Science fiction and fantasy
readers get a bad rap. Who really cares if we own books with titles like
Phylogenesis, Cryptonomicon, and Barlowe's Guide to Extraterrestrials; can
quote verbatim dialogue from shows like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and
The Big Bang Theory; and make it a point to annually watch the old Planet of the Apes movie while reciting the memorable lines along with Chuck Heston (“You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn
you! God damn you all to Hell!)?
The truth of the matter is
that most science fiction and fantasy readers are freethinkers, people with
wild imaginations, adventurous sprits, and an undeniable verve for life. And
that makes us great lovers. 
Take Valentine’s Day, for example. How uninspired are a bouquet of flowers and a heart box of chocolates? Yeah, it’s the conventional thing to do but who wants to be conventional? Especially when it comes to the one you love – give him or her something different, something truly thoughtful, this year. If you or yours is a hardcore science fiction and fantasy fan like I am, here are a few suggestions:
• Give your loved one a romantic fantasy classic like William
Goldman’s The Princess Bride (1973), Orson Scott Card’s Enchantment (1999),
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (1991), etc. Or better yet, watch The Princess Bride movie and experience a glorious evening of “As you wish...”
• Hide messages for your loved one to find. They can be romantic, sexy or funny – like a science fiction/fantasy inspired pick-up line:
"Honey, you've been looking for love in Alderaan places!"
“Someone must have shot you with a phaser set on 'stunning.’”
"Nice Asimov."
“Would you like to pet my tribble?”
"Your mouth says, 'Shields up!', but your eyes say, 'A hull breach is imminent.'"
"I'm the droid you're looking for."
"Urkuk lu Stalga." That's Klingon for "I love you baby."
• If your special someone is
a True Blood fan – like my wife – you can actually buy a four-pack of TruBlood
(inspired by the synthetic blood featured in the Southern Vampire novels by
Charlaine Harris) and enjoy a candlelit Valentine’s Day evening while filled
with love, kisses, and consumable corpuscles!
• If you or your loved one has a particularly odd sense of humor, here are some truly unforgettable books you might enjoy: Every Zombie Eats Somebody Sometime: A Book of Zombie Love Songs by Michael P. Spradlin; Diane deGroat’s Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink; and – one of my personal favorites – Andy Rash’s Ten Little Zombies: A Love Story.
Add a little fantasy (and science
fiction) to your love life – and have an unforgettable Valentine’s Day, you guys! 
Paul Goat Allen has been a full-time book reviewer specializing in genre fiction for almost the last two decades and has written more than 6,000 reviews for companies like Publishers Weekly, The Chicago Tribune, and BarnesandNoble.com. In his free time, he reads.
