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#4455778 - 01/02/19 02:43 PM Happy Science Fiction Day!  
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Happy Science Fiction Day!

https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/science-fiction-day/


What is the current state of your science fiction consumption? I am currently about 2/3 of the way through reading 'Pandora's Star' by Peter Hamilton. The premise is very intriguing, but imho Hamilton really pads the work with a lot of filler and unnecessary background for his characters. The book is ~700 pages and then the second book that concludes the story is Judas Unchained and looks to be about another 700 pages. i plan to finish this space epic but we will see.... lol


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#4455780 - 01/02/19 02:47 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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700 pages is longer than even Dune! My paperback Dune has about 500 pages.

Right now I'm not currently reading any scifi but I plan on re-reading the original six Dune novels soon.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4455782 - 01/02/19 03:02 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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Looking for a good Sci-Fi book ....

My Lovely Spousal Unit knows that I love me some Sci-Fi!
To me, Sci-Fi is like pizza. Good hot or cold, any time. even if low quality. biggrin


~Bill

In my defense, I was left unsupervised...
#4455784 - 01/02/19 03:10 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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When it comes to sci-fi PC games I have to say that "Prey" is absolutely one of the best I've ever played.

Mass Effect: Andromeda was much better than I thought it would be but it still wasn't on the same level as the original three when it comes to story and characters.





Last edited by PanzerMeyer; 01/02/19 03:12 PM.

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4455785 - 01/02/19 03:24 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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Prey was amazing, Panzer. The original was cool, too.


And Bill, very true--even the cheesy b-quality sci-fi can be lots of fun. Space 1999 reruns were on television all weekend. smile



I need to finish Hyperion at the moment, and watched through most of the newer BSG series over the fall, but what sci-fi I really need to be reading is my own. I need to finish editing my last novel so I can try and get it published... #%&*$# procrastination and my need to make a living for my family during my day job.

#4455788 - 01/02/19 04:21 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Bill_Grant]  
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Originally Posted by Bill_Grant
Looking for a good Sci-Fi book ...


As far as I'm concerned you can't beat Joe Haldeman's 'Forever War'. Superb stuff.


cheers
Gareth

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TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you.

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#4455800 - 01/02/19 06:48 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Bill_Grant]  
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Originally Posted by Bill_Grant
Looking for a good Sci-Fi book ....

My Lovely Spousal Unit knows that I love me some Sci-Fi!
To me, Sci-Fi is like pizza. Good hot or cold, any time. even if low quality. biggrin


Peter Hamilton is great but you can't beat the future as imagined by Iain M Banks. Plenty of reading here Bill, if you haven't read them already. Start on the left:

[Linked Image]

Last edited by RedToo; 01/02/19 06:50 PM. Reason: grammar.

My 'Waiting for Clod' thread: http://tinyurl.com/bqxc9ee

Always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.
Elie Wiesel. Romanian born Jewish writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, Holocaust survivor. 1928 - 2016.

Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. C.S. Lewis, 1898 - 1963.
#4455806 - 01/02/19 07:18 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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I constantly read Scifi, got a couple of unread books on my kindle waiting in the queue.

#4455811 - 01/02/19 07:37 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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I'll give the Banks series a try, even though the Amazon reviews are less than stellar. I still miss the Sci-Fi of my youth. Heinlein, Haldeman, Asimov, Clarke, and even Spider Robinson (gotta love Calahan's)

Last edited by cichlidfan; 01/02/19 07:37 PM.

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#4455816 - 01/02/19 07:46 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: cichlidfan]  
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Originally Posted by cichlidfan
Heinlein, Haldeman, Asimov, Clarke, and even Spider Robinson (gotta love Calahan's)



That "golden age" of scifi authors is definitely long gone.


How many current day scifi authors have anywhere near the clout or influence that Asimov, Herbert, Heinlein, Dick, Clarke or Bradbury had?


I can't think of even one.

Last edited by PanzerMeyer; 01/02/19 07:48 PM.

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4455837 - 01/02/19 09:39 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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I knew John Carpenter's "The Thing" was related to the early 1951 movie with James Arness but I only recently learned that that was based off of an earlier story by a John W. Campbell called "Who Goes There". I hope to pick that story up some day and read it as I really enjoy those movies and that setting. I also learned a few years ago that "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is based off of an earlier novella as well.

In sort of a parallel situation, I'm actually reading a very interesting book called "What Dwells Beyond" third edition by Jeffrey W. Mardis. Its a very fascinating read but it in part has to do with examining science fiction's influence on society and even earlier, older philosophies themselves like atomism and pluralism's direct influence on what was to become science fiction and then how these things have influenced "science" today.

I enjoy fiction but the selection of scifi is overwhelming to me and I know for me personally it would have to be just the right thing to interest me. If there's anyone out there that can recommend something that is sort of on the order of 1950s era spacemen novels that are good, sort of an "if we had gone to the moon and mars with 1950s tech during the cold war era" subject. I also enjoyed the movie Apollo 18 and so any story that plays with the idea of, there's something already there, structures on the moon. etc that kind of stuff I'm entertained by.

As far as games there's so many but here's a few: I'm enjoying Prey, I enjoyed Mass Effect 1(trying to get into two but with difficulty), I'm still playing Dead Space which is excellent, I've always loved the Half-Life games, I absolutely loved Alien Isolation, I play the newer Alien Vs. Predator from time to time and also Colonial Marines modded which is not too bad at all, I'm almost finished with Deus Ex: Human Revolution after many years and have the new one next to play, I'm almost done with SOMA but I'm stuck and I have enjoyed it as well, playing and enjoying Metro Last Light after finishing 2033, Wolfenstein by Raven Software which is great, trying to finish the newer Wolfenstein and too many more to mention. Remedy's new game looks really interesting to me and I still would like to play their Quantum Break game. Finished Alan Wake for a second time which I love but I guess that's not scifi.

