tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post6018317578449269393..comments2023-08-11T04:33:49.146-04:00Comments on Books, beer and barbarians: Why fantasy and not science fiction?Tyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09192814826756623212noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-24734898812439599422014-01-01T14:54:00.241-05:002014-01-01T14:54:00.241-05:00I think part of the "problem" is as sci-...I think part of the "problem" is as sci-fi became more popular it got more watered down in order to become even more popular. I think that's how we've ended up with such weak tea passing itself off as sci-fi these days. The Wasphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08636805818054637966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-33269449106631989082013-12-31T07:05:49.814-05:002013-12-31T07:05:49.814-05:00I hadn't thought about "the deluge that i...I hadn't thought about "the deluge that is modern geek culture," but I think it's an interesting point. I might not even have thought of it in such terms. More likely, I would have thought of it as "fanboy culture," which I have to admit I find quite repulsive in a lot of ways.Tyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09192814826756623212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-60346662951408968062013-12-30T18:24:53.730-05:002013-12-30T18:24:53.730-05:00Very interesting to read this. I think it was abou...Very interesting to read this. I think it was about seven or eight years ago that I noticed I rarely read sci-fi anymore and for exactly the same reasons you listed. I wonder if growing up before the deluge that is modern geek culture has any play in that. <br /><br />Fantasy on the other hand still can bring me to the fantastic realms new sci-fi rarely can. I had problems with Ringworld during my recent rereading but its scope still awed me AND the science was integral to the story. If I need a sci-fi fix I'm more than happy to pull out a Jack Vance or Clifford Simak book.The Wasphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08636805818054637966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-34964000762880310042013-12-29T16:08:59.470-05:002013-12-29T16:08:59.470-05:00Ty, I think you're absolutely correct. The se...Ty, I think you're absolutely correct. The sense of wonder is missing. I've said as much publicly at several science fiction conventions when panel discussions have opened up for audience comments.<br /><br />I grew up living, breathing, and bleeding science fiction. I've read Asimov, Heinlein, Niven, and more masters of the genre than I'll take time to name. <br /><br />I read very little science fiction now, and there are days when I miss it. Jack McDevitt is about the only science fiction author I'll still buy in hardcover. <br /><br />Much of the problem, at least as I see it, is that too many authors have forgotten about sense of wonder and having fun. Instead they feel they have Something Important to say, and that gets in the way of the story.<br /><br />You're correct that much modern fantasy suffers from the same problems, but you're also right that not all of it has.Adventuresfantastichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16907562789681407416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-89210802132233154222013-12-29T12:52:56.169-05:002013-12-29T12:52:56.169-05:00Charles, I've wondered the same thing, but, sp...Charles, I've wondered the same thing, but, speaking for myself, I know I can still gain that sense of wonder by reading older sci-fi, but not the modern stuff.<br /><br />It might also be that the modern world is so skeptical and critical that it bleeds over into our fiction, even when not intended. While not necessarily contrary, I don't feel such attitudes would allow for much of a sense of wonder.Tyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09192814826756623212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32528082.post-64890465498034319612013-12-29T11:40:20.940-05:002013-12-29T11:40:20.940-05:00Other than Star Trek, and older books, I haven'...Other than Star Trek, and older books, I haven't read a lot of SF in the past few years either. I think a lot of it is the "Sense of wonder" thing, and I wonder if some of my problem is that I'm just getting older and more experienced, and thus finding it less easy to experience that sense of wonder.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.com