Author Topic: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Read 364338 times)

Lorac625 · « **Reply #1720 on:** January 07, 2013, 02:13:22 PM »

Science Fiction / Fantasy

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Welcome to the whole universe! This is where we gather to share our experiences in science fiction and fantasy. We like everything, from Gregory Benford to Stephanie Meyer—hard science to magic and fantasy.

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Discussion Leader: PatH

Never read any McDevitt; have to give it a try. Got my husband Niven and Lerner's 'Fleet of Worlds' for Christmas. When he finished it (finally!)I jumped on it ,and was delighted to learn it's a series of 5 and they are all on Kindle. Somedays I feel very much like a Pupeteer-don't even want to go out to walk the dog among all those crazy humans.

Babi · « **Reply #1721 on:** January 08, 2013, 08:38:09 AM »

Happily, my library does have "Seeker", FRYBABE. I am hopeful that they will acquire "The Devil's Eye".

Steph · « **Reply #1722 on:** January 08, 2013, 09:06:15 AM »

Babi · « **Reply #1723 on:** January 09, 2013, 08:11:00 AM »

I am into my first Greg Bear book, "Queen of Angels". It's been a bit of a struggle. Mr.
Bear uses a number of invented words and phrases, and doesn't bother to explain any of
them. I guess he figures we'll figure it out,..or not. So far I've managed to decipher some
of them, and I'm fairly sure the others are his made-up words for the slang and vulgarities
of the times.
We seem to be reaching the end of the introduction...the background, introduction to the
characters, etc., and the book actually seems quite promising. Let you know how it goes.
Can any of you Greg Bear fans tell me is this is typical of his books?

Frybabe · « **Reply #1724 on:** January 09, 2013, 08:12:30 AM »

That is one of his new ones, isn't it Babi? I haven't read it.

Babi · « **Reply #1725 on:** January 09, 2013, 08:59:06 AM »

I'm not sure, FRYBABE. I usually try to start with the first book of a series, but this
may be a new series. I seem to dimly remember (so long ago, like two weeks

) choosing
it for that reason.

Steph · « **Reply #1726 on:** January 12, 2013, 06:51:25 AM »

He has several series, this sounds like a new one.

Babi · « **Reply #1727 on:** January 12, 2013, 09:15:19 AM »

It appears I am not going to be a Greg Bear fan. I found myself neglecting the book,
having no real urge to pick it up and read. I want to spend my reading time with books I
can't wait to get back to.

Steph · « **Reply #1728 on:** January 15, 2013, 06:11:44 AM »

Oh Babi, exactly. if it does not catch me, it is gone.. Time is fleeting.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1729 on:** January 19, 2013, 08:59:59 PM »

Babi, Devil's Eye was my least favorite, if there is one, of the six books which is by no means saying that is isn't good. It is. Seeker won the 2006 Nebula Award for Best Novel.

I am in the middle of Firebird which is the last of the series, so far. This one begins with investigations in multi-universes and inter-dimensional travel and is just now beginning to focus on AI's and whether they should be considered sentient beings of sorts. As usual, very good. I hope McDevitt is in the process of writing more. Until he does, I will be reading some of his stand alones. I am not sure if I want to read the Priscilla Hutchins series or not.

PatH, regarding Jack Campbell, I have been trying to find used copies of books 3, 4, and 6 of The Lost Fleet series. While I can get them through ABE, I was hoping to get a little better price at my local used book emporium. Unfortunately, she hasn't had any of that series in lately. I did discover, however, that the Dauphin County Library system has them so, when I am ready, I will be able to put in an interlibrary loan request. I take it you have read the second set, The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier series?? Have your read The Lost Stars:Tarnished Knight? I believe this is the first of a new series focusing on the Syndic side of the war.

PatH · « **Reply #1730 on:** January 19, 2013, 10:22:24 PM »

Frybabe, if you get really stuck on the Lost Fleet, I'll lend you my copies, but since I'll want them back, an interlibrary loan is probably less trouble for you. But it's a serious offer. I hate to see anyone not able to fight her way back across the galaxy. My shortsighted library system doesn't have any of Campbell's books.

The first book of Beyond the Frontier, Dreadnaught, ends up with a cliffhanger, such an impossible situation that "even Black Jack couldn't get out of it". He does, of course. I just read the second book, Invincible; it doesn't end so suspensefully, but there are many unresolved issues. I started Tarnished Knight, but couldn't get into it. It deals with a power struggle in a Syndic world we meet in book 6. Maybe now I've met some of the characters again it will be more interesting.

Steph · « **Reply #1731 on:** January 20, 2013, 06:30:37 AM »

I wish I liked space opera types, but I don't. I much prefer separate worlds.. hence Anne McCaffrey,,etc.

