alpert@inmet.UUCP (08/23/83)
#R:sri-arpa:-428000:inmet:8100010:177600:629
inmet!alpert Aug 22 09:21:00 1983
Alan,
Attempted to reach you by mail but was unable to, so am posting
this note here hoping you will see it.
---------------------------------------------------------------
I have the entire original radio series (12 programs) on tape.
I've also seen the record series at one of the funkier local
record stores (Cambridge, MA), so they are available in this
country.
-- Bob Alpert
-- Intermetrics, Inc.
733 Concord Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138
...harpo!inmet!alpert
...hplabs!sri-unix!cca!ima!inmet!alpert
...yale-comix!ima!inmet!alpertandree@uokvax.UUCP (12/31/83)
#R:rocheste:-421700:uokvax:5400022:000:486 uokvax!andree Dec 27 16:32:00 1983 /***** uokvax:net.sf-lovers / fortune!rpw3 / 7:11 pm Dec 20, 1983 */ How to escape our galaxy's blow-up (black hole at center, etc, etc,)? See Larry Niven, "Ringworld", "Ringworld Engineers", "Tales of KNown Space", and whatever the novel was that was the short story "Rammer". /* ---------- */ While you're at it, take a look at `Sins of the Fathers' and `Lifeboat Earth' by Stanley Schmidt. (There may be another book in the story line. If so, I'd like to hear about it.) <mike
jlp@inmet.UUCP (01/28/84)
#R:sri-arpa:-1508000:inmet:8100019:177600:798
inmet!jlp Jan 27 17:36:00 1984
Re: The Wounded Sky (*******SPOILER********)
I'm not sure if I agree this is the best ST novelization yet. It had its
very strong points: indeed, if the series had been permitted the time for
character development of the ancillary characters - Sulu, Uhura, Scott, etc.-
it would have been even more memorable. Wounded Sky caught me in its beginnings,
but seemed to bog down toward the end in much the same way the ST-TMP did.
I approached the book with the normal Trekkie anticipation, was somewhat
rewarded, but left feeling a little empty.
Does anyone know of any novelizations of the Admiralty era? I'd be interested
in seeing how this crew we have come to love manages as a fleet of heavy
cruisers, or whatever.
The Organ Keyboard of
Jerryl Payne
{esquire,harpo,decvax!cca!ima}!inmet!jlpcrigney@uok.UUCP (02/08/84)
#R:sri-arpa:-1611600:uok:7600001:37777777600:666 uok!crigney Feb 8 23:44:00 1984 Roddenberry's "Genesis" had two pilots, I believe the second is called "Earth 2." Does anyone know if Roddenberry ever filmed the pilot for the series SPECTRE? Scripts were once available from Lincoln Enterprises, and I seem to recall seeing a movie called Spectre, with a very similar plot, in the TV listings (not a channel my set recieved, blast it). It concerned a group of people, agents (?), whatever that fought Evil in the present era - I'm probably wrong on this summary, but that was the flavor. I do recall one of the agents was a weretiger. Anyone remember this or have any more information? Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!uok!crigney ..!duke!uok!crigney
crigney@uok.UUCP (02/08/84)
#R:sri-arpa:-1621600:uok:7600002:37777777600:1050 uok!crigney Feb 8 23:59:00 1984 The best part of Prototype was the way the Android learned. He'd see someone else carrying his books more comfortably, and adjust his. Or when the professor took his salad (he didn't eat) to make it look like the android had eaten, the android took his fork and placed it in the empty bowl. Very little things, but they had immense impact. You could feel the android's attempts to understand the confusing world of humans, especially with so little help from the cold professor. I'd really like to see this as a series, except I doubt they could keep the quality up. Lack of ideas may have also killed Questor. **************** SPOILER WARNING ************************************** I almost expected that the android faked his death, to throw off pursuit. It would have been an eerie scene, at the very last, to show the burning garage, and the people watching it, and then pull far back to a nearby rise, and show the Android (Michael?) watching them. Free at last. Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!uok!crigney ..!duke!uok!crigney
crigney@uok.UUCP (02/24/84)
#R:avsdT:-69500:uok:7600003:37777777600:762 uok!crigney Feb 23 03:12:00 1984 Sharon didn't claim that was the plot for _Bill the Galactic Zero_, but for another book by Harrison. Frankly, the plot sounded a lot like Sheckley's _Dimension of Miracles_. My opinion of _DoM_ is very similar to her opinion on the unnamed book. I think Sheckley's short stories are better than his longer works. I enjoyed _Bill_ in a tepid sort of way, but won't reread it, which places it rather low on my list. I did enjoy the Stainless Steel Rat stories, but can't offhand recall any other works by Harrison that I really liked - certainly not Deathworld. Open Question: does the Deathworld series improve, or am I better off cutting my losses after the first book? Carl ..!ctvax!uokvax!uok!crigney ..!duke!uok!crigney
usadaca@uiucuxc.UUCP (03/02/84)
#R:sri-arpa:-1622400:uiucuxc:34900001:37777777600:59 uiucuxc!usadaca Mar 1 14:03:00 1984 Questor's friend was played by Mike Farrell of MASH fame.
clardy@smu.UUCP (04/13/84)
#R:dartvax:-112500:smu:17400004:37777777600:139 smu!clardy Apr 13 15:09:00 1984 if by MED series you mean the series in which a roving space doctor helped people out, the author was James White, otherwise I don't know.
jack@hp-dcde.UUCP (04/19/84)
orstcs!nathan says:
Julian May's gender is male.
