Sci Fi Books

[Geek44]

Okay, so I'm having a discussion with gi-rene on one thread about Heinlein and another about Andromeda on another thread with Whiterook...anyone else care to join us here?
Em,
Love Greg Bear myself. Some say he has a high opinion of himself and his work but I think his stuff is so good that he should in some respects. Particularly 'The Forge Of God' and 'Anvil Of Stars' which is my favourite book of all time. It's one of those books one puts down feeling 'it's like he wrote it with my personal taste in mind'.

[gi-rene]

I like Contemporaries but nothing can beat the desperate and gritty feel of Warhammer 40,000's setting and the books.

[Whiterook]

"Great Zeus, he murmured, as he peered sheepishly into Pandora's Box!" I'll talk well into the future on this subject (Oh come out from under the bed, you sorry lot!), but perhaps a little fine-tuning here: we talking about books, TV, or cinema?

Books:


Issac Asimov, for me, is the clear cut leader. He was my first "serious" venture into sci-fi. My first Asimov reading was "The Stars, Like Dust". The cover intrigued me (as good a reason to pick up a book as any), and it held me in a grip until I flipped the last page. It offered me a recurring theme that pulled me into the genre...a Walter Mitty-esque feeling that I was living the character on the page. It was like being pulled out of my world into a grand adventure, that I could dream I participated in. I know it sounds corney, but it is an example of what was much later buzz-word coined "escapeist fare". For a kid in the 60's and 70's, and all the big "space stuff" of those days, this offered me a chance to get away from the mundane and sail off to exotic worlds. Pretty cool stuff. It also wound my mind into hyperdrive as to what possibilities could be awaiting us, as a species, in my future and long after, good and bad. In many ways, sci-fi was more relevant to future history than anything I learned in school. It amazes me that sci-fi is so quick to be trashed by the sophisticates and snobs. Their loss, really. Asimov's Robot Series are brilliant.

In high school, they actually offered a science fiction class, and the teacher was one of the coolest I had. She had us read short stories in particular, and I kick myself today for not paying more attention to the names, as there were some really amazing stuff. I don't know if schools anywhere offer a class like that today, but I would be sadden to learn they don't. IMO, the majority of kids today are in desparate need of an imagination, with their lifeline to their cell phones, computers, and gaming consoles snipped clean for lion's share proportions of their time. (OK, put down the stones...you're scareing me!).

Other notables would include Arthur C. Clark, and Robert Heinlein. Been meaning to read Greg Bear.

[Whiterook]

Cinema:


First major inpact...Pierre Boulle's "Planet of the Apes". Oh my God, when the Statue of Liberty cropped into view at the end, the goose bumps didn't go away for about an hour! I mean, what a concept! Chucko Heston did an amzing job in that role, and I can still watch the movie, and find myself propelled into that heady world (and OMG was Kim Hunter a babe!!!!!!).

Heston was in another movie that had a huge impact on me..."The Omega Man", which is anothe amazing concept; last man standing against mutants by night, foraging by day. Cool!

"Logan's Run" was a standout for me, though many say it a tad hokey. Sometimes I think they had it right...Carousel while before age starts to kick your ass, hee heeee!

"Star Wars"...need I say anything here? I saw that movie in the theater with my best friend and my brother, and we all walking out of the cinema with our mouth's gapeing open. I went out and bought the soundtrack and played that sucker into the ground! It stands rightfully as a classic and possible the best sci-fi series of movies of all time.

"Andromeda Strain" was pivoltal to me in showing we can be brought down by smaller things tha we can see. I still think about all the weird crap that may be going on in laboratories in the name of scientific advancement, and it scares the crap out of me. Trust the eggheads? .....a fool's errand!

"The Stand"...genius! Stephen King (who could also be in the books section) has done some amazing stuff that is psedo sci-fi, pseudo horror. My favorite work of his, that was brought fairly decently to the screen, was "The Langoliers" is brilliant!

"Alien"...scared the crap out of me, and still does! Brilliant!

"Joh Carpenter's, The Thing"...see above!

