attention sci-fi and fantasy fans!

[Nuzzolese]

Do you read sci-fi and/or fantasy books? I do not, typically. I've read The Hobbit and the first two and a half LOTR books. I've read Jurassic Park, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, We, and Brave New World. Although I think those last three are more like social commentary in the Sci-fi idiom. But, whatever, they were sci-fi too. But then that gets right to my questions.

Why do you read sci-fi and fantasy? What do you expect from the books?

Do you think Sci-fi is just an especially fun way to write about social issues or do you think real life social issues are essential to the sci-fi? (Because sometimes real life issues are represented in hyperbole in sci-fi, but other times the world of the sci-fi is just so out there that it doesn't really relate to real life problems at all. )

What, to you, distinquishes a fantasy story from a sci-fi story?

Have you ever read a good book that you think was a combination of the two genres?

What were some bad sci-fi or fantasy books you read, and why did you think they were so weak?



The reason I'm asking all these questions is because I've had this story idea nagging at me for a while, and I haven't had a chance to do much more than sketch out the plot and the characters but it's starting to take shape as something sort of sci-fi or fantasy. But the thing is that I'm not a fan of either of those genres, really. I just like to write sort of. I've never even given a good effort toward writing a real story before. I'm afraid this is too ambitious for me. But it's fun to play with, anyway.

[Audio.]

I can never get into sci-fi reading because I feel like in order or before I read I need to know exactly what am I visualizing here or else I am gonna be totally lost. I prefer mystery books though.

[MC Moot]

Have you ever read a good book that you think was a combination of the two genres?

William Gibson is pretty much the only current author of the genre that I read actively...like all of it..."Idoru" comes to mind...

http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/books/idoru.asp

[Laserface]

the science fiction that doesn't deal with social issues are usually like western movies set in space, like Star Wars (which not to say it's bad - but the appeal of Star Wars is more in the mythological-like archetypes of characters than in any actual innovations or skewed-look-at-society type of thing).

i'd say my favorite sci-fi book is Orwell's 1984. it's not the social commentary per se that i enjoy, it's how he creates and narrates such a shitty yet plausible future and brings it all to life.

so here are my indespensable tips for your writing - have an idea, be a captiviting storyteller, and make really likable characters! that's like literally all you gotta do.

[Laserface]

bad science fiction is bad because it's, like any bad work of art, boring.

you can make some good lowest-common-denominator science fiction too - Flash Gordon is mostly about shooting lasers at space monsters, but it's fun. but yeah, i'd rather read/watch something that's at least thought-provoking, if not profound.

i highly recommend reading some stuff by harlan ellison. he was the master of the science fiction/fantasy short story.

[skra75]

Lately, I'm really bored of sci-fi writing. Unless it's like 10-20 years in the future sci-fi. I used to love Ray Bradbury as a kid, but I can't imagine re-reading those books now.

So many sci-fi authors are so flippin' full of themselves it's hard to read them. But then I like Grisham and Clancy books, and they are completely full of themselves.

[Pres Zount]

I like a pretty wide variety of science fiction, not too much fantasy. I like hypothetical future society, artificial intelligence, time travel, and SPACE WAR to name a few ideas that pop up.

My favourite authors are Iain M. Banks, Thomas Disch and Joe Haldeman.

My favourite book is 1984, too. Many different reasons for that.

I don't remember any bad sci-fi books I have read, either I block them out or I am just really good at telling the bad ones (HINT: they usually have shiny/holographic covers where the name of the author is bigger than the title; which also happens to be something like 'WORLD WAR 9').


I would like there to be some science fiction where the malevolant AI just builds tiny drone robots that fly around at super speed and slice the heads off of any warm blooded creature using it's reasonably sharp edges. The humans would counter by wearing heavier neck armour, so the AI would counter that by going for the knees.

[Nuzzolese]

I can never get into sci-fi reading because I feel like in order or before I read I need to know exactly what am I visualizing here or else I am gonna be totally lost. I prefer mystery books though.

But you would enjoy them if they were descriptive enough?

