Thanks Laurie! Laurie Boris has just pointed out that I’ve left my definition of sci-fi rather vague. I’m not talking about hardcore sci-fi here. That’s the kind of sci-fi that is almost exclusively about the tech. Even I’m not that enamoured of the hardcore stuff.
No, the sci-fi I’m talking about is more social? philosophical? Well rounded?
Sci-fi like Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land, or Frank Herbert’s Dune, or Ursula K. LeGuin’s Left Hand of Darkness, or C.J.Cherryh’s Cyteen, or Tad William’s Otherland, or William Gibson’s Neuromancer, or … -slaps self-
Apologies, I got a little carried away there. Those are all my favourites, but many also won Hugo Awards so I know other people appreciated them as well. Anyway, when I talk about sci-fi I’m talking about novels with… more than just tech. 🙂
You may now read on!
I’ll get straight to the point – I’m trying to find out how many of my visitors like science fiction. Not my science fiction, just science fiction in general.
WordPress.com doesn’t have a widget for a proper poll so I thought I’d borrow Amazon’s 5 star rating system for comments. I love science fiction so my vote would have to be 5/5. Someone who really didn’t like science fiction at all would vote 1/5.
I know this rating system is far too crude for any real information gathering so please feel free to express yourselves in words as well! Just put a number at the top of the comment first. 😉
This informal poll is going to run for a week so everyone gets a chance to vote, but I will put a running total in the sidebar, updated every night. [Australian time so that’s morning? for everyone else].
Oh and don’t worry, I’m not planning on changing the content of my blog. I like it eclectic and that’s the way it’s going to stay. However the results may change my outlook on any blog tours I do in the future. I haven’t done any, yet, but I have a strong suspicion they are only effective when the blog hops are relevant to your content.
So please have your say in comments!
cheers
Meeks
Authors' favourite books
NANO 2012
March 18th, 2013 at 12:52 am
5/5 here! Although I am sure you guessed that already 🙂
I love stories that take science that we are familiar with and stretches it out to the next level. If it uses science we know some small thing about and tells us what it could lead to with a few more advances it makes the story seem much more believable.
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March 18th, 2013 at 11:26 am
I agree, that’s the kind of tech that fascinates me too. Lasguns are just another gun, and I don’t like guns, while faster than light travel is just another way of getting from A to B. All the interesting stuff happens [if it does] when you get to B. But ubiquitous tech that has some recognizable roots in the now is really interesting.
I’ll update the graphs soon. Promise! [I have 3 x 5/5 to add]
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March 18th, 2013 at 11:44 am
I was really interested in Scalzi’s BrainPal too. Who needs Google glasses on your face when you have a computer in your head… 😉 I’m sure people would be clamouring for that if it was available.
Some of the things that are written about are so close to the familiar, they just seem like they need that slight tweak to become a possibillity don’t they! The world is an amazing place. 😀
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March 18th, 2013 at 11:08 pm
I really have to give Scalzi’s writing a try. 😦 As for the relationship between science and sci-fi, I’m old enough to remember the first heart transplant. I also remember when cloning /was/ sci-fi. Now it’s virtually old hat. We already have 3D printers and apparently holograms are not that far off.
I’m not a pure geek but this kind of stuff really does excite me!
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March 18th, 2013 at 11:26 pm
The kids and I had a loooong discussion about the amazing possibilities of the 3D printer the other night. We really want one now!
Remember when there was no EFTPOS, colour TV, remote controls etc etc etc…. We have come so far in such a short time, just imagine what else we will see in our lifetimes!
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March 19th, 2013 at 2:27 pm
lol – And no microwaves! Oh and mobiles were about the same size as a house brick. 😀
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March 17th, 2013 at 3:12 pm
5/5 for me. Last one I read was “Empress of Eternity” by L.E. Modesitt Jr.
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March 18th, 2013 at 12:24 am
I’ve marked your vote down but I got lazy and haven’t updated the graphs yet. Manana!
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March 17th, 2013 at 1:12 am
I love SF. 🙂 I also love the philosophical ‘what if’-stories more than the tech stories. I have about five seconds to write this so I won’t give you any examples, except I just read an old story that is like that. ‘Against the fall of Night’ by Clarke. I loved it.
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March 17th, 2013 at 9:27 am
That’s classic sci-fi! I’m counting you as a 5/5. 🙂
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March 16th, 2013 at 7:05 pm
Count me in for 5/5, although the tech is what I’m usually after. The best sci-fi is Wells by an extremely long way, and the point of sci-fi is [should be, imo] to predict the future of society and exemplify and warn against potential oppression that new tech gives governments/corporations.
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:35 pm
Tech? Or the science? Or in the case of the Second Internet Cafe – the physics and the politics? Either way your science fiction is scifi with /more/ 🙂 And I agree that sci-fi can explore possible futures. I think Kim Stanley Robinson does that particularly well. For me though, I crave a balance between that grand view, and the way it affects individual personalities. Seeing the big picture through the eyes of a small person I guess.
