1. Still granting you the sub-genre-ness! And I really like your "sense of wonder" point. (Again, part of what spurred this was Quark and Beth talking, and Quark was talking about how she loves Asimov's short stories yet can't find any long science fiction that she likes, so I was interested in a) why hardcore science fiction doesn't translate well to being long and b) what you actually usually find when you read long stuff [i.e. space opera] and what problems that itself entails.) I couldn't get into the first Pern book, and I've never read LeGuins science fiction forays. SUGGESTIONS WELCOME ON THIS FRONT. (Not that you're not busy with your omg-I'm-drooling-at-the-mouth Wilde conference. :-b)
2. Aware of the datedness of the hard science fiction points, so thank you thank you for a recommendation on that front--part of my quest is to figure out who these days is still doing hardcore science fiction. I totally agree with your point about the evolution of the genre, I was just wondering who was doing it within the confines of hardcore science fiction versus space opera stuff. (Also, thank you for qualifying your rec--I mentioned somewhere in this behemoth that I read the whole "I Have No Mouth" short story collection, and I think I had to limit myself to one story a day because they were so dark.)
3. SMEGGING IS AN AWESOME WORD. 3a. THIS TOO is a point that interests me (Rosalee keeps commenting about the difference between science fiction and fantasy and I am intrigued by the thought that what bogs down long hardcore science fiction is what bogs down epic fantasy, but I wonder if it would work for short epic fantasy the way it works for short hardcore science fiction). How does bad writing play itself out across genres, and what is the common error they're all making (too much attention to irrelevant detail, but [aside from the frustration of reading] I am amused at what irrelevant details are from genre to genre).
no subject
2. Aware of the datedness of the hard science fiction points, so thank you thank you for a recommendation on that front--part of my quest is to figure out who these days is still doing hardcore science fiction. I totally agree with your point about the evolution of the genre, I was just wondering who was doing it within the confines of hardcore science fiction versus space opera stuff. (Also, thank you for qualifying your rec--I mentioned somewhere in this behemoth that I read the whole "I Have No Mouth" short story collection, and I think I had to limit myself to one story a day because they were so dark.)
3. SMEGGING IS AN AWESOME WORD.
3a. THIS TOO is a point that interests me (Rosalee keeps commenting about the difference between science fiction and fantasy and I am intrigued by the thought that what bogs down long hardcore science fiction is what bogs down epic fantasy, but I wonder if it would work for short epic fantasy the way it works for short hardcore science fiction). How does bad writing play itself out across genres, and what is the common error they're all making (too much attention to irrelevant detail, but [aside from the frustration of reading] I am amused at what irrelevant details are from genre to genre).