Authors
Tony
Pixel "#~
>Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
Hmmm, Frank Herbert (duh), Heinlein, Dan Simmons, Stanislaw Lem and
Douglas Adams.
I think.
--
pixel
So many idiots - so few comets.
Dan Cline
than Sci-Fi, and I hate the fact that they are ALWAYS grouped together.
You wouldn't group Horror with Mystery would you? Oh wait they do that
a lot too! Doh..Ohhh forgot Bradbury Stephen King ( read GunSlinger or
Tommy Knockers).
David Dyer-Bennet
> Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
Doc Smith, Heinlein, Zelazny, Niven, Niven&Pournelle, Frank Herbert
(well, Dune, anyway), Sturgeon, Delany short stories, Vinge, Egan, Ken
McLeod, Charles Stross. Some have been tied more to specific periods
of my life than others; I still reread Smith and Heinlein a lot more
than Niven or Sturgeon or Delany, say.
--
David Dyer-Bennet, <mailto:dd...@dd-b.net>, <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/>
RKBA: <http://noguns-nomoney.com/> <http://www.dd-b.net/carry/>
Pics: <http://dd-b.lighthunters.net/> <http://www.dd-b.net/dd-b/SnapshotAlbum/>
Dragaera/Steven Brust: <http://dragaera.info/>
Jordan
> Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
Some possible SPOILERS for various stories here ...
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
My all-time favorite is probably Poul Anderson, for his combination of
strong descriptive writing, complex and humane characterization, sense
of wonder, and big sweeping themes in pretty much all of his fiction.
My favorite Poul Anderson stories were those of the Polesotechnic
League, because it was his biggest and best-developed universe, but
even his one-shot stories were usually epic in their own small ways.
Of his short stories the best I think is "Turning Point," which
decisively answers the argument that sapient evolution has to be
murderously competitive with a demonstration of how memes can trump
genes (long before anyone had thought of the word "meme"); of his
novels my favorite is _Mirkheim_ with its bittersweet victory -- Van
Rijn has won the war but he knows that he's lost the greater struggle:
"Back to the schoolroom" for the human race, with freedom dying and the
Universal State growing in the background.
Arthur C. Clarke is a really good writer. His later work tends to be
rather quietly-written novels that explore Big Ideas. My favorite work
of his, however, was his early short stories. In the 1940's and 1950's
he wrote some superbly-styled shorts, which managed to explore the Big
Ideas almost as well as his later novels, and these often ended with
nasty stingers.
Some of my favorites among his shorts -- "Second Dawn," which describes
a plausible terrestrial non-tool-using sapient civilization, while
demonstrating that one must still eventually research _all_ the
advances on the tech tree; "Rescue Party," which managed to create
strong sympathy both for the (off-stage) Plucky Earthmen _and_ the
essentially humane interstellar alien federation that was trying to
save them; "Sentinel" (of course) which is in many ways better, though
far shorter, than the novel and movie it inspired, _2001_; and, for
creepy non-Mythos Lovecraftian-ness, "The Fires Within."
This gets to H. P. Lovecraft, who in my opinion was the greatest
science fiction horror writer who ever lived, basically due to his Big
Idea of mating together the science fiction horror concept of
unfriendly aliens with the fantasy horror concept of devils and demons,
to produce horror at least as nasty as anything with a superstitious
basis and all the more terrifying because when reading his stories one
always had the sneaking suspicion that this was _real_. But actually
it was an even Bigger Idea than that, because what he was really
talking about was the horrifying and quite real revelation of science
that we are NOT living in a world that was specially made for us by
some benign deity, but rather we have evolved to fit a particular time
and place, and outside that time and place the Universe is not
necessarily a friendly environment for Life As We Know It.
Lovecraft expressed this idea in all his work, and he expressed it with
such clarity and power that the wooden characterization and stilted
dialogue is almost irrelevant -- as far as Azathoth or Yog-Sothoth are
concerned, humans are just microbes anyway -- who cares how they feel
or what they try to say? Lovecraft has been fantastically influential
on all subsequent science fiction horror -- not only did he form what
amounted to a "stable" of writers (quite an achievement for a man who
never edited a magazine), but the majority of subsequent fantasy,
horror, and science fiction writer (with a few exceptions) has adopted
his concept of the nature of demons as extradimensional monsters rather
than the supernaturally damned spirits, to the point that when someone
uses the old Christian demonology now it is more of a matter of
concscious choice than when he mirrors Lovecraft's concepts (if not his
whole Mythos).
Among my favorite Lovecraft stories are _The Dream-Quest of Unknown
Kadath_, "At the Mountains of Madness", and "The Dunwich Horror."
H. G. Wells is another of my favorites, but with certain limitations.
He wrote some incredibly effective science fiction _before_ he fell
under the influence of the Fabians to the point that he decided that he
must write "social novels." Wells more or less _founded_ several
science fiction subgenres, each with a classic short novel -- such as
alien invasion (_The War of the Worlds_), furries (_The Island of Dr.
Moreau_), time travel (_The Time Machine_), and the sleeper awoken to
dystopia (_When the Sleeper Wakes_). As a social novelist, though, he
was merely adequate, and most of his production in that field is more
of academic than entertainment or truly thought-provoking interest.
Just before he died, though, he wrote a book which became the basis of
one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time, _The Shape of
Things To Come_, which may be viewed as an early entry in (though not
the initiator of) the "future history" story.
A friend of Wells was Olaf Stapledon, who was a very strange but very
effective sort of science fiction writer. He _claimed_ unfamiliarity
with the science fiction short story genre, which if true put him under
an immense writing handicap (because he would have had to re-invent
several wheels) that makes his achievements all the more remarkable.
His greatest works, of course, are _Last and First Men_ and
_Star-Maker_, which are extreme examples of how a story can focus on
one or two of the four basic elements (character, plot, setting and
theme) to the exclusion of others -- in these future history novels,
the first about the future of Mankind and the second about the future
of sapience in the Universe, there is a basic plot (cyclic rise and
fall slowly rolling higher and higher until the final collapse),
extensive setting (the various civilizations and types of civilizations
described), and a mighty theme (the fate of all life and thought) --
but almost no characterization at all. Stapledon also wrote three
other books, one strongly and the other two peripherally in the
Star-Maker universe: _Last Man in London_, _Odd John_, and _Sirius_,
which showed that he _could_ write conventional science fiction novels
when he wanted to.
J. R. R. Tolkien is more fantasy than science fiction (though, note,
his world is very naturalistic and the fantastic elements handled very
lawfully) but he deserves mention both for being a great writer and for
having strongly influenced all subsequent fantasy. He was the first
great fantasy "world-builder," though Robert E. Howard (whose work I
also enjoy) might dispute him for the title. In most respects,
Middle-Earth is generally better worked out than the world of the
Hyborean Age. Tolkien created High Fantasy; Howard Sword and Sorcery
-- from one or the other stem almost every fantasy story written since.
John W. Campbell deserves mention both for some really strong stories
("Twilight," "Night", and "Who Goes There", among others) and for his
tremendous influence on the Golden Age. Campbell was one of the first
science fiction writers and editors to explicitly focus on handling Big
Ideas as they applied to human beings, as opposed to the Gernsbackian
focus on Gadgets For Their Own Sweet Sake.
A quiet but great mind was L. Sprague DeCamp's. DeCamp wrote the
oldest and one of the best "Sea of Time" type stories, _Lest Darkness
Fall_, which has strongly influenced every other one written since. He
created a fascinating interstellar universe, the world of the Viagens
Interplanetaris, and placed in it one of the best and most interesting
Planets of Adventure ever made: Krishna. He also wrote a number of
truly great short stories, exploring a variety of moral themes
(especially bioethical) long before most other writers turned to them.
Getting to present-day science fiction witers, my current favorites are
probably S. M. Stirling (especially for his _Island in the Sea of Time_
trilogy, and I intend to read _The Fire Dies_ when I get a chance),
Harry Turtledove (especially his Videssos novels) and Eric Flint
(especially the _1632_ novels). It may not be coincidental that I like
all three for their alternate- / fantasy- / altered-history work; I
love history in general.
Lois McMasters Bujold deserves a lot of attention for her stories about
Miles Vorkosigan and the other characters in that universe. Like
DeCamp she has a subdued yet often very humorous style; and like DeCamp
many of her tales turn on the morality of biology and genetic
engineering. IMHO _A Civil Campaign_ is her best single work, but to
fully appreciate it one should read most of the other novels preceding.
