4 ms·
Why should I start reading science fiction?
I saw this post - http://blamcast.net/articles/best-science-fiction-books - about a collection of best sci-fi books as determined by Reddit, and it looks intriguing.
I must admit, I am not a sci-fi reading type of guy.
I don't read fiction at all, actually. I much prefer non-fiction books - because I feel like I am learning.
However, I love the screen adaptations of science-fiction. Game of Thrones is an all-time-favorite of mine, as well as many movies that started as a novel.
Seeing this list has kinda tempted to me to partly revise my position, but I would love to hear from fellow HNers that were either like me and have since dove in and loved it, or just loved it from the beginning.
I love words, and language.
I just fear that if I sit down with a sci-fi book, then I am wasting time. It's not as if I will ever recall any of that information to reference in the future.
But I kinda feel like I may be missing out on something huge (e.g. interesting wordplay that authors use, or anything else that I might be overlooking).
Help convince me.
- rorrr 15y agoIf you liked "Game of Thrones", try "Chronicles of Amber" by Roger Zelazny. I hope one day they will make a movie or TV series based on it. As for sci-fi, you can learn from it too (the science part). Also, many older sci-fi ideas became reality (robots, flying cars, digital billboards, 3D printing, space tourism, video chat). Sci-fi describes what one day our world can become, it sometimes tries to warn us about certain things.
- marcamillion 15y agoIs Chronicles of Amber a book or is there a TV/Movie adaptation?
- rorrr 15y agoA book.
- SoftwarePatent 15y agoYou should read sci-fi because the authors question fundamental assumptions about the world, the same way good entrepreneurs do. For example, Arthur C. Clarke invented the idea of satellites in geosynchronous orbit.
- marcamillion 15y agoInteresting.
- deleted 15y ago[deleted]
- queensnake 15y agoWell, the written word is a less limited medium, it plays straight on your brain. Plus, there's a mountain of it compared to film. If you like that kind of thing, you have to read. Note that George R.R. Martin is /fantasy/. If you like more realistic speculation about our future, tech, or ideas, you'd want SF proper. That is best imo in short-story form, at least to get started with; try a Year's Best collection or, go haunt best-of threads, for SF, or fantasy.