I have read SciFi and Fantasy on and off since about the fourth grade and, although there appears to be a good market for it, have rarely found people who were ready to discuss it--at least in public. Anyone here read it on a regular basis? What authors or books do you enjoy and why?
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Science Fiction and Fantasy
- Thread starter Prolixic
- Start date
HBinjection
New Member
Science Fiction is important!
I used to think that science fiction was not 'serious literature' and therefore not worth my time. I felt the same way with most popular fiction, mysteries, fantasy....boy, I was really limiting myself.
Now I can hardly read anything other than science fiction. I love Philip K. Dick and William Gibson. Also J.G. Ballard (his short stories are better than his novels, IMO). Assimov too.
I love these authors because their stories are full of big relevant ideas.
I used to think that science fiction was not 'serious literature' and therefore not worth my time. I felt the same way with most popular fiction, mysteries, fantasy....boy, I was really limiting myself.
Now I can hardly read anything other than science fiction. I love Philip K. Dick and William Gibson. Also J.G. Ballard (his short stories are better than his novels, IMO). Assimov too.
I love these authors because their stories are full of big relevant ideas.
dreamcatcher
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HeHe
I got hooked on fantasy in third grade when I went through the Lord of the Rings and science fiction when I was bored that summer and my dad gave me Anne McCaffery-Dragonrideres of Pern. I haven't stoped reading it since.
I got hooked on fantasy in third grade when I went through the Lord of the Rings and science fiction when I was bored that summer and my dad gave me Anne McCaffery-Dragonrideres of Pern. I haven't stoped reading it since.
HBinjection:
HB, I've read lots of Asimov and I've heard of Phillip K. Dick, but the other two don't ring any bells. What is their stuff like?
The Dragonrider series--the original--has been a favorite of mine for years. I believe that was the first actual SciFi series I read, dreamcatcher, but it was on my Mom's bookshelf and she didn't realize I was reading it until I tried to take it to school one morning. (It was about the fourth grade.) She was either ticked or tickled, I can't decide which.
HB, I've read lots of Asimov and I've heard of Phillip K. Dick, but the other two don't ring any bells. What is their stuff like?
The Dragonrider series--the original--has been a favorite of mine for years. I believe that was the first actual SciFi series I read, dreamcatcher, but it was on my Mom's bookshelf and she didn't realize I was reading it until I tried to take it to school one morning. (It was about the fourth grade.) She was either ticked or tickled, I can't decide which.
HBinjection
New Member
Howdy, Proloxic!
I'm reading The Complete Robot right now. It's a collection of Asimov's short stories on robot themes. It's very good.
You might be more familiar with Dick and Ballard than you think.
Philip Dick was an American SF writer circa. His stuff was
published from the early 50's to the mid eighties (then he died). He wrote a lot of stuff. I have read about half of his short stories and a third of his novels. I've read almost all of what is considered his better work, and I'm working of the rest. A lot of his stuff is coming back into print.
Minority Report, The Imposter, Total Recall, Blade Runner, and Screamers (I haven't seen this one) are each based on a Dick novel or short story. I think Total Recall is closest to the feeling of a Dick story. There is a lot of adventure, a femme fatale, sci-fi elements like androids and psycic mutants, confusion of realities, ....it's all very outlandish.
However, his characters usually lead very mundane lives and the outlandish environments and situations mirror our own, (that's the beauty of great science fiction). He uses the trashy sf novel as a vehicle for his own philosophical ideas. Some of his favorite themes are: Defining Humanity, Insanity, troubled relationships, the failure of beaurocracies, the danger of fascism...the list goes on and on, but these are very common in his stories. Also, he writes a lot about Mystic religions, although they have a different face everytime he presents them. (Hero with a thousand Faces-Campbell comes to mind?)
I reccomend his short story collections. I'm reading volume 2 right now, it has the story that Total Recall was based on. It's very good so far.
For novels try:
Ubik
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Blade Runner)
He's my favorite author. I've become addicted to SF because of him.
I'm reading The Complete Robot right now. It's a collection of Asimov's short stories on robot themes. It's very good.
You might be more familiar with Dick and Ballard than you think.
Philip Dick was an American SF writer circa. His stuff was
published from the early 50's to the mid eighties (then he died). He wrote a lot of stuff. I have read about half of his short stories and a third of his novels. I've read almost all of what is considered his better work, and I'm working of the rest. A lot of his stuff is coming back into print.
Minority Report, The Imposter, Total Recall, Blade Runner, and Screamers (I haven't seen this one) are each based on a Dick novel or short story. I think Total Recall is closest to the feeling of a Dick story. There is a lot of adventure, a femme fatale, sci-fi elements like androids and psycic mutants, confusion of realities, ....it's all very outlandish.
However, his characters usually lead very mundane lives and the outlandish environments and situations mirror our own, (that's the beauty of great science fiction). He uses the trashy sf novel as a vehicle for his own philosophical ideas. Some of his favorite themes are: Defining Humanity, Insanity, troubled relationships, the failure of beaurocracies, the danger of fascism...the list goes on and on, but these are very common in his stories. Also, he writes a lot about Mystic religions, although they have a different face everytime he presents them. (Hero with a thousand Faces-Campbell comes to mind?)