Julian May's sex is (I am told) undeniably female.
If you can't figure out the difference, go back to
grammar school.
My Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary (1979) lists "SEX" as the first
definition of "gender". I'm sure that Nathan has some subtle distinction
in mind, but if you don't tell us, Nathan, what good have you done?
And keep the insults ("go back to grammar school") to yourself, please.
-Jack Applin
(hplabs!hp-dcd!jack)jmike@uokvax.UUCP (05/11/84)
#R:dartvax:-112500:uokvax:5400058:000:678 uokvax!jmike May 10 20:24:00 1984 . well as i remember, James White wrote something called (i think) `Hospital Station'. `The Med Series' was written by (and i'm not really sure here) Murray Leinster. Leinster also wrote `Doctor to the Stars' which was about the same doctor as was in `The Med Series'. These stories were about a doctor who had a pet name murgatroyd -- a chimpanzee like animal who could throw off almost any kind of disease it met. By studying the antibodies murgatroyd produced the doctor could synthesize a serum to save the day. thats about as much as my memory tells me about this book. as i remember it was quite an enjoyable story. mike ..ctvax!uokvax!jmike
cem@intelca.UUCP (Chuck McManis) (05/24/84)
Actually I belive the second genesis pilot was Genesis II, the movie Earth II was about a Space Station in orbit, where Marriot Hartely nearly blows everyone to smithereens with a captured orbital nuke..
fritz@hpfclk.UUCP (06/18/84)
Gnut was the name of the robot in the story that TDTESS was based upon.
(And never end your sentences a preposition with!)
[I remember Klaatu the band; in fact, I even have their {only?} album.
Some cute & interesting music! I like "Little Nutrino".]
Gary Fritz
Ft Collins, CO
ihnp4!hpfcla!hpfclk!fritzmcdonald@smu.UUCP (10/31/84)
/**** smu:net.sf-lovers / sri-arpa!ARPA / 6:17 pm Oct 12, 1984 ****/
From: Anne Marie Quint [/amqueue] <quint@RU-BLUE.ARPA>
The comic book is being done by the Same people who brought you
ElfQuest....Wendy and Richard Pini. It is following the first book
exactly, and is drawn by Phil Foglio (who did the cover for the latest
Myth* book in trade paperback edition). I beleive it is on a quarterly
schedule, but I may be wrong. You can order it from the publishers,
and it is probably available elsewhere, but I dont know where. I can
get more information, but I cant send out to netland personally, so this
will do people little good.
have fun
/amqueue
-------
/* ---------- */mcdonald@smu.UUCP (10/31/84)
WaRP does indeed plan to put out four issues of MythAdventures a year.
They plan to follow all the books exactly, at a rate of six issues per
book; the first three have appeared. Foglio's art is amazing; the
demons have more expressive range than you'd expect from humans...
There are humorous details in almost every panel that you may not catch
until the third reading.
The most reliable way to get it will be to subscribe. (I'm sorry I don't
have the address with me.) You can also find it at comics specialty stores,
but some of them seem to have trouble keeping it in stock. The rumor I
hear is that some of their distributors are hoarding. (I have not heard
any reason why they would do this. WaRP books can't be collector's items
any time in the near future, as WaRP keeps them in print until the series
ends.)
Erin McDonaldtw@hpisla.UUCP (12/12/84)
Yes, the Deryni series is on my buy-immediately list also. I've
just recently read "The Bishop's Heir" and have just two comments
to make:
(1) The title reference meant something completely different than
what I thought - you only find out at the very end, and
(2) I sure hope she hurries up and does the next one. I can't wait.
