What is Science Fiction?
At least, for purposes of this group? The "SyFy Channel" is pretty broad, even giant alligators qualify for that one. It's such a gray area! There are space operas with Bat Masterson Western themes with space blasters, Asimov's "Foundation" series, Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Mars" series, "Son of the Two-Headed Fly"...I wanted to bring up the book The Holmes/Dracula File, where Fred Saberhagen (author of the "Berserker" series, among others) does a fantastic job of having Sherlock Holmes meet and work with Dracula.
What do you say? Ahead warp factor 3.
What do you say? Ahead warp factor 3.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Phillip on -
Yeah, Asimov was ahead of his time. I think he wrote the first Foundation book in his late teens or early twenties. Puts me to shame.
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Permalink Reply by Sparky Gage on -
What is Science Fiction? To me it's any fiction that the author a) invents/predicts a new technology or scientific discovery that directly affects the plot, and/or b) brings a mythological element from the past to the present day/future. From that point anything goes. In a way, to me SciFi is like Jazz - it's almost easier to say what it isn't.
My personal favorite SciFi
Author (overall): Ray Bradbury
Books: Martian Chronicles and the Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker
Movies: Signs & Metropolis
TV Series: Firefly
As to the book you mention, after reading some of Doyle's other stories, I can Holmes teaming up with an unlikely partner.
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Permalink Reply by Phillip on
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Soylent Greenbased on the Harry Harrison book "Make Room Make Room" is often put into the category of sci fi (which it is) but not for the reasons of technology or advancement but for the break down of the social system. A distopia. Overpopulation of people causes a great shortage in the food industry. So to solve the problem,the government approves of secret cannibalism in the form of green bite size squares of freeze dried humans. YUM!
Early in the film there is mention of The Greenhouse Effect. I think they were onto something back in 1971.
We have the technology to make hotdogs so it wouldn't be much of a leap to do the same with humans. This is along the lines of a "what-if" cautionary tale. We are teetering on the brink as it is now.
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