I reccomend his short story collections. I'm reading volume 2 right now, it has the story that Total Recall was based on. It's very good so far.
For novels try:
Ubik
The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (Blade Runner)
He's my favorite author. I've become addicted to SF because of him.
HBinjection
New Member
Sorry the last post was so long. I am posting this post on Ballard seperately to give your eyes a break.
J.G. Ballard wrote some great SF stories. I recommend the collection of his short stories.
His novels are not as Sci-Fi as Dicks, but he describes himself as a science fiction author.
He wrote a semi-autobiographical account of his childhood called Empire of the Sun. Spielberg made a wonderful movie out of it. Ballard was the little boy.
Ballard also wrote a disturbing book called Crash, which was made into an equally disturbing picture by David Cronenberg. Both were very good, but dark.
Cocaine Nights was a pretty good novel. Dealt with man's dependence on violence and how it manifests itself in 'civilised society.'
Read the collection of short stories. It was recently published in a new edition. There is a great story called 'The Subliminal Man' It is a frightening story about marketing and consumerism.
Post again if you ever read any of this stuff, I'd like to read your opinion.
J.G. Ballard wrote some great SF stories. I recommend the collection of his short stories.
His novels are not as Sci-Fi as Dicks, but he describes himself as a science fiction author.
He wrote a semi-autobiographical account of his childhood called Empire of the Sun. Spielberg made a wonderful movie out of it. Ballard was the little boy.
Ballard also wrote a disturbing book called Crash, which was made into an equally disturbing picture by David Cronenberg. Both were very good, but dark.
Cocaine Nights was a pretty good novel. Dealt with man's dependence on violence and how it manifests itself in 'civilised society.'
Read the collection of short stories. It was recently published in a new edition. There is a great story called 'The Subliminal Man' It is a frightening story about marketing and consumerism.
Post again if you ever read any of this stuff, I'd like to read your opinion.
Asimov in vast quantities, though I found his SF via his non-fiction (especially the short F&SF essays), rather than the other way around. I don't much like the Foundation stuff - his short stories are generally more to my liking.
John Wyndham - I still count The Chrysalids among my favourites.
JG Ballard - as mentioned above.
Alan Garner - The Owl Service, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen etc.
Rosemary Sutcliff's historical fantasy (some might say I'm pushing the boundary a bit there, but still...), especially that set in the Dark Ages.
Oh, and a certain animal fantasy by a Mr R. Adams, of course!
Also an honourable mention to Helen Cresswell's The Demon Headmaster, though it was the BBC TV series that I thought was particularly good.
Cheers,
David.
John Wyndham - I still count The Chrysalids among my favourites.
JG Ballard - as mentioned above.
Alan Garner - The Owl Service, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen etc.
Rosemary Sutcliff's historical fantasy (some might say I'm pushing the boundary a bit there, but still...), especially that set in the Dark Ages.
Oh, and a certain animal fantasy by a Mr R. Adams, of course!
Also an honourable mention to Helen Cresswell's The Demon Headmaster, though it was the BBC TV series that I thought was particularly good.
Cheers,
David.
Sk8terDiego
kickbox
Well i'm in seventh grade and i have liked sci-fi since like 3rd grade. So I guess I can't compete with you guyz. My favorite science fiction is probably Enders game.
I agree, HB, the Foundation Trilogy was a little thick. I enjoyed it but near the end it seemed like I'd been reading the thing forever.
Diego, Ender's Game is a good one, no doubt. I have found that most of Card's stuff is either good or really good and sometimes really good, but troubling. Always great characters and believable settings, though. I haven't found that kind of uniformity in SciFi in a long time. There are several other books in the Ender's series. Anyone read any of those?
And why don't you think you can't compete? I didn't start reading SciFi until the fourth grade so you're a whole year ahead of me.
Diego, Ender's Game is a good one, no doubt. I have found that most of Card's stuff is either good or really good and sometimes really good, but troubling. Always great characters and believable settings, though. I haven't found that kind of uniformity in SciFi in a long time. There are several other books in the Ender's series. Anyone read any of those?
And why don't you think you can't compete? I didn't start reading SciFi until the fourth grade so you're a whole year ahead of me.
Dawn
kickbox
A couple of my my fantasy favorites:
Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (anxiously awaiting book 10)
Song of Fire and Ice by George RR Martin (anxiously awaiting book 4)
As far as scifi, Ender's Game series, by Orson Scott Card, is my favorite. I haven't read the Ender's Shadow novels, though. Prolixic, if you enjoyed Ender's Game then I think you'd like the continuation books. I can't remember the names of them, but I think someone listed them on another thread.
Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (anxiously awaiting book 10)
Song of Fire and Ice by George RR Martin (anxiously awaiting book 4)
As far as scifi, Ender's Game series, by Orson Scott Card, is my favorite. I haven't read the Ender's Shadow novels, though. Prolixic, if you enjoyed Ender's Game then I think you'd like the continuation books. I can't remember the names of them, but I think someone listed them on another thread.
dreamcatcher
kickbox
The Wheel of Time and Song of Fire and Ice are two of my more recent favorites. Another good series is the Darkover books, by Marion Zimmer Bradley. If you want to read something is good and very funny, The Warlock in Spite of Himself by Christophere Stasheff is great.
HBinjection
New Member
I liked Ender's Game quite a bit and I also read the next in the series Speaker for the Dead.
Speaker for the Dead is a much bigger novel than EG. It has some really great sci-fi ideas that have stuck with me. I think about this book often.
Everybody, keep up the good work! Thanks to all of your suggestions I have a nice reading list that will last me through the coming months, but there is always room for more.
Speaker for the Dead is a much bigger novel than EG. It has some really great sci-fi ideas that have stuck with me. I think about this book often.
Everybody, keep up the good work! Thanks to all of your suggestions I have a nice reading list that will last me through the coming months, but there is always room for more.
I have read the EG series through "Shadow of the Hegemon", and up until SOTH all of them were outstanding! SOTH really didn't do too much for me, and really turned me off reading the last one, "Shadow Puppets" (Although now as I think about it, I'd like to read it just to see how the whole thing ties together).
I will say that if you've read "Ender's Game", I would highly recommend "Ender's Shadow". The telling of the story from a completely different view point was very refreshing.
Here's the books in the series:
Ender's Game
Speaker for the Dead
Xenocide
Children of the Mind
Ender's Shadow
Shadow of the Hegemon'
Shadow Puppets
I will say that if you've read "Ender's Game", I would highly recommend "Ender's Shadow". The telling of the story from a completely different view point was very refreshing.
Here's the books in the series:
Ender's Game
Speaker for the Dead
Xenocide
Children of the Mind
Ender's Shadow
Shadow of the Hegemon'
Shadow Puppets
I'll have to try it, HB. I remember reading the original Enders Game series up to Xenocide and quit. I don't think Children of the Mind had come out yet. Thanks for the heads up, though, I think I might try to pick it up again. Last book I read by Card was Enchanted? Something like that. I almost thought it was a romance novel left in the Sci Fi section for a minute, but then noticed his name on the cover and picked it up. It was pretty good in spite of my initital misgivings about the title.
I just finished Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. LeGuinn and it was riveting, to say the least. Hooked me in the first few paragraphs and I just had to keep going.
I just finished Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. LeGuinn and it was riveting, to say the least. Hooked me in the first few paragraphs and I just had to keep going.
Dawn
kickbox
Children of the Mind has been out for years, Prolixic. Check it out if liked the series. I also read Enchanted. I was looking for something else by Card to read after finishing the Ender's Game series. It's been awhile, but I think I liked it. Not as much as Ender, though.
With all this talk of LeGuinn I recently read a book of hers...I can't remember the name though. Silly me. Oh wait, Disenchanted?? Anyway, it was very political. I also read The Telling a couple of years ago. Interesting stuff.
With all this talk of LeGuinn I recently read a book of hers...I can't remember the name though. Silly me. Oh wait, Disenchanted?? Anyway, it was very political. I also read The Telling a couple of years ago. Interesting stuff.
HBinjection
New Member
I just watched the A&E presentation of 'Lathe of Heaven.' It was good, but not as good as the BBC version I saw long before.
There were some things missing that I thought were kind of important. Also, the ending was not as resonant in this new one. It did not inspire.
I am going to pick up a UKL book tonight or tomorrow. Should I get Left Hand of Darkness, Lathe of Heaven, or that other one Dawn mentioned?
There were some things missing that I thought were kind of important. Also, the ending was not as resonant in this new one. It did not inspire.
I am going to pick up a UKL book tonight or tomorrow. Should I get Left Hand of Darkness, Lathe of Heaven, or that other one Dawn mentioned?
Ell
Well-Known Member
I'd definitely recommend Lathe of Heaven. It might not make quite the same impact if you've seen the movie versions first - but that didn't seem to bother Prolixic (see Lathe of Heaven thread under Film Adaptations).
Otherwise, either The Dispossessed or The Left Hand of Darkness would be good choices.
Ell
Otherwise, either The Dispossessed or The Left Hand of Darkness would be good choices.
Ell
letterHead
Member
I'm a bit of a buff of older science fiction writers. Bob Shaw, Clifford Simak, Hal Clement, even Theodore Sturgeon. I find it interesting to see how they manage to work a story without high-level technical details. I would like to read some Alfred Bester some day (particularly 'The Demolished Man'), but have so far been unable to find any locally.
Among my favourites are Shaw's 'Night Walk', Simak's 'Destiny Doll' and Clement's 'Needle'.
Among my favourites are Shaw's 'Night Walk', Simak's 'Destiny Doll' and Clement's 'Needle'.