Tw Cook {hplabs, hp-pcd, hpfcla}!hpisla!tw or twc@hplabs.CSNET
(303) 667-5000x3724 HP Instrument Systems Lab, Loveland, COmarc@hpfcma.UUCP (marc) (12/14/84)
> This one starts out with more promise than other recent Heinlein novels > (NUMBER OF THE BEAST and FRIDAY, in particular), but about halfway through > Heinlein once again reverts to his stock characters and the novel loses > steam. What's wrong with stock characters? I think Heinlein has been in the process of perfecting his "stock" characters through the generations of his work. Should Mozart have shifted in his prime to dabbling in fusion-jazz? I think not. > Then about three-quarters of the way through, Heinlein does an abrupt > left turn and the novel becomes something else entirely. Unfortunately, > what it becomes is not nearly as interesting as what it was. I soaked in the "left turn." It flowed well and yet was unexpected -- two qualities I find rare in writing. Perhaps some will be dissapointed because there are no strange aliens, nor any evil empire. The book requires some insight into religion and values -- two things that make many people shy away from the arts. Call me illiterate. Call me old fashioned. Call me a lover of Heinlein's works. Marc "an unpleasant profession..." McKenzie Hewlett-Packard, Co. ...!hpfcla!hpfcma!marc
avolio@grendel.UUCP (Frederick M. Avolio) (12/21/84)
> Yes, the Deryni series is on my buy-immediately list also. I've > just recently read "The Bishop's Heir" and have just two comments > to make: > > (1) The title reference meant something completely different than > what I thought - you only find out at the very end, and > (2) I sure hope she hurries up and does the next one. I can't wait. > > Tw Cook {hplabs, hp-pcd, hpfcla}!hpisla!tw or twc@hplabs.CSNET > (303) 667-5000x3724 HP Instrument Systems Lab, Loveland, CO I cannot for the life of me find the article referred to here. If anyone has a copy of it (or them) mail to me please. If the Camber of Culdi and Deryni series (serieses?) are discussed, I'd love to put my 2 cents in... Thanks... -- Fred Avolio, DEC -- Ultrix Applications Center 301/731-4100 x4227 UUCP: {seismo,decvax}!grendel!avolio ARPA: grendel!avolio@seismo.ARPA
jeff@ISM780.UUCP (01/15/85)
> About two years ago, NPR broadcast a series of radio shows > that were based loosely on Douglas Adams' "Hitchhikers Guide > to the Galaxy". I had recorded the entire set of broadcasts, > but when we moved, we lost the box that contained my tapes!! You'll probably hear this from elsewhere, but the radio shows were the original medium for HHGttG. The books (you should always read the copyright page...) say something like "based on the BBC Radio programmes originally broadcast on <dates>." Since they are BBC productions, the tapes are probably not available from NPR.
bayes@hpfclg.UUCP (bayes) (02/12/85)
Sure sounds like your Analog story is at least the basis for The Flight of the Dragonfly (which I just read last week, so it's still reasonably fresh in memory). Did they send the exploration ship with a laser beam to accelerate it, and decelerate by detaching part of the sail and reflecting back on the ship at turnaround, as in the book version? I think Forward tended to get a lot more pretentious in TFotD than he was in Dragon's Egg. The humans started these (abortive?) relationships, which never really got pursued later in the book. Fine, if you're going to carry the thing through, otherwise just give me good ol' concept type SF. hpfcla!bayes (pronounced "Throatwarbler-Mangrove")
asb224@uiucuxa.UUCP (02/18/85)
I second the vote for "Neuromancer". I was surprised that anyone else has read it- I had my curiosity piqued by a short story in Omni of all places. I hope he writes more stuff- the world he's created has a lot of possibilities.
marc@hpltca.UUCP (marc) (02/21/85)
Cooling the thing reminds me of fables of the "Glowing, Hot, Hairy Golfball" of Josephson junction fame. But I have another worry: Just how exactly does one get power into(!) the thing? Marc Clarke hplabs!hpfcla!hpltcb!marc
geoff@ISM780.UUCP (03/03/85)
>> Also who wrote THE SHEEP LOOK UP , ( an english guy ?) , the >> Best SF Book of all time . >> >> -Julian Long > >John Brunner. The sequel to this is STAND ON ZANZIBAR, I believe. > Muffy John Brunner is correct, however I DON'T think SOZ is a sequel to TSLU, they both occur in similar "worlds", but are otherwise unrelated. Each book ends in such a way as to eliminate the possibility of the other book happening on the same planet. (of course, I could be wrong, but I've read them each more than 4 times, and I'd like to think I'd have noticed). (BTW, both books are highly recommendable) Geoffrey Kimbrough -- Director of Dangerous Activities INTERACTIVE Systems Corp. ...!ima!ism780!geoff
patrick@ISM780.UUCP (03/05/85)
Hey - another Brunner freak, and at ISC too...
Stand on Zanzibar was (I believe) written before The Sheep Look Up, and
you're right, neither book is a sequel to the other.
SOZ is my favourite SF book of all time; I've read it a dozen times, and
owned several copies (I lend them to people saying "you must read this",
and never see them again).
