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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2001 11:27 am
by fable
Gwalchmai writes:
It is largely thanks to Asimov and others that Science Fiction has focused on ‘Hard Science.’
Well, yeah, but that's exactly what definitions are for, if you know what I mean. ;) For the longest time, from the 1930's through the 1960's, science fiction was a category defined by its writers, and those writers were all into Hard Science. Even some writers we now think of as putting an emphasis on social elements began in those days, and still had a knack for thinking with an HS edge.

Take Hal Clement. Damn nice guy, great private conversationlist, but boring as hell as a speaker. He *always* led off with the same dull, interminable point about how proud he was that the physics of any planet he created were realistic. He'd describe the instruments and even the equations he used to arrive at his formulae. And he'd do all this when you really wanted to congratulate him on the masterful way he handled the power struggle in group scenes, for instance.

But anyway, I'm getting off the point. (If I can recall it, which is doubtful.)

(Oh, yeah.)

Hard Science defined SF for the longest time, and it still has a considerable impact on the field--but you're right. The times, they are a-changin'.

Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2001 6:30 pm
by C Elegans
Originally posted by fable:
<STRONG>Cyberpunk action flicks are a sub-genre of the fantasy genre. That's why Bladerunner, when it first appeared in book form, was sold in the fantasy area of bookstores.</STRONG>
If "Do android dream of electric sheep" was categorised as fanatasy, what about PK D!ck's other books?

Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2001 7:36 pm
by fable
C Elegans writes:
If "Do android dream of electric sheep" was categorised as fanatasy, what about PK D!ck's other books?
I recall **** always being called a "science fiction writer." But at the same time, Zelazny was called a "fantasy writer." Go figure.

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2001 1:33 am
by Gruntboy
KidD01: Mary Magdalene? :D

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2001 2:08 am
by Garcia
Matrix?! I think that I have seen that movie 12 times it is the only DVD I have. I got it for free since "the company" fixed my computer. If you don't tell anyone then of course the repair was on a Compaq (read Scumback!!!)

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2001 2:10 am
by Xandax
Originally posted by Garcia:
<STRONG>Matrix?! I think that I have seen that movie 12 times it is the only DVD I have. I got it for free since "the company" fixed my computer. If you don't tell anyone then of course the repair was on a Compaq (read Scumback!!!)</STRONG>
Why buy compaq :D ??

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2001 7:39 am
by Anatres
Originally posted by fable:
<STRONG>I recall **** always being called a "science fiction writer." But at the same time, Zelazny was called a "fantasy writer." Go figure.</STRONG>
Zelazny's lable could have been due to the Amber stories. More fantasy than 'hard science'.

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2001 8:06 am
by fable
Anatres writes:
Zelazny's lable could have been due to the Amber stories. More fantasy than 'hard science'.
Even slightly before that, in 1967, with Lord of Light (which was his favorite novel of his own writing).

Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2001 8:25 am
by KidD01
Originally posted by Gruntboy:
<STRONG>KidD01: Mary Magdalene? :D </STRONG>

Image

Posted: Fri Jun 29, 2001 5:00 am
by Garcia
Originally posted by Xandax:
<STRONG>Why buy compaq :D ??</STRONG>
I keep asking myself that same question :D
no I got it from my company otherwise the best computer (IMHO) is a self collected one :)