Hatrack River Writers Workshop: List of scifi that has accurate science

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Posted by billawaboy (Member # 8182) on :

I found this link by an astro prof who listed scifi that has accurate science - and in categories of science! Thought it was a nice way to have an excuse to read up more scifi but get some ideas what what scientists consider real science in scifi. Hope it helps out the scifi writers among us.

http://www.astrosociety.org/education/resources/scifi.html

quote:
This is a selective list of some short stories and novels that use more or less accurate science and can be used for teaching or reinforcing astronomy or physics concepts. I include both traditional "science-fiction" and (occasionally) more serious fiction that derives meaning or plot from astronomy or physics ideas.

Enjoy!

Posted by Dropbear (Member # 8819) on :

Great post, thanks. Time to visit the library, I think.

Posted by jayazman (Member # 2818) on :

Thanks Billawaboy, I've been looking for some good science fiction. It's kind of funny how I got into this genre through science fiction, but have been reading mostly fantasy lately. I've been wanting to get back into science fiction.

Posted by billawaboy (Member # 8182) on :

yeah, me too. It's funny though...

I was listening to Neal Stephenson's seminar "Sci-Fi as a literary genre" (easily found by google) where he preferred the broad term of speculative fiction - basically *anything* that's essentially sepeculative/out-of-the-ordinary. 300 the movie was spec fic to him.

There was a funny anecdote where a friend of his (bruce sterling?) defined a thriller as an "SF novel that includes the President of the United States" - I lmoa'd on that one.

But i've been struggling to define more specific categories just for myself - I tend read everything between scifi and fantasy...and I like to categorize things.

Lately I've been reading H.P lovecraft short stories - of whom i've never read before.
First, it's amazing how much science is mixed directly with the paranormal - for ex, Beyond the Wall of Sleep.
Second, it's interesting to note that Lovecraft's style is, I think, what some would classify as "telling, not showing." But he does it well.
Very instructive...

On that link above I plan on reading Benford's novel "Matter's End" next.

Posted by Bent Tree (Member # 7777) on :

Funny you mention that I was just thinking of that very subject.

The thing with Lovecraft, you can put him into a category with say Philip K Dick. although lovecraft deals in the paranormal and Dick deals with off the wall, strange SF, they both have an incredible grasp of the human mind and could be considered real SF by the way the approach phsycology