Classic SF Lit Fans?

POSTED BY: Zisker
UPDATED: Monday, May 29, 2006 02:39
VIEWED: 15050
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ZISKER

Sunday, April 30, 2006 12:07 AM

Hey, anyone else here crack open an Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke or Kornbluth now and again? Do Dick and Ellison do it for ya? Is Pohl or Tiptree where it's at?

My favorite classic is Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles because it brought me into science fiction. I think the most mind-bending short I've read recently is Revolt of the Pedestrians - it was written in 1928 and deals with themes of socialism, homosexuality, Darwinism and a whole host of goodness that makes me think David H. Keller, MD (interesting he included that . . .) was a bloody genius or he shared River's 'special vision'.

Any other old school fans? Any good recommendations?

One day.
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One army of Browncoats.

On June 23rd, we aim to misbehave.
http://www.serenityday.org/

Little or no free time, but want to help?
Help Spread the Signal: http://www.geocities.com/browncoatsignalcorps

ECGORDON

Sunday, April 30, 2006 12:20 AM

If you really want to try some heady older stuff, pick up Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker or Last and First Men. There are so many concepts in those books (written in the 30s) they could keep a hundred other writers busy for years expanding on some of the ideas.

As for more accessible, but still classic, SF, I whole-heartedly recommend Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination (1957), probably the best "mainstream" science fiction novel I've ever read, even better than his earlier The Demolished Man, which won the first ever Hugo award.

wo men ren ran zai fei xing.

SPACEMANSPIFF

Monday, May 1, 2006 4:46 AM

Man, yes. It's great to look back at the sci-fi that we consider cliche' when they were amazing and new ideas that no one had considered.

Asimov's "The Time Machine" is incredible.

More recent, but still a hard sci-fi classic is Niven's "Ringworld" (heck, all of Known Space is fantastic).

Did he just go crazy and fall asleep?

RYCE

Monday, May 1, 2006 11:21 PM

I gotta go with Frank Herbert's Dune. Finally got it on audiobook, too!

No power in the 'verse can stop me!

SICKDUDE

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 5:33 PM

If you want a time intensive treat, check out the complete collected short stories of Theodore Sturgeon that were just released recently and are chronologically ordered. There are ten volumes, although there may be one or two left. Not only do they publish everything he ever wrote novella or shorter, but they have great commentaries in the notes! You really get a sense of the evolution of one of SF's greatest writers. He wrote from 1945-1970ish, and everybody admired him: Asimov, Anderson, Campbell, Stephen King, etc. He truly had a great artistic way with words. And by book 2 or 3 you can see some of his gems shine. Stories like "shottle bop", "killdozer", "a saucerful of loneliness", "Bianca's hands", "microcosmic god", "syzygy". Just WOW!

Also, I like one of the great-grandfathers of SF: Jack Williamson. Particularly "the humanoids".

And, more recently, Stanislaw Lem for "Pirx the pilot", "Solaris", and the out-of-print "the Invicible" (his best one).

"I am your father, Luke. Give in to the Dark Side, you nob!" - Doug McKenzie

ZISKER

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 6:23 PM

You know, Sturgeon has always been hit or miss for me. I really loved A Saucer of Loneliness, Yesterday Was Monday and Ether Breather - but I could never get into his style of writing. Same thing with Bester.

I would like to read those commentaries though . . .thanks for the tip!

One day.
One plan.
One army of Browncoats.

On June 23rd, we aim to misbehave.
http://www.serenityday.org/

Little or no free time, but want to help?
Help Spread the Signal: http://www.geocities.com/browncoatsignalcorps

SICKDUDE

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 7:18 PM

No problem! Keep in mind that much of the (early) stuff in the first few volumes is not his best. It takes him a few years to get into gear. He was definately in the "What do I need to write so I can buy groceries?" stage. But it does provide an interesting timeline.

ETA: And I have to disagree, by the way. Disregarding such things as plot and character, his strongpoint is actually 'word-smithing'. Usage of words and imagery. Pay close attention as you read some of his lines. Just his opening sentences alone!!!

"I am your father, Luke. Give in to the Dark Side, you nob!" - Doug McKenzie

STILLTHEREWAITING

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 7:32 PM

I recently re-read the Foundation Trilogy that I first read in the early '60s. Still as great as ever. I loved Asimov's and Clarke's early stuff. The original Daneel Olivaw robot detective stories (Naked Sun, etc) and Clarks "The City and the Stars", among others. I was also quite partial to E.E. Doc Smith's series (Triplanetary, etc). The precursor to Weber's Honor Harrington as far as space warfare is concerned.
I recently started cataloguing my library using ReaderWare software which allows the entry of a list of ISBNs or LCCN by hand or UPC scanner. It then goes to the 'Net and gets all of the relevant data about the books. I quite quickly discovered that many of my Sci-Fi books predate ISBN forcing me to enter all of the data manually, or try to find the particular edition on-line and import it.

Laugh while you can, monkey-boy.

If I were you, I'd run!
If you were me, you'd be good-looking

ONETOOMANY

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 7:51 PM

I would have to say Heinlein hands down. While I deffintly admoire & enjoy writers like Herbert, Pohl, Asimov, Clarke, Wells. There's something about Heinlein & the way he draws you in by making you love the characters. He just writes a good all around story. Granted some of his stuff goes pretty far into technical facts (for the era. He would always correct his figures & facts in later publications of the same storys)
That detail is what makes it more real, because almost all of it is based on actual people, events, data, & theories. A usually fatal flaw.

Pick up "Tunnel in the Sky" pub. 1955. It's all about survival & pioneering other planets using old west horse & wagon train techniques.(sound familiar)
or "Starship Troopers" pub. 1959 THE BOOK NOT THE BDM. Which have nothing in but names in common. It poses questions like should a person not willing to work in civil service (not necessarily just the military but something) should be able to vote.

Notice anythig particular 'bout our luck these past few days, any kind'a pattern'. You depend on luck you end up on the drift no fuel, no prospects, beggin for alliance make work getiin' towed off to the scrap out THAT AIN'T US NOT EVER

ZISKER

Tuesday, May 2, 2006 8:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Sickdude:
No problem! Keep in mind that much of the (early) stuff in the first few volumes is not his best. It takes him a few years to get into gear. He was definately in the "What do I need to write so I can buy groceries?" stage. But it does provide an interesting timeline.

ETA: And I have to disagree, by the way. Disregarding such things as plot and character, his strongpoint is actually 'word-smithing'. Usage of words and imagery. Pay close attention as you read some of his lines. Just his opening sentences alone!!!

"I am your father, Luke. Give in to the Dark Side, you nob!" - Doug McKenzie

Oh, it wasn't that I couldn't appreciate his word-smithing as an English major, but it didn't "speak" to me. Like Hemmingway. God, I hate Hemmingway. But back to Sturgeon - for some reason, the plots were what made his stories for me, not the wording. One of those oddities of the reader, I suppose. I had the same reaction with Bradbury - his most beautiful writing failed to move me if I just couldn't get into the story.

One day.
One plan.
One army of Browncoats.

On June 23rd, we aim to misbehave.
http://www.serenityday.org/

Little or no free time, but want to help?
Help Spread the Signal: http://www.geocities.com/browncoatsignalcorps

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