Science Fiction...

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

Originally Posted by wavelandscott

While I enjoy watching SciFi...you can not beat reading it ...

maybe we need to get Mike to create a sub forum for Science Fiction

(i wont even get into the "sci-fi" vs "s-f" debate-Kingsley Amis had a bit to say about that a long time ago

[joshman (Josh)]

that'd be sweet
all manner of awesome discussion could go on in there!

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

My favourite Sci-Fi on the screen, small and large, would have to be Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, Star Wars, Star Ship Troopers, Red Dwarf, STar Trek and Dr Who. There's more but this is what came to mind first off.
But most of all I am an avid reader of Sci-Fi books.
Robert A Heinlein is my absolute favorite author.
But these guys are pretty good too, Poul Anderson, Issac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, Douglas Adams, A E Van Vogt, Frederik Pohl, Ray Bradbury, Robert Silverberg and E M Forster. The list goes on and on.

[seeker372011 (Narayan)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

Robert A Heinlein is my absolute favorite author.
But these guys are pretty good too, Poul Anderson, Issac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, Douglas Adams, A E Van Vogt, Frederik Pohl, Ray Bradbury, Robert Silverberg and E M Forster. The list goes on and on.

agree with all but EM Foster (???)

On a slightly different but related topic, here's what Wikipedia has to say about the Lagoon nebula
quote
Object M8: In the science fiction TV show Battlestar Galactica, the Lagoon Nebula is seen in the episode "Home, Part II", in the Tomb of Athena on Kobol and along with the presence of the twelve zodiac symbols, it serves as a rough reference point to the location of Earth. Since the nebula looks the same from Earth, Kobol and the Twelve Colonies, all three lie in a relatively straight line. The nebula was erroneously stated to be in the constellation Scorpio in the episode; a mistake acknowledged by the producers. William Adama refers to the Nebula as "M8", its Messier catalog number.

unquote

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

Not familiar with EM Forster, but read books by all the rest and thoroughly enjoyed them. One of the first I ever read, at about 12 years old, in the genre was by Isaac Asimov and that got me hooked.
On the subject of real stars in Science Fiction the one that always sticks in my mind is Wolf 359, 3rd closest star to our sun at 7.3 Ly and the fictional site of Starfleets battle with the Borg.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

The book that got me interested in Sci-Fi in the first place is called 'Tales of Time and Space'. My parents bought it for me back in 1969 when I was 12yo. and it hooked me instantly.

The book isn't a single novel, it is a book of short SF stories.

I still have it!!!!!

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

I voted the the three most popular, although I would have removed Star Wars from the list as it was never a "series". I would have put B5 on the list to replace it and would have voted for that but it would have been a tighter selection if Lost In Space was on the list, afraid I never got into B's 7, Hitchhiker or Who!

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I include EM Forster because he wrote a short story back in the 1920's or 30's, called "The Machine Stops".
It is one of the most prophetic stories I've ever read.
Imagine if you can, people of the future, living in their selfcontained rooms, their lifeline is their Machine. Through the machine they communicate with each other, study, organise travel arrangements, give lectures, watch movies, listen to music etc etc.
Sound familiar?

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

I have read that one too, just didn't connect with the authors name. Yes very prophetic.

[MikeyB (Michael)]

Written way back in 1909 apparently, so out of copyright now and available for online perusal at:

http://emforster.de/hypertext/template.php3?t=tms

and,
http://www.plexus.org/forster/index.html

[Glenhuon (Bill)]

Thanks for the link Michael. Just re-read it and think I enjoyed it more than I did all those years ago. Probably because I have another 40 odd years of experience under my belt and can see the reliance we have on our machines. Scarey!

[beren]

My favourite without a doubt is Star trek. TNG/Voyager and DS9 I can't pick between them, the original series and enterprise to a lesser extent . Have no qualms grabbing a handful of DVd copies at the local vid store {much to my wifes horror} and reliving each series from time to time. Here's hoping the new movie destined for a 08 release is a success, if it is it may spur a new series into production .

[cahullian]

I picked Battlestar Galatica as it's one of my fav shows. My son tells me that The Rama series of books by Arthur.C.Clarke are being turned into movies. They are a great read and I hope the movies will do them justice.

Gazz

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Originally Posted by Glenhuon

and can see the reliance we have on our machines. Scarey!

Yes! When IceInSpace goes offline for a couple of hours, the panic that ensues is frightful. LOL
But gee, I didn't realize that it was written in 1909. Foretelling the internet that long ago......

[KenGee (Kenith Gee)]

We have a couple of the best Sifi writers going around at the moment. Shane Dix and Sean Williams. Peter Hamilton is very good as well though not Aussie.

[Nevyn]

Any chance to plug Gene Wolfe and I'll take it. Wolfe has written some of the best Science/Fantasy books you're ever likely to read!!! His intellect, prose and story telling are a cut above anything else I've read, simply brilliant! If you haven't read any Wolfe before, "The Book of The New Sun" is regarded by many to be his best.
http://www.sfsite.com/01b/ns96.htm

On topic, I reckon Babylon5 would have to be my favourite.

[White Rabbit]

Originally Posted by seeker372011

for me the best science fiction is to be found within the covers of a book...for example

Dune...Ringworld...the Foundation trilogy..Childhood's end...the Left Hand of Darkness...Stranger in a Strange Land...amongst a long list of Hugo and Nebula awards from the past (do these awards even exist anymore I wonder.)
showing my age I guess

Agreed, no movie can compare to your own and that of well oiled writers imagination, you should check out some of Ian Banks's sci fi, epics of gargantuan proportion. Saying that though i do love a good Sci Fi/fantasy movie.

One of favs not mentioned was the Red Dwarf series, cheap low budget scifi humour, loved it. Next generations and Voyager were awesome.

[Alderney (Dave)]

I enjoy anything Sci Fi in TV series & movies. Try and get Space Odyssey Voyage to the Planets, a BBC dvd. Having said that, books are way out the best. Here are a few author's not yet named.
Ben Bova Grand Tour of the Universe 6 books
Asteroid Wars 4 books
Moonrise 2 books
Orion 5 books

Kevin J Anderson
Saga of the Seven Suns 6 books
Dune (With Frank & Brian Herbert) 8 books (more due)

Kim Stanley Robinson
Mars 3 books

All mind blowing reading.

[Gargoyle_Steve (Steve)]

I voted Star Trek, Stargate and Star Wars - but this was a very very limited range of Sci-Fi to sample! (All are currently screening on Foxtel/Austar - 5 of the 6 on the SciFi channel)

I remember reading something Isaac Asimov wrote once about Science Fiction as opposed to Scientific Fiction (in his opinion a better genre description than Science Fiction) and his cmment came to mind reading the options in this poll. As much as I think Firefly is a great show and I enjoy watching it, it's not true Sci-Fi, and definitly not Scientific Fiction, rather it's a western (and a good one!) that happens to be set aboard a spaceship and/or on other planets. The Serenity movie was different, and was much more Sci-Fi in my opinion.

I also would have liked to have seen Doctor Who, Blakes Seven, Red Dwarf, Lost in Space, etc included. You could throw Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, etc in that mix too.

What about some even lesser known SciFi TV series: does anyone remember the Tomorrow People, or Andra? I'd be interested to hear if anyone remembers any other fairly obscure tru Sci-Fi series.

[joshman (Josh)]

hahah, i realise the error of my way with the limitations of my poll, and for that, sorry, however, i would have edited the poll, but that doesn't seem to be an option, and i would have created another thread, but for fear of the powers-that-be swooping upon me and taking me away.