So there's a few ... I could really add a dozen or more to the list.
:)
Sincerely Yours,
Jordan
Konrad Gaertner
> Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
Rosemary Kirstein
Donna Andrews
Isaac Asimov
Kristine Smith
Douglas Adams
Eleanor Arnason
Kage Baker
--
Konrad Gaertner - - - - - - - - - - - - - - email: gae...@aol.com
http://kgbooklog.livejournal.com/
"I don't mind hidden depths but I insist that there be a surface."
-- James Nicoll
Pip_P...@nospamyahoo.com
>Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
>
For the past year or so, I've been working through Stephen Baxter's
works. He is one of a few writers of "hard-science" fiction left. It
could be because he is degreed in both math and engineering, has
taught math and physics as well as working in information technology -
all before he became a writer.
So incorporating some of the current thought into his work is at least
something he understands. Concepts like the evolution of particle
physics during the first few seconds of the big bang, Multidimensional
realities, quantum inseparatibility, the Fermi paradox, the effects
and fallacies of Einstein's theories, dark matter, the Grand Unified
Theory, etc. It seems like if I read on the web about something on
the cutting edge of science I end up finding it incorporated into one
of his stories or books.
Someone mentioned HG Wells, "The Time Machine" Baxter wrote a sequel
to it. It even starts out sounding like HG himself and picks up the
story immediately after "The Time Machine" ends. It's called "The Time
Ships" and was quite thought provoking IMHO.
The bulk of his work encompasses a single-line from the big-bang to
perhaps 20,000,000 years into the future. IT is loosley referred to as
the Xeelee Universe. His latest trilogy fits into the same time-line.
I'm just finishing up "Trancendent" now. Though most of his works read
ok standalone, I might recommend his collection of short stories
called "Time-like Infinity" which might serve as a good introduction.
Though he doesn't write quite as richly as Herbert, he is improving.
But when it comes to "Science" fiction as opposed to the
"this-could-have-happened-anytime-anywhere-Star-
Wars-style-shoot'em-up-good-vs-evil" standard fare - it's hard to find
anyone better.
Most of his stuff just wouldn't translate well to a comic book format.
Mike Stone
--
Mike Stone - Peterborough, England
"To be good is noble.
To teach others to be good is yet nobler - and far less trouble."
Mark Twain
"Jordan" <JSBass...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1139526259.4...@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Tony asked:
>
> > Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
>
> Some possible SPOILERS for various stories here ...
> *
>
Concur absolutely on Poul anderson, whom I really miss.
Clarke and Heinlein are probably next, and I have a soft spot for Doc
Smith, though his prose style makes me cringe at times. Inded, a lot of the
stuff I _do_ like - City and the Stars, Citizen of the Galaxy, After
Doomsday, the Van Rijns - remind me strongly of him, though with a tad more
sophistication.
[not that sophistication is always a good thing; Anderson's _Tau Zero_ is
more sophisticated than _Flight to Forever_, but imho isn't half so good as
a story]
But my big favourite has got to be Eric Frank Russell. He makes today's
"libertarian" writers look feeble by comparison, and a lot of his shorts
could tug at the heart strings. And he is real fun to read.
--
Mike Stone - Peterborough, England
"To be good is noble.
To teach others to be good is yet nobler - and far less trouble."
Mark Twain
Howard Brazee
>For the past year or so, I've been working through Stephen Baxter's
>works. He is one of a few writers of "hard-science" fiction left. It
>could be because he is degreed in both math and engineering, has
>taught math and physics as well as working in information technology -
>all before he became a writer.
I've read that. Unfortunately, I started off with _Timelike
Infinity_, and couldn't get by the silly science and silly plot.
With the size of my slush pile, I doubt if I will get back to him.
Mark
book that's a favorite qualifies the author to be on the favorite
author's list. But after giving this a bit of thought, the ones I'll
willingly and pleasurably return to again and again are:
Iain M. Banks
Gregory Benford
Michael Bishop
Vonda McIntyre
Samuel R. Delany
Donald Kingsbury
Kage Baker
Walter Jon Williams
Gene Wolfe
Mary Gentle
Ian McDonald
Pat Cadigan
James Tiptree, jr.
I need to end it now, because I could list more. The above I would buy
anything they publish. There's a secondary list of those I love much
of but would check it at the library first before committing dinero.
Mark
author of:
THE SECANTIS SEQUENCE
REMAINS
www.marktiedemann.com
Pip_P...@nospamyahoo.com
wrote:
Generally speaking, collections of short stories like "Time-like
Infinity" don't have deep plots - it's some what appurtenant to the
format. I'm a bit different in literary taste than some. Some people
hated "God Emperor of Dune"; I thought it was the best of the Dune
series, for example.
Your "slush pile" as you call it is quite likely contradistinctive to
mine. To each their own.
David Dyer-Bennet
I tried to read a Xelee book and bounced, I did read the Xelee short
story collection and rather enjoyed it, and then read two or three of
the "manifold" books and regretted it. So yea, overall not a favorite.
Pip_P...@nospamyahoo.com
wrote:
>Howard Brazee <how...@brazee.net> writes:
>
>> On Fri, 10 Feb 2006 06:20:37 GMT, Pip_P...@NOSPAMyahoo.com wrote:
>>
>> >For the past year or so, I've been working through Stephen Baxter's
>> >works. He is one of a few writers of "hard-science" fiction left. It
>> >could be because he is degreed in both math and engineering, has
>> >taught math and physics as well as working in information technology -
>> >all before he became a writer.
>>
>> I've read that. Unfortunately, I started off with _Timelike
>> Infinity_, and couldn't get by the silly science and silly plot.
>>
>> With the size of my slush pile, I doubt if I will get back to him.
>
>I tried to read a Xelee book and bounced, I did read the Xelee short
>story collection and rather enjoyed it, and then read two or three of
>the "manifold" books and regretted it. So yea, overall not a favorite.
I thought the first Manifold book was good but the second and third
were not my favorites. Over all "The Time Ships" is my favorite. His
current trilogy "Coalesent", Exultant", and Transcendant" show some
real improvement in his writing style.
Konrad Gaertner
> Walter Jon Williams
He should be on my list too, at least the Drake Maijstral novels
(haven't read his other stuff yet).
Howard Brazee
>>I've read that. Unfortunately, I started off with _Timelike
>>Infinity_, and couldn't get by the silly science and silly plot.
>>
>>With the size of my slush pile, I doubt if I will get back to him.
>
>Generally speaking, collections of short stories like "Time-like
>Infinity" don't have deep plots - it's some what appurtenant to the
>format. I'm a bit different in literary taste than some. Some people
>hated "God Emperor of Dune"; I thought it was the best of the Dune
>series, for example.
OK. But when people touted it as hard science fiction, I expected
better science.
Talifan #1337
Lots of good choices. I'll add a few:
1. O.S.Card (God, did I miss that nobody had him on the list??)
2. Ursula Le Guin (another clean miss if my eyes deceived me)
3. Brian Aldiss (Helliconia series, dark horse great sci-fi for those
needing good stuff)
I wonder if these books are on the BH/KA bookshelf. Can they hear FH
rotating out of control in his grave?
"Tony" <to...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:pKSdnV_VjbrYXXbe...@giganews.com...
Pip_P...@nospamyahoo.com
wrote:
I read a book by LeGuin once. "The Lathe of Heaven" It was pretty good
but not impressive enough for me to want to go out and read more. What
would you recommend as her best?
Oh btw... there was a book I read about three years ago that I
enjoyed. It was "Diaspora" by Greg Egan The best way to describe it
might be to direct you to the reviews of others at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0061057983
Frank Herbert though is the only author who motivated me enough to
read more than once. Seems like I get more out of it each time.
I kind of like Peter Hamilton's stuff but his plots get a bit cheesy,
IMHO and leave me wanting something a good bit deeper.
My son told be that his Lit. teacher felt the same way about "The
Count of Monte Cristo" After hearing that I've put it near the top of
the pile but it's not made it to my PDA SD card yet. Anyone have an
opinion on the different versions? I would be inclined to read the
unabridged one.
Perhaps that might be a good way to judge the written word:
What books have been good enough to make you want to read then more
than once, or even three or four times?????
htn963
Pip_P...@NOSPAMyahoo.com wrote:
> I read a book by LeGuin once. "The Lathe of Heaven" It was pretty good
> but not impressive enough for me to want to go out and read more. What
> would you recommend as her best?