[Nuzzolese]

the science fiction that doesn't deal with social issues are usually like western movies set in space, like Star Wars (which not to say it's bad - but the appeal of Star Wars is more in the mythological-like archetypes of characters than in any actual innovations or skewed-look-at-society type of thing).

i'd say my favorite sci-fi book is Orwell's 1984. it's not the social commentary per se that i enjoy, it's how he creates and narrates such a shitty yet plausible future and brings it all to life.

so here are my indespensable tips for your writing - have an idea, be a captiviting storyteller, and make really likable characters! that's like literally all you gotta do.

I forgot to mention that I read 1984 as well. Anyway, those tips you offered are good for any kind of writing. And I suppose that sci-fi is really only a matter of setting when you get down to the barest definition of it. Star Wars could have been about any young man entering a war at any time and place. They just added "the force." Other than that, you had typical story elements and characters.

[Nuzzolese]

I'm wondering if I should actually avoid reading other science fiction because it might negatively influence me.

My story isn't about electronics or robots. It's not even about the future. It's about the past and the present. I have invented a kind of people, like humans but different. So it's sort of like a mythology/fantasy type of idea, but I wanted to explain why their bodies are different, so that gets into the science part. And there are good ones and evil ones, naturally. Though I am getting so bogged down in trying to pin down the scientific explanation, the backstory of their existence, etc...that I am not getting any time to actually write out any scenes. Maybe I should just start writing and see where it goes.


The biggest problem with writing a fictional story like this is that I am constantly confronted with my influences, whether I was previously aware of them or not. I'll be thinking up some ideas, feeling good about it, only to step back at them and recognize where I unintentionally stole them from. "Well, that's like Star Wars, and that's like The Lord of the Rings, and aren't these people basically just mutants like the X-men??...etc" It is so frustrating trying to be original. I don't want to just conjur up images in my (hypothetical, never going to exist) reader's head of OTHER stories.

[MC Moot]

I'm wondering if I should actually avoid reading other science fiction because it might negatively influence me.

My story isn't about electronics or robots. It's not even about the future. It's about the past and the present. I have invented a kind of people, like humans but different. So it's sort of like a mythology/fantasy type of idea, but I wanted to explain why their bodies are different, so that gets into the science part. And there are good ones and evil ones, naturally. Though I am getting so bogged down in trying to pin down the scientific explanation, the backstory of their existence, etc...that I am not getting any time to actually write out any scenes. Maybe I should just start writing and see where it goes..

Well as they say the story will write itself,influence is just the pen...

http://www.thebooksofabarat.com/content4/xbarat99.html

(lb)

[MC Moot]

(HINT: they usually have shiny/holographic covers where the name of the author is bigger than the title; which also happens to be something like 'WORLD WAR 9')

or if it's written by a former Stark Trek cast member or contains "Tek" in the title...:D(y)

[Nuzzolese]

Has anyone ever read any science fiction that dealt with the human body? Mutations, drugs, surgeries, etc?

[MC Moot]

Has anyone ever read any science fiction that dealt with the human body? Mutations, drugs, surgeries, etc?

The Island of Dr Moreau… (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_of_Doctor_Moreau)

[Pres Zount]

Has anyone ever read any science fiction that dealt with the human body? Mutations, drugs, surgeries, etc?

The Culture series by Iain Banks deals with humanoids able to regrow lost limbs, secrete natural drugs from internal glands for any sort of desired effect, change gender like one would change clothes... and many more!

[Nuzzolese]

gadzooks!

[Helvete]

I read The Forever War series by Joe Haldeman in Iraq. I've never read Sci-Fi before but found this book somewhere so read it. It was quite good, some parts were a bit heavy with the space travel and shit, but all round pretty enjoyable.

[Nuzzolese]

Writing are hard!

[Echewta]

I read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy books back in the day. Amazon reviewers could probably give you better info about the books below than I could.

I really enjoyed Vernor Vinge and his books "A Fire Upon The Deep" and "A Deepness in the Sky." The later was awesome and if you want go check out some serious sci-fi writing and ideas, give it a whirl. The first deals with some cool nanotech.

Gibson's books are hit and miss with me. His earlier work is much more interesting and challenging to hang on for the ride.

"Enders Game" was a great read.

Most Hugo Award books are a good place to start.

Adventurewise, Weis and Hickman's Dragonlance series are pretty good.

I read these books mostly because my friends were at the time. My dad also reads sci-fi so he would pass along the best ones.