For years now I've been haunting the bookstores looking for the latest
Brunner. He seems to write two sorts of books - quickie pot-boilers of
no particular interest, and long thoughtful books which (until the latest
one) I loved. In addition to the two mentioned above, try "The Jagged
Orbit" - a scary story about paranoia and the arms-manufacturers who
encourage and feed off it, and "The Shockwave Rider" - about computer
networks, and a guy who lives outside the law by manufacturing
"electronic personalities" for himself. There's also an early book of
his called "The Squares of the City", which is the only SF book I know
about town/traffic planning (I used to hang out with a bunch of people in
this profession - the book is realistic), Latin America, and the game of
chess (!).
I must admit that there's a touch of formula-writing about these books;
there's always a super-smart super-unconventional sociologist-type who
knows all the answers to everything, but nevertheless, if you like your
SF sociological as opposed to high-tech or fantastic, then you'll enjoy
these books. (One reason they appeal to me is that I used to be a
sociologist.) Each book tends to take a social trend which currently
worries 'concerned individuals' (Stand on Zanzibar - population; Sheep
Look Up - pollution; Jagged Orbit - arms and 'security'; Shockwave Rider
- computerization) and extrapolates it into the near future.
BUT... recently he released his latest 'big book' (The Crucible of Time -
I've seen mention of it here before). I snatched it up as soon as I saw
it, and still, several months later, haven't finished it. It's a
complete change of style for him, and I'm sorry to say I found it very
boring. I only hope that when the next one is published (the interval is
ususally about two years) he reverts to the 'social' as opposed to
'scientific' speculation I like so much.
Anyone else like this kind of stuff?
Patrick Curran
Interactive Systems Corp.
...ihnp4!ima!ism780!patrickpatrick@ISM780.UUCP (03/05/85)
I can't say I'll miss Dr. Who much as I always considered it tacky and silly in the extreme after I passed the age of 12 (outraged flames by personal mail, please), but I thought I'd add some speculation and some historical background: As someone recently pointed out, Dr. Who is a BBC (non-commercial) as opposed to ITV (commercial) production. Many of us Brits still can't abide to watch TV that has advertisements in it. Anyway, one of the leading businessmen behind commercial TV in England is Lew Grade (now Sir Lew Grade). I forget who said it, but when Parliament was first debating the introduction of commercial TV, one MP objected that to grant a commercial TV license was to grant a 'license to print money'. Sure enough, Lew Grade and a handful of others became multi-millionaires, and just as inevitably, were granted "Honours" by the Queen (in reality, by the Prime Minister of the day). This despite the critism from middle- class intellectuals that they were producing shoddy rubbish which pandered to the lowest in public taste. In consequence of his ITV programming Lew Grade acquired the nickname "Low Greed". I suspect that Anthony is a member of the family. God help the BBC if these guys are now in charge. I suppose this really belongs in net.politics, but to get back to the point, can commercial television (or even the BBC) ever produce *good* science fiction (as opposed to tacky stuff we accept because it's all we can get)? Let's leave Star Trek and Dr. Who out of the discussion. What else is there? Patrick Curran Interactive Systems Corp. ...ihnp4!ima!ism780!patrick
chris@ISM780.UUCP (03/06/85)
The Crudcible of Time is the only Brunner book i've ever not finished. I usually read them in one big gulp, or two large bites. I worked on TCOT for about two weeks, and gave it back to the library. I hope it doesn't start a trend. chris devax!vortex!ism780!chris
mpm@hpfcms.UUCP (mpm) (03/14/85)
I have a lot of Piers Anthony's books, especially the earlier
work. There are several books of his not mentioned here. I rec-
commend one in particular - Prosthro Plus - as one of the funniest
SF novels I've ever read.
This is the tale of an earthman kidnapped by aliens to take
care of "dental" problems. (It turns out that humans are mere
chattels in the eyes of galactic society, since mankind has not
qualified for membership in the galactic civilization.) There is
a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor, with enough underlying truth to
grab you.
The story is very much like a lot of Gordon Dickson's work -
where one man (or a small group) is able to make a BIG difference
in a situation involving (supposedly) insurmountable odds. Good
stuff. (Now that I think about it, a lot of Keith Laumer's work
falls in the same category.) The end result - our puny earthman
ends up running the show.
I think the book is out of print. The publisher is (was)
Berkley with a publication date in the early 1970's. I found a
copy at a used book store. Check it out. It's worth the effort
to find it.
-- Mike "and I thought he was little known" McCarthy
(hplabs!hpfcla!hpfcms!) mpm
P.S. The books "Chthon" and "Phthor" (I think that's the spelling)
were intriguing. I haven't read them for some time, but I think
they are a little rough; they apparently come from Anthony's early
years of writing.mpm@hpfcms.UUCP (mpm) (03/17/85)
About ten years ago I read a short story by Zenna Henderson
in Analog. It was a NEW "People" story about a young flower-child
girl who did not know she was one of the People. The story had
a melancholy ending.
I don't remember the title or whether it was part of a larger
collection. I, for one, would love to see more stories about the
People. They touch a part of me often left untouched by SF.
