Futurehunk!
AUTHOR: Jody Wallace

Fans of SFRs enjoy the varied and growing subgenre because it is only in fiction they can visit other planets -- and the men who inhabit them. Oh, those mystical, mysterious extraterrestrial men! From reptilian hotties to cat faced bodies, from muscle-bound humanoids to sexy androids, science fiction romance novels are definitely the place to go to meet guys -- guys from other worlds, that is. Non-Earthling men are a staple of alien encounter and other space-based SFRs, because without the chappie the encounter wouldn?t exist. And after reading a couple hundred of these futuristic fantasies, one starts to notice certain similarities amongst these alien fellers, almost enough to convince a reader that the authors of these books have tapped into some sort of unconscious feminine desire.

So what are these traits we readers desire our alien seducers to have? If romance and sf/f novelists have it right, the four traits are as follows:

Trait One: A futurehunk looks primarily human.

When Earthlings meet up with any ?little green men?, it turns out they tend to be big (really big) bronze men, for the most part. Why might this be? Well, if the aliens were birdy things, ectoplasmic blobs, tiny canine creatures or other beings, it would be less likely that the futurehunk would be a romantic interest for our heroine, frequently a human woman. Author Linnea Sinclair agrees: ?Perhaps the reason I don't write a fully NON-human MC is that I'm very much a part of my stories, and I personally can't get overly excited about making love to, I don't know, a replica of a toaster. An amoeba. A sexy moss covered rock.? Plus, in science fiction romance the ability for the happy couple to consummate their love, maybe even produce offspring, plays a huge part, so one assumes that the two species must be compatible enough to allow for that.

The differences between star-faring races, when they exist, are usually minor and not an impediment to human-alien interaction. Most typical is a character like Leann Harris?s halfbreed hero in Hunter's Heart, who looks entirely human except for his eyes. But then you have the partially computerized Jagernauts in Catherine Asaro?s fascinating novels, who appear normal yet are quite able to consort with less ?technologically mature? Earthlings. Very few men originate from a different species entirely, which makes the reptilian hero in Lanette Curington?s Starkissed a rare fictional creature.

Most popular non-human species to model a futurehunk after? Cats, of course. (Men are ALREADY dogs, right?) Dara Joy?s Familiars might be able to turn into cats but are all man otherwise. Kathleen Morgan?s exotic cat men are definitely able to breed with human women, which they proceed to do with gusto. Lisanne Norman writes about leonine fellows as well in her Sholan Alliance books. Kate Moore pens stories about the Lions of Mirat. Yet another example is found in Kathryn Graham?s short story, which she offers for free at www.kathrynagraham.com/awakening.htm

Exceptions to the ?must be able to breed? requirement include Anne McCaffrey?s Freedoms Landing, which features a huge, gray-skinned hero, and David Brin?s The Uplift War, which depicts believably non-human aliens even though in this novel it?s the female who is of the alien race.

Trait Two: A futurehunk often engages in funky mental lovemaking or other unusual sexual practices.

There are more exceptions to this rule than Rule One, but the frequency of alien mind sex cannot be overlooked. This peculiarity has several possible explanations. One, sex with a non-Earthling is bound to be different, so authors find themselves expressing the act in unusual ways. Two, sex between two caring individuals is a supremely intimate experience, and what is more intimate than sharing thoughts? Three, erotic romance is very popular in the marketplace, with both everyday romance novels increasing their spicy content and a whole subgenre thriving on its own. What does that have to do with our futurehunks? Well, what better way to push the boundaries of the sexual act than to include things not humanly possible -- things only a hunky alien stud could do?

Dara Joy?s Familiars, again, practice special mind melding when mating, Susan Krinard?s hero in ?Kinsman? (Out of This World anthology) mingles minds with his soul mate, and Linnea Sinclair?s characters in Gabriel?s Ghost (http://www.ltdbooks.com) employ telepathy as a primary component of lovemaking. Kate Douglas' Lionheart includes psychic sex. Lisanne Norman?s Sholan Leska pairs and Triads are linked together telepathically, to the extent that they must mate and meld minds frequently or risk serious illness. The hero in Whispers on the Wind by Judy Gill can get inside his lover?s head and uses this ability to enhance their encounters. Jaye Roycraft?s mysterious Dens hero in Rainscape is very mentally ?abled?. There is some soul-bonding going on during the lifemating ceremonies in Golden Prophecies by Pam McCutcheon, and the shape-changing hero can bond mentally during sex in Madeline Baker?s Beneath a Midnight Moon. Last but not least is the erotic brain sex in Oath of Seduction by Marly Chance.

Trait Three: A futurehunk is a member of the ruling class, a powerful CEO or basically someone very above average.

Admittedly, this holds true in current non-SFR romance fiction as well. Male protagonists are Supermen, not Clark Kents. We all know this appeals to the supposed female desire to have a powerful mate who can provide for her and protect her. Yet this holds true even more with futurehunks. Why might this be? If you are making up a totally imaginary species of man, why not go all the way and make him king of his world? Plus having your futurehunk be king is more believable than making a Terran man king of some made up European nation. If he?s not the king, make him king space bandit or king rebel or king of the rogue bounty hunters -- just make him the king of something! (Coming Next Month: SFR Authors With Elvis Obsessions?)

