The same can be said of many of his works. I cannot see a book like _I Will
Fear No Evil_ being made in Hollywood (unless Demi Moore decided to do
it ). What I've read in _Time Enough for Love_ would also have a
similar problem. As RAH moved away from his "Juveniles", he became quite
the randy little bugger.
DH> My favorite thing about RAH is that he
DH> didn't write very much crap. (O.K. I Will Fear No Evil was pretty lame.
DH> It could have been a lot better. If you're interested in why it wasn't,
DH> see Grumbles From the Grave.)
I liked _... No Evil_. Of course, I had just gotten back from a war when I
read it. I did read parts of _Grumbles..._, but I can't remember what you
are referring to. I guess I'll have to unearth it. As far as his writing
crap, I'll agree. Of course, when you are writing to support yourself, you
don't have that luxury (unless your last name is a royal title ;)} ).
DH> I firmly believe that his "Requiem" is the yardstick by
DH> which all short SF stories (Hell, ALL short stories) should be
DH> measured.
I liked "Requiem" as well, but I don't think that it was my fav. Pardon
my failing memory, but the title of the one I loved was "Green Hills of
Earth" or something like that. The story of the blind minstrel returning
to earth. As I stated before, it has been many years since I have had
time to read RAH. I loved all of Heinlein X6 (many of which I found mildly
disturbing) and "M.'s Children." However, I'd say that the measure of the
short story has got to be E.A. Poe. Granted, he didn't do much SF, but his
stories were always well paced. On the same token, H.P. Lovecraft fits this
bill as well. However, Heinlein rates in the top five of all time in my book.
Good pacing and good content. He also had a great track record.
DH> Stasheff can be a little tedious, and a couple of the books in the
DH> Warlock series (notably Warlock Rock) are enough to embarrass even Piers
DH> Anthony.
No need to run. Got to admit, Anthony is not my cup of tea either. I have
heard that his stories are good. I'll have to take their word for it.
Tried to get through one of his books once. Way too much detail to
assimilate. Of course, that was a long time ago. Perhaps if I try again...
Strangely enough, I like Dune (although it puts Anthony to shame for
level of detail). I can't explain this one. I guess I got into the
political maneuvering in the story.
DH> ... Choking on *another* Xanth novel? Apply the Heinlein Maneuver!
Consider this tag stolen. with a gleam
Darre LuAllen
Confused writer and
SF Fan
Honorary Member of SMOG
___
* OFFLINE 1.56 * The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.
--- Maximus/2 3.00
* Origin: Cumberland BBS TN 615/526-3347 V34 (1:3637/1)
Ä [11] SFFAN (2:463/2.5) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ SFFAN Ä
Msg : 64 of 423
From : Darre LuAllen 1:3637/1 .ōp 28 Hî˙ 95 15:23
To : Paul Goverts
Subj : Favorites
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Having seen the suggestions from David (_The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_,
etc.) here are a few others:
The Past Through Tomorrow (almost required reading)
Time Enough For Love (same)
Starship Troopers (inspiration for Aliens?, et al)
Puppet Masters (especially if you have a historical
interest in the Fifties "Commie" Hysteria)
Grumbles From the Grave
- although this is a collection of his letters,
reading this book will help you understand RAH
I do agree that you should wait on reading _Number of the Beast_ until
you have read some more of RAH's works, simply because off all the in jokes
Heinlein had with his readers. This one is a fun little book, which has a
premise most SF fans have considered at one time or other.
As far as _Stranger ..._ goes, remember that this is the book that caused
RAH to withdraw from Fandom. He wrote it to pay the bills and found that
people wanted him to be some kind of guru. Of course, this was during the
time when a cult might form around a piece of litter thrown from a car in
California.
Just my opinion,
Darre LuAllen
Confused Writer and
Reality Spot Checker
"Wasn't it raining?"
___
* OFFLINE 1.56 * "So many fishies left in the sea, So many fishies - but no-one
for me..."
--- Maximus/2 3.00
* Origin: Cumberland BBS TN 615/526-3347 V34 (1:3637/1)
Ä [11] SFFAN (2:463/2.5) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ SFFAN Ä
Msg : 65 of 423
From : Nicolai Shapero 1:102/524 .ōp 28 Hî˙ 95 23:29
To : Ml Sands
Subj : Sorry for eavedropping ...
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
On , Ml Sands (1:132/130) wrote to Bianca Wesslak:
MS> Hello. I couldn't help but notice a recent "pro-nuclear"
MS>reply
MS>to one of your posts. It emanated the same fanaticism that they
MS>were
MS>accusing you of. I hope this isn't being intrusive, but here's
MS>some
MS>possible ammunition. Actually, you might already know these
MS>things.
Every year, it has been estimated that 50,000 people die in the United States as
a direct result of our reliance on fossil fuels -- these deaths are attributed
to pollution, NOT to mining or transporting the fossil fuels.
Everything has a risk attached -- you want electric power, you have to pay. In
money, and (sadly) in lives. Of course, without power, you don't get to raise
as much food, and people die a different way...
