Arthur C. Clarke Well known for nonfiction science writing and for early promotion of the effort toward space travel, his fiction was often grand and visionary.
E.E. "Doc" Smith The inventor of space opera. His purple space war tales remain well-read generations later.
Of course, I've NO idea who this guy is, but if I too can be well read generations later, I'll be doing just fine!
(I gave this test to my husband, and he was: Jerry Pournelle: This old-fashioned writer may be the most unapologetic capitalist in the field. He has also been influential in many other areas, from space policy to the home computer industry.)
[This message has been edited by SiliGurl (edited January 09, 2003).]
posted
<Twilight Zone theme> I was having a hard time defining my niche in SF and a number of months ago stumbled on the term "space opera" and from what little I could find about it, realized that's what I was writing. Now this crazy test says just like that that I'm E.E. "Doc" Smith the inventor of space opera.
Maybe you and I should look at each other's work, SiliGurl.
I see CofE as Clarke, what with his penchant for research. I'm curious about who Harold is since I loved Rand's Atlas Shrugged, although I don't subscribe to all of her views.
[This message has been edited by Kolona (edited January 09, 2003).]
posted
I can hear old-time SF fans groaning in agony all over the world at these "who is...?" questions.
Surely your local libraries have copies of their books. I'm sorely tempted to give you all the assignment to go out and find something by EE Smith, Cordwainer Smith, and Olaf Stapledon, read them, and report back here.
In case you are wondering what the old-time SF fans are groaning, it sounds something like, "How can you even begin to try to write science fiction without at least knowing who the originals were?"
Think how you'd feel if some aspiring SF writer asked you who Heinlein, Clarke and Asimov were?
posted
Kathleen, I did the assignment last night and ordered Cordwainer Smith's Complete Short Works from Amazon. It might be an educationalin disguise. Never know. I also retook the quiz and changed a few answers. Since no one would see my answers I tried to be a bit more honest with myself. I actually came up with Philip Jose Farmer the second time, a write I know well and love.
Posts: 173 | Registered: Dec 2002
|
posted
With the type of definition it gave, I feel a little foolish for not knowing who this person is- Ursula K. LeGuin. Guess it's research time.
Posts: 58 | Registered: Jan 2003
|
posted
Straws- you've got to be kidding...say you are kidding...Le Guin has won just about every award in SF/F literature. In just this month's issue of Locus I saw her name mentioned twice for winning awards. Grab one of her books at the bookstore and treat yourself.
[This message has been edited by Marianne (edited January 11, 2003).]
posted
Hal Clement (Harry C. Stubbs) A quiet and underrated master of "hard science" fiction who, among other things, foresaw integrated circuits back in the 1940s.
I'm not getting it . . . .
off to the library for me.
(And gasp - who is Le Guin? Eeeck. Sigh.)
Did anyone come out as Michael Moorcock?
[This message has been edited by HopeSprings (edited January 12, 2003).]
posted
Yeah, I'm what you might call a closeted fiction reader. It's all I read, and yet I haven't read but so much. It's part of my philosphy to only read a certain ammount, so I don't contaminate my own writing skills.
Posts: 58 | Registered: Jan 2003
|
posted
Haha, I must have come late for that one. In any case, my stock isn't loaded for next month, so anyone have any specific books to reccomend?
Posts: 58 | Registered: Jan 2003
|
posted
I'm pleased. I came out as: Robert A. Heinlein Beginning with technological action stories and progressing to epics with religious overtones, this take-no-prisoners writer racked up some huge sales numbers.
I'm also happy to report I do know who all those other authors are!
If you want a fun Doc Smith book (if you can find it) read _The Galaxy Primes_ It's a great bit of over the top space opera he wrote. I just happened to run across a copy a few months back in a used book store. It was originally written in 1965 but the copy I have is from the early 70s.
Dave
[This message has been edited by Ergoface (edited January 18, 2003).]
posted
I was: Cordwainer Smith This inimitably unique storyteller created a future with so many deep layers of history that all the world we know is practically lost in it.
Alas, off to the library for me...I'm only familiar with Cordwainer Bird, one of Harlan Ellison's aliases...HE undoubtedly knew who Smith was...
posted
I also was C. Smith. Since I was unfamiliar with his works I ordered the complete collection of his short works from Amazon. It is called The Rediscovery of Man. It just arrived a couple of days ago and I haven't had time to look at it. I had just started Connie Willis' To Say Nothing of the Dog.
Posts: 173 | Registered: Dec 2002
|
posted
Marianne, after you read TO SAY NOTHING OF THE DOG, you might want to get a copy of THREE MEN IN A BOAT by Jerome K. Jerome. As I understand it, that book was part of the idea base Willis used for her book.