-- Mike "SF with a heart" McCarthy
(hplabs!hpfcla!hpfcms!) mpmmpm@hpfcms.UUCP (mpm) (03/17/85)
The next Dune book is "Chapterbook Dune" and should be out this year. -- Mike "why no SF Trivial Pursuit" McCarthy (hplabs!hpfcla!hpfcms!) mpm
berger@datacube.UUCP (03/17/85)
There was a book about a "magical" spray called UBIK by Philip K. Dick. It was an excellent psychedelic / post death story.
walker@unc.UUCP (Douglas Walker) (03/19/85)
In article <hpfcms.24000011> mpm@hpfcms.UUCP (mpm) writes: (regarding Anthony's _Prostho_Plus_) > This is the tale of an earthman kidnapped by aliens to take >care of "dental" problems. (It turns out that humans are mere >chattels in the eyes of galactic society, since mankind has not >qualified for membership in the galactic civilization.) Sounds a lot like Lloyd Biggle's stuff with Jan Darzek. Darzek is a detective on earth who gets hired by aliens to solve a "problem" (no spoilers) that humans are more adapted to than the aliens. The only thing is that the human race is under quarantine until such time as they can join the galactic federation. There were several books and shorts revolving around that character - _All_the_Colors_of_Darkness_ is the only title I remember. Does anybody out there have a complete list?
tim@cmu-cs-k.UUCP (tim) (03/30/85)
I agree with Brust about Miss Manners. She is an excellent writer. More, she understands that "manners" are not a matter of adhering to some societal rule-book, but simply being nice to people. I particularly liked her response to the correspondent who asked what to say on being introduced to a homosexual couple. "How do you do. How do you do." -=- Tim Maroney, Carnegie-Mellon University, Networking ARPA: Tim.Maroney@CMU-CS-K uucp: seismo!cmu-cs-k!tim CompuServe: 74176,1360 audio: shout "Hey, Tim!"
dat@hpcnoa.UUCP (dat) (04/17/85)
Besides, if my memory serves me, Thea von Harbou was MARRIED to Fritz Lang... Dave Taylor
carlj@hp-pcd.UUCP (carlj) (04/20/85)
I think you are right about Sigfried not being included, although
I missed that when I first read it. Your point about spotting the
Heechee ship was not valid. Albert sent out the ship to watch the
light ship which had a known position, direction, and speed. When
the ship didn't spot the light ship at the indicated position, it
stepped back to watch the light ship from a know sighting and watched
it until the rendezvous with the Heechee ships.
Carl Johnson
hp-pcd!carljbrust@hyper.UUCP (Steven Brust) (04/30/85)
>
Your discussion of these works (Gateway, etc) reminds
me that Gateway: The Play was performed at Minicon
this year, and I, for one, was very impressed. If
anyone is going to be at Keycon (Winipeg, May 17 & 18),
it will be performed there, and I recommend seeing
it whether you are familiar with the books or not.
The author of the play is a Minneapolis Theatre Major
named Phil Therou, and the acting is surprisingly good.
-- SKZBfritz@hpfclp.UUCP (fritz) (05/18/85)
I also loved DRAGONSLAYER (although I could have done without a few scenes,
like the baby dragons munching on the girl!).
I thought the dragon must obviously have been done by two different groups:
one did the closeup shots (all the Land_of_the_Giant-type dragon-on-a-crane
effects that were obviously huge props), and another, VERY talented group
did the breathtaking scenes of the dragon in flight. The scene of the
battle between the dragon and the wizard are about the best shots of a
dragon I have ever seen.
Gary Fritz
Hewlett Packard
Ft Collins, CO
{ihnp4,hplabs}!hpfcla!fritzleeper@mtgzz.UUCP (m.r.leeper) (05/23/85)
>I also loved DRAGONSLAYER (although I could have done >without a few scenes, like the baby dragons munching on the >girl!). That scene was not in the original script, I am told. It had to be put in. Why? People were coming away from the film with a tear in their eyes and a lump in their throat saying "He killed the BABY dragons???" Or at least they wanted to prevent that from happening. If you have to have your hero kill a baby something you pretty much have to establish that it was the right thing to do. I tend to be pretty ambivalent about violence in film, so the scene did not bother me (in fact I was delighted to see that they did not take the easy way out and save everyone who is virtuous -- heros do become martyrs sometimes but rarely in light fantasy films), but it seems to be one of the most common complaints about the film. > >I thought the dragon must obviously have been done by two >different groups: one did the closeup shots (all the >Land_of_the_Giant-type dragon-on-a-crane effects that were >obviously huge props), and another, VERY talented group did >the breathtaking scenes of the dragon in flight. The scene >of the battle between the dragon and the wizard are about >the best shots of a dragon I have ever seen. All done by Industrial Light and Magic, I think but obviously one is stop-motion and the other is full-sized mockups. The same approaches as in KING KONG ('33). Yes, the Dragon is by far the best thing about the film. She is beautiful and is the only dragon I have ever seen on film that looks like she could fly. A marvelous creations. Also she is the most sympathetic character for me. I love the scene where the visitors pull out the dragon scale to impress the wizard and his response is "You know, when a dragon gets this old it knows nothing but pain." Vermithrax Pejoritive (sp?) just wanted to live out her days and raise her babies, eating the occasional offering if it is there. When her babies are killed and she gives out that plaintive cry I really feel it myself. And she is the last of the dragons... Mark Leeper ...ihnp4!mtgzz!leeper
richardt@orstcs.UUCP (richardt) (06/29/85)
>Try reading some E.E "Doc" Smith ... You'll notice some resemblance.