Her most well-known sf work is _The Left Hand of Darkness_(takes
place on a planet where its citizens' gender change with the seasons),
but imo, her masterpiece is _The Dispossessed_ (set on a system of twin
planets having political systems at the opposite ends of the spectrum
from each other). You'll probably like _Dispossessed_ more since it
explores large scale socio-political themes, assuming that's one of the
traits you liked about Herbert. _Darkness_ does so too a lesser
degree, but much of it is a straightforward trek story, and not a
compelling one for me.
> My son told be that his Lit. teacher felt the same way about "The
> Count of Monte Cristo" After hearing that I've put it near the top of
> the pile but it's not made it to my PDA SD card yet. Anyone have an
> opinion on the different versions? I would be inclined to read the
> unabridged one.
When reading great literary classics, always go with unabridged!
The recent translation of this title by Robin Buss has received
widespread acclaim.
--
Ht
Mark
stand-alones. Each one is different--subject, style, themes.
Ambassadors of Progress is in many ways clearly a first novel, but a
damned good one. (There's some confusion over whether or not it
actually is his first, as he apparently wrote and published some
historical fiction under a different name. I don't recall the
chronology, though.) Very space opera, deftly handled. But then you
come to a book like Days of Atonement, which is almost a mainstream
literary novel built around a cusiosity of quantum physics.
Matt McIrvin
"htn963" <htn...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
> Her most well-known sf work is _The Left Hand of Darkness_(takes
> place on a planet where its citizens' gender change with the seasons),
More precisely, they're humanoid hermaphrodites who are genderless most
of the time and become temporarily male or female when in an
estrus-like state.
> but imo, her masterpiece is _The Dispossessed_ (set on a system of twin
> planets having political systems at the opposite ends of the spectrum
> from each other).
Personally, I liked _The Lathe of Heaven_ best. Her recent story
collection _Changing Planes_ is ingenious.
--
Matt McIrvin http://world.std.com/~mmcirvin/
lcc
> Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
As of 1986 the following books/authors.
Brian Aldiss - Helliconia Spring, Starship
Roger MacBride Allen - The Torch of Honor
Chester Anderson & Michael Kurland - Ten Years To Doomsday
Poul Anderson & Gordon R. Dickson - Earthman's Burden
Poul Anderson - Ensign Flandry, Fire Time, The High Crusade, The Man
Who Counts, New America, Operation Chaos, Shield
Isaac Asimov - The End of Eternity, Foundation
Michael Banks & Dean R. Lambe - The Odysseus Solution
Pierre Barbet - Baphomet's Meteor
Neal Barrett - Aldair In Albion
T.J. Bass - The Godwhale
Barrington J. Bayley - Collision Course, The Garments of Caean
Greg Bear - Hegira
Gregory Benford - Timescape
Stephen Ames Berry - The Biofab War
Alfred Bester - The Computer Connection, The Demolished Man
Lloyd Biggle - The Light That Never Was, The Still, Small Voice of
Trumpets, Watchers of the Dark, The World Menders
Ben Bova - Millenium, Test of Fire
John Boyd - Sex and the High Command
J.F. Bone - Confederation Matador
Leigh Brackett - The Long Tomorrow
Marion Zimmer Bradley - Darkover Landfall, Endless Universe, Hunters
of the Red Moon, Survey Ship
Reginald Bretnor - Schimmelhorn's Gold
David Brin - The Postman, The Practice Effect, Startide Rising,
Sundiver
John Brunner - The Crucible of Time, Into the Slave Nebula, The Stone
that Never Came Down
Algis Budrys - The Amsirs and the Iron Thorn
Lois McMaster Bujold - Shards of Honor
F.M. Busby - All These Earths
Edward A. Byers - The Long Forgetting
Grant Callin - SaturnAlia
John Wood Campbell Jr - Astounding/Analog editor - May 1938 - June 11,
1971
Orson Scott Card - Hot Sleep : The Worthing Chronicle
Jayge Carr - Leviathon's Deep
A. Bertram Chandler - The Road To The Rim/The Hard Way Up
C.J. Cherryh - Cuckoo's Egg, Downbelow Station, The Faded Sun :
Kesrith, Gate of Ivrel, Hunter of Worlds, Pride of Chanur, Serpent's
Reach
Robert Chilson - The Star Crowned Kings
Jo Clayton - Diadem From the Stars, Drinker of Souls
Hal Clement - Close To Critical, Cycle of Fire, Iceworld, Mission of
Gravity, Needle, Ocean On Top
Alan Cole & Chris Bunch - Sten
Michael G. Coney - The Hero of Downways
Edmund Cooper - A Far Sunset, Transit
Richard Cowper - Profundis
Theodore R. Cogswell - The Wall Around the World
Daniel DaCruz - The Ayes of Texas
Brian Daley - Requiem For a Ruler of Worlds
John Dalmas - Homecoming
Arsen Darnay - The Splendid Freedom
L. Sprague DeCamp - The Glory That Was, Lest Darkness Fall, The
Fallible Fiend, Rogue Queen
Michael DeLarrabeiti - The Borribles
Ansen Dibell - Pursuit of the Screamer
Gordon R. Dickson - In Iron Years, Mission To Universe, Naked To The
Stars, None But Man, Outposter, The Pritcher Mass, Pro, Tactics of
Mistake, Wolfling
David Drake - Bridgehead, Hammer's Slammers, Killer
G.C. Edmondson - The Man Who Corrupted Earth
Suzette Hayden Elgin - Native Tongue, The Ozark Trilogy
Cynthia Felice - Godsfire
Robert L. Forward - Dragon's Egg, Flight of the Dragonfly
William R. Forstchen - Ice Prophet
Alan Dean Foster - Icerigger, The Man Who Used the Universe, Midworld
Leo Frankowski - The Cross-Time Engineer
Raymond Z. Gallun - The Eden Cycle
David Gerrold - A Matter For Men/ A Day For Damnation/ (add A Rage For
Revenge), When Harlie Was One
Alexis A. Gilliland - The Revolution From Rosinante
Stephen Goldin - The Eternity Brigade
Phyllis Gottleib - A Judgement of Dragons
Ron Goulart - HellQuad
Joseph L. Green - Conscience Interplanetary, Star Probe
Roland Green - Peace Company
Russell M. Griffin - The Makeshift God
James E. Gunn - This Fortress World
Joe Haldeman - The Forever War, There Is No Darkness, Worlds
Charles L. Harness - The Catalyst, Redworld, Wolfhead
Harry Harrison - Astounding - John W. Campbell Memorial Anthology, The
Deathworld Trilogy* Bill, the Galactic Hero* Make Room! Make Room!, A
Stainless Steel Rat Is Born, To The Stars, West of Eden
Simon Hawke - The Ivanhoe Gambit
Ward Hawkins - Red Flame Burning
Robert A. Heinlein - Citizen of the Galaxy, Expanded Universe - The
New Worlds of Robert A. Heinlein, Friday, Glory Road* Have Space Suit,
Will Travel*, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, Orphans of the Sky,
Starship Troopers, Stranger In A Strange Land, Time Enough For Love,
Tunnel In The Sky
Zenna Henderson - Pilgrimage
Frank Herbert - Dune, Hellstrom's Hive, The Santaroga Barrier
P.C. Hodgell - Godstalk
Lee Hoffman - Always The Black Knight
James P. Hogan - The Genesis Machine, Inherit The Stars, Thrice Upon A
Time, The Two Faces of Tomorrow
Bruce T. Holmes - Anvil Of The Heart
Robert Hoskins - To Control The Stars
Edward P. Hughes - The Long Mynd
Zach Hughes - For Texas And Zed, The Legend of Miaree, Seed Of The
Gods, The Stork Factor
Dean Ing - High Tension, Pulling Through, Soft Targets, Systemic Shock
D.F. Jones - Denver Is Missing
J.A. Jones - Blue Lab
Colin Kapp - The Wizard of Anharite
James P. Kelley - Planet of Whispers
Carol Kendall - The Firelings
Gordon Kendall - White Wing
Lee Killough - Liberty's World, A Voice Out Of Ramah
Damon Knight - A for Anything
C.M. Kornbluth - Not This August
Michael Kurland - Tomorrow Knight, The Whenabouts of Burr
David J. Lake - The Right Hand of Dextra
Arthur H. Landis - Camelot In Orbit
David Langford - The Space Eater
Keith Laumer - Bolo, The Long Twilight, Star Colony, Worlds of the
Imperium
Ursula K. Leguin - The Left Hand of Darkness
Fritz Leiber - A Specter Is Haunting Texas, The Wanderer
Edward Llewellyn - Prelude To Chaos, Salvage and Destroy
Barry B. Longyear - City of Barraboo, Manifest Destiny
Ardath Mayhar - Khi To Freedom
Ann McCaffrey - Decision At Doona, The Ship Who Sang
Michael McCollum - A Greater Infinity, Life Probe
