# The Greatest Sci Fi Story Ever Told



## stirdgit (Jun 8, 2005)

I wanted to see what everyone thinks is the greatest science fiction story ever.  This can be any medium, TV, Movie, Book, Radio... anything.  As most of you will come to learn, my choice is Dune.  Believe it or not, my second choice is a television series: Babylon 5.  Foundation is number three.


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## The Master™ (Jun 8, 2005)

Just the trusted Obvious Good versus the Uncompromising Evil battle... THAT is the greatest story ever told...


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## Leto (Jun 8, 2005)

Titles below are personal choice and certainly not objective :

As a book  : DUNE
As a comic : Dark Phoenix Saga (although since badly retconned and butchered by Marvel) - here's your battle between Good and Evil, Master, all incarnated in a young woman body.
As a movie ? No original story comes to my mind, the film I think of are all inspired by books.


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## Stalker (Jun 8, 2005)

Among the short stories I would distinguish _Who Goes There?_ written in 1938 by John Campbell that inspired a whole lot of Sci-Fi books depicting Monster Aliens.


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 8, 2005)

Hmm. 


Nope, I can't nominate one single 'greatest' story. If pressed, I could compile a list, but it will mostly include novels and short stories - very few if any movies.


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## Mark Robson (Jun 8, 2005)

Sci Fi really isn't my bag, but I've enjoyed some.  The most accomplished, in my view, was probably Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, though I didn't go much for the add ons.  Either that, or MK Wren's trilogy - Sword of the Lamb, Shadow of the Swan, House of the Woolf.  Can't remember the series title, but despite it being years since I last read it, the story remains a favourite in my mind.


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## red_temple (Jun 8, 2005)

I'm partial to 2001: A Space Odyssey.


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## Jay (Jun 8, 2005)

One of these (although, really there are to many)

1.  *Ian Banks's* _Culture_ novels
2.  *Gene Wolfe's* _Book of the New Sun_
_3._ *Frank Herbert's* _Dune_ novels
_4._ *Cordwainer Smith's* _Instrumentality of Mankind_ works
5.  *Philip K. Dick's* The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch 
6.  *Ray Bradbury's* Martian Chronicles
_7._ *Samuel Delany's* Dhalgren 
8.  *Alfred Bester's* The Stars my Destination  (aka Tiger, Tiger!)
9.  *Walter M. Miller Jr.* *'s* A Canticle for Leibowitz
10. *Ursula Leguin's* Left Hand of Darkness


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## orionsixwings (Jun 8, 2005)

stirdgit said:
			
		

> I wanted to see what everyone thinks is the greatest science fiction story ever. This can be any medium, TV, Movie, Book, Radio... anything. As most of you will come to learn, my choice is Dune. Believe it or not, my second choice is a television series: Babylon 5. Foundation is number three.


 
My two-cents opinion
SCIENCE FICTION - 
       book series - dune(serious), Red Dwarf (humorous)
       movie - Star Wars (what else?)
       tv - Star Trek


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## The Master™ (Jun 9, 2005)

Leto said:
			
		

> As a comic : Dark Phoenix Saga (although since badly retconned and butchered by Marvel) - here's your battle between Good and Evil, Master, all incarnated in a young woman body.


 
Is THAT the reason for you changing your avatar to Jean Gray/Phoenix???


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## Leto (Jun 9, 2005)

Nope, was time to get ride of the snake. I'm currently balancing between this one and the one I use at Freecafe. 
Which one is your favorite ? and which one is more fit to me ?


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## Thunderchild (Jun 14, 2005)

the PC game Deus Ex


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 14, 2005)

OK, a few of my fave short stories (these are all fairly standard selections, but there's a reason why they're so well-liked):


Nightfall - Isaac Asimov
The Lion of Comarre - Arthur C Clarke
The Ones who walk away from Omelas - Ursula K LeGuin
A Martian Odyssey - Stanley Weinbaum
The game of cat and dragon - Cordwainer Smith
We can remember it for you wholesale - Philip K Dick
The Human Front - Ken MacLeod


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## polymorphikos (Jun 14, 2005)

Not necessarily the 'greatest', but the first that come to mind, for a number of various reasons.