If you enjoy moderately empowered heroes instead of another version of Big Chief Haha, I would recommend hunting down some older futuristics or science fiction romances pubbed by sf/f houses. Perhaps because there was a surge in futuristic popularity in the early nineties, the male characters were more diverse in status and leaned toward loners, rebels and spies instead of kings. Presumably variety of rank amongst futurehunks will increase as science fiction romances by both large and small presses gain in popularity this decade.

Recent Exceptions to King Futurehunk: Tristan Mallory in Star-Crossed (Marilynn Byerly) starts out as a ?mere? scholar while Jennifer Dunne?s hero in Raven's Heart is a regular agent -- not the head -- of the Inter-Continental Police. Connie Willis?s hero in To Say Nothing of the Dog is also a cog in the organization for which he works. Jan Zimlich?s Aayshen Rahs in Not Quite Paradise commands a small ship, but he?s a regular fleet employee, not a bigwig. The enigmatic Garner Rie in A World Away (Pam Rock) is a member of the lower caste and an assistant on the starship where he works. One of my favorites is the scientist Nolan in Sharon Shinn?s Heart of Gold who also lands solidly in ?non-alpha? territory (see next trait).

Trait Four: In keeping with his position of power, Sir Futurehunk often has a very alpha personality.

He?s smart. He?s handsome. He?s bossy. And he thinks he knows best, certainly better than our perky female protagonist. Like Trait Three, this holds true in general romance fiction as well, and rarely do you encounter a hero who isn?t an alpha male -- at least according to the standard romance definition of alpha male. Who wants to read about the cheerful, polite alien next door (besides me)? Getting kidnapped by an ?ordinary? space guy is an inconvenience; getting kidnapped by the muscle bound, dictatorial king of Arachnophobia to be his mate is another story. Beta aliens, bah! Just like in today?s real society, men in most imaginary alien societies hold a higher proportion of the positions of influence than women and perhaps that is what makes the men so Alf?er, alpha. Wrong alien, sorry.

Reasons for this? Hey, you?ve got to be da man to be king, right? Why fight the fated archetypal system? (re: Joseph Campbell The Hero with a Thousand Faces; Christopher Vogler The Writer's Journey; Tami Cowden The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes). In fact, a surprising number of authors have gone so far as to create alien societies which ?throw back? to the days when men were men and women were possessions, perhaps in order to justify their hero?s domineering behavior in a technologically advanced society and give their generally spunky heroine even more reason to butt heads with him.

Examples: Johanna Lindsey?s Sha-Ka?an series, Lanette Curington?s Starkissed (though it doesn?t dwell on it), Patricia Waddell?s The Alliance Sharon Green?s Warrior series, Jaid Black?s erotic The Empress? New Clothes series, Marion Zimmer Bradley?s Darkover novels, Charlotte Boyett-Compo?s Bloodwind (which switches to female dominated). Catherine Spangler?s Shamara begins with its heroine on a male-dominated planet, but she does not remain there.

There are some resourceful writers who have penned novels that fit into a subsubgenre of reversal societies where women are the ?alphas?. These turnaround cultures can provide a fascinating examination of how patriarchy actually functions.

Examples: Marilyn Campbell?s Worlds Apart, Marilynn Byerly?s Star-Crossed (which also includes a visit to a male dominated society), Dara Joy?s post-space-traveling Ritual of Proof, Catherine Asaro?s Last Hawk, Treva Hart?s Deviants series (males and females segregated), Sheri S. Tepper?s The Gate to Women's Country (this is not your standard romance, so beware), Stephanie Burke?s Keeper of the Flame (in which I am told the men even bear the children)

Exceptions to Alpha Male SFR Heroes:

Susan Grant?s Ian in The Star Prince, although destined to rule the galaxy, starts out as a regular fellow. Bujold?s Miles Vorkosigan, although part of the ruling class, is certainly not an alpha male, more of a trickster character. Sharon Shinn?s clever gypsy in Jovah's Angel is an inventor and tinkerer, not an alpha. Thom in Lee & Miller?s Local Custom is a rule-following beta -- but ends up breaking a few for love. The shy, scholarly hero in Cinnamon?s Burke?s Rapture's Mist is suffering from a severe allergic reaction to a bee sting when he meets the heroine.

If you know of a futurehunk who truly defies my gleeful stereotyping, feel free to email me and tell me all about him. But no matter if the futurehunk of your dreams can turn into a cat or just has eyes like one, no matter if the futurehunk in your book is a king or an underspy masquerading as a chef, let?s lift a glass of Terrilian ale to all the space-faring bucks out there. (Hey, I resisted saying star bucks). And if not a glass of Terrilian ale, an American beer ought to do nicely. Susan Grant has it on good authority that alien men are quite impressed with beer.