Michael P. Kube McDowell - Enigma
Robert McLaughlin - The Man Who Wanted Stars
John C. McLoughlin - The Helix and the Sword
R.M. Meluch - Sovreign, Wind Dancers
Robert Merle - Malevil
Sam Merwin, Jr. - The House of Many Worlds
Walter M. Miller Jr. - A Canticle for Leibowitz
John Moressey - Frostworld and Dreamfire, The Mansions of Space
Sam Nicholson - The Light Bearer
Larry Niven - The Integral Trees, Protector, Ringworld
Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle - Footfall, Lucifer's Hammer, The Mote
In God's Eye, Oath of Fealty
Andre Norton - Dark Piper, Moon Of Three Rings, Star Rangers, The Zero
Stone
Kevin O'Donnell - War of Omission
Andrew J. Offutt - The Galactic Rejects
David R. Palmer - Emergence
Edgar Pangborn - West of the Sun
Alexis Pansin - Rite of Passage, Star Well
Steve Perry - The Man Who Never Missed
John T. Phillifent - Genius Unlimited, King of Argent, Life With
Lancelot
Wendy & Richard Pini - Elfquest
H. Beam Piper - Little Fuzzy, Paratime
Doris Piserchia - Earthchild, Mr. Justice
Fred Pohl - Black Star Rising, The Coming of the Quantum Cats, The
Cool War, Gateway
Fred Pohl & C.M. Kornbluth - The Space Merchants
Fred Pohl & Jack Williamson - Farthest Star
Jerry Pournelle - A Spaceship for the King, Janissaries, West of Honor
E. Hoffman Price - The Devil Wives of Li Fong, Operation Longlife
Richard Purtill - The Golden Gryphon Feather
John Rackham - Beanstalk
Mack Reynolds - Ability Quotient, Brain World, Lagrange Five,
Rolltown, Section G : United Planets, The Space Barbarians, Trample An
Empire Down
posthumously with Dean Ing - Eternity, Home Sweet Home 2000 AD, The
Other Time
Mike Resnick - Santiago
Walt & Leigh Richmond - The Probability Corner
John Maddox Roberts - Cestus Dei, The Cingulum
Stephen Robinett - Stargate
Kim Stanley Robinson - The Wild Shore
Spider Robinson - Telempath
Joel Rosenberg - Emile and the Dutchman
Christopher Rowley - The War for Eternity
Eric Frank Russell - Next of Kin, Wasp
Thomas J. Ryan - The Adolescence of P1
Fred Saberhagen - The Complete Book of Swords
Jake Saunders & Howard Waldrop - The Texas - Israeli War : 1999
Dennis Schmidt - Way-Farer
Stanley Schmidt - The Sins of the Fathers
James H. Schmitz - Agent of Vega, The Demon Breed, The Eternal
Frontiers, Legacy, The Universe Against Her
J. Neil Schulman - Alongside Night
Melissa Scott - Five Twelfths of Heaven
Bob Shaw - The Ceres Solution
Michael Shea - A Quest for Simbilis, Nifft The Lean
Mike Shupp - With Fate Conspire
Robert Silverberg - Collision Course, Those Who Watch
Clifford D. Simak - A Heritage of Stars, The Goblin Reservation, Way
Station
John Slonczewski - Still Forms on Foxfield
Cordwainer Smith - Norstrilia
E.E. "Doc" Smith - Triplanetary
George O. Smith - The Fourth "R"
L. Neil Smith - The Probability Broach, Their Majesties Bucketeers
Zilpha Keatly Snyder - Below The Root
Steven G. Spruill - Keepers of the Gates
Brian Stapleford - The Castaways of Tanager, The Gates of Eden, The
Halcyon Drift, Optiman
Christopher Stasheff - A Wizard in Bedlam
John Steakly - Armor
Andrew M. Stephenson - Nightwatch
George R. Stewart - Earth Abides
John E. Stith - Scapescope
Brad Strickland - To Stand Beneath the Sun
Theodore Sturgeon - More Than Human
G. Harry Stine - The Third Industrial Revolution
Jefferson P. Swycaffer - Not In Our Stars
Keith Taylor - Bard
Walter Tevis - The Man Who Fell To Earth
Patrick Tilley - Cloud Warrior
J.R.R. Tolkein - The Fellowship Of The Ring
Robert E. Toomey Jr. - A World of Trouble
Louis Trimble - The Bodelian Way, The City Machine
Wilson Tucker - The Lincoln Hunters
Jack Vance - The Anome, The Blue World, City Of the Chasch, The Dying
Earth, The Many Worlds of Magnus Ridolf, Rhialto the Marvelous, Star
King
A.E. Van Vogt - The Darkness of Diamondia, The Weapon Shops of Isher
John Varley - Millenium, The Ophiuchi Hotline, Titan
Joan D. Vinge - The Outcasts of Heaven Belt
Vernor Vinge - Grimm's World, The Peace War, The Witling
Ian Wallace - Croyd
Walter Wangerin - The Book of the Dun Cow
George Warren - Dominant Species
Lawrence Watt-Evans - The Cyborg and the Sorcerers, Shining Steel
James White - All Judgement Fled, Hospital Station, Tomorrow Is Too
Far, The Watch Below
Wynn Whiteford - Sapphire Road
Cherry Wilder - The Luck of Brin's Five
John Willett - Aubade for Gamelon
Walter John Williams - Ambassador of Progress
Jack Williamson - Lifeboat
F. Paul Wilson - An Enemy of the State
John Wyndham - Re-Birth
Nicholas Yermankov - Last Communion
Robert F. Young - The Last Yggdrasill
Timothy Zahn - The Blackcollar, Spinneret
Roger Zelazny - Doorways In The Sand, This Immortal
My correct email is lcc...@midsouth.rr.com
htn963
Matt McIrvin wrote:
> In article <1139656389.6...@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com>,
> "htn963" <htn...@verizon.net> wrote:
> >
> > Her most well-known sf work is _The Left Hand of Darkness_(takes
> > place on a planet where its citizens' gender change with the seasons),
>
> More precisely, they're humanoid hermaphrodites who are genderless most
> of the time and become temporarily male or female when in an
> estrus-like state.
Right, thanks. It's been awhile since I read it so I'm fuzzy on
the biological details; I had thought of employing the term
"hermaphrodite" but wasn't entirely sure if it would be an accurate
(and non-misleading) description to a newcomer.
> > but imo, her masterpiece is _The Dispossessed_ (set on a system of twin
> > planets having political systems at the opposite ends of the spectrum
> > from each other).
>
> Personally, I liked _The Lathe of Heaven_ best. Her recent story
> collection _Changing Planes_ is ingenious.
Never saw what others think was so special about this one. To me,
it's more fable/fantasy than serious Sf, an extended version of that
creaky horror favorite, _The Monkey's Paw_. OTOH, unlike most here, I
enjoyed _The Word For World is Forest_, not finding its political
preaching too distracting.
But that's the mark of a very good to great writer, I suppose:
having more than one work in which various readership can declare and
debate as their favorites and/or his/her best.
--
Ht
rhook...@hotmail.com
Talifan #1337
<rhook...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1139726114....@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Howard Brazee
wrote:
><rhook...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:1139726114....@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>> Niel Stephenson is the best Sci Fi writer working today.
>What books did he write?
And how does he pronounce his name?
Dosadi
2005: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
2004: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
2003: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
2002: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
2001: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
2000: A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
1999: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
1998: Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
1997: Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1996: The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
1995: Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
1994: Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1993: A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernon Vinge Doomsday Book by Connie
Willis (tie)
1992: Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
1991: The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
1990: Hyperion by Dan Simmons
source: http://worldcon.org/hy.html
dosadi
nath...@o2.pl
or/and fantasy
Stanislaw Lem
Isaac Asimov
Dan Simmons
Andrzej Pilipiuk
Orson Scott Card
Gordon R. Dickson
Philliph K. Dick
This guys are one of my favourite SF writers, however there are some
more but they are not very known.
Doctor J. Frink
>Tony wrote:
>> Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
>
>As of 1986 the following books/authors.