Babi · « **Reply #1732 on:** January 20, 2013, 09:06:02 AM »

You raise an interesting point, FRYBABE, about AI's. My own take on that is that
so long as an AI can be instructed to self-destruct in certain situations, and it
accepts that without hesitation, it's not sentient. It has no 'self'-awareness.
I will be looking for some more Jack McDevitt. Beginning, of course, with completing
the series I started earlier.

marcie · « **Reply #1733 on:** January 20, 2013, 11:23:00 AM »

That's an interesting thought, Babi, about sentience and AIs. It seems like certain terrorists are willing to "self-destruct" in certain situations. Even the Kamikazes from WWII or any soldier willing to fall on a grenade, etc. would seem to fall under that category. Just wondering aloud. Your comment is making me think.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1734 on:** January 20, 2013, 02:58:22 PM »

Finished Firebird. Loved the ending.

Steph · « **Reply #1735 on:** January 21, 2013, 06:31:37 AM »

Babi · « **Reply #1736 on:** January 21, 2013, 09:46:18 AM »

Good point, MARCIE. I would assume, tho', that these suicide terrorists
do get a lot of indoctrination and highly emotional religious or patriotic
peer pressure before being able to self-destruct. It is a question in my
mind how much 'free' will goes into that action.
And of course, the Japanese have a long historic tradition of 'honorable' suicide, so they would be much more open to such sacrifice. It is we westerners who find the whole idea
shocking.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1737 on:** January 21, 2013, 04:31:02 PM »

Cruising around the Kindle book store, I found that John Scalzi has a thirteen episode serial novel going. Each episode tells a complete story like a TV show. It is DRM free at the publisher's request. I was going to download what is done so far to read, but then I noticed that a full print book with additional material will become available in April. I am going to hold off until then. The promo says it is in the Old Man's War universe.

PatH · « **Reply #1738 on:** January 21, 2013, 06:59:35 PM »

Frybabe, thanks for telling me what that sudden flood of "books" was about. I'll wait for the paper copy too.

Marcie, Babi, and Frybabe: about the question of AIs and what is human, have any of you read Genesis by Bernard Beckett? Someone here recommended it a couple of years ago. It has an interesting take on AI and what it means to be human, played out in a post-apocalyptic future.

marcie · « **Reply #1739 on:** January 21, 2013, 08:20:01 PM »

I haven't read Genesis, PatH. My library system has it and I've requested it. Thank you.

I enjoyed the Star Trek Next Generation episodes that featured Data and his positronic brain and questions about his sentience. I also enjoyed the Asimov stories that dealt with robots and that theme.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1740 on:** January 21, 2013, 08:39:56 PM »

Never heard of it. Will have to look into it. I remember reading, I think it was an Asimov, about an AI who was a servant/secretary to a wealthy man. He was sent back for upgrades periodically and became like a second son to the old man. When he died the AI inherited his estate, but not before powers that be had to rule that he was eligible to inherit. I could have sworn it was called I Robot, but I guess not. It is nothing like the movie. Maybe it was a short story. Speaking of I Robot, that is another one that explores AI's as sentient beings. Blade Runner is another one, but I could never get through it. BTW, Blade Runner celebrated its 30th Anniversary last year.

Babi · « **Reply #1741 on:** January 22, 2013, 08:52:03 AM »

I don't know if I've read any of Scalzi's books. A couple of title sound
familiar but I may have read of them here. "Fuzzy Nation" was one, and "Agent
to the Stars". I think I may have picked up 'Agent to the Stars', but lost
interest. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who tries the new series.

Don't know Bernard Beckett, PAT. I remember a movie about starring Robin Williams
that sounds very similar to the book FRYBABE mentions. Asimov wrote "I, Robot", but
I don't know it that was the same story as the film. In the film as I recall, the AI robot
was legally declared human by the courts shortly before his death.

Steph · « **Reply #1742 on:** January 23, 2013, 06:31:30 AM »

Asimov did quite a few books on robots. They interested him.

JoanK · « **Reply #1743 on:** January 25, 2013, 01:41:12 PM »

This is PatH in disguise. I'm visiting JoanK while she recovers from minor surgery, and using her computer. I hadn't heard of Bernard Beckett either. He's a New Zealander. I wish I could remember who recommended the book.

I, Robot is a series of loosely connected short stories which sort of make an overall tale. I read it eons ago, and don't remember much, but Frybabe's story seems familiar. The movie is apparantly nothing like the book. Looking it up, I noticed that in addition to Will Smith it has Alan Tudyk, who played Wash in the Firefly/Serenity series.

