@RUTGERS.ARPA:pduff%ti-eg.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa (02/09/85)
From: pduff <pduff%ti-eg.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa>
BOOK RECOMMENDATION FOR SF WRITERS, READERS:
\The Science Fiction Source Book/, edited by David Wingrove
(Van Nostrand Reinhold Company Inc., copyright 1984, $25.50
in hardcover). Briefly, this book is aimed at serious SF
writers but most SF readers will find some items of interest
(although perhaps not $25.50 worth). [Please, if you know
of any other books which discuss the process of authoring or
publishing SF stories or books (not writing in general, just
SF writing) will you post title, author & publisher, and
perhaps a review on SF-Lovers?].
Table of Contents:
FOREWORD by David Wingrove
"A BRIEF HISTORY" by Brian W. Aldris
"THE SF SUB-GENRES" by Brian Stableford
Introduction
Man and Machine
Utopia and Dystopia
Time Travel
Aliens
Space Travel
Galactic Travel
ESP
Disasters
Religion and Mythology
Parallel Worlds and Alternate Histories
Sex and Sensuality
Alien Ecologies
Magic
The Media
Inner Space
"THE SCIENCE FICTION WRITER AT WORK"
Introduction by Frederik Pohl
"One Man's Work" by Poul Anderson
"The Secret Mind" by Ray Bradbury
"Is there a Story in it Somewhere?" by Richard Cowper
"Wrestling with Words" by Christopher Evans
"Mapping Imaginary Countries" by Ursula LeGuin
"Equipment, Method and the Rest" by Larry Niven
"Thirty Years of Writing" by Robert Silverberg
"How I Became a Science Fiction Master in only 15
Minutes a Day" by John Sladek
"How I Write" by Lisa Tuttle
"Where I get my Ideas" by Gene Wolfe
"The Process of Composing" by Roger Zelazny
"SCIENCE FICTION WRITERS: A CONSUMERS' GUIDE"
[200 pages of biographies of SF writers]
"First Magazine Publication of Leading Authors"
"SCIENCE FICTION PUBLISHING"
"The Science-Fiction Magazines" by David Wingrove
"Magazine Checklist"
"SF Publishing: The Economics" by Malcolm Edwards
"SF CRITICISM" by David Wingrove
"Criticism Checklist"
"AFTERWORD" by Kingsley Amis
"INDEX" [excellent!]
BAD SF MOVIES: There was a file containing about 30 pages
of plot summaries and ratings for bad SF movies available via
SF-Lovers a few years back. I no longer have my electronic
version--I printed it and deleted it a long time ago. Perhaps
our moderator can track it down in the SFL archives (I think
the filename contained the characters "HORRID") and post a
current filename sometime soon.
Now, some fresh topics to (hopefully) spark further discussion:
SECRET SOCIETY BOOKS:
I particularly enjoy SF books involving a group of either
humans or aliens who have been observing and manipulating
humanity throughout history. (As a matter of fact, I am in
the process of writing one right now.) These usually take
the form of someone stumbling across a secret society of
mentally, physically, or technologically advanced humans, or
perhaps being recruited by them. I am *not* interested in
books which aren't written as fiction (unless they are
*exceptionally* interesting); many of the "Lost Continent"
or "UFO" type books try to pass themselves off as works of
non-fiction to be taken seriously. Any pointers to such SF
(!) books would be appreciated (Warning: if you use your
real name, watch out for strangers in black limousines for
the next few months!).
PERRY RHODAN (space-opera series popular in Europe):
Although I enjoyed the first Perry Rhodan book (#1 in the
series), the other four I've read were not very good. I've
heard that there are now several hundred Perry Rhodan books,
written by quite a few different authors. Are *any* of
them worth reading? Are some so bad they're good? Is there
anyone else out there who'll even admit to having read one?
Has a list of titles with plot summaries and ratings ever
been published? Do any of them contain interesting ideas,
(i.e., gadgets, creatures, climates, etc.) even if the
surrounding plot, etc. is worthless? I'll sometimes put
up with poor writing or a stupid plot if there's a good
idea buried in there somewhere.
regards, Patrick
Patrick S. Duff, ***CR 5621*** pduff.ti-eg@csnet-relay
5049 Walker Dr. #91103 214/480-1905 (work)
The Colony, TX 75056-1120 214/370-5363 (home)
(a suburb of Dallas, TX)
"Run and find out." -- Rikki-Tikki-Tavi's mottolazarus@sunybcs.UUCP (Daniel G. Winkowski) (02/12/85)
> Now, some fresh topics to (hopefully) spark further discussion: > > SECRET SOCIETY BOOKS: > I particularly enjoy SF books involving a group of either > humans or aliens who have been observing and manipulating > humanity throughout history. (As a matter of fact, I am in > the process of writing one right now.) These usually take > the form of someone stumbling across a secret society of > mentally, physically, or technologically advanced humans, or > perhaps being recruited by them. I am *not* interested in > books which aren't written as fiction (unless they are > *exceptionally* interesting); many of the "Lost Continent" > or "UFO" type books try to pass themselves off as works of > non-fiction to be taken seriously. Any pointers to such SF > (!) books would be appreciated (Warning: if you use your > real name, watch out for strangers in black limousines for > the next few months!). > I recall a particular series (trilogy?) of the 'sercret society' genre, this was/is the Illuminatti (sp?) series. I only got through 1 and 1/2 of the books since I started becoming parinoid! I believe the writers were Anton Wilson and Robert Sheckly, though my mind is rather fogy on this since once I put the books down I never wanted to hear about them again. They were real good, so good I did not dare go anywhere without looking over my shoulders! -- -------------- Today we live in the future, Tomorrow we'll live for the moment, But, pray we never live in the past. -------------- Daniel G. Winkowski @ SUNY Buffalo Computer Science (716-636-2879) UUCP: ..![bbncca,decvax,dual,rocksanne,watmath]!sunybcs!lazarus
@RUTGERS.ARPA,@MIT-MC:LS.SRB@MIT-EECS (02/14/85)
From: "Stephen R. Balzac" <LS.SRB%MIT-EECS@MIT-MC.ARPA> Well, I believe "Illuminatus" by Robert Anton Wilson is the biggie of that type of story. I actually haven't been able to read it myself thought, so I must admit that I'm basing my comment on hearsay. Another story that you might like is Talbot Mundy's "The Nine Unknown", nor should we forget The Second Foundation.