-- Nicolai Shapero, the Mad Russian Sysop of StormGate Aerie
--- msged 2.06
* Origin: StormGate Aerie/West LA Netmail Hub/HST (1:102/524)
Ä [11] SFFAN (2:463/2.5) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ SFFAN Ä
Msg : 66 of 423
From : Nicolai Shapero 1:102/524 .ōp 28 Hî˙ 95 23:31
To : Roger Schuering
Subj : Hello
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
On , Roger Schuering (1:3825/21@fidonet.org) wrote to All:
RS>Is there anyone out there who can tell what this echo is all
RS>about...Hello
RS>...Hello?
What follows is an abbreviated version of the rules for SFFAN:
Discussions of SF Fandom, Trek, Media, Who, Anime, and any literary
SF topic are "in bounds". Related technical discussions are also
allowed, but if they go too far afield, ye moderator reserves the
right to shut down the topic at any time without further warning.
Fantasy, by the by, is on topic. Keep the comments clean and above
the belt -- personal attacks are unacceptable (remember though, that
to attack an idea is NOT the same as attacking the holder of that
idea).
Commercial messages (anything that solicits money) are OFF TOPIC.
The moderator reserves the right to add new rules as the situation
demands.
Violators of rules may be warned in netmail, will be warned in the
echo, and are subject to suspension of SFFAN echomail priviledges
if they refuse to comply with the echo rules. Sysops who refuse to
police their users (or themselves) on this echo are subject to
having their feeds cut without warning -- yes, I do hold sysops to
a higher standard. A list of users and sysops on probation and
suspension is included in the detailed rules, which are posted
at roughly one month intervals.
The word of the moderator is the word of god. Once the edict is
issued, please take any further comments and/or discussions to netmail.
This is not a democracy. In the event of my disappearance of early
demise, my wife Kay Shapero will take my place. If both of us
disappear without having time to appoint an heir to the echo, you
will likely have to fight it out with the FidoNet bureaucracy...
-- Nicolai Shapero, Moderator of SFFAN
--- msged 2.06
* Origin: StormGate Aerie/West LA Netmail Hub/HST (1:102/524)
Ä [11] SFFAN (2:463/2.5) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ SFFAN Ä
Msg : 67 of 423
From : Anne Hardcastle 1:393/7 .ōp 28 Hî˙ 95 18:33
To : All
Subj : Re: Gibson
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
I have listened to an abridged version of virtual light on tape and an
unabridged version of Neuromancer on tape read by the author. Neuromancer was
just fabulous. I was constantly in shock at his ability to make technology into
poetry and to blend the bits and pieces of ultra-urban culture with the best of
international issues. The interesting thing to me, is how PLAUSIBLE these
novels seem. I am very impressed by his work.
I think he was the one who first coined the term cyberspace, am I right?
--- CNet/3
* Origin: The Bard's Tavern Denton, TX (817)243-5110 USR 28.8 (1:393/7)
Ä [11] SFFAN (2:463/2.5) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ SFFAN Ä
Msg : 68 of 423
From : Dkimmel 1:101/230 .îí 27 Hî˙ 95 17:12
To : Michael Harper
Subj : HITLER'S BRAIN
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
MH> > Just in case there are any lurkers who don't get that you're
MH> > simply
MH> > ragging on the great director, Stanely Kubrick had NOTHING to
MH> > do with
MH> > the shlocker "They Saved Hitler's Brain."
MH>My source is somewhat apocryphal, but I trust him about as much as I trust
MH>anybody... Almost every director/actor/whatever has a film or two in their p
MH>that's so godawful they'll disavow it in a heartbeat; Kubrick is no differen
No, Stanley Kubrick had NOTHING to do with the movie.
MH>And don't idolize the twit just because he did one or two great films. Kubri
MH>refuses to own up to his stupidities, unlike Huston and Welles, who made a f
MH>clinkers and admitted it. Kubrick has always thought his sh*t didn't stink,
MH>he's always been wrong. His sort of turgid self-aggrandizement annoys the he
MH>out of me. People who think they can do no wrong always do. Only Allah can
MH>create perfection; for mortal man to think he can do so is a mortal sin.
Your unreasoning hatred of Stanley Kubrick is interesting but since it
largely consists of attributing other people's movies -- and motives --
to him, there's really little necessary to say in response.
* SLMR 2.1a * Don't mind him. He's from Barcelona.
--- FLAME v1.0
* Origin: Withouta Net - Drop In Anytime! - 617/846-5416 (1:101/230)
Ä [11] SFFAN (2:463/2.5) ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ SFFAN Ä
Msg : 69 of 423
From : ROBERT LIDGREN 1:134/10 .ōp 28 Hî˙ 95 21:10
To : ML SANDS
Subj : nuclear
ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ
Science fiction has always been able to see not only the benefits of
nuclear energy but also the potential horrors associated with it. Of
course, I speak of "nuclear fission." France currently produces over
70% or her electricity from nuclear power plants.
However, this is no balm because any French reactor could potentially
have a serious accident. If things are human made they are not perfect
no matter how many saftey features are built in.
On the other hand, "nuclear fusion" does hold HUGE promise. The
by-products--> water vapor. It's unlikely YOU'LL ever see a car running
down the street power by a fusion reactor but for electricity generation
