The Science Fiction Thread

[axls_locomotive]

I've read 'Mars'.......and I must admit that I enjoyed it. It was however a second-rate book by really, a second-rate writer..........

Of course one can't deny Bova's place in the annals of sci-fi..........

In general, i dont read that many books, finding the time is one reason and i prefer to read in silence which seems near nigh impossible...you are probably right that he is a second rate writer but most writers fit that category anyway...lets say bova is one of my favourites of all the novels ive read...

There is some element of truth to that, objectively speaking. For it's the writers' job to make their work clear and easy to read. A little concision can go a long way......

But I think that your above statement is one of personal preference more so than an all-encompassing look at sci-fi. Personally, I love technobabble...... Grin.......

Remember though, that there are writers out there who are considered very 'technical', yet they present the story in a way that is easy to digest.......

David Brin is a very good example of this.........

exactly!...

technobabble, you must love star trek voyager...

I gotta ask man - Do you read any literature outside of the sci-fi genre?

Personally, I like to mix it up. Plus I don't think I could stomach sf 100% of the time. Of course after a sf lull I practically scream for some aliens or something.........

none of my friends are really that well read...so i dont get any recommendations...besides there are so many authors ,where do you start? too much choice...ive read some classics like the three musketeers, sherlock holmes, robert louis stevenson, tolkien, biographies mainly elvis related...i have a thick tome about the hisory of mathematics, i havent read it, but its not exactly something i would take on the bus...lmao

BS............... yes

Actually I'm just not a fan. Nothing more.....nothing less......

have you ever seen it? you really need to watch a whole season before it starts to take shape...

thanks for those recommendations...ill try my library before i consider buying them...i grudge buying books unless i know i would like them

Anne Rice? isnt she fantasy? not scifi?

classics and poetry, why am i not surprised???

have you ever read His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman? ive heard its good but never got round to looking it out

[axls_locomotive]

ummm, fav book is probably neuromancer by william gibson

I read that book many years ago in highschool.  I remember liking it a lot.  What was the name of the girl who wore permanent sunglasses? She was cool     

Later on, I read Snowcrash by Neal Stephenson, and I was reminded of Neuromancer.  Both visions of the future are catastropic, depressing, claustrophobically urban...yet oddly appealing (to me). 

HG Wells novels are wonderful but why wouldnt they be? god of scifi

anyone else with recommendations?

You seem to like the Old Guard, so to speak. The early pioneers.  Have you read the CS Lewis Perelandra trilogy?  It's endearingly old fashioned, but he is a wonderful teller of stories.  I absolutely adored his Narnia series as a child.

molly millions, now thats a great character...wasnt trinity in the matrix based partly on her?

snowcrash sounds interesting...i wil stick that on my list of possibles

not sure about CS Lewis, i think thats just a bit old fashioned for me...

[axls_locomotive]

Science fiction thread... okay, is this where I confess I was at one time a massive fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation & the X-Files?  Yeah... little know true fact about me... but moving on...

I saw I, Robot a couple of nights ago.  Truthfully, we saw this film as nothing that appealing was playing (uhhh, Princess Diaries, anyone?).  And I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.  I thought it was a great movie!  I enjoyed it.  There was a lot of action, bit of a story line, good characters, etc... it's a pretty good movie.  I'd recommend it to others for sure. 

soooooo are you still a fan of star trek, whats you fav episode and do you look like deanna?

[MCT]

I've read 'Mars'.......and I must admit that I enjoyed it. It was however a second-rate book by really, a second-rate writer..........

you are probably right that he is a second rate writer

Yes.......I am.........

but most writers fit that category anyway...lets say bova is one of my favourites of all the novels ive read...

True.......and fair enough........

technobabble, you must love star trek voyager...

lol.......sure do.........

All joking aside though, I find Voyager to simply be the most thoroughly enjoyable Trek series to date.

btw.....TOS is another animal altogether........

none of my friends are really that well read...so i dont get any recommendations...besides there are so many authors ,where do you start?

