The literary genre of science fiction comprises novels that speculate the impact of technological or techno-scientific advancements on society. Authors have also been curious to wonder if there is life on other planets. When observing science fiction literature published over time, we see a gradual shift in the narrative when focusing on the themes that authors of this genre discussed. It seems authors have been imagining a utopian society – one that is in perfect harmony. New Atlantis by Francis Bacon is a novel where the story takes place on a mythical island, Bensalem. The people have a high moral character and undertake scientific experiments to study nature. In 1666, Margaret Cavendish used her imagination to show a utopian society in the novel, The Blazing World. She shows a society governed by a perfect monarch. She portrays the relationship between the state and religion; the various styles of governments and their impacts. Authors have also dwelled upon how the societies of the future were to operate at the socio-economic levels. They extrapolate the social structure of their time to predict or hypothetically state how such societies of the future were to function. In what is said to be one of the first novels of speculative fiction, Samuel Madden in Memoirs of the Twentieth Century focuses on the letters from the 20th century somehow being made available in 1733. Madden focuses on the religious and political aspects of the world in the 20th century. He explores – based on the social structure of his time – how politics will affect the people of the 20th century. Another example of speculative fiction is Louis-Sébastien Mercier’s Memoirs of the year 2500 published in 1771. The protagonist somehow wakes in the Paris of the future. He reveals that Paris experienced a peaceful revolution and had a parliamentary monarch. The utopian society is at peace and has no military or religion. It may be the author’s perception of how a society must work at the optimum level. Science fiction narratives also explore the future and the evolution of mankind. While authors have discussed a utopian future, some have dwelled upon a dystopian one. The Scarlet Plague by Jack London is set in 2073 and pertains to the genre of the post-apocalyptic future. A deadly pandemic, the Red Death, depopulated the Earth in 2013. The story is shown from the perspective of James Smith who observes life before and after the pandemic. One can find parallels between The Scarlet Plague and the Covid-19 pandemic. Science fiction authors also incorporate the social, technological, cultural, and political occurrences of the time in their novels. The World Set Free by HG Wells was about humans using destructive weapons. The novel shared the devastation caused by wars. Similarly, in The Cruiser on Wheels (1915), Guy Throne talks about a wealthy young man taking charge of a secret weapon – most likely to be a tank. Authors have been presenting narratives about the future through their understanding of their present times. They have been wondering how the social, cultural, and political aspects will change in the years ahead. Perhaps it is in their quest to know about the future they find traces of change that happen in their present times. The writer is a fiction writer, columnist and author of Divided Species – a sci-fi story set in Karachi He can be reached at omariftikhar@hotmail.com and Tweets at @omariftikhar