[Rizla]

We're seeing the decline of male solid-fuel and space-opera sci-fiction, not of sci-fiction in general. Look at all the female romance/erotica sci-fi books out. Consider J.D.Robb and Nalini Singh, for example. The genre is widening. And then there is young adult sci-fi which has the produced some of the biggest sellers over the last decade or so.

So it's really a question of defining the genre. Yes, male, solid-fuel/space-opera sci-fi is in decline, and I'm not surprised.Where are the Clarkes and the Asimovs and the Strugatskis? Banks is gone. The only really good author left in the genre I can think of is Robert Charles Wilson. Ready Player One was excellent, so there is the occasional green shoot. The Martian was good, but I'm skeptical the next book will be much (sorry!). People like Christopher Priest innovate, but too quickly vanish into obscurationizm. I've tried people like Hamilton and I found it flat.

Male sci-fi used to contain real vision and hope. The whole apocalypse-style genre was a first nail in the coffin. It's depressing and grey. Male sci-fi I'm seeing now increasingly lacks vision or creativity. I appreciate some people like it, but less and less according to the stats. I think male sci-fi is less popular because the books are no longer as good.