[SNIP]
So, who *don't* you like? ;0)
Frink
--
Doctor J. Frink : 'Rampant Ribald Ringtail'
See his mind here : http://www.cmp.liv.ac.uk/frink/
Annoy his mind here : pjf at cmp dot liv dot ack dot ook
"No sir, I didn't like it!" - Mr Horse
lcc
> On 11 Feb 2006 12:39:34 -0800, lcc <LCC...@AOL.com> wrote:
> >Tony wrote:
> >> Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
> >
> >As of 1986 the following books/authors.
>
> [SNIP]
>
> So, who *don't* you like? ;0)
>
> Frink
>
> --
gave only 200 or so, that eliminates about 750 authors and thousands of
books I did not like.
I am reluctant to recommend much since 1986 because comparatively
speaking I have not read much in the past 20 years. But if you have
read that time frame up to date and are searching for the better novels
of last generation, then the list would be a place to start. There were
about 4500 titles in my library when I made up the list.
no guarantee no warranty no liability don't hassle me
Lonnie C. Clay
Phillip SanMiguel
> Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
>
>
one is published. _Neuromancer_ is listed by some as the best SF novel
yet written. I can see that. Contrarians please please post your
objections here:
(By the way, check out the DVD "No Map for these Territories" if you
like Gibson. Excellent.
Greg Egan. To the poster who mentions him elsewhere in this thread: I
really liked _Diaspora_ too.
Pre-_Quicksilver_ Stephenson.
Vernor Vinge.
Roger Zelazny. Especially the _Amber_ books.
rhook...@hotmail.com
on TV.
As for what has he written, simply the most brilliant novesl of
science, history, technology, computers, and fun of the past 30 years.
Not easy stuff, he does not play the nerd games of aliens and cliche
sex scenes and stupid galaxy wars conducted through worm holes. What
makes him better than Iain M. Banks is that Banks uses the old tired
formula and in the Culture he gives it an entirely new life.
Stephenson writes things that have never been written. He has 2 novels
taking place in the future, his Cyberpunk novel "Snow Crash" is the
cypberpunk novel to end all cyberpunk novels. He blows the lid of the
genre bring in 5,000 mind control methods and hot shit programmers so
sick of their work being standardised they prefer to deliver pizzas.
His other future novel is "Diamond Age", the Great Nanotechnology book,
and yes I have read a few nanotechnology books. Not only has
Stephenson clearly understood Drexler and other thinkers in this area,
he has considered the social implications that a utterly plastic world
made of little machines will have, and has constructed a strange,
sometimes scarry, world of brutality along with sublime beauty. And he
thinks and takes no socially accepted assumptions for true.
"Cryptonomicon" (SP?) is his master piece and has set off his Baroque
Trilogy. Cryptonomicon is about 2 generations of Shaftoes, Waterhoses,
and Comstocks, all trying to create or break codes. It is simply a
brilliant piece of fiction.
On the success of these books his most recent set is the 3,000 page
Baroque Trilogy: Quicksilver, The Confusion, The Order of the World.
If have read all but the last, they take a great deal of time. These
are trips not only about the world in late 1600s but also very deep
examiniations of science, mathematics, and computers. To read Hooke
raising questions about Newton's latest theory or Libnitez also raising
issues which will, if you know your physics, lead to Relativity theory.
Also he wrote Zodiac, lots about toxins and how we are ruining the
planet, good book to start on.
I am still reading the Order of the World, so I can's say. But
Cryponomicon, Quicksilver, The Confusion, and the Diamond Age are pure
masterpieces; where as Snow Crash is not only very good but also a very
very imortant novel in the history of current thinking on cyberspace.
NewLife.com is said to have been imspired by the book.
Read, read, read. Don't waste your time with SciFi writers who never
owned a computer and didn't know what a nano-bot would be, creating
Space Operas based on their experiences in WWII (well take a break from
reading them) Stephenson has opened a entire new world for you.
Doctor J. Frink
>Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
Frank Herbert obviously, although I've only read the Dune series.
Iain M Banks. All apart from whatever his latest one was, some of which
are absolutely sublime (Player of Games and Excession), some are a bit
muddled (Against a Dark Background, Feersum Enjine) and some
are downright boring (Inversions might as well have not been a Culture
novel at all IMO). On the whole he's probably one of my most enjoyable
SF authors, even if he doesn't quite give the same amount of
intellectual 'meat' to chew on that FH gave me in Dune. His non-SF stuff
is fun too, Wasp Factory was a hell of a debut.
Asimov, who although he was a working scientist for much of his time
never really struck me as in any way a 'hard' sci fi author, not even to
the level of Clarke. These two seem to have been promoted as the two
Greats (a bit like Mozart and Beethoven) although I'm not an enormous
fan of either. Early Foundation was interesting but the later novels got
too big and had too little content, and much of his work seemed to be
murder mystery set with science and robots instead of butlers and
candlesticks. His short stories fare much better.
Clarke is better, with the Rama series standing out for me (although
*spoiler* explaining it all away at the end as one giant experiment for
god was a cop-out in my opinion *spoiler) and earlier novels having more
interesting concepts in them from a practical point of view.
Dan Simmons, with the Hyperion Cantos, made such a mark on me I still
have a username of Shrike in many places. The first two novels really
show the most originality, and a better story, combining a
well-developed universe and technology with Keats poetry and Canterbury
Tales-style storytelling in the first book. The Endymion books have much
less originality but are a fun read. Any of his other SF stuff, however,
has left me cold.
Phil Dick, who could arguably be classed as fantasy. He uses SF as a
vehicle for his stories rather than the reason, and his concepts of what
is human and what is real can twist your mind. His books are the only
ones I've read that have given me nightmares. Ubik, A Scanner Darkly and
the Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch are my favourites. He won awards
for Man in a High Castle, but honestly it bored me rigid. His prolific
output of short stories also contain many gems, far too many to remember
and I don't have the collections here atm, but a lot have ended up in
films to one extent or another.
Ursula Le Guin, love Earthsea but Left Hand of Darkness probably
outranks it. If it wasn't for the gethenians sexuality (or lack of) it
could easily be a non-SF or maybe fantasy novel, but it has such a
fundamental effect on the society of the world and how they relate to
each other. Lots to make you think, and the interplay between the two
main characters on the long trek across the ice is superb. Le Guin is
the only female SF author I've read (that I can think of) so I don't
want to generalise but she seems to portray the emotions and feelings of
her characters (and the worlds) more deeply than any one else I've read.
Peter F Hamilton. Nights Dawn trilogy and related works are another
well-executed building of a universe and culture(s). It is space opera,
but done expertly. And you certainly get a lot for your money! ;0)
I have quite a few Ben Bova, Greg Bear, Stephen Baxter etc but they
don't really thrill me like the above, and I've not read enough Heinlin
yet to say if he's as great as people say he is.
Plenty of others, of course, but these are the main ones I can come back
to time and again without being bored.
The Naib
If I may add a "sort of" science fiction author...Dr. Willis MacNelly.
;)
Samuel Sands
The Naib wrote:
> H.P. Lovecraft and Frank Herbert.
>
> If I may add a "sort of" science fiction author...Dr. Willis MacNelly.
Or even Dr. Willis E. McNelly.... :)
> ;)
>
Juho Julkunen
> On Thu, 9 Feb 2006 17:20:46 -0500, Tony <to...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
> Iain M Banks. All apart from whatever his latest one was, some of which
> and some
> are downright boring (Inversions might as well have not been a Culture
> novel at all IMO).
Not being a Culture novel makes a book boring?
--
JTJ | http://www.kolumbus.fi/j.julkunen/
"Sequels never enhance a work. They only serve to trivialize it."
--Frank Herbert
rhook...@hotmail.com
Well Banks Non-culture sci-fi never struck me as boring, they just are
not as good as his Culture ones, and he tries so hard to make his
non-Culture ones just as good as his Culture ones, but the Culture is
his great thing he made.
And by the way, Inversions is very much a Culture novel, it shows how
the Culture works. Very little of the Culture is about day to day life
in a communist anarchist utopia, only the start of Player of Games and
Look to Windward really take place within the Culture, the other books
are all about Contact and Special Circumstances, and Inversions is
about Specail Circumstances working deep within a culture like ours was
500 years ago, showing that perhaps Enlightenment and Liberalism can
move a civization to a better future.
Thats what is great about Culture stories, in this shitty world they
give you hope.