I'll give ya some advice.....

First of all, don't ask yourself this question - where do I start? - just simply...'start'........

For if you have a love for literature itself, then it doesn't really matter..............

It's like music (if you're a true fan of coherent noise).......you just go along for the ride........

Of course one has to be acutely aware of their own preferences..........and of literature itself, in order to be 100% satisfied.........

But it won't exactly hurt ya to simply try a book out, now will it?

have you ever seen it? you really need to watch a whole season before it starts to take shape...

I have seen B5, yes............but a full season of it just doesn't appeal to my sensibilities........like I said - I'm just not a fan...........

Anne Rice? isnt she fantasy? not scifi?

It's much more accurate to say that Anne Rice is Anne Rice...........

But no, she's not sci-fi..................besides I was just pointing out that I really like her work......

classics and poetry, why am i not surprised???

I love mining poetry for gold.....................

have you ever read His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman? ive heard its good but never got round to looking it out

Haven't read it. Nor have I done anything more than browse, anything related to Pullman....

[Doc Emmett Brown]

First of all, don't ask yourself this question - where do I start? - just simply...'start'........

That's good advice.  There's nothing more exhilarating than picking up a superb book by accident.  Like I did, oh so many years ago, when I came across Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.  Once I started reading it, I couldnt put it down. 

But it won't exactly hurt ya to simply try a book out, now will it?

depends.  I think several blood vessels in my brain exploded while reading Stranger in a Strange Land. 

[MCT]

I think several blood vessels in my brain exploded while reading Stranger in a Strange Land.?

I've seen your spiel on that book in another thread.......I can empathize.......

Personally though, I just found it to be extremely tedious......

[axls_locomotive]

lol.......sure do.........

All joking aside though, I find Voyager to simply be the most thoroughly enjoyable Trek series to date.

btw.....TOS is another animal altogether........

yea, voyager certainly is unique, its like a comic dressed in pantomime, so do you prefer pre jeri ryan or post jeri ryan? lol...ill go crazy if you say you liked kes...fav episode was probably the killing game or future tense...the episode tuvix caused a lot of debate i recall...very much in the spirit of "was she right or wrong to do that?" id take the furry rat anytime lmao

tos produced a unique mix of characters that will be very hard to reproduce...

the next gen is my fav series but tos comes a close second...

I'll give ya some advice.....

First of all, don't ask yourself this question - where do I start? - just simply...'start'........

For if you have a love for literature itself, then it doesn't really matter..............

It's like music (if you're a true fan of coherent noise).......you just go along for the ride........

Of course one has to be acutely aware of their own preferences..........and of literature itself, in order to be 100% satisfied.........

But it won't exactly hurt ya to simply try a book out, now will it?

i know what you mean and sometimes i think im going to sit down and read a book but after about 30 pages, some books just bore me, like anna karenina and ulysses which i put down fairly quickly, i prefer books that are more descriptive than pages and pages of incessant chatter

but the good news is that ive bought sundiver...you seem quite taken by it and i sense that you have a good eye for a good book...

unfortunately im reading quarantine by greg egan...lets say i dont recommend it...its plot is meandering outside of this universe

I love mining poetry for gold..................... yes

im not really a lover of poetry ...maybe robert burns...have you ever read anything by robert burns? what do you think of his work?

so who do you think are the writers to avoid?

terry pratchett would be the first on my list
 

[axls_locomotive]

That's good advice.  There's nothing more exhilarating than picking up a superb book by accident.  Like I did, oh so many years ago, when I came across Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.  Once I started reading it, I couldnt put it down. 

does that mean you have to read 100 books to find one good one?

[Where is Hassan Nasrallah ?]

i read a SCI-FI trilogy years ago, and it was like about semantics and all, and this hero named Gossein i think, and he was kinda immortal cause several bodies were waiting at different place so he could continue his life, it was a weird book named " Le Monde des A " ( world of A ).
it was half philosphical half sci fi.
i need to find that book again, cause i can't find any infos online.

