M John Harrison's novel, 'The End of Everything', has made history by becoming the first science fiction novel to win the Booker Prize. This achievement comes after a long-standing debate about the place of science fiction within literary circles.
The author himself has expressed reservations about being categorised, stating, “Writing science fiction is the last thing I want to do,” and “I really hate categories, and I really hate being categorised.”
Set in an unspecified future, 'The End of Everything' portrays a Britain in decline following an invasion by an alien species known as the iGhettis. The novel leaves the cause of “the crisis” unclear, noting that “it’s ongoing and unresolved. It never ends.”
The Booker judges' decision is considered timely, given recent discussions about scenarios once confined to science fiction becoming more common, such as cyber-attacks and national stockpiling.