I'm looking forward to the game "Routine" which so far looks really intriguing.

As far as movies I still have Alien Covenant to watch from last Christmas which I haven't opened yet. I also some years back bought the blu ray collection of the Alien movies which I'd like to watch through. I'll probably watch Prometheus prior to Covenant to get reminded. I found an audio book form of Alien on Youtube that I may listen too sometime.


John 10:1-30
Romans 10:1-13

#4455843 - 01/02/19 10:20 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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cichlidfan, I wouldn't go by Amazon reviews, it's my understanding that Bank's sci-fi series is very well thought of.

A new author I've enjoyed reading is Becky Chambers with the Wayfarers series:

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

A Closed and Common Orbit

Record of a Spaceborn Few

I thought the first - 'Angry Planet' was good, the second - 'Closed and Common Orbit' was very good and the third is on my reading list.


My 'Waiting for Clod' thread: http://tinyurl.com/bqxc9ee

Always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.
Elie Wiesel. Romanian born Jewish writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate, Holocaust survivor. 1928 - 2016.

Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts. C.S. Lewis, 1898 - 1963.
#4455847 - 01/02/19 11:00 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by cichlidfan
Heinlein, Haldeman, Asimov, Clarke, and even Spider Robinson (gotta love Calahan's)



That "golden age" of scifi authors is definitely long gone.


How many current day scifi authors have anywhere near the clout or influence that Asimov, Herbert, Heinlein, Dick, Clarke or Bradbury had?


I can't think of even one.


None. I remember the days of getting the latest issue of Analog magazine and reading it from cover to cover in the next few days. It was a glorious time for Sci-Fi.


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#4455849 - 01/02/19 11:03 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Coot]  
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Originally Posted by Coot


As far as movies I still have Alien Covenant to watch from last Christmas which I haven't opened yet..



Keep your expectations low when you watch it and you'll be ok. smile


At least the movie has Richard Wagner music in it!


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4455854 - 01/02/19 11:32 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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Some of my kindle collection:
Just finished Joshua Dalzelle's "Marine" a new series he has started featuring the son of one of the Omega Force series, the son thinks his father is a traitor and has a passionate hatred for the guy. The book is about a recon team and the sticky situations they get into after a spy is found in their team who is compromising their mission.

http://SimHQ.com/forum/tmp/13119.jpg

Next up to read is Lost Fleet Genesis "Vanguard" a kind of prequel to the Lost Fleet books by Jack Campbell, it is about an ancestor of the main character in the lost Fleet books, just read the first page so I know nothing , the second book was released last may and the third in the trilogy is expected in May 2019

http://SimHQ.com/forum/tmp/13120.jpg

I also got another set of "Lost Fleet" books by Raymond L. Weil, got lost somewhere along reading them as the tale splits into a few different but related factions each with their own series of books I know that there is at least one more book to read but I do not know which it is and which story line it continues.

http://SimHQ.com/forum/tmp/13121.jpg

Uncompromising Honor was the last of the Honor Harrington books I read a month or so ago, for a character that was due to be killed off 13 books ago she has held on well smile


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#4455857 - 01/02/19 11:43 PM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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I will keep trying the new Sci-Fi authors but it really doesn't grab me the way those guys did in my teens and twenties.


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#4455874 - 01/03/19 01:05 AM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by cichlidfan
Heinlein, Haldeman, Asimov, Clarke, and even Spider Robinson (gotta love Calahan's)



That "golden age" of scifi authors is definitely long gone.


How many current day scifi authors have anywhere near the clout or influence that Asimov, Herbert, Heinlein, Dick, Clarke or Bradbury had?


I can't think of even one.


Pournelle ?
Orson Scott Card ?

I dunno... the market dynamics are different now (magazines largely defunct now with other transport mechanisms filling the void), so it's pretty hard to make fair comparisons.

#4455876 - 01/03/19 01:27 AM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: goon]  
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Originally Posted by goon
Originally Posted by Bill_Grant
Looking for a good Sci-Fi book ...


As far as I'm concerned you can't beat Joe Haldeman's 'Forever War'. Superb stuff.


Absolutely. By 2nd favorite book of all time after Slaughterhouse Five

Also check out Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer, Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan, or anything by Philip K Dick

i could come up with about 300 more if anybody needs suggestions


Robots are stealing my luggage.
#4455885 - 01/03/19 05:04 AM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by Coot


As far as movies I still have Alien Covenant to watch from last Christmas which I haven't opened yet..



Keep your expectations low when you watch it and you'll be ok. smile


At least the movie has Richard Wagner music in it!


Is it not a decent movie? I remember folks not liking Prometheus but as someone who likes Alien I thought it was a decent movie. I remember my sister saying she did not care for Covenant but I'm looking forward to watching it all the same.

Last edited by Coot; 01/03/19 05:05 AM.

John 10:1-30
Romans 10:1-13

#4455898 - 01/03/19 09:00 AM Re: Happy Science Fiction Day! [Re: Patrocles]  
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My main beef with Covenant is that the scientists don't behave like scientists, and the plot requires too many bad decisions being made by too many people in order to continue.
More about it in this old thread.

In short, there should be a law against old time producers and directors to ruin their own franchises.

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