why do you guys keep banning me? (Zot! Because we can) (Juwish modz totally rewl!)

Yeah, Heinlein's time chart is a great model. You can always update the technology.
I haven't read Niven yet but have heard he's good.

Heinlein and Asimov were the gods striding amongst mortals. Niven is prety good, as is Pournell, Ellison, Clarke (self-styled spokesman for SF) and others.

39,241 posted on 11/08/2004 5:18:48 PM PST by m87339 (If you could see what a drag it is to see you.)

I found the premise of "Foundation" pretty interesting.

39,242 posted on 11/08/2004 5:27:11 PM PST by Fedora

I'm glad he was nice.

Hope you still have the comic!

39,243 posted on 11/08/2004 5:29:26 PM PST by tiamat ("Just a Bronze-Age Gal, Trapped in a Techno-World!")

Unfortunately, the comic gradually disintegrated because at that age I didn't know about how to store comics and I just stuffed them all in a drawer. Sigh. . .

39,244 posted on 11/08/2004 5:32:07 PM PST by Fedora

Niven developed the concept that human organs, which are now used to save lives at the expense of someone's tragic demise -- would be even more useful in the future.

To such an extent that they would be used to extend lives for those wealthy enough, or ruthless enough, to "acquire" the spare parts needed.

Criminals were the first to be drafted into providing a benefit to society as atonement for their transgression. The demand grew, and more and more crimes became effectively, capital crimes. Soon people were reluctant to commit even minor infractions, like jaywalking.

The public became very law-abiding. They also became pacifists, which he apparently thought is a related concept.

This was not fortuitous when they ventured out into space and encountered hostile aliens. They had reasoned that anyone advanced enough to go into space travel would be peaceful.

They did not expect, and were not prepared, for eight-foot tall warlike aliens. Carnivorous aliens...

39,245 posted on 11/08/2004 5:34:04 PM PST by NicknamedBob (My first book is out! -- You may need gloves... AuthorHouse.Com/BookStore, look for Hawthorne.)

I spent my entire youth reading and re-reading the Foundaton Trilogy. I was very dissapointed with the prequels -- just Hari Seldon running around saying "I must find PsychoHistory."

Of course, if we had psychohistory, they wouldn't have screwed the pooch so badly on Exit Polls vs. Reality last Tuesday (hehehehehehehehe). Maybe Zogby needs a course in it!

39,246 posted on 11/08/2004 5:37:25 PM PST by m87339 (If you could see what a drag it is to see you.)

Awww.

Too bad!

Well, it was still a thrill for a kid!

39,247 posted on 11/08/2004 5:39:34 PM PST by tiamat ("Just a Bronze-Age Gal, Trapped in a Techno-World!")

To: NicknamedBob

Sounds like a cool story premise. What book/s did he develop that in?

39,248 posted on 11/08/2004 5:43:04 PM PST by Fedora

What future history sf authors do you like? My favorite is Heinlein.

Larry Niven was a whole lot of fun in the '70s. Not bad with Pournelle either, though the last I recall enjoying from them was "Footfall." Ringworld was okay, "?? Park" I didn't get into, and "The Integral Trees" kind of left me cold. (Though if that was the book with the line about orbital mechanics, "See you later, accelerator...", at least the line was good.)

OTOH, my reading tastes were changing about that time and I quit reading SF completely for some years. Old Russian writers, De Tocqueville, political stuff. Then it was back to SF but just anthologies, Gene Wolfe (who managed to sneak out the second book in a new series before I saw the first!) and George R.R. Martin.

Wolfe has skated the edge between fantasy and SF since he started the Torturer series. I'm not sure if he's slipped over into fantasy in the new series; I need to find book one first.

And George R.R. Martin, 70s SF writer, has gone whole hog into... what..? An exceedingly elaborate sendup of fantasy starting with "The Game of Thrones"? I'm not big into fantasy, but to me this is so entertaining I buy the hardback as soon as it appears. And dang it, the next book, "A Feast for Crows" is years overdue...