Only if Star Smashers is awfully good satire. Smith's work falls
into a class all by itself. It can justifiably be considered the
ultimate in space opera. I'll admit that its not high science fiction
in the same sense as "The Postman" (David Brin) but it is high art ...
taking a set of basic assumptions which are shaky at best and a plot line
which is older than the Greeks, the good old heroic fantasy, and coming
out with a set of books which are logical, hold together well, and are
good, if not excellent, science fiction. Its still sci-fi, but its the
best sci-fi you're likely to read in a long time ... although the
Stainless Steel Rat books come in as a close second or third.
orstcs/richardt
"If I'm human, what are *YOU*?"bayes@hpfclg.UUCP (bayes) (07/04/85)
Along the lines of controlling time, and "pluterday', there is of course R.A. Lafferty's classic, "Slow Tuesday Night", in which objective time is not controlled, but subjective time is. A whole life can be lived, with multiple careers completed, and fortunes won and lost within the 8 hours of the aforesaid Tuesday night. hpfcla!bayes "A dollar a day and a place for my head, A drink to the living, a toast to the dead"
JAFFE@RUTGERS.ARPA (07/08/85)
From: orstcs!richardt (richardt)
>Try reading some E.E "Doc" Smith ... You'll notice some resemblance.
Only if Star Smashers is awfully good satire. Smith's work falls
into a class all by itself. It can justifiably be considered the
ultimate in space opera. I'll admit that its not high science fiction
in the same sense as "The Postman" (David Brin) but it is high art ...
taking a set of basic assumptions which are shaky at best and a plot line
which is older than the Greeks, the good old heroic fantasy, and coming
out with a set of books which are logical, hold together well, and are
good, if not excellent, science fiction. Its still sci-fi, but its the
best sci-fi you're likely to read in a long time ... although the
Stainless Steel Rat books come in as a close second or third.
orstcs/richardt
"If I'm human, what are *YOU*?"bayes@hpfclg.UUCP (bayes) (07/17/85)
Re: JAFFE--A Candidate for Culthood Brilliant review! I feel no need to see the movie (I feel I've already seen it--and probably have, on Elvira's Midnight Madness), and figure the 5-minute review was probably a much better investment of time than would be be an hour and a half to watch this thing. Many Thanks hpfcla!bayes
ajs@hpfcla.UUCP (ajs) (08/06/85)
Re: Dhalgren > I haven't met many sci-fi readers who don't hold this book > with anything less than awe. I hold it at arm's length, other hand pinching nostrils. I forced myself to read it all the way through, hoping for a punchline that would make it worthwhile. As a literary device it may have merit; as mental masturbation, perhaps some would find it stimulating. As entertainment it fails miserably: it's dark, gloomy, rambling, pointless. No new visions, no wondrous revelations. Don't waste your time. Alan Silverstein
jimb@ISM780B.UUCP (08/15/85)
Operation Chaos, by Poul Anderson. Also, while the magic may not be quite *pure*, see True Names, by Vernor Vinge. Jim Brunet
jib@prism.UUCP (08/20/85)
> 1) It would be interesting - if not useful - to have online access to a > bibliographic database. > Does anyone know if _Books_In_Print_ is available in ,achine readable format? > I wouldn't be surprised, since it already is distributed as microfiche. Books In Print is available on-line through Dialog and probably other on-line search and retrieval companies. To my knowledge it is not available for sale in machine readable form, and even if it were, you could not legally offer on-line retrieval of it without running into legal complications. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Block {cca, ihnp4!inmet, mit-eddie, wjh12, datacube} !mirror!prism!jib Mirror Systems, Inc. 2067 Massachusetts Ave. (617) 661-0777 Cambridge, MA 02140
chris@ICO.UUCP (08/28/85)
I read Trumps of Doom last night. It was the most enjoyable new book i've read in quite a while. If you are not a Zelazny fan, or you didn't like/haven't read the Amber series this is probably not the book for you. If however the first paragraph of Nine Princes was an injection of pure pleasure then run out and get it. Check it out from the library. Buy it. Pull a smash and grab on a book store. Whatever. Then lock yourself in with some munchies and read it. As they say in Hawaii, "Da kine, bro". chris decvax!vortex!ism780!chris ucbvax!ucla-cs!ism780!chris Book 'em Danno, Enthusiasm 1.
