The Sword and Laser discussion
Scifi / Fantasy News
>
What is one device from a SciFi novel you wish were real?
date
newest »
newest »
How coincidental - when I read the title I immediately thought of Niven, too, but my chosen device was the transporter-door-thing from Ringworld that Louis Wu uses to travel to different countries along the date line, so that his birthday lasts longer than a day.
The localizers from A Deepness in the Sky -- turn your entire environment into a giant mesh network.
aldenoneil wrote: "Tamahome wrote: "The Head Key from the graphic novel Locke & Key: Head Games, Volume 2."wuts it do"
You can open your head and put a book in.
Just because I would probably lose a limb I won't say light saber but I would like the worm hole tech in Pandora's Star which means the way people live forever would exist also so I would have plenty of time to travel...
I have considered space ships, light sabres, teleporters, replicators, and time traveling devices, but i always come back to HK-47. While not from a novel... i wants, and have wanted for a long time.
I'd take him with me on the bus to work. "Threatening: Get out of our way, Meatbags, this is the Master's seat!"
"Translation: 98% probability that members of the miniature organic's tribe are being held by Sand People, master. Doubtless he wishes assistance. ... Translation: 2% probability that the miniature organic is simply looking for trouble and needs to be blasted. That may be wishful thinking on my part, master."
aldenoneil wrote: "I take mine back. I want this:Kids playing Star Wars strategy game on gigantic touch screen."
Wow. Thats cool.
Colin wrote: "I have considered space ships, light sabres, teleporters, replicators, and time traveling devices, but i always come back to HK-47. While not from a novel... i wants, and have wanted for a long t..."
This.
A General Systems Vehicle (GSV) from any of Iain M Banks culture novels. Then we would have world peace.. or else.. Muahahahahah :)
Andrew wrote: "A General Systems Vehicle (GSV) from any of Iain M Banks culture novels. Then we would have world peace.. or else.. Muahahahahah :)"Good one. The GSV "Don't make me pull this planet over."
Andrew wrote: "A General Systems Vehicle (GSV) from any of Iain M Banks culture novels. Then we would have world peace.. or else.. Muahahahahah :)"Totally cool...there would be those little smart ass units too that follow you around and try to run your life...
Al wrote: "Callahan's Crosstime Saloon"I love Punday!
Lightsaber. There are probably many other gadgets that would be more practical but my whole life I have lamented the fact that we live in a galaxy without lightsabers. Michio Kaku says they are class I impossibilites, making it possible for me to hope to see one in my lifetime. *I know, not technically from a novel, orignally.
while it would be totally cool to own the millenium falcon (and you'd have to throw chewie into the deal to fix all of the breakdowns), i'd have to go w/ Obie from Jack Chalker's "Well of Souls"series.I's also like to add a vote for Callahan's Xtime saloon, but only if we could include Lady Callahan's business establishment as well.
Mnchur wrote: "A young ladies illustrated primer. From The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer"Yeah I like that one too.
I'll have to go with the augmented reality sun glasses from Daemon.
When I was a kid I read a YA novel called "The Eyes of Kid Midas" (which, I just checked, is still in print) in which a young kid takes a field trip to some canyons and finds a pair of sunglasses lying at the top of the highest peak. He soon finds that anything he says while wearing the glasses instantly becomes true; he could say "there's a million dollars in my bank account", and it would be so. Of course he overuses the glasses and practically destroys the universe and all that jazz, but I do think they'd be nice to have hidden away in a vault for a rainy day...(I just realized this is a Neal Shusterman book, who is a well-known [I guess?] YA author).
However, if I could stray away from novels, I would definitely choose the ability to plug in and download information and skills directly into my brain, à la The Matrix.
I have to agree with others here, a GSV or at the very least a deeply sarcastic drone from one of the Culture novels.Failing that, some kind of Daemon style D-space internet HUD that Daniel Suarez came up with. Preferably contact lenses rather than glasses :)
Al wrote: "Callahan's Crosstime Saloon"Absolutely! And Mickey Finn!
Anything that makes me healthy and immortal. Obie from Chalker's Well World series is a good one from Paul, but also the Transporter from Star Trek. Fast travel anywhere, plus perfect health. I mean, it stores your DNA pattern, so if you break your face snowboarding down Everest you can just be beamed through to your last recorded pattern. Just update your brain pattern while keeping the body stuff the same. Hungover? Transporter. Got a cold? Hit the transporter pad. Attacked by a honey badger? Beam up!
An astromech droid (R2-D2 from Star Wars), loyal and handy to have about. He'd have to have a USB port and wireless connectivity though. I could transfer all my video files to him and have him display them using the cool retro-hologram thingy. Yeah, not originally from a novel.
Replicator. No more grocery shopping, no more poorly cooked food (maybe that is just in my kitchen) and no more clean up.
... and no more clean up."You never see them throw anything away in ST. I wonder if the replicator worked in reverse too?
Tranquility from Peter F Hamilton's Reality Dysfunction - a sentient, organically grown self-sustaining O'Neill habitat.
('course, it goes without saying that if I get to have habitats, the voidhawks come along too... and all the gene therapy that results in fantastically long lifespans, and neural nanonics...)
('course, it goes without saying that if I get to have habitats, the voidhawks come along too... and all the gene therapy that results in fantastically long lifespans, and neural nanonics...)
The Ringworld Autodoc was the second item to come to mind. The first was the Tantalus Field from the TOS episode 'Mirror Mirror' since I have some miserable coworkers.Maybe the Agonizer would be a better choice?
Fess, the Faithful Cybernetic Companion in the form of a robotic horse, from The Warlock in Spite of Himself. Ok, it's a bit of a fantasy crossover book, but Fess is sci-fi all the way. What could be cooler than a robot horse!
'How's the Nightlife on Cissalda' by Harlan Ellison has a nice device. Wait, it's an alien.
Jonathan wrote: "I'll have to go with the augmented reality sun glasses from Daemon."Ah, but without a darknet, it's useless :p.
If we're not sticking to books, then I'd pick the cloning/immortality system in the EVE universe.
EVE: The Empyrean Age is based on EVE (and a great book in its own right), so I think it technically counts.
The Sword and Laser
Books mentioned in this topic
Eve: The Empyrean Age (other topics)Ender’s Game (other topics)
Neuromancer (other topics)
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (other topics)
The Diamond Age: Or, a Young Lady's Illustrated Primer (other topics)
More...
The Mad Hatters Bookshelf and Book Review asked a few science fiction writers this question.
I think I'll go for the autodocs from Larry Niven's Known Space novels. What do you think?