The First Classic Science fiction novel you ever read.

[AE35Unit]

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. I'm noticing a pattern here...

I found it incredibly dull and long winded to be honest. The interesting thing about the book is in the title. A lot of people think that the 20,000 leagues is the depth they go too. It isn't, its the distance they travel while underwater.

 

[Joshua Jones]

I found it incredibly dull and long winded to be honest. The interesting thing about the book is in the title. A lot of people think that the 20,000 leagues is the depth they go too. It isn't, its the distance they travel while underwater.

The part that stuck out to 8 year old me was the technology in the submarine, especially how Verne was theorizing using tanks of salt water to enhance a small electrical current so it could be used to power the sub. Obviously, that doesn't actually work, but this idea of trying to provide an explanation based on the contemporary understanding of science stuck with me, even after all these years.

And yes, that is a common misconception. 20,000 leagues under the sea would place someone all the way through the Earth and about a third of the way to the moon...

 

[Parson]

The part that stuck out to 8 year old me was the technology in the submarine, especially how Verne was theorizing using tanks of salt water to enhance a small electrical current so it could be used to power the sub. Obviously, that doesn't actually work, but this idea of trying to provide an explanation based on the contemporary understanding of science stuck with me, even after all these years.

Me too! That and the idea of a huge Narwhal sinking ships because a sub was just too unbelievable.

 

[Guttersnipe]

The Time Machine. The War of the Worlds followed quickly after.

 

[AE35Unit]

.

And yes, that is a common misconception. 20,000 leagues under the sea would place someone all the way through the Earth and about a third of the way to the moon...

I was made aware of that little factoid from watching QI

 

[BAYLOR]

The Time Machine. The War of the Worlds followed quickly after.

terrific reads both .

 

[Peter V]

I cannot remember if it was The War of the Worlds or Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. I was pretty young when I read both. If I had to guess, I think it was the latter.

Neither really got me into SF. Later I devoured pretty much everything by John Wyndham, though not because it was SF but because it was Wyndham (after reading The Day of the Triffids).

It was the chance finding of a copy of Van Vogts The Voyage of the Space Beagle that lit the spark in me.

 

[chrispenycate]

I was nine, and put in bed for one of the measles/mumps/chicken px childhood ailments. I was a fast reader, and my grandparents, sick of cycling to the children's library for another couple of thin, illustrated volume that took me no time at all, handed me a copy of Arthur C Clarke's 'Earthlight', thinking "That'll keep him quiet for a while." They were nearly right, but each sacrificed an adult library ticket so that when I was released from quarantine I could get more (frequently unsuitable) S.F.

 

[Pyan]

Classic novel: The Day of the Triffids - I was afraid to look up at the night sky for weeks, in case the was a sudden meteor shower.
Classic short stories: Asimov's Mysteries.

 

[BigBadBob141]

Yes I remember Asimov's Mysteries, enjoyed it a lot!

 

[BAYLOR]

Classic novel: The Day of the Triffids - I was afraid to look up at the night sky for weeks, in case the was a sudden meteor shower.
Classic short stories: Asimov's Mysteries.

The Day of the Triffids was the first John Wyndham novel I ever read . Terrific book !

 

[psikeyhackr]

Orphans of the Sky by Heinlein

I read Star Surgeon by Alan E Nourse before that but it may not be famous enough to qualify as classic.

I read both of them in grammar school but Orphans of the Sky stands out because it was a Catholic school and the story of an individual being stuck in a culture of people talking bullsh** really resonated with me at the time.

 

[Parson]

I read both of them in grammar school but Orphans of the Sky stands out because it was a Catholic school and the story of an individual being stuck in a culture of people talking bullsh** really resonated with me at the time.

I read that, and I thought "Heinlein wrote a book about a Catholic School? I don't remember that." So I looked up Orphans of the Sky. I did read it. Probably in Jr. High, or early High School years. --- I guess I misunderstood because I misunderstood what the "it" was referring to. My bad.

 

[psikeyhackr]

I read that, and I thought "Heinlein wrote a book about a Catholic School? I don't remember that." So I looked up Orphans of the Sky. I did read it. Probably in Jr. High, or early High School years. --- I guess I misunderstood because I misunderstood what the "it" was referring to. My bad.

Parson, you are killing me. ROFL

 

[Timebender]

The Time Machine. I really dug it, too. I found the visions of the Earth in its final days, and whatever strange life(?) left, to be very haunting.

 

[Astro Pen]

Joiney to da Center of da Oith. By dat French geezer.

 

[BAYLOR]

The Time Machine. I really dug it, too. I found the visions of the Earth in its final days, and whatever strange life(?) left, to be very haunting.

Joiney to da Center of da Oith. By dat French geezer.

Both great books.

 

[Ray Zdybrow]

I found it incredibly dull and long winded to be honest. The interesting thing about the book is in the title. A lot of people think that the 20,000 leagues is the depth they go too. It isn't, its the distance they travel while underwater.

Brilliant

 

[JJewel]

The colour out of space by H P Lovecraft or something by John Wyndham? - maybe ... the walls came tumbling down thinking about it?

 

[BAYLOR]

The TV Series was 'Tom Corbett, Space Cadet'. Tom was modeled after the Matt character in 'Space Cadet', and several other characters were adapted and renamed as well.

Heinlein ended up not liking the series.