Re: OT: Sci-Fi Founders
 

By the way...Anyone else planning on being at Trantorcon? (Time travel or cyrogenics would seem to be the best bet)

Re: OT: Sci-Fi Founders
 

Yup, I'll be there: I plan on evolving into an immortal energy being.

Re: OT: Sci-Fi Founders
 

I am surprised that I have never before heard of the Foundation series. They sound interesting as all hell. I was once steered toward the Battle Field Earth books, but really did not like them so I stopped reading after about 100 pages.

The Clive Custler "Dirk Pitt" books were like crack to an addict. I loved them.

When I was a junior in HS a friend handed me a Harry Harrison book, The Stainless Steel Rat, and I fell in love with the series. Albeit kind of dumb at times. (Ok, really dumb at times.)

I looked for more sci-fi books to read, but fell into reading other types. The Brotherhood of War series, Criton books, and a whole host of other books from crime drama's to fiction.

But never have I read the Foundation series. I will have to see if I can find a copy of the books at the local discount bookstore.

I have often wondered what the future of science fiction holds. I mean we have many great stories here on this forum that would make very nice books and or series of books, but like the man said today on the news, books rarely sell enough now a days to cover printing costs, so they have to be hyped or have a Hollywood movie deal tied into them.

Speaking of Sci-Fi founders, I would have to say that we have a bit of that here. Using the game, SE IV, how many stories have been written? At least 20 plus, and some of them are quite good and deserving of at least a mini series on the Sci-Fi channel or possibly even a movie.

With all the crap that is coming out lately such as horrible movies like the Forgotten, Alien Vs Predator, and many many more, a good solid space warring movie is needed. And I am not talking about the RoTS, (We need that one too. Fingers crossed that it will be better than its two predecessors).

If I had a choice, and believe me I wish I did, I would learn the art of 3d animation and go to work that industry. I love the work that has been done on such movies as the latest SW flicks, The LOTR series, and many more like them. I want to see my visions come to life under my control.

I would love to write a good story and then make my own movie using 3d animation. Kind of like they did for the Final Fantasy movie.

With the invent, and subsequent improvements of 3d graphics, pioneered by such powerhouses as ILM, imagination is no longer limited by 2d film.

Such stories as Sachmo's Rise of the Remorhaz Society could be realized and expanded upon. A series that I am confident would make a fine addition to the dwindling sci-fi television market.

Now a days the big four networks, ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX have absolutely no sci-fi shows worthy of mention on the air. Such shows as Enterprise have been cancelled with no real ideas in play for new shows; say for those on the sci-fi channel, but thats cable so it does not count.

The days of Quantum Leap and the X-Files are all but gone, and both of those series saw long runs and solid ratings for years.

So again, I do wonder about the future of science fiction and what we can expect or create.

Re: OT: Sci-Fi Founders
 

Nearly anything by Asimov is worth reading; it's emotionally and intelectually interesting. I never got into the foundation series, though, beyond the first book, but that's because it's not my area of interest, not because it wasn't a good book.

Or, for those of you whose brain might be as confusled as mine feels right now, Foundation series good, if that the type of book you like. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Personally, I'd recomend The Caves of Steel and it's related books. I've re-read that one a number of times; plus, they take place in the same universe as the foundation series, only much, much earlier, when humanity is still exploring a small portion of the galaxy.

Re: OT: Sci-Fi Founders
 

Some of my favorite books are the non-fiction books by Asimov. I picked up one at a book sale which was pretty much just a collection of random thoughts about number, number systems, and the history of mathematics. It was quite interesting. He was a very prolific writer. I remember reading once that he took pride in having at least one title for every section of the dewey decimal system.

Asimov
 

narf poit chez BOOM writes:

"Nearly anything by Asimov is worth reading; it's emotionally and intelectually interesting."

Amen. Loved the original "Foundation Trilogy". I was less thrilled with the later Foundation stories, which dragged in his robot writings and that whole weird "Gaia" thing, but they were still as well-written as ever.

For my money, though, his best work was "The End of Eternity", hands down.