Doctor J. Frink
>Doctor J. Frink (fr...@homer.cmp.liv.ac.uk) wrote:
>> On Thu, 9 Feb 2006 17:20:46 -0500, Tony <to...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> >Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
>
>> Iain M Banks. All apart from whatever his latest one was, some of which
>> and some
>> are downright boring (Inversions might as well have not been a Culture
>> novel at all IMO).
>
>Not being a Culture novel makes a book boring?
No, it was more what I had been led to expect. All other culture novels
have a certain feel to them, and you can expect a few Minds, drones,
bizarre aliens, technologies and other such stuff. Apart from a few
veiled references and (i think) an appearance by a knife missile it
might as well have not been a culture book.
The fact it was boring is simply because I found it boring, not due to
lack of Culture (I like many Iain Banks books, after all). I can see
what he was trying to do with the book, but it just didn't interest me.
Personal opinion, of course, plenty think it's great.
Gene Ward Smith
Right, unlike Pilipiuk, who is pretty famous for someone who writes sf
short stories in Polish. That means of course he is crushed in the fame
department by Lem, who is extremely famous for someone who writes sf
novels in Polish.
How much science fiction as opposed to fantasy has Pilipiuk written, by
the way?
Gene Ward Smith
Doctor J. Frink wrote:
> Asimov, who although he was a working scientist for much of his time
> never really struck me as in any way a 'hard' sci fi author, not even to
> the level of Clarke. These two seem to have been promoted as the two
> Greats (a bit like Mozart and Beethoven) although I'm not an enormous
> fan of either.
Not quite. Clarke, Asimov and (this is crucial) Heinlein have sometimes
been called the Grand Old Men of Science Fiction. That makes them more
like Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, the core of the First Viennese
School. In the case of the First Viennese School, people often include
Schubert, which makes me wonder if there is a corresponding younger
sf author for Grand Old Men. People do sometimes try to sneak in more
GOMs, but usually more old farts like Pohl.
Phillip SanMiguel
> I don't know, I never spoke with the guy and Sci Fi writers don;t get
> on TV.
>
> As for what has he written, simply the most brilliant novesl of
> science, history, technology, computers, and fun of the past 30 years.
> "Cryptonomicon" (SP?) is his master piece and has set off his Baroque
> Trilogy. Cryptonomicon is about 2 generations of Shaftoes, Waterhoses,
> and Comstocks, all trying to create or break codes. It is simply a
> brilliant piece of fiction.
>
> On the success of these books his most recent set is the 3,000 page
> Baroque Trilogy: Quicksilver, The Confusion, The Order of the World.
> If have read all but the last, they take a great deal of time. These
> are trips not only about the world in late 1600s but also very deep
> examiniations of science, mathematics, and computers. To read Hooke
> raising questions about Newton's latest theory or Libnitez also raising
> issues which will, if you know your physics, lead to Relativity theory.
>
I wish I could get the cool versions of Stephenson's work's that you are
reading. _Cryptonomicon_ must be nearly one order of magnitude better
with characters like Lawrence Pritchard Waterhose and Randall Lawrence
Waterhose. All the editions of _Cryptonomicon_ I can lay hands on are
really cheaply bound--all the pages start falling out after you read
them. And the US editor changed the names of all the Waterhoses to
Waterhouses. Also they changed the name of _Order of the World_ to
_System of the World_. (They did a similar thing with a Harry Potter
book here in the States--changed its name to _The Sorcerer's Stone_ from
_The Philosopher's Stone_ because they thought a US audience wouldn't
have ever heard of a philospher's stone. Pretty insulting really.)
Anyway, thanks for your review of Stephenson's works. Other books by him
are _In the Beginning was the Command Line_ which is a very good essay.
Also _The Big U_, which is terrible juvenalia.
rhook...@hotmail.com
In the Beginning was the Command Line is a perfect example of what is
so great about this author, he has very unusual opinons and sticks by
them and makes cases for them. I think after Snow Crash he felt that a
large part of his readers wanted to place him in to a genre where
people have ther set opinion confirmed again and again. This is what
drives me crazy about 90% of sci fi, it just does not challenge the
reader.
Stephenson takes strange stands and sticks by them, like the idea that
somehow using a GUI rather and a command line gives you less power when
actually it is my opinion that a command line makes you have to
memorize thousands of commands and you know my issues with spelling,
but its good to see someone with an opinion.
T Guy
fact that Sir Authour Conan Doyle was an arthur.
Or was it the other way round?
T Guy
their heels, possibly, and statistically (=no. of volumes on the
shelves) Edgar Rice Burroughs is up there, but we would need a thread
IRTMO 'is ERB an Skiffy writer?'
Juho Julkunen
The man who wrote about seeking air-to-air missiles launched from
stealthed (very stealthed) aircraft? In the twenties? Hell yeah.
The man only had the one plot, but he sure had imagination.
--
JTJ | http://www.kolumbus.fi/j.julkunen/
"Schwarzenegger won by an impressive 3:2 margin despite the opposition
playing the sexual harassment card as their last, best hope to stop
him. Which bit of tactics now means... He has crushed his enemies,
seen them driven before him, and heard the lamentations of their
women."
? John Schilling (rec.arts.sf.written, 10-20-03)
Pixel "#~
>OMG, a constructive thread.
>
>Lots of good choices. I'll add a few:
>
>1. O.S.Card (God, did I miss that nobody had him on the list??)
>2. Ursula Le Guin (another clean miss if my eyes deceived me)
>3. Brian Aldiss (Helliconia series, dark horse great sci-fi for those
>needing good stuff)
>
>I wonder if these books are on the BH/KA bookshelf. Can they hear FH
>rotating out of control in his grave?
Hmmm, I only ever read the Ender books by OS Card. I liked the
original series, but the new 'shadow' series is not as much to my
liking..
Did OS Card write any other good Scifi that resembles the original
Ender books? I always imagined him as more of a fantasy writer...
--
pixel
So many idiots - so few comets.
Mark
part.
Mark
author of:
THE SECANTIS SEQUENCE
REMAINS
www.marktiedemann.com
Gene Ward Smith
Mark wrote:
> I'd say Poul Anderson was their Schubert--except for the dying young
> part.
Yeah, I thought about that. Anderson is certainly more like the GOM
than Bester or Sturgeon, for instance.
westprog
"Pixel "#~" <jjwwe...@phil.uu.nl> wrote in message
news:2g44v150gb5n902l2...@4ax.com...
> Earlier Talifan #1337 muttered:
...
> >I wonder if these books are on the BH/KA bookshelf. Can they hear FH
> >rotating out of control in his grave?
> Hmmm, I only ever read the Ender books by OS Card. I liked the
> original series, but the new 'shadow' series is not as much to my
> liking..
> Did OS Card write any other good Scifi that resembles the original
> Ender books? I always imagined him as more of a fantasy writer...
He had a lot of books with brilliant young protagonists who were much
smarter than the people they met.
J/
Mark
resented the button-pushing in the Enders books. Scott Card and
Spielberg should get together, both being masters of manipulation.
(Besides, I couldn't quite buy Ender being the picked-on outsider and
then managing to overcome everything the way he did. It didn't ring
true.) There's nothing fundamentally wrong with it, except...well, a
reader should be led to a reaction, not pushed into it. SONGMASTER,
however, was a genuinely moving, honest book.
When he was writing them, I liked his short stories, too.
Unaccompanied Sonata is still one of the best shorts ever written.
Mark
Chuk Goodin
>Stephenson writes things that have never been written. He has 2 novels
>taking place in the future, his Cyberpunk novel "Snow Crash" is the
>cypberpunk novel to end all cyberpunk novels. He blows the lid of the
>genre bring in 5,000 mind control methods and hot shit programmers so
>sick of their work being standardised they prefer to deliver pizzas.
This seems to be Neal Stephenson you're thinking of, not Niel Stephenson.
--
chuk
Jordan
> Someone mentioned HG Wells, "The Time Machine" Baxter wrote a sequel to it. It even starts out sounding like HG himself and picks up the story immediately after "The Time Machine" ends. It's called "The Time Ships" and was quite thought provoking IMHO. <
One of the things I really liked about it was the way in which it
turned out that the Time Traveller had totally misunderstood what was
going on in the Wells book. I had long had that thought myself -- that
the TT had made some awfully sweeping conclusions based on observing
_one_ Eloi and _one_ Morlock community. [The Pal movie is actually
slightly superior in this regard in that the TT finds a library with
some functional records, hence has more information on which to base
his speculations].
