What's the name of that book?

[Jim]

I know there is a group dedicated to this wonderful pursuit, but I thought that we might be able to answer some questions here, too.

[Jim]

Norm017 asked about this in another group. It seemed somewhat familiar, but I can't come up with it. Anyone else?

Many years ago I read a two book (?) series I'd like to track down again.

The setting was a former mining planet with a marginal climate (Atmosphere was breathable without special equipment). When the resource (Which was either a narcotic, or the precursor to a narcotic.) ran out. The company bean counters worked out that it was only economic to ship out the upper management, so the company hires a team to create a society for the remaining personell, imposes this and leaves.

The first novel was about a revolt that overthrows the company imposed society.

The second novel saw one of the characters from the previous novel going to the planets (disused) spaceport, there he discovers a group of men led by a woman (Who I think is in charge.) trying to get the port operational. Later he learns that all but one of the men are in fact robot duplicates of (still living) originals created by aliens that want to take over the planet.

The main character and the real human journey to the alien spacecraft where he discovers that he is also a robot duplicate and under the control of the spacecrafts computer. He is freed when the real human jumps in front of the computer just as the main character fires a laser gun, the shot kills the human, but also destroys the computer and kills the aliens who were totally dependent on the computer.

In the aftermath the robots decide to use the alien spacecraft to find somewhere else to exist. On thing that stuck with me from the second book is that after the destruction of the control computer the one female robot expresses distress that while the male robots were all based on 'real' people, and have those personalities to fall back on, she was created from the fantasies of others and so has nothing to fall back on.

Any information as to author/titles would be greatfully appreciated.

The original topic is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Buck]

Sounds like a terrific story, but I haven't a clue.

[Alex]

Hey, everyone, I've got another conundrum for you. I used to read lots of sci fi short stories as a kid, and these were usually in old paperbacks that I picked up for pennies at charity shops (or thrift stores, if you're in the USA). Most of the books were already falling apart and I don't think I have any still extant.

I remember one short story which was about a housewife who lived with her husband on the moon. Her husband went off to work in the morning, leaving her alone. She was very lonely and bored. Outside her window was a hologram garden, with a row of poplar trees to separate it from the lunar landscape beyond. She's so sick of seeing those trees that one day she decides to go out to the main hologram junction box and switch them off. So she does. Then she sees another switch in the junction box, labelled 'garden', and she switches that off too. Then she sees a third switch, labelled 'house', and that goes off. Suddenly she's just standing, alone, on the empty lunar surface. And she sees the final switch, labelled 'housewife'.... and switches it off.

This was a very short story, but has absolutely stuck in my mind ever since I read it as a kid. I'd love to know if anyone else has heard of it!

[Jim]

That really seems familiar, but I can't think of it, Alex. It's a bit like "the Veldt" by Bradbury, although doesn't sound quite as dark.

[Alex]

Hi Jim, thanks for that tip... I'll check it out. I did use to read a lot of Bradbury. cheers!

[Rita-Teodora]

Hi, I join this group in the hope that somebody will help me find a book. I do not remember the title.

I read about 20 years ago a book and I try to find it again.

If I remember correctly it's science-fiction.

I read it between 1990 and 2010.

It's about a man(?) that finds out about reincarnation / parallel lives that he has, about evolution of the soul.
When in one of the lives the person advances spiritually is "transported" on a beach, on which the person lies down and continues to see the life.
With time, more and more parallel persons (reincarnations) when they arrive at some level of spiritual advancement comes and lays down on the beach.
Finally even our personaje comes and lays on the beach.

Please, if someone knows about it, please let me know.

[Jim]

The beach scene & many lives brought to mind Bridge of Ashes, but the story is told through a telepathic kid who taps into the mind of the first man. It's probably not the one you're looking for, but one of Zelazny's lesser known gems; short & well worth reading.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Rita-Teodora wrote: "Hi, I join this group in the hope that somebody will help me find a book. I do not remember the title.

I read about 20 years ago a book and I try to find it again.

If I remember correctly it's sc..."

It's not The Beach by Alex Garland, is it?