SCIENCE FICTION

As a good computer fan, I like science fiction quite a lot, a literary genre that -according to Asimov- discusses how does man face the changes in technology. It's thing, is that it expands the mind of the reader, making him think of possibilities that in real life he would never see.

I started young, reading a lot of Isaac Asimov's novels, and since then I've been reading the classics, such as Arthur Clarke, Frank Herbert, Phillip K. Dick, Harlan Ellison, Robert Heinlein, Larry Niven, etcetera. I do have to admit that I've read few things aside from the mainstream currents, so I don't consider myself an expert.

Anyway, I consider that any decent book collection MUST contain the following titles (grouped by author):

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, by Douglas Adams
Life, the Universe and Everything, by Douglas Adams
Foundation, by Isaac Asimov
Foundation & Empire, by Isaac Asimov
Second Foundation, by Isaac Asimov
I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
The Demolished Man, by Alfred Bester
The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
Rendezvous with Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
Ubik, by Philip K. Dick
The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein (read this)
Dune, by Frank Herbert
A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller
The Mote in God's Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
Hyperion/The Fall of Hyperion, by Dan Simmons
A Fire Upon the Deep, by Vernor Vinge
A Deepness in the Sky, by Vernor Vinge

This list is obviously limited by what I've read, and it will surely grow as I continue reading books.

I suggest that you check out The Internet Top 100 SF/Fantasy List for a more detailed list of books.

NOTE: the current Starship Troopers paperback edition cover features an image of the so-called soldiers that appear in Paul Verhoeven's hideous abomination that passes for the ST movie. I REFUSE to buy it until a decent edition (i.e.: without that image) comes out. Yes, you should buy the book, but not for the time being (that, or get hold of an older edition). If you haven't seen the movie, do yourself a favor and DON'T WATCH IT - it's the worst adaptation of any book (science fiction or otherwise) to the big screen EVER.
Christopher Weuve, in his Thoughts on Starship Troopers page, does a detailed analysis of the movie's defects, exposing everything that's wrong with it. I strongly recommend reading his article.

Aside from books, I have a predilection for some TV series: STAR TREK (the original one, not the other incarnations) and Babylon 5, that is the best science fiction ever done on screen (either small or big screen).

With respect to motion pictures... oh, well... there are some really good movies (Brazil, Alien, Terminator, Aliens, 12 Monkeys, a few others), but there's an incredibly big pile composed of space fantasy falsely advertised as science fiction and of pure and simple crap. I guess it's unavoidable in this media...

[versión en castellano] - [english version]

Miguel Farah
www@farah.cl