[Doc Emmett Brown]

That's good advice.? There's nothing more exhilarating than picking up a superb book by accident.? Like I did, oh so many years ago, when I came across Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.? Once I started reading it, I couldnt put it down.?

does that mean you have to read 100 books to find one good one?

It's luck of the draw, I guess    But once I find one good book by author, I assume his/her other books will be just as good. 

So you can end up with a string of hits.  If you like SnowCrash (by Neal Stephenson), then check out The Diamond Age. It's in a different vein, but I hope you like it.  Orson Scott Card has many MANY great books! 

Another interesting author is Octavia Butler.  I've read two of her books, Parable of the Sower and Kindred.  She mixes social history with science fiction which is something a lot of authors dont do.  She lives in a nearby town from me, and people say she's really weird. 

[Izzy]

im waiting patiently for the 5th series of Babylon 5 to come out on DVD...its a true masterpiece

No...no....NOOOOOOOOO

The fifth season where they destroy the station? The 5th season i wasted 100 quid on to get them on video? The fifth season where its all telepaths and no fighting?

That was awful, it was criminally bad

Season 1 was great, season 2 was near perfection, season 3 was perfection, season 4 was somehow above perfection - then...then, season 5 blows it all, before that i'd have said B5 was the best scifi series ever - but with season 5 there.....everything was wrong with that, they should never have made it, season 4 finished perfectly.

[axls_locomotive]

yup i totally agree with you

the story was originally set for a 5 season arc...unfortunately the media company involved in financing the series took too long deciding whether to finance a 5th series...it substantially upset the story because of the complex mix of overlapping story arcs...the peak was reached too soon... the telepath war could have been so much better...

the last episode in season 5 was a masterpiece...

ps personally i missed ivanova lol
 

[Izzy]

yup i totally agree with you

the story was originally set for a 5 season arc...unfortunately the media company involved in financing the series took too long deciding whether to finance a 5th series...it substantially upset the story because of the complex mix of overlapping story arcs...the peak was reached too soon... the telepath war could have been so much better...

There was no telepath war - they hinted at it and seemed to suggest it then happened in the future It would have rocked with the same mix of story and ass kickin' of the past series

the last episode in season 5 was a masterpiece...

The one where they destroy the station for being a 'menance to navigation'? That made me cry

ps personally i missed ivanova lol

Tell me about it - i was watching it 90% for her and 10% for those cool little fighter things they had - Starfuries or something like that. And that really camp Ranger guy who dies herocially saving her - he was so cool, they should have found a way to bring him back to life - damnit its sci-fi it can be done!!!!!!!!

What did u think of the spin off series 'Crusade' - i think it could (though i don't think it was) have been excellent, more like Star Trek but with a warship about 20 mies long u can't really fail!
 

[MCT]

yea, voyager certainly is unique, its like a comic dressed in pantomime, so do you prefer pre jeri ryan or post jeri ryan?

Post........

lol...ill go crazy if you say you liked kes...

The last season or two before Kes left the show, she was pretty hot........

I'll give ya some advice.....

First of all, don't ask yourself this question - where do I start? - just simply...'start'........

For if you have a love for literature itself, then it doesn't really matter..............

It's like music (if you're a true fan of coherent noise).......you just go along for the ride........

Of course one has to be acutely aware of their own preferences..........and of literature itself, in order to be 100% satisfied.........

But it won't exactly hurt ya to simply try a book out, now will it?

i know what you mean and sometimes i think im going to sit down and read a book but after about 30 pages, some books just bore me,

Well, like I said - if you're acutely aware of your own preferences, then you know what your best chance of not getting bored is........

i prefer books that are more descriptive than pages and pages of incessant chatter

If that's the case, then I think you'll love Anne Rice........

but the good news is that ive bought sundiver...you seem quite taken by it and i sense that you have a good eye for a good book...

