Where technologies are banned or restricted due to ethical concerns, such as artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, or time manipulation, the results are often unintended consequences. In The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, a patriarchal dystopia, advanced technologies and knowledge are restricted, particularly concerning women’s reproductive rights. The novel examines the consequences of controlling and restricting technology to enforce societal norms. And we can’t forget Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton where genetic engineering is used to resurrect dinosaurs for a theme park. The story explores the ethical dilemmas, scientific hubris, and the unintended consequences of manipulating genetic codes. And the classic The Time Machine by H.G. Wells where the protagonist invents a machine that allows him to travel through time. He witnesses the future evolution of humanity and the consequences of temporal manipulation.

As many SFF novels have highly romantic relations or contain sexual relationships, the forbidden can become quite fascinating, especially when it is between humans and aliens. These types of trysts are complicated by biological differences, interspecies politics, or societal prejudices. Do you remember The Shape of Water directed by Guillermo del Toro? Where Elisa, a mute woman working as a cleaning lady in a high-security government laboratory, forms a deep and intimate relationship with an amphibious humanoid creature captured from the Amazon River. Another example comes from the novel The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell, Tak, which a Jesuit priest and his team on a mission to a distant planet after detecting music from an alien civilization. The story delves into themes of faith, culture clash, and the consequences of intimate relationships between humans and extraterrestrial beings.

Still, there is a third concept writers use to explore A. I and their interactions with humans. What about love? Within the idea of AI sentience and love, artificial intelligence often develops emotions, consciousness, and even romantic attachments, challenging human notions of identity and relationships. I still remember the scene in I, Robot (written by Isaac Asimov) where the robot QT-1 is accused of killing his creator and he denies this by slamming his fists on the table with evident emotional anger, putting a vicious dent in the surface.

“To you, a robot is simply a tool with a computer brain, a device with a set of gears and cams, a thing which, deliberately and coldly, performs tasks. But that is not all, and it is not the most important aspect of the truth. To me, and to all robots, you see, the greatest glory in the Universe is not to be needed, but to serve. You and your kind will always believe it is the other way around, because you are weak, and never had to exercise strength.” 

This quote reflects QT-1’s evolving consciousness and its perspective on the nature of robots and their relationship with humans.

Then there is The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey where the protagonist Helva, who is a “brainship” or a human brain implanted into a spaceship, forms a deep and symbiotic relationship with her spaceship, which becomes an extension of herself. This relationship is not just functional but also emotional, as Helva navigates the challenges of being both human and machine. The novel explores themes of love, intimacy, and companionship. Helva and her pilots, called Brawns, navigate the complexities of forming emotional bonds despite physical and technological barriers.