Poll: what is your favorite piece of science fiction
- Thread starter josh797
- Start date
Recommended Videos
*Votes*
I can't live without a little Star Wars. Always enjoyed the movies, and only played one or two of their games, but it was nice while it lasted.
I can't live without a little Star Wars. Always enjoyed the movies, and only played one or two of their games, but it was nice while it lasted.
Out of those three I'd have to pick Star Wars since that's the one of them which has had the biggest impact upon my life.
But then again, I'm somewhat of a Sci-Fi freak so I enjoy Firefly, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space 9 quite alot as well.
But then again, I'm somewhat of a Sci-Fi freak so I enjoy Firefly, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space 9 quite alot as well.
Personally I think the options in the poll are extremely limited. For as soon as one starts to read science fiction you find that even the most original TV shows or movies are but pale imitations of what a good author can conjure up. At the moment I am reading the latest book from the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. A beautifully written series that really makes you notice the lazy thought processes behind a good 99% of all video based science fiction. Admittedly both Firefly and Star Wars are at the top of any list of good science fiction. And even a person as sensitive to poor writing and logical errors as I am, can find enjoyment in Star Trek. But before I start ranting about marines, kinetic energy weapons and chain-of-command I am simply going to pick my favorite science fiction for the moment: the Prince Roger (Empire of Man) series by John Ringo. It is in my opinion the perfect mix of humor, action and interesting characters to keep you reading until you fall asleep with out noticing you are asleep.
The new Battlestar Galactica is very well done. Some logical inconsistencies, but beyond that it's enjoyable to watch.
Firefly. They follow sci-fi rules better then anyone else... There's no fire or noise in space, etc, etc. Plus the humour's witty and has many good characters. But still who the hell was the priest guy anyway?! They killed him off before working out his background story! Tell me damnit!!
Alpha Squad 7 - Tek Jansen the New Adventures
As far as Firefly and accuracy, the one that stands out as a mistake is the whole bit about needing oxygen for Jane's gun to fire that one time. I read somewhere they consulted a weapons expert on that bit, and that's what HE said. For shame...
As far as Firefly and accuracy, the one that stands out as a mistake is the whole bit about needing oxygen for Jane's gun to fire that one time. I read somewhere they consulted a weapons expert on that bit, and that's what HE said. For shame...
I'd like to recommend Charlie Jade, excellent South African scifi, with more than one genuine surprise when it comes to character development through the series.
It might be a bit slow and down to earth for people who are used to Star Trek / Star Wars / Star Gate / Battlestar etc (no stars, get it?) but I consider it to one of the best scifi shows, well, ever. Akin to a mainstream Bradbury somehow.
It might be a bit slow and down to earth for people who are used to Star Trek / Star Wars / Star Gate / Battlestar etc (no stars, get it?) but I consider it to one of the best scifi shows, well, ever. Akin to a mainstream Bradbury somehow.
I wanted to say Babylon 5, but until I read someone proposing BSG I had actually forgotten that was Sci-Fi. I suppose that shows how well the drama is.
My favorite sci-fi author is a man named R.A. Lafferty. I really, very seriously recommend Fourth Mansions as a novel. Also Harlan Ellison and PKD.
Harry Harrison's Death World series was entertaining (I loved the 2nd one), along with The Stainless Steel Rat. TV series/movie wise, Babylon 5. As much as I try to enjoy BSG, it's just too damn slow alot of the time.
Both BSG and Babylon 5 follow neutonion laws. Firefly tends to get away with the whole "no noise in space" simply because there are no space combat sequences. As realistic as it is, watching a space dog fight with the sound completely muted kind of sucks.
My favorite single piece of Sci-Fi ever in any medium was The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven.
I'm a fan of all the above series, but they're not really GREAT sci-fi. of those posted, I'd say I like Firefly best, just because it was so original and had a whole Cowboy Bebop flavor to it that I loved.
I'm a fan of all the above series, but they're not really GREAT sci-fi. of those posted, I'd say I like Firefly best, just because it was so original and had a whole Cowboy Bebop flavor to it that I loved.
Yeah I agree that the poll is limited, when I saw the title I immediately though of the Foundation series by Issac Asimov, or maybe Ender's Game or something like that. The poll has two tv shows and a series of movies (and all their assorted spin-off crap in the case of Trek and Wars). The poll should be expanded to include more real books. And before anybody mentions this, I consider star wars and star trek books to be about the same level as those romance novels you buy in the grocery store, in other words they're crap.
Also props to strayjay for mentioning Niven, he's one of my favorite authors.
Here's some ideas:
Foundation Series, Issac Asimov
Neuromancer, William Gibson
Ringworld (suck it Halo fanbois), Larry Niven
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
Starship Troopers or The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert Heinlein
HARI SELDON PWNZ U BITCHEZ (he also knows exactly when/where it will happen)!
Also props to strayjay for mentioning Niven, he's one of my favorite authors.
Here's some ideas:
Foundation Series, Issac Asimov
Neuromancer, William Gibson
Ringworld (suck it Halo fanbois), Larry Niven
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
Starship Troopers or The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert Heinlein
HARI SELDON PWNZ U BITCHEZ (he also knows exactly when/where it will happen)!
As far as tv goes, I would have to say Battlestar Galactica or Farscape.
Bookwise my vote goes to Alastair Reynolds and his Revalation Space series thingy whatever it is. It's really enjoyable and most of the characters are not really likeable. I love Volyova, the very not so very nice lady with the cynical attitude. Even the great "freedom fighter" Thorn is a complete twat. But the science is sweet and the scope is, to my little brain, awesome.
And is Star Wars really science fiction? I mean, it's great and very enjoyable, nut I don't really consider it science fiction. There's not a lot of science in it.
Bookwise my vote goes to Alastair Reynolds and his Revalation Space series thingy whatever it is. It's really enjoyable and most of the characters are not really likeable. I love Volyova, the very not so very nice lady with the cynical attitude. Even the great "freedom fighter" Thorn is a complete twat. But the science is sweet and the scope is, to my little brain, awesome.
And is Star Wars really science fiction? I mean, it's great and very enjoyable, nut I don't really consider it science fiction. There's not a lot of science in it.
If you start to include books the remit becomes utterly massive. To the above list I would add:
Wells, Verne, Vonnegut, Orwell, Banks, Brin and my four current favourites (all Brits) Douglas Adams, China Mieville, P.F. Hamilton and Alastair Reynolds. Add those to all the others mentioned in this thread and you've got a ridiculous number of possibles.
I know Mieville isn't really S.F. but I really wanted to mention him.
Not sure Hari Seldon ever knew what the clinically insane were going to do so I'm fine.
Edit: To Gunslinger, the next two in the Revelation Space trilogy (Redemption Ark and Absolution Gap), are quite a lot better if you don't mind most of what he writes being in essence an extended chase sequence. Chasm City is not part of the series, only in the same "universe", although it does flesh it out a bit (talking about the melding plague and such.)
Wells, Verne, Vonnegut, Orwell, Banks, Brin and my four current favourites (all Brits) Douglas Adams, China Mieville, P.F. Hamilton and Alastair Reynolds. Add those to all the others mentioned in this thread and you've got a ridiculous number of possibles.
I know Mieville isn't really S.F. but I really wanted to mention him.
Not sure Hari Seldon ever knew what the clinically insane were going to do so I'm fine.
Edit: To Gunslinger, the next two in the Revelation Space trilogy (Redemption Ark and Absolution Gap), are quite a lot better if you don't mind most of what he writes being in essence an extended chase sequence. Chasm City is not part of the series, only in the same "universe", although it does flesh it out a bit (talking about the melding plague and such.)