Against the Fall of Night - Arthur C Clarke (I think that's the novel, not the short).
The Enchanted Village - A E Van Vogt
The Time Machine - H G Wells
Nightfall One - Asimov (yes, it is a damn good story)
2001

I wil not be happy until I've read the sf equivalent of Moby Dick. If it exists and isn't crushingly-pretentious (like so much sf/f), point me thither and away I go.

Also, why are all the best - the really, genuinely best - sf stories shorts?


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 14, 2005)

polymorphikos said:
			
		

> Also, why are all the best - the really, genuinely best - sf stories shorts?


 
Partly historical reasons - until the 70s or so there wasn't a stable market for novel-length sf. Also, the quitessential sf tale deals with the playing out of a particular 'what if?' idea, and I think the short form's especially apt for that kind of story. 

There is good long stuff too - like Bester's novels, LeGuin's, Iain Bank's and so on.


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## Rane Longfox (Jun 14, 2005)

Hmm, thats a tough one. I guess Dune, because most of the other contenders have sub-standard endings...


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 14, 2005)

While I hold Dune in high regard, there are sf novels that are as good or better - Alfred Bester's The Stars my Destination, which manages to be a thrilling tale of vengeance and adventure, as well as an overturning of certain genre cliches, for instance, or Ursula LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness. 

Personally though, I'd like to believe that the greatest SF story is yet to be told!


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## Stalker (Jun 14, 2005)

Alfred Bester's Tiger!Tiger! is an excellent piece of Sci-Fi. Actually, I like all Alfred Bester.

What can you say of _Uplift_ series by David Brin? It had held my imagination for lon time.


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 14, 2005)

A friend of mine, whose tastes pretty well parallel mine most of the time, considers Brin's Uplift books to be one of the best SF series ever - he is especially impressed by the depiction of various alien races and the interaction between them. I've only read the first of these books - Sundiver, the tale of a daring exploration mission to the sun. It had many merits, although it is clearly and early novel, but I'm assured that the books only get better over time.


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## Stalker (Jun 14, 2005)

Oh, _Sundiver_ is really the earliest piece of Uplift Galaxy. Then comes _Startide Rising_ and _Uplift War_, and then goes _Jijo _trilogy. Your friend is right, Brin is extremely skillful in constructing alien races, and their relationships between one another are contrastly depicted in above-mentioned trilogy. Brilliant work of his!


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## Taltos (Jun 14, 2005)

Stalker said:
			
		

> Oh, _Sundiver_ is really the earliest piece of Uplift Galaxy. Then comes _Startide Rising_ and _Uplift War_



have to agree with this one, the first trilogy is brilliant 



			
				Stalker said:
			
		

> and then goes _Jijo _trilogy.


and it goes down the drain. Bought all three books, waited for a month to get the last one from amazon - and then only got halfway through the first book. The constant changing of viewpoint was awwwwwwwful  why oh why he had to do this, the first books were so good


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 15, 2005)

Was there anything worng with those books apart from the changes in viewpoint? I'll admit that I'm rather surfeited with that particular head-hopping approach (thanks to the efforts of several fantasy authors), but I'm willing to endure it once in a while.


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## Taltos (Jun 15, 2005)

knivesout said:
			
		

> Was there anything worng with those books apart from the changes in viewpoint? I'll admit that I'm rather surfeited with that particular head-hopping approach (thanks to the efforts of several fantasy authors), but I'm willing to endure it once in a while.



Also the problem was that the story was going nowhere. The first 200+ pages were about showing everyday life on that planet, after that something started to happen. 

Lets just say that, with dragging beginning and constantly jumping viewpoint, these books were too much effort to get into and as I had other books waiting, it didn't seems worthwhile. 

Damn, no i have a urge to try to finish at least the first book, damn you


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 15, 2005)

Be sure to let us know how it goes, if you do!


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## Stalker (Jun 15, 2005)

Yes, in attempt to describe the events taking place simultaniously here and there, Brin somewhat went too far with it, but I think, such a style of his is orth the effort. Then in the third book, all the lines of the plot tie up together and you've got a complete picture. All the rest is up to the reader's taste.


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 15, 2005)

Maybe we could start up a new thread about Brin's Uplift books? Anyone up for that?