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March 17th, 2013 at 3:17 pm
“Red Mars” is one of the few books I’ve just never made it through. I got really close, and maybe some day I’ll get through the last few chapters (though I won’t remember what is going on) but it just really dragged for me.
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March 18th, 2013 at 12:23 am
It is very heavy. I was really interested in the politics so I made it through Red and Green but I gave up half way through Blue. Some of his earlier ones are a bit easier to get into but he always makes his reader work. 🙂
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March 16th, 2013 at 6:43 pm
1 or 2/5 only because I haven’t read much, or any possibly scifi I can think of… Does The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Count? I also loved Adrian Bedford’s Time Machines Repaired While-U-Wait. I sure I will add VOKHTAH to my top #3 🙂
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:16 pm
The Hitchker’s Guide is almost in a class of its own isn’t it? But I /will/ claim it for sci-fi. I haven’t read the other one you mentioned but I will look for it on Amazon as I’m always after new stories and authors!
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March 16th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
I’m a 5 having cut my teeth on early Heinlein and others but I lean more towards the fantasy side now like Ursula K. LeGuin’s Dragonrider series not forgetting Vokhtah either.
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:14 pm
I admit to enjoying fantasy as well, although I tend to like the more ‘realistic’ stories in that genre. Robin Hobb is probably my favourite fantasy author.
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March 16th, 2013 at 4:31 pm
I voted a 2/5. Sci-fi is not my thing as you know, but that doesn’t mean I totally rule it out (Vokhtah anyone?). As further clarification, I have no idea who those authors are in your post.
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:10 pm
-grin- It’s ok Jennifer, I’d be hard pressed to recognize the names of most writers in other genres – present company excepted of course!
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March 16th, 2013 at 3:15 pm
I think I would be a 4/5 reader. I love it when it is really good. Iain M Banks is another to add to the Great list. (Or I think that’s his name. I think his other novels are written under Iain Banks.)
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:07 pm
Yes, yes, yes! He is definitely on my love-list as well. I think The Wasp Factory was the very first book of his I ever read and I can still remember it. 🙂
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March 16th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
This is really hard for me to answer. For a good chunk of years I read a great deal of what you might call “classic” science fiction. I read the “Left Hand of Darkness” and always count it among my favorite books. I read all the big authors. But eventually mystery and history overtook the science fiction & fantasy books. Now, with all the paranormal, supernatural & urban fantasy books creeping into my reading list, it’s a big mixed bag. Add a dash of thrillers, some cozy mysteries, a few historicals and a dollop of romance, to get a complete picture.
Do I read science fiction? Sometimes, but it’s not the first thing I grab. The percentage of science fiction on my Kindle is relatively low but VOKHTAH is there! I’m not sure where I fit in a 1 to 5 scale.
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:05 pm
I’ve probably read more of everything other than sci-fi this last year so I do know where you’re coming from. I’m going to play god and count you as a 3/5!
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March 16th, 2013 at 12:49 pm
I’d be a 3/5 I like science fiction. One of my favorite all-time books is Lucifer’s Hammer. But I know my first love is romance. Although, science fiction romance is pretty cool too.
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:04 pm
I have read Lucifer’s Hammer, but a long time ago and now I blush to say I can’t remember it. That’s usually a good time to reread. Thanks for reminding me!
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:41 pm
I just remembered a new sci-fi romance you might like. It’s called The Marann, by Christie Meierz. It’s available on the Kindle. Not sure about other ereaders.
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March 16th, 2013 at 12:14 pm
yes love scifi and of course fantasy
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:02 pm
-grin- I’m counting you as a 5/5 then.
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March 16th, 2013 at 11:35 am
If it has a good story and great, intriguing, developed characters, I’m in no matter what genre it is. The ones that focus on technology above character and story don’t often hold my attention. I don’t know how you’d rate that from one to five. See, as usual, all my answers are “it depends!”
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March 16th, 2013 at 11:46 am
lmao – you’re no help at all. :p To be honest though, I wasn’t thinking about the uber techie kind of sci-fi as I don’t really enjoy it either. Hmmm… I think I should have thought this question out a little better. Methinks an update is needed!
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March 16th, 2013 at 12:01 pm
p.s. Fixed my definition a bit. 😀
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March 16th, 2013 at 9:59 pm
p.p.s I’m arbitrarily giving you a 3/5?
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March 16th, 2013 at 11:04 am
generally not… but I like the way you do it 😀
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March 16th, 2013 at 11:22 am
-grin- Thanks for that vote of confidence. Nonetheless I’ll put you down as a 1/5 for my market research. :p
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March 17th, 2013 at 9:34 am
Are you calling me part of a minority?????????????????????????????????????????? How very dare you, Madam!!!
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March 17th, 2013 at 9:50 am
-giggles- But you are Sir!
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March 16th, 2013 at 10:45 am
Yes, sci-fi gets a big thumbs UP!
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March 16th, 2013 at 11:24 am
Okay!!!!! You’re a 5/5 then. 😀 We’ll have to chat about our favourite authors one day soon.
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