Science and technology progress in the last decades has been growing exponentially. And we have been able to observe how many projections made in the past by science fiction have come true in many different areas of our lives. For example, the Seiko smartwatch that appeared in the 1983 James Bond saga, or the cell phones and tablets used by Captain Kirk in the Star Trek of the 1950s.
It wouldn’t surprise me if, in the near future, we continue to see similar examples become our new everyday reality. We might even renew the Olympics with sports that, to this day, we consider unique to the realm of science fiction.
For now, we can only think or dream that in 100 years or a little less, there will be some kind of sports league with players defending their teams through the air, like the Quidditch game in Harry Potter or the New Batey in my stories. As silly as it sounds, I know we have everything we need for this synergy to happen someday.
The perfect duo: Science Fiction and Sports
While – from my point of view – I do not see a direct correlation between the two fields at present, I do believe that their union would have a positive impact on the values of our society.
The fusion of these two great areas, my favorites, gave life to my series of books Batey. A fictional space where the longing for what was left on Earth and the mastery of an alien technology allowed to bring back a fantastic ancestral sport. And so this sport appears as a necessary element to maintain control in Gibraltar. This time, in a very different way from the original version created by the Tainos of the Caribbean.
Batey and my inspiration In science fiction
Science fiction is a universal art of learning, imagination, and creativity. As a symbolic genre, it has elements that allow us to connect with the world we live in, with the one we aspire to live in, with the one no one else imagines, or with the one humanity will live in the future.
There is no denying that it has allowed us to predict – even if we do not believe it – over time, many events and consequences related to the development of new technologies, global warming, the future of political processes. Therefore, I have no doubt that it can also give us a glimpse or influence on what will end up becoming the recreational activities of our reality to come.
And thanks to the boundless imagination of the world of science fiction, I was able to create characters that are elite athletes in a game in the heights. Humans, some genetically enhanced, others cyborgs, with high mastery of their anti-gravity suits, jet boots, intelligence, and strategy inside a ship/city in space, without missing any detail.
Batey and my inspiration in sports
The huge influence that sport and athletes have on society continues to grow, in an environment marked by competitiveness not only between teams but also with your peers, yourself, and your previous best.
That spirit craving for victory is precisely what strikes me most in sports, and what I wanted to reflect on in my stories. From this particular angle, I see it as a way of pushing personal growth beyond human limits, nurturing a hope, perseverance, and energy that seems to be endless.
However, it is necessary to have more control on how to use this instrument. Poorly channeled competitiveness is capable of destroying any sense of solidarity and cooperation, if success is conceived not as the result of a job well done, but as the explosion of personal ambition.
Sport, besides developing the physical body, is the cradle of many great values important for any step of our life, such as hard work, self-control, and discipline. It helps us to channel and master negative emotions, to keep a positive attitude towards life even if we fail a thousand times before achieving a small triumph.
What will the Batey series bring in upcoming issues?
My fascination with sci-fi technology and the future, as well as sports, will continue to be a central focus of the series. My favorite athletes are Kobe Bryant, Cristiano Ronaldo, and LaMelo Ball. I like players who know how to work hard and get people’s attention with their talent and effort.
The new kid on the block who makes the narrators go crazy? You know Nico Pengin took care of that in the first book. The hard work of being an athlete, and the futuristic look of what would have been a Kobe Bryant in the New Batey sports league are the basis for a type of character we may see in the next issue. The third book in the Batey series may also feature a Ronaldo-like character, hard-working and flamboyant when it comes to scoring.
So, we would have three of the five main characters that we will be able to see soon. I’d like to have your ideas on how to bring the other two main characters, a girl and a boy, to life. Which athlete should he/she look like? If you have any other personal favorites you’d like to compare, leave them below – the best choice will be in the book! It’s fiction, no idea is silly, or crazy. So, feel free to comment!
Although we live in reality, I like to escape to this alternative world I have created from time to time. Whether it’s in audiobook, paperback or e-book, you’ll have a lot of fun transporting yourself to Batey‘s world.
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