Genre: Science Fiction

[scififan]

I don't think anyone has said much about C.J. Cherryh--a very fine science fiction writer. She has received Hugos for best short story, (1979 "Cassandra") and novel (twice 1982—Downbelow Station, and 1989—Cyteen). Serpent's Reach is one of the finest examples of a scifi examination of the "hive-mind" --still not understood.

BTW Bruce Sterling in "Swarm" wrote a brilliant story focussing on the hive-mind and implying that conscious intelligence was not actually a major evolutionary leap but merely a temporary biological incident contiguous on circumstances.

[BWV 1080]

Alistair Reynolds is a great contemporary space opera writer that avoids staples of the genre like faster than light travel. Revelation Space is one of the great all time works in the genre

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/09/ ... nolds/all/

[John F]

Speaking of space opera, there's Karl-Birger Blomdahl's "Aniara," based on a poem by Nobel Prizewinner Harry Martinson. Back in the days when Columbia (since then CBS and Sony Classical) was active in bringing out new music, they had an LP set with a strong cast conducted by Sixten Ehrling. A synopsis is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aniara_(opera)

Some of the music is here:

[Mark Harwood]

Another thumbs-up for Alastair Reynolds. I read the lot, but came to a crunching halt at the woeful Terminal World. I look forward to a return to form in Revelation Space.

[LSAmadeus]

Last SF book I read was Devil's Bargain, a Star Trek book featuring the original crew. I also saw the new ST film at the cinema. I'm a Trek fan!

[jbuck919]

Last SF book I read was Devil's Bargain, a Star Trek book featuring the original crew. I also saw the new ST film at the cinema. I'm a Trek fan!

So am I, going back to the original run of the original series, but I have lost interest in following recent developments.