Asimov wrote some detective stories involving collaboration between a robot and a human, which also explore this theme. In the first one, Caves of Steel, we watch the human, Elijah Baley, overcoming his horror or working with the robot, R. Daneel Olivaw, and the two becoming friends. I've read the nextwo, The Naked Sun and Robots of Dawn, but not a followup, Robots and Empire, which takes place long after Baley's death. They're good detective stories with the sci-fi important, but not dominant.

Frybabe · « **Reply #1744 on:** January 25, 2013, 03:27:13 PM »

I didn't realize that Tudyk was in the I, Robot movie. Will have to look him up to see what he is doing now days, along with the others apart from Nathan Fallon.

I read, long ago, some of Asimov's short stories and the original Foundation trilogy. I don't know if the one I read about the robot was a short story or a full length book, and for all I can remember, it might not even have been his. Much of my short story reading in the SciFi genre early on was Ray Bradbury. The detective series sounds interesting.

I hope PatH is healing nicely. My regards.

JoanK · « **Reply #1745 on:** January 25, 2013, 04:16:40 PM »

No, it's JoanK who had the surgery. I'm PatH, using her computer, and it thinks i'm her.

Yes, Joan is recovering nicely.

Babi · « **Reply #1746 on:** January 26, 2013, 09:47:03 AM »

I agree, PAT; the movie was different from the book, tho' I would not say
'nothing' like. It's been a long time ago, but I remember the robot as played
by Will Smith seemed quite different from the one in the book. Perhaps it was
just the Will Smith personality, too vivid for a machine.

Steph · « **Reply #1747 on:** January 27, 2013, 06:38:14 AM »

I read every single one of Asimovs robot stuff. short stories and novels.. His take on robots was interesting..But then I loved most of Asimov..

JoanK · « **Reply #1748 on:** January 27, 2013, 10:58:13 AM »

This is still PatH.

An I, Robot movie that didn't get made: Harlan Ellison, with Asimov's collaboration, wrote a screenplay that more or less followed the book plus going on. It's pretty good, but it was never made into a movie, probably because the settings were so grandiose and elaborate it would have been too difficult and expensive to produce. Come to think of it, with modern techniques it might be pretty straightforward.

Steph · « **Reply #1749 on:** January 28, 2013, 06:08:29 AM »

A lot of my favorite science fiction does not move well to the movie screen.. Just think of McCaffrey.. not translatable, but wonderful books..

JoanK · « **Reply #1750 on:** January 28, 2013, 11:24:43 AM »

Still PatH in disguise:

Good point, Steph, they'd never get the dragons right. They would also never get the detail and complexity of the interpersonal relations.

Steph · « **Reply #1751 on:** January 29, 2013, 06:37:32 AM »

Star Trek and Star WArs are good on the big screen, but they are the exceptions.. I like my science fiction in book form.

Babi · « **Reply #1752 on:** January 29, 2013, 09:23:05 AM »

True science is exciting, too. Have you seen the report that a group of Czech and Scots
researchers have developed an honest-to-goodness tractor beam, a la Star Trek? They
say it will be some time before it's ready for any practical use, but it still has me as gleeful
as a child.

Steph · « **Reply #1753 on:** January 30, 2013, 06:29:14 AM »

No, did not see that. Sounds neat though. I am waiting to be beamed up however.That is the greatest.. That and/or communicating with my very own dragon.

Babi · « **Reply #1754 on:** January 30, 2013, 09:18:32 AM »

Of the two, STEPH, I would definitely love being able to communicate with the dragon.
The PERN type, of course.

Steph · « **Reply #1755 on:** January 31, 2013, 06:23:24 AM »

Anne McCaffrey had such a gift of making us part of a wonderful complicated world.. Her son seems to like war fare to much for me.

Babi · « **Reply #1756 on:** January 31, 2013, 09:26:03 AM »

Well, I suppose we couldn't expect him to write exactly like his mother did, but I agree
that the Anne MCaffery books were far richer, thrilling....I am at a loss for adequate words.

Steph · « **Reply #1757 on:** February 01, 2013, 06:18:28 AM »

I always remember Lessa.. But then again I loved all of the Ships who sang and communicated. I always remember that she wrote the Ship who Sang after her Dad died as a tribute. Always makes me cry a bit.

Steph · « **Reply #1758 on:** February 12, 2013, 06:37:10 AM »

Got the newest Alpha and Omega series by Patricia Briggs...Werewolves, fae and a serial killer in Boston.. Wow..

Babi · « **Reply #1759 on:** February 12, 2013, 08:47:12 AM »

I like the Patricia Briggs books, STEPH. What's the title on the new one?

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Author Topic: Science Fiction / Fantasy (Read 364338 times)