[Whiterook]

TV:

OK, this is where the disagreements, if any, will most likely pile up!

"Babylon 5".....The leader, in my estimation, of ground breaking televison. People forget that it was THE pioneer in two major elements now commonplace on sci-fi (and other) television programs: CGI and multiple year story arc (though the British had us beat in the latter years before us). Yeah, some of it is hokey, but the main story is brilliant. It's too bad the suits screwed with the flow of the fourth season and fifth, as it bacamne rushed and a tad disjointed...but it still concluded nicely.

"Battlestar Galactica", the re-imagined version (though the 70's version, campy as it was, holds a fond place in my heart). Considered by the critics and fans as the best sci-fi on TV...and I agree. I rebelled against the reimgining of the classic, but once I got by the differences, I quickly realized this was soooooo much better than the original. Biy regardless of old or new...the central story is brilliant and amazing. And (you know it's coming...) Tricia Helfer IS A BABE!!!!!!!

"Stargate SG1".....the most fun I've had in a sci-fi series in a long time. Anderson is absolutely brilliant in his comic relief, and the story line is fantastic. I want to be Daniel Jackson! OK, I said it...it's out of the closet...how cool is that character? The last two seasons saw major cast changes, but it still worked for me...especially Vala Mal Doran; Claudia Black IS A BABE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The cast really does make this show.

"X-Files"....one of the best shows EVER! Despite the fact that Gillian Anderson is A BABE (hmmmm, a recurring theme surfacing, perhaps???), Chris Carter is a master of short stories within a story. Has me laughing one minute, and peeing my pants the next (sorry for that graphic image mates!). Can't wait for the next movie!

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" .....brought the franchise into a serious realm. The stories were amazing, and the cast stellar (and Councilor Troy was A BABE!!!!!!). I think the TV franchise peaked with this one, and the decision to end the series for the advertised goal of "hey, we'll now be able to make cool big screen movies" was a pipe dream...and down right stupid (I said it!). A pity, as this series had a lot oflegs left under it (as Battlestar Galactica and Sargate SG1 both did, as well).

"Andromeda".....a bit flawed, but a fantastic concept! One of Gene Roddenbarry's back-burner projects that took way too long to surface. The central plot has amazing potential.

[PatBC]

Originally Posted by Geek44

Okay, so I'm having a discussion with gi-rene on one thread about Heinlein and another about Andromeda on another thread with Whiterook...anyone else care to join us here?
Em,
Love Greg Bear myself. Some say he has a high opinion of himself and his work but I think his stuff is so good that he should in some respects. Particularly 'The Forge Of God' and 'Anvil Of Stars' which is my favourite book of all time. It's one of those books one puts down feeling 'it's like he wrote it with my personal taste in mind'.

Where is those threads?

[Whiterook]

We're not telling! Actually, I can't remember, but when I do, I'll point the way!

[Whiterook]

Originally Posted by PatBC

Where is those threads?

The one I was in is:

Interesting New Stuff from Hasegawa.

[kentek]

I started off with R. A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Andre Norton. Seems like most the grand masters are gone now. Harry Harrison is one of the few left and he's still one of the best around.

There are some notable newbies. My current faves are S. M. Sterling, David Weber, Eric Flint and Elizabeth Moon. Been on a military sci-fi jag lately.

As for TV, the series I enjoyed the most were Stargate SG1, Deep Space 9, Earth: Final Conflict and The Highlander. Guilty pleasures: Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Right now I'm looking forward to new seasons of The 4400 and Eureka!

[PatBC]

Originally Posted by kentek

I started off with R. A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Andre Norton. Seems like most the grand masters are gone now. Harry Harrison is one of the few left and he's still one of the best around.

There are some notable newbies. My current faves are S. M. Sterling, David Weber, Eric Flint and Elizabeth Moon. Been on a military sci-fi jag lately.

As for TV, the series I enjoyed the most were Stargate SG1, Deep Space 9, Earth: Final Conflict and The Highlander. Guilty pleasures: Angel and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Right now I'm looking forward to new seasons of The 4400 and Eureka!

I do not much much TV but I agree about your authors