Science Fiction and Fantasy Thread

Originally Posted by fatmac **** This will be the year of the Linux desktop ****

Hey, this thread asked for science fiction... not fairy tales!!

It's been decades but I still like the old Birth of Galactus series but never ended the series with his death and the consequent rebirth of a new universe.
Actually like the Kirby and Lee series as I think they were popping mushrooms back in the day

Open the pod bay doors, please, HAL.

Classic scene.

This is one of the very few topics I will post in my Favourite author is Issac Ismiov excuse the spelling if not correct in my 20's I read most if not all his books yes I do like other authors H G Wells my first book the day of the triffids which I read at school because of a new english teacher had a way of making any story interesting which we lost after the first term (New School) lets put it this I still have the said book, should really take it back not sure what they would say after lets say a lot of years.

Dennis

Originally Posted by frankbell I can also recommend Frederick Pohl's Beyond the Blue Event Horizon, though I must confess it's the only one of that trilogy I've read; it was forced on my by a friend of mine and I'm glad she did.

I would recommend these as well. read all three 25 or so years ago, pretty good IIRC.

Would also recommend THX 1138
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066434/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

If you want kinda goofy then try DARKSTAR by John Carprnter
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069945/
Like the conversation with bomb 20 at the end

I haven't read much sci-fi recently. In the 1960's & '70's I did. Roger Zelazny, Alfred Bester, Philip K Dick, John Brunner, etc, etc. Went in for speculative future stuff, rather than space/aliens stuff. Quite a few post-nuclear-apocalypse novels in the early '60's.

Good one, brianL, you are correct in my view, Sci Fi was better up until the 1980s. I have forgotten so many authors nnames because of how long ago I sought them out. One was Larry Niven who wrote the superb "Ringworld" series of novels and another author whose name I can't recall had a character named something like Van Rijn in a series that was quite exceptional as well, at least I recall them having unique ideas and humour. I seem to recall Eric Frank Russell had some compelling works but one I wish I could remember was a story of a pilot who crash landed on a key planet that two factions were fighting over but I can't recall if that's the one where the biped aliens could fly due to heavy atmosphere and light gravity or if it was the same story in which the main character escaped from prison by creating a communication device with which he could contact his "Willy".

Originally Posted by enorbet Good one, brianL, you are correct in my view, Sci Fi was better up until the 1980s. I have forgotten so many authors nnames because of how long ago I sought them out. One was Larry Niven who wrote the superb "Ringworld" series of novels and another author whose name I can't recall had a character named something like Van Rijn in a series that was quite exceptional as well...

Poul Anderson.

I watched 'Dark' on Netflix and regretted doing it.

Originally Posted by leclerc78 I watched 'Dark' on Netflix and regretted doing it.

Yes. The various shows on Netflix are hit and miss. I watched the first season of Altered Carbon on Netflix and it was excellent. Season two failed to deliver.

Absolutely the most(!) interesting course that I ever had in high school was: "Science Fiction." (It was, I believe, the very first time that this brand-new course had ever been taught.)

On the first day of class, the teacher – a one Ms. Clark, as I recall – told all of us: "I know nothing about science fiction. So, you are now going to teach me." And so, that is precisely what we(!) did.

With the slightest bit of prompting, almost every student knew of a science-fiction short story, and introduced it to the class. (It was never an "ordeal" to immediately consume it, even though we only had a couple days.) Then, with the teacher's guidance, we talked about it. It turned into a "crash course" of short-stories that ended with the teacher actually handing out a list of the materials we'd never gotten to. (At which point, on day-last, she actually said: "Thank you all for teaching me." And we all understood what she meant.)

Interestingly, the actual topics were never just "scientific." Some of them were quite "gothic." One of the most curious ones was a short-story that touched upon both(!) the legends of Dracula and Frankenstein – unfortunately I do not now recall the title. But it was a rather incredible experience to have had in high school.

Started rereading (first read in late '70's) "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". There's a question to ask your smartphones.

I used to read "The Lord of the Rings" once a year but haven't since the films came out. I was introduced to Tolkein back in 1968.

Asimov's Robot books, Arthur C. Clark, Ray Bradbury.

Really enjoyed Terry Pratchett's Diskworld novels (See my sig!) for the rye way they reflect modern society with loads of humour (and foot notes!). "This Perfect Day" by Ira Levin is a favourite as well.

Play Bonny!