Sundiver isn't a GREAT book (it is good though), but it's the start of a great series......

im not really a lover of poetry ...maybe robert burns...have you ever read anything by robert burns? what do you think of his work?

Burns is pretty good. Not exactly my fav poet....but certainly worth reading........

so who do you think are the writers to avoid?

In answering that question I would doing you a great disservice. For you might like a particular book or author (actual writing skill aside) whereas I might not. All I can honestly say, is that you have to find the answer to that question yourself.................

terry pratchett would be the first on my list

........ ..........

I love Pratchett.........!!!

You see? This is a perfect example of what I just said. Terry is a great (in terms of his writing skill) writer, and I happen to like his fictional universe, and to be entertained by his books. You on the other hand think that he is a writer to avoid................


 

[axls_locomotive]

There was no telepath war - they hinted at it and seemed to suggest it then happened in the future Tongue It would have rocked with the same mix of story and ass kickin' of the past series

the telepath war started in series 5, it ended 2 years later...

The one where they destroy the station for being a 'menance to navigation'? That made me cry Cry

aye well there was that...i thought it was cool that the station lasted out its lifetime ...and then blown up by strazyinski the series creator...the end of the delenn sheridan story,..it was fantastic...its good to have sagas in the old fashioned sense...i guess thats what im looking for in a book

the star furies were cool, seemingly nasa asked for the specs to see if they could design something similar

the series had so many great quips...favourite was the GKar "King arthur" conversation, "No moral ambiguities, no hopeless battle against ancient and overwhelming forces. They were the bad guys, as you say, we were the good guys. And they made a very satisfying THUMP as they hit the floor!"...thats a classic

Crusade, i only saw the pilot, i hadnt seen the movie that connected it with b5, A Call To Arms i think it was?...so i didnt get the connections and my enthusiasm was non existent...it could have been a good series it it had strong characters which it didnt but time may have matured the stories, we will never know

i heard strong rumours that there may be another b5 movie, probably to be released in cinemas...im getting a little excited here lol

[axls_locomotive]

Post........

figure hugging suits are my favourite...jolene blalock is pretty damn gorgeous too...logic can be sexy lmao...

The last season or two before Kes left the show, she was pretty hot........ yes

oh yea long haired kes was better than ummm short haired kes...

Well, like I said - if you're acutely aware of your own preferences, then you know what your best chance of not getting bored is........

..to read another book and give generously to recycling

If that's the case, then I think you'll love Anne Rice........

superb...anything you can recommend as a starting point?

Sundiver isn't a GREAT book (it is good though), but it's the start of a great series......

its got to be better than the books ive read of recent...

if it gets better as the series continues then thats all i can hope for

In answering that question I would doing you a great disservice. For you might like a particular book or author (actual writing skill aside) whereas I might not. All I can honestly say, is that you have to find the answer to that question yourself.................

wise man make great fence

........ rofl..........

I love Pratchett.........!!!

You see? This is a perfect example of what I just said. Terry is a great (in terms of his writing skill) writer, and I happen to like his fictional universe, and to be entertained by his books. You on the other hand think that he is a writer to avoid...........

hahaha...what can i say,i am speechless

[MCT]

superb...anything you can recommend as a starting point? (Anne Rice)

Interview with the Vampire..........

[axls_locomotive]

well alrightee then

thats another one on the list

[MCT]

Loco........you're gonna like this:

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/179616

Just click - Watch This Movie - and enjoy........The Picard Song.........

[axls_locomotive]

Loco........you're gonna like this:

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/179616

Just click - Watch This Movie - and enjoy........The Picard Song.........

omg someone has far too much talent and time on their hands...its psychedelic drug induced scifi

what did i deserve to have ewoks shoot phasers at me? poor little ole me...id turn them into tribbles if i could

beverley sure looks like shes got a penis hahahaha