jimb@ISM780B.UUCP (09/29/85)
>I am interested in subscribing to an sf&f magazine. I know nothing >about any of them, and could use some recommendations. In particular, >how do they differ in content, style, frequency, quality and price? ANALOG $19.50 per year/$2.00 single issue price/13 issues per year (discounts for subscriptions can probably be found and their renewal rates aren't bad/) Mostly hard science fiction, usually traditional in form. Excellent science articles. The editor is Stan Schmidt, who publishes intelligently written, sometimes provoking editorials. Contains SF events calendar. ISAAC ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE Same price/frequency/publisher as ANALOG. Has a broader, more literary range of stories than ANALOG. On the latter point, they've received several letters complaining that some of the stories "aren't science fiction." Maybe; depends on your definition. Gardner Dozois has just recently taken over as editor from Shawna McCarthy and his flavor/tastes won't start becoming evident until the January to March issues. Includes sometimes pompous, sometimes fascinating (sometimes both) editorials by Asimov. Book reviews by Norman Spinrad (no relation to Evelyn C. Leeper). FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION $17.50 per year/$1.75 single issue/12 issues per year. The grand old flagship of the field now (okay, nobody flame me that ANALOG is son-of-ASTOUNDING), F&SF is showing its age in some ways, not that I wouldn't donate a couple of minor body parts like eye teeth to get published there. Publishes more fantasy than ASIMOV'S, including contemporary soft horror pieces. Their hard sf is a little erratic, but in general it's probably the best magazine for consisently good writing style. Book reviews by Harlan Ellison (no known relaton to Mark Leeper), Science columns by Asimov which are occasionally interesting, book reviews by A.J. Budrys that are probably the best of all the big mags. The preceding are probably the big three; following are three more. AMAZING I don't know the current price, somewhere around $2.00/issue. Published six times per year by TSR, the same people who made. D&D an institution. Frankly, I don't like this one; maybe someone on the net will volunteer to its defense. AMAZING seems to be going for the teen market that's now more less neglected by the big three, but in general it stoops too low. It has had stories I've enjoyed by William F. Wu and Somtow Suchartikul, but overall I'm not impressed. The book reviews are inferior and the editorial responses to letters seem smug and self-serving. FANTASY BOOK $12.00 per year/$3.95 per issue/published quarterly. I wouldn't get this if I was going to get only *one* magazine, but if you like fantasy, it might be worth your while. A relatively new magazine, it's actually been around almost five years and seems like it might make it. Good mix of all kinds of fantasy. This is also a good market for writers who have got decent stories that haven't sold to ASIMOV's or F&SF. LAST WAVE Price unknown, theoretically published quarterly, actually published when the editor feels he has enough stories to make an issue. Well, I don't like this one, but I admire the editor's guts. The magazine is billed as "the last best hope of speculative fiction." Very new wave -- which in general I don't care for -- but for which there isn't much of a market for in the American magazine market. If you like New Wave SF, then buy this magazine. If you can't find it (it's listed in Fiction Writer's Market, or your specialty SF bookstore can get it for you), then message me. Keep the SF market open to diversity. The editor is Scot Edelman, Somewhere In New York. -- from the bewildered musings of Jim Brunet decvax!cca!ima!jimb ucbvax!ucla-cs!ism780!jimb ihnp4!vortex!ism780!jimb
mpm@hpfcla.UUCP (10/16/85)
Re: Clifford Simak story on duplication
I believe that the "Outer Limits" episode in question was based on
the book "The Duplicated Man" by James Blish (or maybe it was Murray
Leinster). As I remember, the TV episode was quite faithful to the plot
in the book. (I don't remember if the endings were the same.)
I would be surprised if Clifford Simak EVER wrote anything like
this book. His reputation as the "pastoral novelist of SF" is no ac-
cident. His style of writing would result in a very different novel
if he were to start with the same theme of "personal duplication".
-- Mike "thanks for the memories" McCarthy
(ihnp4!hpfcla!hpfcms!) mpmporges@inmet.UUCP (11/03/85)
THIS CONTAIN MORE SPOILER INFO FROM "ROBOTS AND EMPIRE":
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Will Daneel be around at the end of Asimov's time line, in the sequel to
"Foundation's Edge"? Think a bit earlier: if Hari Selden turns out to be a
robot, you'll hear me cackling with satisfaction at having guessed it now,
even though I hate the idea for aethetic reasons.
Oh, yeah -- the Mule could read minds and affect emotions, couldn't he?
You don't suppose...