OTOH, I just went to his website: "but no words can express how miserable, angry, and depressed I am feeling this morning over the results of yesterday's election... Winter is coming to Westeros, but it has already come to America."

Stay home (or move to Canada) and do what you do best, George: write! Acting like the protagonist in your story "This House of Ashes" will neither line your bank account nor win you any fans.

39,249 posted on 11/08/2004 5:43:53 PM PST by sionnsar (NYT/Cbs: "It's fake but true!" | Iran Azadi | Traditional Anglicans: trad-anglican.faithweb.com)

"Nightfall" is another one of his I like.

39,250 posted on 11/08/2004 5:45:11 PM PST by Fedora

Yeah, it was still fun--I still have the pics of me and my brother and the Batmobile! :)

39,251 posted on 11/08/2004 5:46:20 PM PST by Fedora

My friend got me Wolfe's "Book of the New Sun" series as a gift. I haven't had a chance to read it yet--he said it was really good.

I've been through phases where I read more or less SF. I grew up reading the classics--Verne, Wells, Burroughs. Lately I've been getting into Golden Age stuff.

As for SF writers' political views, I generally try to ignore those :) Orson Scott Card writes a good column, though.

39,252 posted on 11/08/2004 5:49:49 PM PST by Fedora

To: NicknamedBob

For interpersonal qualities, I quite enjoy Spider Robinson.

What do you think of Kim Stanley Robinson? I recently bought and am reading "Red Mars."

39,253 posted on 11/08/2004 5:53:52 PM PST by sionnsar (NYT/Cbs: "It's fake but true!" | Iran Azadi | Traditional Anglicans: trad-anglican.faithweb.com)

My old roommate started writing a series based on "Red Mars". I haven't read it myself but it seemed like it had pretty interesting SF ideas.

39,254 posted on 11/08/2004 5:57:08 PM PST by Fedora

WE'll keep a spot open for you in the jacuzzi!

Tomorrow night, I'll need it!

36 hours after that, I'm on my way to Key West (whatever *that*'s like, they say it's nice, I dunno) for three... actual... consecutive... days... in... which... I... have... nothing... I... have... to... do... but... eat... drink... entertain the wife... sleep... sleep... and sleep...

Nirvana.

And then the meeting begins.

39,255 posted on 11/08/2004 6:00:09 PM PST by sionnsar (NYT/Cbs: "It's fake but true!" | Iran Azadi | Traditional Anglicans: trad-anglican.faithweb.com)

WE'll keep a spot open for you in the jacuzzi!

BTW, did I mention I suffer from "Boiled Frog Syndrome"?

39,256 posted on 11/08/2004 6:01:36 PM PST by sionnsar (NYT/Cbs: "It's fake but true!" | Iran Azadi | Traditional Anglicans: trad-anglican.faithweb.com)

39,257 posted on 11/08/2004 6:05:33 PM PST by tiamat ("Just a Bronze-Age Gal, Trapped in a Techno-World!")

As for SF writers' political views, I generally try to ignore those :)

Wise. I was annoyed to see this on his site, though. It won't strengthen the attachment of some of his fans, but it certainly will diminish the attachment of others.

You'd think they'd have learned from the Dixie Chicks, but it seem rather clear... rationality is NOT the province of the Left. They "feel" -- we "think."

39,258 posted on 11/08/2004 6:05:52 PM PST by sionnsar (NYT/Cbs: "It's fake but true!" | Iran Azadi | Traditional Anglicans: trad-anglican.faithweb.com)

My old roommate started writing a series based on "Red Mars".

Really! Published?

39,259 posted on 11/08/2004 6:07:01 PM PST by sionnsar (NYT/Cbs: "It's fake but true!" | Iran Azadi | Traditional Anglicans: trad-anglican.faithweb.com)

To: sionnsar; Fedora

I'm losing it, guys.

Think I am going to cash it in.

Good night!

39,260 posted on 11/08/2004 6:08:06 PM PST by tiamat ("Just a Bronze-Age Gal, Trapped in a Techno-World!")

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