Mike the Elder wrote:
> stbenge <stb### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> (quoted out of order)
> ....
>> Poll: What do you like more?
>> a) hard science fiction
>> b) fantastical sci-fi
>> c) space operas
> 
> Sort Answer: a) & b)... NOT c)
> 
> I enjoy works that creatively explore the realm of possibilities, especially
> those that provide a brief excursion, albeit an imaginary one, outside the
> sphere of the mundane.  Generally, I'm a fan of "The Classics": Asimov,
> Bradbury, Heinlein, Clarke, Pohl, Kornbluth, del Rey, and the rest of that
> beloved old rouges gallery. 

Those last three don't even ring the smallest bell. Could you provide 
some favorite titles from these authors? I'm about to embark on a 
mission to acquire some creative works, but I don't think your reply 
will reach me in time.

> Doug Adams was a true genius and any zarking
> turlingdrome who says otherwise is full of jujuflop and can go straight to
> Belgium!  Interesting ideas can come out of either the "hard" or "fantastical"
> styles, so I like them both.  Generally, mixing the two styles is a bad idea,
> but a truly inventive writer just might create an exception to just about any
> rule.

The general feeling here seems to be that any work, properly executed, 
has the potential for adoration regardless the genre.

> I find "Space Opera" wholly repugnant.  The same modern pop culture mass
> marketing mindset that gives us fat-free ice cream and decaffeinated coffee
> brings us idea-free science fiction... "all the spaceships, explosions and
> blinky lights that the public loves, with none of those annoying challenging
> concepts to dilute the nonstop ACTION!"

Having been exposed to the Star Wars trilogy very early in life, I was 
given an appreciation for those particular LucasFilms. Maybe it's the 
love of nostalgia more than an intellectual love. I guess it's the same 
reason I like The Moody Blues an Jefferson Airplane now.

> Like many who have read Heinlein, I often find myself thinking "That's really
> clever!" one moment and "How can you say THAT!" the next. This having been
> said,  I present the following excerpts to bridge the gap between threads:

Time to find some new authors....

Sam

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