A giant gone
“When you dream what is possible, and add a knowledge of physics, you make it happen.” - Charles Kohlhase on Arthur C. Clarke (in the NYTimes...)Clarke was the last of the big three science fiction writers (along with Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov). He lived much longer than they, and saw many of his predicted technologies come to exist, particularly the communications satellite. His writing was elegant, and featured humanity trying to make sense of a complex universe, rational and striving for better. But he's gone now.
"Sometimes I am asked how I would like to be remembered. I have had a diverse career as a writer, underwater explorer and space promoter. Of all these I would like to be remembered as a writer."No worries, Sir Arthur. No worries.
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7 Comments:
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At 10:27 PM, March 18, 2008
Unknown had this to say...
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At 11:22 AM, March 19, 2008
The Ridger, FCD had this to say...
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At 2:53 PM, March 19, 2008
Unknown had this to say...
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At 6:55 PM, March 19, 2008
Unknown had this to say...
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At 9:41 PM, March 19, 2008
The Ridger, FCD had this to say...
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At 8:52 AM, March 20, 2008
Unknown had this to say...
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At 10:10 AM, March 21, 2008
The Ridger, FCD had this to say...
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<-- Older Post ^ Home Newer Post -->Science fiction is one of those genres I've never really gotten into, but kind of wish I had. Maybe it's because science never really captured my imagination until recently, but... who knows? Any recommendations of where to start?
I hesitate to give recommendations :-D
Seriously, though, I don't read much sci-fi any more (some fantasy, still, but only a couple of authors, de Lint and Pratchett), so my recommendations would be old stuff anyhow. What would be interested in? Character-driven stories? Social commentary? Technology? Space Opera?
I think I'd prefer old school stuff to tell you the truth. I'm not sure what Space Opera is, but I am an opera fan. Honestly, I'd go for any of the stuff you've described. Just looking for a direction to head in with some titles.
Ah, that's a loss. And I was just about to start Childhood's End, which I'm sure I'm going to love.
Ridger might have better ideas to suggest, but if I were going to suggest Heinlein I'd suggest The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress or Starship Troopers. And as far Asimov the short stories of I, Robot or the Foundation Trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation).
None of the books are really long (and I mean more than 400 pages there because I've read some long damn books before), so hopefully one ore more would give you a good taste. And you can find them a lot of times in used book stores of a decent size if you don't want to spend a lot of money on books that you may or may not like.
You might try Clifford Simak's Way Station to begin. Also pretty much anything by Ray Bradbury, who I love. James Schmitz's Telzey Amberdon books, or The Witches of Karres. Or Doc Smith's Lensmen books for rip-roaring "super science fiction".
Short and easy to read stuff would be Andre Norton - particularly the Solar Queen books she wrote as Andrew North, the Hosteen Storm books (Beastmaster and its sequels and please forget the movie and tv show) and Daybreak 2250 and the Time Trader novels.
As for the Big Three, I have to say that I despise all later Heinlein. Nothing beyond the two that ordinary girl mentions gets a recommendation from me, and most are "run away!" material. But those two are good, and earlier books such as Double Star or his short stuff are good - and so are some of his "juveniles" like, say, The Rolling Stones. He never understood women, but he started off knowing it.
Asimov - I, Robot, of course, and Foundation and its sequels. Also his short fiction. Clarke - Childhood's End, Rendezvous with Rama, 2001, and his short fiction.
Thanks for your suggestions, because I feel like I've spent 33 years totally missing out on this huge genre of fiction.
I'm looking forward to checking those titles out.
I see that Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union has been nominated for a Hugo as Best Novel. I read it - it's fabulous - but I somehow didn't process it as science fiction. I guess this is what happens when you have your section in the book store labeled SF and some "mainstream" publishers put out sf books anyway. So you might try that one. Also, I forgot Liz Williams, who's writing now - I read Nine Layers of Sky a couple of weeks ago and loved it, though I was given it because it's Russian-themed not because it's sf.
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