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## Quokka (Jun 15, 2005)

From what Ive read in SF, I'd have to agree with _Dune_, the series was good but the first book as a stand alone was brilliant. I personally loved Gregory Benford's _Timescape_ though probably not a title for the 'Greatest'. _Flowers for Algernon _(Daniel Keyes) would also be right up there.


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 15, 2005)

Since mention has been made of Algernon, one of the most profound character studies in SF, I'd like to add Robert Silverberg's novel, Dying Inside, which deals with a telepath who is going through the process of losing his powers due to old age. Sort of a Kafka-like tale in SF robes.I've always grouped it wth Keyes' novel in my mind for the total immersion into the central character and his transformations.


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## Stalker (Jun 15, 2005)

knivesout said:
			
		

> Maybe we could start up a new thread about Brin's Uplift books? Anyone up for that?


Why not? I'm in.


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## a|one (Jun 16, 2005)

Not so much into the sf but lets see...

_The White Plague_ was quite interesting, as was _Day of the Triffids._ And I liked Chalker's _Quintara Marathon_.

For movies I'd have to go with the first _Matrix_ film and _Donnie Darko_, for very different reasons.

TV shows... not coming up with anything, but I liked this made-for-TV movie called Cube.


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## stirdgit (Jun 16, 2005)

From the looks of it, there are quite a few books I have to read.  For everyone who has posted on this topic - and those who will post - thank you.  I have been looking for some great reading material.  Knivesout, Dying Inside sounds fascinating.  I am going to have to pick that one up.  Thank you.


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## Eradius Lore (Jun 17, 2005)

book- dead sky, black sun by graham Mcneill
series- star trek, red dwarf
film- star wars


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## GOLLUM (Jun 17, 2005)

Being someone who particularly enjoys the EPIC storyline ableit primairly in the Fantasy genre, I'd have to say of the few Sci Fi books I've read DUNE is easily the best in terms of complexity, stroyline, characterization etc...


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## Leto (Jun 17, 2005)

stirdgit said:
			
		

> From the looks of it, there are quite a few books I have to read.  For everyone who has posted on this topic - and those who will post - thank you.  I have been looking for some great reading material.  Knivesout, Dying Inside sounds fascinating.  I am going to have to pick that one up.  Thank you.


Be careful that except the main character's mutation, this book take place in real New York from the 70s. No other fantastic details. Knowing that, enjoy it, it's not one of the best sci-fi novel in my book, but simply one of the best novel, all genre compared.


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## Stalker (Jun 17, 2005)

Except for a single assumption, Algernon doesn't contain any further Sci-Fi elements either but that doesn't diminish the greatness of the book.


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## Leto (Jun 17, 2005)

I have to confess I've never read Flowers for Algernon as it was on my school list.


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## Stalker (Jun 17, 2005)

So, you have all opportunities to do it now. 

Wow, with all our differences, I found how close we are. So, I also missed too many classical books just because they were included into my school list! So, we might have more in common than we thought! Paris was a different planet for me, now it came light years closer!!!


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## Leto (Jun 17, 2005)

Same continent, just a few hours in plane.  Although I've personnally never been farther east than Bratislava yet. But combining love of travel and cheap ticket prices (thanks to Internet), I've got plan to expand my explorations. 
And the problem now is that my to-read list is so huge, I'm not sure a lifetime will be enough to read all of them.


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## Glen C (Jun 18, 2005)

Best novel - War Of The Worlds

Best Film - Forbidden Planet

Best Short story: Surface Tension by William Ten (Me thinks)

Best TV series Red Dwarf

Glen


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## Amorph (Jun 18, 2005)

In terms of novels (or series of novels), mine would come from the below list:

Larry Niven's _Ringworld _trilogy.
Poul Anderson's _Tau Zero_.
Frank Herbert's _Dune_, obviously. Personal favourite of the six was actually _Children Of Dune_, and I consider it went downhill from there.
Robert Silverberg's _Majipoor Cycle_.
Iain M. Banks' _Culture_ novels. Though I also recently read _Inversions_, and that was superb.
I'd also like to nominate Niven again, along with Jerry Pournelle and Steven Barnes for _The Legacy Of Heorot_.

