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Atechno-thriller ortechnothriller is a hybrid genre drawing fromscience fiction,thrillers,spy fiction,action, andwar novels. They are defined by a thriller style of narrative structure, but supported by an exceptional amount of technical details on their subject matter (typically military technology). The inner workings of technology and the mechanics of various disciplines (espionage,martial arts,politics) are thoroughly explored, and the plot often turns on the particulars of that exploration. This genre began to be distinguished from its parent genres in the early 20th century, receiving further developments and focus in the mid 20th century.[1]
The genre dates back to early in the 20th century.Invasion of the Sea by Jules Verne (1905) has been called an early techno-thriller.[2] Many techno-thrillers are comparable to science fiction—and several modes within science-fiction. The popularity of the genre has maintained itself and evolved over the years.[1]
One of the earliest techno-thrillers is thought to beThe Satan Bug (1962) byAlistair MacLean,[3] while much of what counted forscience fiction in the pre-war and early post-war Soviet Union were essentially techno-thrillers, full of technical details and featuring complex spy-rich plots, one of the most enduring example being theGrigory Adamov'sThe Mystery of the Two Oceans (1939).Michael Crichton andTom Clancy are considered to be the fathers of the "modern techno-thriller";[4] Crichton's bookThe Andromeda Strain and Clancy's bookThe Hunt for Red October set out the type example which defined the genre, although many authors had been writing similar material earlier, such asCraig Thomas.BBC News credits Thomas as an early innovator, saying that fans regard him "as the inventor of the techno-thriller,"[5] and his 1977 novelFirefox has been credited with starting the genre.[6]
Techno-thrillers focus strongly on details, especially on the technology, which is frequently of military origin.[7][8] Techno-thrillers tend to have a broad scope in the narrative, and can often be regarded as contemporaryspeculative fiction; world wars are a common topic. Techno-thrillers often overlap, as far as the genre goes, with near-future science fiction,military fiction, andespionage fiction.[9] To the extent that technology is now a dominant aspect of modern global culture, most modern thrillers are "techno-thrillers" in broad sense, and the genre is somewhat diffuse. Techno-thrillers blur smoothly into the category ofhard science fiction; the defining characteristics of techno-thriller are an emphasis on real-world or plausible near-future technology. There is often a focus on military or military-political action. Techno-thrillers also overlap withconspiracy fiction andapocalyptic fiction. While techno-thrillers borrow concepts and ideas from other forms and styles of other genres, notably science-fiction and its subcategories, it is a fresh and still developing style with it being more of a hybrid genre, more closely related to thrillers and technology. Since technology is always changing, that brings a fresh take on techno thrillers with advancement always on the scope.[1]
Techno-thrillers have at least five varieties within the genre. These are military techno-thrillers, spy techno-thrillers, crypto-techno-thrillers, disaster techno-thrillers, and science-fiction techno-thrillers.
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