The recent movie version was not a bad, though rather different take on
it.
>But when it comes to "Science" fiction as opposed to the "this-could-have-happened-anytime-anywhere-Star-
Wars-style-shoot'em-up-good-vs-evil" standard fare - it's hard to find
anyone better. <
I think you're underrating _Star Wars_, especially given what we see in
II and III. Lucas dealt with moral ambiguity in those two. But, of
course, it's more soft than hard science fiction.
Sincerely Yours,
Jordan
Phillip SanMiguel
Except now Stephenson disavows much of _ItBWtCL_ and uses a mac (again.)
That is when he isn't writing with a fountain pen. I'd say he heavily
steeps himself in whatever subject he writes but often turns away from
the viewpoints he held at an earlier time. The comment you made about
_Snow Crash_ being the "blowing the lid off the genre" more applies to
the first chapter of _The Diamond Age_. That chapter, I think, was
Stephenson loudly declaring that as far as he was concerned cyberpunk
was over. He did this by showing that any developed society would have
built in mechanisms to dispose of wanton criminals like Bud. The *real*
story was one that would scarcely warrant mentioning in a cyberpunk
novel--that was what should the official who executed Bud do about Bud's
sister, who relied on Bud?
(By the way, you might want to quote the portion of the post you are
replying to. Sometimes posts propagate out of order and the reader may
have know idea what you are responding to. But you may have to click the
"show options" link in Google to be able to quote posts.)
Pip_P...@nospamyahoo.com
wrote:
Don't geet me wrong. I throughly enjoyed Star Wars. And I think the
movie industry owes most of the advances in special effects to George
Luca's poineering effort at the helm of Industrial Light and Magic. I
saw a google earth pic of the ILM complez. I'ts HUGE.
Lucas did try to inject more thematic drama into Episodes 1-3. And yes
it had some complexity to it, Anakin & Padme's relationship, moral
ambiguity, political intrigue, teen angst and rebellion, etc. Overall
though...I just came away wanting more in that element.
The term "blockbuster" is really overused nowdays but all of the Star
WArs movies were indeed true blockbusters in the original sense. (The
lines to buy tickets were longer than a city block)
All in all though, I think most people agree that the best part about
Star Wars was the effects. IMHO, the actual story (with every few
excpetions) could just have easily fit into a 15th century fantasy.
Stars Wars more or less, made the mold. It was a fun to watch story.
Others have tried to use that mold to churn out pulp book afer pulp
book and call it "good science fiction" What I was speaking of wasn't
so much a slight of Star Wars as it was expressing my displeasure over
writers who take a good idea and for lack of a better term,
"prostitute" it with a cheap unfullfilling substitute.
Case in point? Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson's Dune works. Have
some enjoyed them? Sure. But in my mind and many of the others here in
a.f.d., they don't even belong in the same building much less on the
same shelf that Frank's work does.
Am I a talifan? By BH/KJA's definition ABSOFRICKINLOOTLEY! Trouble is
they don't understand that the reason there are "talifans" or that
they have indeed created them in more than their own minds. What they
don't understand is that it's not blind loyality to the original but
a question of substance. Substantial substance at that.
There are those who can clearly see that by taking on Frank's work
it's like trying to sit at the same table with those who play high
stakes, no-limit poker. They don't want ot admit they all they have
are nickels and dimes. But it's still poker right?
Ty
news:MPG.1e5c1755d...@news.kolumbus.fi...
>T Guy (Tim.B...@redbridge.gov.uk) wrote:
>> Eric Frank Russell and Philip Jose Farmer. A. E. Van Vogt is chasing
>> their heels, possibly, and statistically (=no. of volumes on the
>> shelves) Edgar Rice Burroughs is up there, but we would need a thread
>> IRTMO 'is ERB an Skiffy writer?'
>
> The man who wrote about seeking air-to-air missiles launched from
> stealthed (very stealthed) aircraft? In the twenties? Hell yeah.
>
> The man only had the one plot, but he sure had imagination.
He also wrote a nifty story called "Beyond Thirty" aka "The Lost Continent",
in 1916 in which he described a craft powered by contragravity.
--Ty
Giovanni Wassen
> Who are some of your favorite Science Fiction authors?
Not really Science Fiction: Neil Gaiman. Or Joss Whedon comis.
--
Gio
Londo: Sorry I tried to kill G'Kar. I'll do it again.
Sinclair: Good. What?
Londo: See, we Centauri get to see our deaths in advance. Mine involves
choking and being choked by G'Kar. But I can't tell you the rest.
Sinclair: Why not?
Londo: Spoilers.
erilar
Pip_P...@NOSPAMyahoo.com wrote:
> What books have been good enough to make you want to read then more
> than once, or even three or four times?????
Circumstances vary. There are books I read multiple times when I was
younger (MUCH younger) and didn't have access to a library nor much
money to buy books with. Before I discovered the wide world of sf, I
reread my Tarzan books and a few favorite westerns(especially Aane Grey
and Max Brand) several times. In later decades most of my rereading was
of an early book or two in series when I acquired the next one where a
really long gap between books ensued. And then there's Dorothy Dunnett's
"Chess" series outside sf, all MZB's Darkover books, some Andre Nortons,
a string of John Brunner once, the Dune books, some Poul Andersons,
particularly "Three Hearts and Three Lions". I seem to recall reading
the early Amber books at least twice, and others here and there when i
was short of new reading material. And of COURSE LOTR, which I've read
at least 3 or 4 times in English and once in German.
--
Mary Loomer Oliver (aka Erilar), biblioholic medievalist
There is no such thing as too many books.
Too few bookshelves can, however, be a problem.
http://www.airstreamcomm.net/~erilarlo
Plantasia
Fictionwise has free excerpts from Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy
nominees at http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/freebooks.htm
If you list them according to 'Highest Rating', you'll find a
full-sized novel sitting well above some of these favourites: 'Vision'
by N. D. Hansen-Hill.
It's mine - my 14th novel - written several years ago in 28 days. It's
nice to know that it's still rating so highly among readers, now that
I'm working on novel #25...
Happy reading! 'Vision' is absolutely free, no strings attached. If you
don't want to download it from F'wise, just Google me (N. D.
Hansen-Hill), and I'm sure you'll find it somewhere else online.
Cheers,
ND
Peter D. Tillman
"Plantasia" <sfno...@gmail.com> wrote:
Huh. I'm pretty well-read in SF, and you don't ring any bells at all.
Were your previous 13 novels all (or mostly) SF? And, to the group, am I
missing out on good reading from Hansen-Hill?
TIA & Happy reading--
Pete Tillman
--
"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out."
--Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962.
Plantasia
My novels are all SF, fantasy, and horror. I've always been with small
publishing houses, who don't do much promotion. I'm one of those
Invisible Authors - you know, the ones who crop up every now and then
with 20 books (I've written 24), and you've never heard of them before.
The only way to tell whether you like one of my books is to read one,
or part of one, and it's always best to begin with one that's free.
Vision's a little rough - it was my '28-day-wonder', as I like to think
of it - but I'm sure it offers you enough of a sample to get you
started. On one of my older websites, I also have 3- to 6- chapter
excerpts - always helpful to get a good feel for a book before you
invest.
Happy reading!
Regards,
The Invisible Author
N. D. Hansen-Hill
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/NDHansen-Hillebooks.htm (17 of my
ebooks - many also on Amazon)
http://www.lulu.com/NDHansen-Hill (my print books - new editions)
http://www.cerridwenpress.com/productpage.asp?ISBN=1-4199-0409-4
(Gilded Folly - by one of my ebook publishers - not in print yet)
http://www.angelfire.com/art/ndhhbooks/visionpage.html (my old website,
with Vision, and all those excerpts)
Joe Bernstein
anyway *I* hadn't seen it before...
In article <1139765916.3...@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>,
Dosadi <LifeOn...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Just for kicks, here's a list of the Hugo Award winners back to 1990:
>
> 2005: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
> 2004: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
> 2003: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
> 2002: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
> 2001: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
Four fantasies and one book widely considered an aberrant winner.
> 2000: A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
> 1999: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
> 1998: Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
> 1997: Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
> 1996: The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
> 1995: Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
> 1994: Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
> 1993: A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernon Vinge Doomsday Book by Connie
> Willis (tie)
> 1992: Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
> 1991: The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
> 1990: Hyperion by Dan Simmons
All science fiction unless <The Diamond Age> isn't. (Haven't
read it - also haven't read some of the others, but can place 'em
anyway.)