Fantasy = Elfs, swords, orcs etc.
Sci-fi = Space & the future.

[Bob]

The Culture series by Iain Banks deals with humanoids able to regrow lost limbs, secrete natural drugs from internal glands for any sort of desired effect, change gender like one would change clothes... and many more!

pssh, i can do that

[Nuzzolese]

Thank you, chewie!

[MC Moot]

Gibson's books are hit and miss with me. His earlier work is much more interesting and challenging to hang on for the ride.

have you seen this?:

http://www.nomaps.com/

(y)

"Enders Game" was a great read..

And totally prophetic...especially when I think of aerial drones droppin bombs in the mid-east while some 19 year old pilots them remotely from somewhere Stateside...:eek:



Adventurewise, Weis and Hickman's Dragonlance series are pretty good..

I remember fighting my brother over those books...like in who got to read them first...and at the same time we were also reading Terry Brooks: "The Elfstones/Sword/Druid of Shanara" series...:D

[Echewta]

Snap, how could I forget Terry Brooks?

Gateway by Frederik Pohl was a great sci-fi book too.

I find good sci-fi books are those that are written well from the "Im alone" perspective.

[Nuzzolese]

I find good sci-fi books are those that are written well from the "Im alone" perspective.

What's that?



I just remember that I have read The Sirens of Titan, and I enjoyed it in the midst of it, but it didn't stick with me like We, or 1984. I don't think many people have read We. It is very much like 1984, but it's so good. I recommend it.

[Echewta]

I mean like "I'm alone in a capsule in space for months" and a writer being strong enough to lure you in to their characters thoughts versus laser blasts, action, etc.

[Knuckles]

I would recommend figuring out all of the really important details before starting to write.

This is what I did months before I started writing the book I'm currently working on. Whenever I had time (driving to work, lunch time, before I went to sleep etc.) I would go over the story in my head until one day it all seemed...well... perfect.

[Nuzzolese]

I've got a growing list of problems and issues with my story, and it's getting hard to solve all these. I'm starting to think my original idea is just too wrong!! The hardest part of this is how much I want to hold onto my original ideas, no matter how cumbersome they become.

It's like I'm trying to cram in too much; science, mutation, magic, mythology, morality, philosophy, love, and action - which I'm sure I can't write well.

I should probably keep it simple, and decide what kind of audience I want, and the tone I want my writing to be in, and whether or not it will be fantasy and magic or science fiction....this will never amount to anything. I am such a loser.

I've got this stack of books I've been flipping through for ideas and inspiration. I'm all over the place with this. It was more fun when I was just spending hours trying to pick names for my characters.

[MC Moot]

^behind every great writer is an even better editor...

[Yun]

i prefer fantasy over sci-fi. sci-fi can be a bit to technical for me. like reading an operating manual for a vcr. also i kind of prefer swashbuckling adventures.

some book i've enjoyed are the Vlad Taltos novels by Steven Brust. about a Human assassin in a world of elves. he throws knives, and does witchcraft. witchcraft is human magic and then there is Elf magic, or sorcery! he also carries a rapier. the first 6 or so are written out of order, but after that they kind of follow a chronolgy of a sort. and there is a lot of reference to food, and cooking in these books. i got a significant number of my friends to enjoy these novels, some of whom aren't big into reading.

Steven Brust also wrote

The Phoenix Guards, which is basically the Three Musketeers. and it takes place in the same universe as the Vlad novels, only thousands of years earlier.


The Incarnation novels by Piers Anthony are fantastic! especially the first one, about Death. mortals are chosen to fulfill the roles of various incarnations, Death, Time, War, etc,. But as an Incarnation you are immortal, sort of. you can be killed, or step down from your position, if i recall correctly.

Roger Zelazny wrote some amazing fantasy as well as sci-fi. but if it's more swashbuckling you're after in an amazing fantasy universe, i'd suggest the Amber novels. they do go in order, and are impossible to find stand alone, so you'd have to shell out the big bucks for The Great Book of Amber which contains the whole series. this is probably my favorite series of all time. but i don't read much. especially lately.

Zelazny wrote some great short stories as well.


i'm not entirely sure what i look for in any book. certain writing styles, use of words and jokes really catch my attention, but i'd be hard pressed to explain what all i am looking for. this is perhaps why i haven't read many books...