-- Don Porges
...harpo!inmet!porges
...hplabs!sri-unix!cca!ima!inmet!porges
...yale-comix!ima!inmet!porgesivanlan@ccvaxa.UUCP (12/16/85)
re: pangalactic gargle blaster anyone else remember *cooking out of this world*???? ... and the 'busted kneecap' from larry niven? -->instructions: pour scotch in a water glass. find some dry ice. place dry ice in glass. wander off looking for a sucker, hand it to him. it's called a busted kneecap because that's what you get trying to back away from it. [the interaction of alcohol plus flavoring impurities with the dry ice is spectacular; steam, hissing, spitting, burning ejecta, snarls ... results in the drink being evaporated, with an end product something like 195 proof cognac that tastes like scotch ... it strikes me that a few of these would move any frontal lobe to the action of disappearing from the scene]
hernan@prism.UUCP (12/26/85)
/*--------------------------------------------------*/ >The Martial arts I know something about: I was involved with them for about >ten years at an earlier stage of my life. I have only these comments. A >Martial Arts contest is far more like ballet or gymnastics than a real >fight. For obvious reasons (e.g. you'd decimate the MA community) you >aren't allowed to land real blows. You're judged on things like speed, It depends on the martial art, and on the instructors. AAU taekwondo matches, for example are conducted by rounds, and are full contact to the body and face, allowing knock-outs, and use of most non-disabling techniques. I assume you're also not talking of thai kickboxing or many of the other styles which approach the martial arts as applied self-defense. >technique, etc, and since women tend to be quicker and more supple than >men, they do pretty well. But the best kept secret in the field is this: >none of this matters in real violence unless you have the reach to get past >your opponent's defence, and even very scientifically placed blows need to It depends on what you are targeting, and what your opponent is defending. If you are a woman, at a disadvantage in reach and weight, you would be foolish to attack a large man's body as your first target. You would be surprised, however, at just how fragile knee joints and spinal areas are. >contain a considerable degree of force to be effective against a powerful, >aggressive opponent. The only real fight I've ever seen between a >martial-arts trained woman and an untrained but aggressive man was resolved >in a brutish but effective manner -- he used his hands to keep her away, >(she hurt him quite a bit, incidentally, in the meantime), then he grappled >her, and fell on her. The only woman I can conceive of winning such a >fight would be some kind of androgyne. So my earlier comment stands: SF I assume she did not use her full array of techniques - the only confrontation I've heard of like this happened to my sister in Paris. She and 2 friends were attacked by four men, two of whom were able to run away, the rest she left on the ground. She had been exposed by then to the martial arts for at least 10 years, and within the family was surrounded by martial artists, so maybe she is not typical - she doesn't fit the androgyne mold, however. >with women eminently successful at violence is (do I dare use this word >here?) fantasy. A style of Chinese martial arts, Wing Chun(sp?) was invented by a Buddhist nun. It is a successful style now, and has admirable hand techniques. This was in the time that martial arts were used in war. I assume she was a doer in her art, not just a designer. I've studied martial arts( Hapkido + TaeKwonDo ) for 12 years, and have come across outstanding male and female martial artists. There are many styles and teachers, but I've found most of them to be dedicated and effective both in self-defense and in furthering their art.
jib@prism.UUCP (12/26/85)
Although a color version of the cage obviously DID exist when then Menagerie was produced, it has since been lost. Rodenberry has a full copy of the cage, but it is a black & white print. The preceding is based on statements made by Rodenberry at Trek cons. Perhaps Paramont will find a copy hidden in a basement somewhere.
dnichols@ti-csl (02/03/86)
/* Written 9:21 pm Jan 24, 1986 by tim@ism780c.UUCP in ti-csl:net.sf-lovers */ /* ---------- "Re: McCaffrey's Pern series ( maybe" ---------- */ There was a conference on Compuserve several months ago in the science fiction forum with Ann McCaffrey. If anyone is interested, I can upload the transcript. [ There is also a conference with Larry Niven that I have the transcript of and can upload if anyone wants to see it ] Here is some random stuff I remeber from the conference: There will be more Dragonrider books In particular, she has stuff in mind for Jaxom and Ruth Ruth will never become interested in sex F'lar will die in threadfall The dragons will reach the orbiting ships Pern will never be rediscovered by Earth -- Tim Smith sdcrdcf!ism780c!tim || ima!ism780!tim || ihnp4!cithep!tim /* End of text from ti-csl:net.sf-lovers */
tracy@ISM780.UUCP (02/05/86)
This message is empty.
pete@stc.co.uk (02/10/86)
Summary: Expires: Sender: Followup-To: Distribution: Keywords: Xpath: ukc eagle In article <15600002@ti-csl> dnichols@ti-csl.UUCP writes: >the transcript. [ There is also a conference with Larry Niven that >I have the transcript of and can upload if anyone wants to see it ] Yes please, kind Sir. -- Peter Kendell <pete@stc.UUCP> ...!mcvax!ukc!stc!pete `When your achievements match your expectations, it's time to move on.'