Beginning in science fiction's "Golden Age,'' Gunn has written or edited almost 40 novels, short story collections and histories of the genre and is considered one of its grand masters, a title he shares with such pioneers as Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and Theodore Sturgeon.

"Science fiction is the literature of change,'' says Gunn, 81. "Occasionally, it's predictive, but that's not its purpose. [Editor] John Campbell used to say, `Science fiction is practice in a no-practice zone.'''

Gunn is director of the Center for the Study of Science Fiction, an academic program at the University of Kansas that he started in 1982 as an extension of the writers' workshops he conducted and courses he taught for teachers looking to add science fiction to their lesson plans. He still looks to tomorrow, but he's not just considering hypothetical worlds and theoretical technology - he's contemplating the future of science fiction itself.

It's hard to tap into any form of pop culture these days without seeing the influence of sci-fi. But books are another matter.

Science fiction captures less than 8 percent of the US$6.5 billion (HK$50.7 billion) consumer book market, according to publishing research organization RR Bowker. The odds are even worse for young readers who are either too busy to read or, if they do get into sci-fi, focus on something they know, such as books spun off from Star Wars, Star Trek or other well-known franchises, says Chris McKitterick, the center's associate director.

"It's important to society for science fiction to be read by children because if science fiction has any message, it's that change is inevitable,'' McKitterick says. "Star Wars is not good science fiction because its message actually is `change is bad.'''

Gunn worries that the barrage of distractions could keep many young-sters from ever getting interested in science fiction, endangering the genre as it moves into future generations.

"There's a saying that the golden age of science fiction is 12,'' he says. "That's a time in children's lives when their imaginations get a chance to catch fire, be stimulated, and if you miss that time, you may never get them to think about issues, concepts, ideas, possibilities, in a way that enhances their understanding of the world we live in.''

Gunn and McKitterick, at the urging of science fiction scholars and authors, are going on the offensive to make sci-fi more attractive to young readers and, most importantly, make it a force in schools.

A center coordinator will pull together lists of authors willing to speak at, or teach classes on, the genre; databases of books and magazines included in library collections and at other university science fiction programs; and dozens of fan-based symposiums, conventions and discussion boards for use by teachers wanting to add science fiction to their reading lists.

"This could become a wonderful service tool for people,'' says Dave Mead, president of the Science Fiction Research Association, which has pledged its support. "It's a very informal network now and frequently you have to say, `Gosh, I don't know anyone who has that.'''

Gunn also hopes some of these efforts will help SF in general because the genre suffers from the same best-seller mentality that affects the rest of the publishing industry.

Science fiction must change to remain relevant, he says. "That's harder to do today because the bestseller needs to have broad appeal so they're less likely to be on the cutting edge. You need that to drive the genre forward.''

The combined sci-fi/fantasy cate-gory published 3,197 new titles last year and sold US$484.8 million, its highest total in three years, says Andrew Grabois, director of publisher relations for Bowker. That's still dwarfed by romance novels, which sold US$1.6 billion last year, and is even behind the production of mystery writers, who cranked out 4,181 new titles in 2004.

Looking ahead, Grabois says Bowker expects sci-fi/fantasy to sell US$510 million), although that largely will be because of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, released worldwide on July 16, and the novelization of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.

Shelly Shapiro, editorial director for Del Rey Books, a subsidiary of Random House that specializes in sci-fi/fantasy, says publishers are interested in good writing from exciting new authors. However, Shapiro, who edits the Star Wars titles through Del Rey's partnership with LucasBooks, adds tie-in novels are less risky because they have a built-in audience.

In general, she says science fiction shares the publishing industry's current malaise. Many bestsellers, such as The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, deal with sci-fi themes but aren't sold to the public as science fiction.

"I think the more `classic' science fiction has a bit of a challenge: How to identify and reach its core market now that it is overlapping the general market,'' she says.

ASSOCIATED PRESS