Linda Nagata on Hard SF (especially for the hard-SF-phobic)

[J-Sun]

Here's an article.

It's time to start reading hard science fiction again

 

[Bick]

Interesting article. I mostly enjoyed it because there were some novels recommended by authors hadn't heard of; always useful.

 

[j d worthington]

I agree that the examples sound very interesting, and I'll have to see if I can't find some time to give them a try.

On the other hand, I find the "Common Misconceptions" portion particularly relevant, as I have continued to run into just these points over and over again for almost five decades... since I started reading sf, in fact. And it is intensely frustrating to me that people hold this idea of a field which ranges from the technology-oriented stories of George O. Smith to the overwhelmingly poignant "Flowers for Algernon" or "The Cold Equations"... or even Asimov's "The Ugly Little Boy" or "Eyes Do More than See" or (and given recent experiments, this is beginning to look like a very real possibility in the not-too-distant future) "Dreaming is a Private Thing"... to name only a tiny handful of examples.

 

[JoanDrake]

Interesting. What would Full Metal Alchemist be? Hard SF, Science Fantasy, or Fantasy?

 

[Connavar]

Interesting. What would Full Metal Alchemist be? Hard SF, Science Fantasy, or Fantasy?

Science Fantasy,Steampunk if it was a novel. In that there is too much magic, power that comes from a source that isnt anything SF.

There is the world that is stuck in late 1800s cultures, technology.

 

[Darkchild130]

Fantastic article, I admit staying clear of hard scifi as I am more interesting in scifi as a backdrop rather than the main focus of the story but I may dabble now.

 

[Sigfrid]

Thanks for the link to that article. I've just finished reading Ringworld, which is often used as an example of hard SF. Overall I really enjoyed it, but for me it wasn't 'hard' enough. Sorry I couldn't think of another way to word that .

*Minor Ringworld spoilers follow*


The flycycles solved too many of the characters obstacles and the breeding for luck was a step too far in my opinion. I would have actually liked more detail about the functioning of the Ringworld too. There were some very good ideas but they were explained quite briefly. It just didn't seem as well thought out as some of the concepts presented in Rendezvous with Rama.

 

[Vince W]

Very good article. I've always enjoyed hard sf as much as any other kind of sf. I always find it interesting to see how authors handle things like interstellar distances and other of the 'immutable' laws of physics.

 

[steve12553]

I found the article interesting because on the occasions when someone referred to "Hard" Science Fiction, I had no clue as to what they were referring to. I do probably tend to stay within certain sub-genre but only because I tend to appreciate certain authors. I think I was born with a fascination for technology but if the stories are weak, hardware still can't carry the story. I suppose my best analogy is musical. The term "Hard" Rock came into being during my formative years. If it's all amplifier and the guitar work stinks, what's the point?