What happened?
If <Spin> in fact wins, will it
a) return us to a long string of science fiction winners?
b) be a blip in a long string of fantasy winners?
c) herald a new day in which things are less consistent?
d) redress the balance?
e) worsen the already heavy science fiction overload?
f) all of the above?
g) none of the above?
h) something else?
Joe Bernstein
--
Joe Bernstein, writer j...@sfbooks.com
<http://www.panix.com/~josephb/> "She suited my mood, Sarah Mondleigh
did - it was like having a kitten in the room, like a vote for unreason."
<Glass Mountain>, Cynthia Voigt
John Pelan
Well, if SPIN doesn't win my already low opinion of the Hugos will
fall another notch. That said, I find that I disagree with about fifty
percent of the Hugos for novel going back to the inception of the
award. It's becoming pretty clear that the interest level in actually
voting for the things has fallen to the point that (a.) the book with
biggest ad budget or (b. the author with most the rabid fanbase is
likely to win regardless of any other considerations.
It would be very interesting to see a win by Wilson (hardly a
household name, even within the genre) starts any sort of trend.
I really think that the rest of the decade should likely belong to
Stross, MacLeod, and Reynolds, but who knows?
Cheers,
John
Peter D. Tillman
Joe Bernstein <j...@sfbooks.com> wrote:
> Dosadi <LifeOn...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Just for kicks, here's a list of the Hugo Award winners back to 1990:
> >
> > 2005: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
> > 2004: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
> > 2003: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
> > 2002: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
> > 2001: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
>
> Four fantasies and one book widely considered an aberrant winner.
>
> > 2000: A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
> > 1999: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
> > 1998: Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
> > 1997: Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
> > 1996: The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
> > 1995: Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
> > 1994: Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
> > 1993: A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernon Vinge Doomsday Book by Connie
> > 1992: Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
> > 1991: The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
> > 1990: Hyperion by Dan Simmons
science-fantasy.
>
> All science fiction unless <The Diamond Age> isn't. (Haven't
> read it - also haven't read some of the others, but can place 'em
> anyway.)
>
> What happened?
>
Random fluctuation?
And Joe -- you NEED to read THE DIAMOND AGE!
Cheers -- Pete Tillman
[1] Looking at http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?Connie_Willis
I'm not sure Connie Willis has written *any* long-form SF. Comments?
--
Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water
tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon,
and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.
Marilee J. Layman
<j...@sfbooks.com> wrote:
_The Diamond Age_ is, but Willis' _The Doomsday Book_ is only very
peripherally SF. It's sort of history.
>What happened?
>
>If <Spin> in fact wins, will it
>
>a) return us to a long string of science fiction winners?
>b) be a blip in a long string of fantasy winners?
>c) herald a new day in which things are less consistent?
>d) redress the balance?
>e) worsen the already heavy science fiction overload?
>f) all of the above?
>g) none of the above?
>h) something else?
>
>Joe Bernstein
--
Marilee J. Layman
http://mjlayman.livejournal.com/
Howard Brazee
<Til...@toast.net_DIESPAMMERSDIE> wrote:
>> > 1996: The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
> DEFINITELY SF!
Yes.
>> > 1995: Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
> Fantasy
Space opera with substance.
Peter D. Tillman
Howard Brazee <how...@brazee.net> wrote:
> >> > 1995: Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
> > Fantasy
>
> Space opera with substance.
Ow, brainfart. Read as Spirit Ring, somehow....
Cheers -- Pete Tillman
Rich Horton
<Til...@toast.net_DIESPAMMERSDIE> wrote:
>In article <dtp5kb$qad$1...@reader2.panix.com>,
> Joe Bernstein <j...@sfbooks.com> wrote:
>> Dosadi <LifeOn...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> > Just for kicks, here's a list of the Hugo Award winners back to 1990:
>> >
>> > 2005: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
>> > 2004: Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
>> > 2003: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
>> > 2002: American Gods by Neil Gaiman
>> > 2001: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
>>
>> Four fantasies and one book widely considered an aberrant winner.
> --but clearly SF.
>>
>> > 2000: A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
>> > 1999: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
> Time-travel fantasy [1]
I read it as SF.
>> > 1998: Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
>> > 1997: Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
>> > 1996: The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
> DEFINITELY SF!
>> > 1995: Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
> Fantasy
>> > 1994: Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
>> > 1993: A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernon Vinge Doomsday Book by Connie
>> > Willis (tie) --time-travel fantasy
>> > 1992: Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
>> > 1991: The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
>> > 1990: Hyperion by Dan Simmons
> Hmm. I'd call it fantasy, but others might stretch to
> science-fantasy.
Definitely SF.
>[1] Looking at http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?Connie_Willis
>I'm not sure Connie Willis has written *any* long-form SF. Comments?
I consider both her time travel books to be SF.
Joe Bernstein
Rich Horton <rrho...@prodigy.net> wrote:
Even <Passage>, by one obvious reading.
(The final pages *allow* another reading, but do not imho enforce it,
and most of the book argues strongly against it.)
Willis has written several stories in the tradition of Pamela Zoline's
"The Heat Death of the Universe", stories whose sfnality lies only
in the way their plots analogise between some scientific law or
phenomenon, and human life. She's probably done more by now, but in
<Impossible Things> we find "Schwartzschild Radius", "Chance",
"In the Late Cretaceous", and "At the Rialto".
She's married to a scientist.
It doesn't surprise me a *bit* that the sfnality of several of her
novels is, in large part, shown in their focus on characters solving
problems using both reason and the tools of science. And <Passage>
is much more one-sidedly like this than either of the time travel
books.
Separately, don't know whether y'all consider the short novels to
be "long-form", but <Remake>, <Uncharted Territory>, and <Bellwether>
are all pretty orthodox, though <Remake> involves a (much less
implausible kind of) time travel.
I hadn't previously understood Pete Tillman to be of the type to
call any sort of science fiction with an impossibility in it
"fantasy", so am perplexed by the cast of characters in this
subthread, but OK, granted, for that type only a handful of
Hugo-winning novels, if any, have been non-fantasies. Although
I find this usage of "fantasy" very irritating, I'm not interested
in another flamewar on the topic right now.
Peter D. Tillman
Joe Bernstein <j...@sfbooks.com> wrote:
> Separately, don't know whether y'all consider the short novels to
> be "long-form", but <Remake>, <Uncharted Territory>, and <Bellwether>
> are all pretty orthodox, though <Remake> involves a (much less
> implausible kind of) time travel.
>
> I hadn't previously understood Pete Tillman to be of the type to
> call any sort of science fiction with an impossibility in it
> "fantasy", so am perplexed by the cast of characters in this
> subthread, but OK, granted, for that type only a handful of
> Hugo-winning novels, if any, have been non-fantasies. Although
> I find this usage of "fantasy" very irritating, I'm not interested
> in another flamewar on the topic right now.
Hi, Joe:
Well, of course it's all fantasy in the larger sense...
But my comment was just that all of Willis's better-known novels have a
fantasy feel (to me, anyway), even if they'e formally science-fiction.
So call 'em science-fantasy (or time-travel, which can be SF or F) and
leave it, I guess, as I'm not interested in another SF vs F battle,
either.
I'd agree that BELLWETHER is the closest Willis novel (of those I've
read) to science-fiction in the strict sense. And lots of her shorts, of
course.
Ah, here's her nice Wikipedia page:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Willis>
"Although she is acclaimed as a science-fiction writer, Connie Willis'
stories can disappoint those expecting SF themes and plot resolutions."
"Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis" -- wow.
'Nuff said.
Cheers -- Pete Tillman
--
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here -- this is the War Room."
-- Dr. Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick)
Thomas Christensen
rhook...@hotmail.com wrote:
> And by the way, Inversions is very much a Culture novel, it shows how
> the Culture works. Very little of the Culture is about day to day life
> in a communist anarchist utopia, only the start of Player of Games and
> Look to Windward really take place within the Culture, the other books
> are all about Contact and Special Circumstances, and Inversions is
> about Specail Circumstances working deep within a culture like ours was
> 500 years ago, showing that perhaps Enlightenment and Liberalism can
> move a civization to a better future.
>
> Thats what is great about Culture stories, in this shitty world they
> give you hope.
So what you are saying that God is a "communist anarchist utopia", the
Son is Contact and the Ghost is Special Circumstances and ... yes, God
does really care... Sometimes.
Hey, I can live with that...
(well, maybe not)
--
TC http://sfbook.com