Posts: 8826 | Registered: A Long Time Ago!
|
posted
Who the heck is Olaf Stapleton?
Posts: 83 | Registered: Sep 2002
|
Falken224
unregistered
posted
Dude! I'm Heinlein! Maybe there IS something to that test, since I really like his style, love nearly everything he's written and wish I could come up with the kind of stuff he did. Starship Troopers kicked booty! (The book, the movie sucked)
posted
Hi, Nate, Although I'm checking it out myself, I'm curious to know why you thought the book Starship Troopers was better than the movie. An editor who critiqued my first 20 pages thought my first chapter was "Very Starship Trooper!" and was kind of excited about it in our interview. I gave him the benefit of the doubt since I figured he was giving me a compliment, but I, too, thought the movie was a dud, and at the time didn't realize there was a book.
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jun 2002
|
posted
Hey, I checked out the test. I am a psychologist, I work with tests. Like any other, this one has some ideas and some bullshit, but really, it's not that bad, I think. Anyway, I turned out to be Gregory Benford, have to admit never heard of him, and will try to read. Maybe one good outcome of this little joke.
Posts: 5 | Registered: Jan 2003
|
posted
You're asking why Heinlein's Starship Troopers was better than the movie? Arrgh!
Okay, for starters, this was pre-"dirty old man" Heinlein, so there is no idoicy about having male and female grunts sharing bunks while on duty. In fact, there is no sex at all (there is a date, though).
And second, even Heinlein at his dirtiest was still a great writer. And Starship Troopers was probably his greatest book.
Read anything by Heinlein. If it is better than that movie (and it will be), and Heinlein's Starship Troopers is better than anything else he wrote, then the book is logically going to be superior.
quote:You're asking why Heinlein's Starship Troopers was better than the movie? Arrgh!
As someone who hasn't read the book, yes -- or any of Heinlein, for that matter. All I know is I detested the movie and was worried about being compared to it.
posted
I took this test a couple of months ago. It told me I'm Gregory Benford. So I went back and changed two answers . . . and I was still Gregory Benford.
So I went back and changed two more answers. Gregory Benford again.
This really freaked me out for a while. Then I decided to give in and make peace with it: I must really be Gregory Benford.
posted
LOL, Doc. If anyone here had told me Greg Benford was here under an alias, I'd probably have guessed it was you.
STARSHIP TROOPERS, the book, is a very thoughtful exploration of what war would be like with alien lifeforms, and as such, it has much more depth than the movie could ever begin to have.
Not everyone who has read the book agrees with the politics Heinlein presents in it, but he argues for them well (and they are not the politics presented in the movie).
It's definitely a book worth reading, even if you think you wouldn't like a war story. It's not what you might expect--it's much better.
[This message has been edited by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (edited February 03, 2003).]
I do find it strange, that even with saying that I am the opposite sex, I get Gregory Benford, and not a female writer.
Granted, I just went through and changed answers one by one, and everytime I keep coming up with Gregory Benford. -- strange. Is the computer reading my inner thoughts or what here?
quote:Not everyone who has read the book agrees with the politics Heinlein presents in it, but he argues for them well (and they are not the politics presented in the movie).
I almost didn't read Starship Troopers, even after read several of Heinlein's other novels, because I thought the movie was so God awful.
As far as the politics, I'm not even sure Heinlein believes them, because if you read Stranger in a Strange Land (an excellent, excellent book) he kinda gives the exact opposite viewpoint.
posted
Interesting.... I got... William Gibson The chief inspirer of the "cyberpunk" wave of the 1980s, his razzle-dazzle futuristic intrigues were, for a while, the most imitated work in science fiction.
SiliGurl, I discovered Doc Smith about 16 years ago, and for a while had all of the books in his major series. Then my pop gave some to a used book store, and I haven't been able to find them since. Rumor has it his lensemen were the seed for George Lucas's jedi knights and the force.
By the way, I swear I haven't forgotten about you. I just owe you lots and lots and lots of letters. Sorry, hon. Hope life is good, I'll be in touch soon.
posted
OOH OOH Starship Troopers is a SF book worth reading. Don't be fooled by the movie. You will barely see a relation between Heinlein and hollywood. Starship Troopers and Heinlein's philosophies are very well made and conjectured. I wouldn't know but is Heinlein's other books worth reading? I read Starship troopers for the futuristic military and such and loved it.
Posts: 59 | Registered: Jan 2003
|
Printer-friendly view of this topic
