR pile), the story promises to examine how
romantic relationships evolve into new types of pairings in the context of
artificial intelligence. THIS WINTER HEART by P.G. Forte explores the
prejudices faced by those androids/automatons who fall in love.
REVERSAL by A.B. Gayle and LUST REBOOTED by Christine d'Abo
go full throttle with the sex bot theme. In these types of future tales, sex
dolls are no longer passive recipients of the user's lust. They walk, talk, and
are skilled in the art of lovemaking. Human users fall in love with sex bots
who have agency, not to mention their own desires and need for belonging.
I've enjoyed the stories I've read so far, but regarding
stories yet to be written I'd love to see the trope taken in even more intense
directions. It's great to showcase the sexual aspect of a human-android/robot
romance or an android-android romance, but there are so many other areas to
explore as well.
Just off the top of my head, I wouldn't mind reading android
romances like the following:
* settings where sentient androids are a part of everyday
life. What would romance be like in that type of world?
*near-future settings where the first batch of sentient
androids grapple with the concept of love, courtship, and even procreation. How
would the world react and who would become the androids' first human partners?
* dystopian settings where sentient androids are
suppressed/enslaved. Perhaps one of them develops a forbidden romance with a
human.
* any story where the android hero/heroine is undercover in
some way, at a time when androids are highly sophisticated. What if a character
fell in love with an android and didn't know it? Would androids be required to
reveal their true nature? If so, what would be the implications of that scenario?
* any military SFR story featuring sophisticated android
soldiers who fall in love
* android romances that grapple with the concept of
lifespan/immortality. How would an android-human couple negotiate that aspect of their relationship? Would an android lover choose to die if she fell in love
with a human? Conversely, would a human partner undergo the necessary mechanical
transformation in order to live with his android lover forever?
Sci-fi romances with android/robot heroes and heroines have
potential for some really heart-wrenching angst. One thing I really enjoy about these
kinds of stories is the point when characters work through their prejudices and
fears and accept an android as a person and not just a fancy machine. Yet
at the same time, the machine aspect remains part of what makes them unique and
special. Exploring these themes through the lens of a romance makes everything
about the process concrete. In other words, deeply personal.
Do you have any ideas for android romances you'd like to
read? Are there any challenges facing these stories, both in terms of
creativity as well as marketing?
Joyfully yours,
Heather