For visual pleasure... it's quite rare for me to watch a sci-fi television series or film that I'm genuinely happy with, and off-hand I can't think of one I would describe as a favourite. For that reason, I'm instead going to mention Howard Tayler's _Schlock Mercenary_, which I do enjoy reading a lot. Static rather than moving images.


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## Rosemary (Jun 18, 2005)

Number One *has* to be Frank Herbert's Dune Series.

Julian May's The Galactic Millieu Trilogy, also thr Black Trillium co-written with Marion Zimmer Bradley.

"V" was the name of the movie in which I believe Signoury Weaver might have had the staring role.  Of course that was many decades ago now.  

The first two episodes of Star Wars were great but after that...............

I also enjoy listening to the sound track of War of the Worlds, especially with the head-phones on.


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## Glen C (Jun 19, 2005)

The funny thing with Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds, after months of trying to emulate the sound of the screw unscrewing, they ended up using exactly the same process that Orson Wells used for his famous broadcast. Two big aluminium pots rubbed together inside a toilet. Some things just can't be beaten lol


Glen


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## Rosemary (Jun 19, 2005)

Glen C said:
			
		

> The funny thing with Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds, after months of trying to emulate the sound of the screw unscrewing, they ended up using exactly the same process that Orson Wells used for his famous broadcast. Two big aluminium pots rubbed together inside a toilet. Some things just can't be beaten lol
> 
> 
> Glen


 
Wow, so recording technology was really something way back then! 
I don't think I will try it though, just take your word for the info.
Actually, I remember an Aussie song where the intro was not a guitar or drums, it was the clicking of typewriter keys.


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## Glen C (Jun 20, 2005)

LOL not sure it was a tribute to sound technology rather than Well's sound man hitting on the right solution. If you ever get a chance, watch the film "Night That Panicked America" Shows a lot of the behind the scenes stuff involving the radio play, and how America reacted to it.

Not sure about the typewriter, but I know the beat for the Bee Gee's hit "Jive Talking" came from the bouncing of the car over traffic markers on the Sydney Harbour Bridge at 60kph. That I can vouch is true. I tried it once. The rythmn is spot on

Glen


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## Jayaprakash Satyamurthy (Jun 20, 2005)

Glen C said:
			
		

> Best Short story: Surface Tension by William Ten (Me thinks)


 
I seem to remember a short story called Surface Tension about human colonists, mutated to extremely small sizes so as to survive in a puddle on a largely aquatic world - but the story was by James Blish, if I recall right. Is it the same one? Or am I remembering the wrong author?


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## GOLLUM (Jun 20, 2005)

knivesout said:
			
		

> I seem to remember a short story called Surface Tension about human colonists, mutated to extremely small sizes so as to survive in a puddle on a largely aquatic world - but the story was by James Blish, if I recall right. Is it the same one? Or am I remembering the wrong author?


 I can confirm that James Blish definitely wrote a story by that name regarding the subject you're talking about. It is his most famous story that formed part of his 'Pantropy' stories that were collected into a book known as The Seedling Stars. 

Heres' a short synopsis to jog the memory cells..

In "Surface Tension," a spaceship crash-lands on a planet around Tau Ceti, a watery planet quite unsuited for even ordinary adaptations. The only solution the desperate crash survivors can see is to make adapted humans of microscopic size, to live in the tiny ponds that dot the planet's surface. The two episodes, one derived from "Sunken Universe," the other from the original "Surface Tension" novelette, tell first of the humans' alliance with some of the protozoans, and their joint battle against the more dangerous microscopic creatures; then, generations later, of the brave attempt of some of the humans to make a "spaceship" with which to travel to other "universes": i.e., to leave one pond and make their way to another. The concepts here are wonderful, and the ironic commentary is nicely handled, though the story itself is rather straightforward. 

Never heard of author William Ten Glen C and certainly not associated with a short story Surface Tension as far as I'm aware....


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## BAYLOR (Jun 9, 2021)

Novels The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov

Under  short stores  *All the Way Back *by Michael Shaara

Under movies *Quatermass And the Pit*

Under Tv Series *Babylon 5*


Over time , these choices  are subject to change .


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