Bobby’s Comments (group member since Mar 15, 2013)

Bobby’s comments from the Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy group.

Jim wrote: "Some books are well worth going back to. My perspective over the years has changed & the so has the world. Last year I read "To Kill A Mockingbird". I last read it decades ago, maybe as a teen. ..."

Such a great point. It's interesting. I never get tired of re-visiting The Martian Chronicles because Bradbury was less predicting the future and more using Mars as a kind of anything-goes playground for his imagination. Certainly space was his inspiration but not exactly science. He was much more interested in wonder and mystery. Though if you go to that link and scroll down you will read reviews (by younger people generally) who can't deal with it because the "science" -- such as it is -- is immaterial. It like, doesn't make sense to them. Bradbury's Mars is no more related to what we know now about Mars than is Middle-Earth.

I haven't read Neuromancer since it first came out. I wonder if my experience would be the same.

Actually, I like that one too. I think it's a bit more, um, what you classically would pick, you know? Dracula revolutionized a genre and Frankenstein created one, and quite possibly altered the collective consciousness in the most profound way imaginable. Still, both lists definitely have their place.

GOOD LIST! I don't know a lot of them and I don't agree with the placement of a bunch of the ones I do know (but that's to be expected) but most of the ones you need on there are on there. And I love being hip to stuff I don't know.

I'm not new to the horror genre but it's not the only thing I read by far. However, if you are new, (as you seem to be saying you are, correct me if I'm wrong,) Joe Hill is excellent. But so is his dad, frankly, Stephen King. There's a reason why he is who he is in our popular culture. He is, in fact, the Master. Dracula should be waaay higher. I mean, that's obvious. I guess it depends on what you mean by "Top". But if sheer impact on the entire freaking culture has any weight at all, then how is Dracula not, at least, in the top ten? And it is still one of best books to read on a dark and stormy night.

But Clive Barker is no joke. Some of his stories in Books of Blood, Vols. 1-3 are astounding (I'm looking at you, "In the Hills, the Cities"). The Dark Descent is one of my very favorite collections.

But shit, From the Dust Returned? I never even heard of it and I love Ray Bradbury! Laird Barron? Poppy Brite? Ellen Datlow? Who are these people? I don't know but I'm going to find out!

G33z3r wrote: "Grey wrote: "Well I was reading science fiction in mid primary school, so its a bit hard to remember, over 35 years now ago..."

Ray wrote: "i must admit that i do not exactly remember my very firs..."

I still love that brand of science fiction. Nowadays, we're too smart and sophisticated. But in those days, space was a place to let the imagination run wild.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oWNYR0krB7c...

How about Slippery Jim DiGriz? Another favorite...

Is this about worst written character? Or say, character that I hated the most because of the bad things they did to a character I loved?

Speaking of world builders, how about Larry Niven with Ringworld?

Katy wrote: "Loved Star Wars, but one of my favorite SciFi show is Red Dwarf. There is no science, the stories are ridiculous, but I can't help it. I love it."

Red Dwarf was one of mine as well and honestly, I don't think the stories are any more ridiculous than many another science fiction series that take themselves much more seriously. They packed a hell of a lot into those thirty minutes!

I haven't read a bunch but one such series that was quite wonderful, The Chronicles of Prydain: The Book of Three, The Castle of Llyr, The Black Cauldron, Taran Wanderer, and The High King. I highly recommend them.

Jim wrote: "One of my favorites is Mahasamatman, who prefers to be called just Sam, but is also known as Sidhartha & Binder of the Demons in Lord of Light. He's never said he was a god, but he's never said he..."

Sam: I second that emotion.

Man, so far nobody's said it so I'm just going to step in and name the obvious:

Frank Herbert: Dune

Elric of Melnibone Elric of Melniboné
Ylla "Ylla" The Martian Chronicles
The Dad "Rocket Man" R Is For Rocket
Jubal Harshaw Stranger in a Strange Land
Cat Eye of Cat
Friday Friday

Spooky1947 wrote: "It is what the title says...thanks to G33 for the idea

two of my favs...The Elder Scrolls series (RPG games) and the Borderlands series (a shooter series)"

My nephew recommended Borderlands to me.

Halo. No question. It's cliche, but there it is. I also dug Devil May Cry.

He will be missed but I'm not sad. He was eighty-seven. Not that it wasn't the passing of a great artist, but man, he made use of his time while he was here. He did as much and affected as many people, as can be expected of any man. You can't ask for a whole lot more than that. I Am Legend, "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", "Born of Man and Woman"(if you haven't read it, do), The Shrinking Man, A Stir of Echoes, screenplays for five Edgar Allan Poe movies, Star Trek episodes...Well done, Mr. Matheson, well done.

Vardan wrote: "Spooky1947 wrote: "Asimov said Star Trek was good SF.....Harlan fought to keep it on the tube...and i love me some Star Trek and i have my nose stuck in a SF book every day, and i dont mean a ST no..."

I third it.

Vardan wrote: "Naive.super wrote: "In the original box? ;)

I'm a little nervous about showing you to be honest. Worried you'll all say, "Is that it?" I feel like I need to make it extra special now!"

Sense and ..."

Original box? Sorry, I'm a computer illiterate actually. What do you mean? And don't let us idiots tell you how to paint your painting. But I am excited to see it.

Jim wrote: "G33z3r wrote: "Jim wrote: "I don't recall "Men Into Space" at all. You can buy it here..."

Thanks, Jim. Interesting site. They also have Topper, which is probably the first fantasy show I watched..."

THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME! Some don't exactly hold up as much as they seem impervious -- like Star Trek, The Twilight Zone. Others, like The Six Million Dollar Man or The Incredible Hulk, forget about it. It'll only break your heart.

Hmmm...

G33z3r wrote: "Spooky1947 wrote: "a model of the USS Enterprise...nothing says SF like the Enterprise. :)"

Yes, nothing says "book reader" like something from a TV show."

And I think it's different with sci-fi nuts. They read. Think about it. Is there any Trekkie for instance, who you don't think also reads a lot of science fiction?