'More Fiction Than Science, Please', column from 11/19/2004Dodger I don't 'love' sci-fi in general. I haven't read any in a very long time. Yet, it has it's place. Certainly entertainment but with the better authors there is something else besides space travel and ten armed men. A social theme.
A look into the future to see what unchecked population growth will do to us. Gone are the bright silver ships docked and ready for the Mars shuttle. Instead we get a future where the human race has gone backwards. Back to being brutes fighting over a puddle of dirty water to drink from.
My all time favorite is Ray Bradberry's Fahrenheit 451 (not sure if that's correct). Where the fireman BURN books and society is dumbed down to a common denominator. (If you burned one of Pop_Tart's books she'd probably rip your f...ing eyes out).
And the bane of all flea markets...the L. Ron Hubbard people. Mr. Hubbard of course was a lowly sci-fi writer that parleyed his active imagination into The Power of Dynamics or some other impressive line of crap.
So we can safely say that this genre is not true science. But* Holy Fire in the Particle Accelerator Batman* there is some heavy reading between the lines.Pop_Tart Ahh, well, if you'd like a little anthropology with your sci-fi, I suggest The Dune books - and The Jesus Incident (co-authored with Bill Ransom). (Don't let the movie *ugh* fool you, the series is very interesting.)
And then there is also the not-so-far-off future of Earth in Tad Williams series called Otherworld Really, really well written & combining technology with human society - with some mythology as well.
I like 'good stuff' too, not just 'trash.' ;)
And, YES, you are right about anyone even suggesting buring books!
I liked Fahrenheit 451 too - the oral tradition part was very interesting to consider.Dodger My God Pop_Tart how many books do you read? You must be an old stuffy librarian. lol. I love your posts and your thoughtful replies. Pop_Tart Sadly, my dear Dodger, I have not been able to find the time to read much lately. I've been too busy. But I *adore* reading. And when I can't find the time to read, I consol myself by looking at the stacks of books all around my house (I think that I will learn/absorb their contents via osmosis!)
But I could never be a librarian, I am too chatty most of the time ;)Kat You? chatty? NEVAH!!!!! LOL!
*sigh* Even tho I DO sometimes have the time to read, I don't. I always find something else that I can be doing. Like laying on the couch watching old Clark Gable movies & eating bon-bons..;)
All I recall of anything sci-fi is the old "Lost in Space" series on television..and even that was difficult for me to get into. Only reason I watched it was because it was my bro's fav program, and well, in our house we had to take turns watching the tv.