Sci-Fi/Fantasy

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by haertig

Another example where science doesn't seem all that important is "Alien Earth" by Edmond Hamilton. It's a short story about time perception in a rain forest. The effected human moves extraordinary slow from the viewpoint of other humans. But from the slow humans viewpoint, trees and other plants are moving quickly - reaching for things with their vines and roots, slapping at things with their branches. The growth of plants over time is sentient, although too slow for a normal human to perceive. The only science in this that I can remember is that the human must take a drug to reach this ultra slow motion state (called "hunati" in the story). I guess drugs are the scientific part that makes it science fiction. Although it's not a lab developed drug, it's an ancient native drug IIRC. I always though the plot was such a neat concept. I remember it from my youth (which was a long time ago!)

This short story appears in Isaac Asimov's "The Golden Years of Science Fiction, Sixth Series" and also in a few other collections.

To me it seems science is important to the story. From your description, the point of the story (one of them anyway) is to show how different things perceive time.

[Dr. Drib]

I like Fantasy and I like SF, although I find most of the current SF boring.

I also like those two genres separated but, unfortunately, so much that is written (including Grandma and Grandpa's bloomers) seems to be categorized into one homogeneous lumpy gravy - an unpalatable dish, to be sure, at least to my reading taste.

Basically, just give me the fiction of literary writer Elena Ferrante, and I'm as pleased as a fat tick on a lazy hound dog.

[ReadingManiac]

I used to hate that they were grouped together but now it's become a haven to escape most of the YA Romance calling itself Fantasy.

[theducks]

IMHO
SF & F should be broken out if one is missing

Hard SF (no Magic...)

Fantasy (no 'future' tech. Could still have modern world)

SF & F Elves with space ships ...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by theducks

IMHO
SF & F should be broken out if one is missing

Hard SF (no Magic...)

Fantasy (no 'future' tech. Could still have modern world)

SF & F Elves with space ships ...

That's not a good description of Fantasy. Just because there's no future tech does not make a book fantasy. It could be a book where takes place in the past.

[Dazrin]

Nevermind.

[CubGeek]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

Nevermind.

Is a hell of a drug in Janelle Monae's "The Memory Librarian" collection of sci-fi short stories.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by ReadingManiac

I used to hate that they were grouped together but now it's become a haven to escape most of the YA Romance calling itself Fantasy.

I always check all of the subject and genre tags my local library puts on a book before considering it.

[Pajamaman]

The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch is amazing. Best sfi-fi book written in the last 10-20 years.

It's definitely Sci-fi. No élèves. No magic.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by Pajamaman

The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch is amazing. Best sfi-fi book written in the last 10-20 years.

It's definitely Sci-fi. No élèves. No magic.

The category Fantasies without Magic isn't null so book need not be SF.

The Paladin Cherryh. Harald David Friedman.

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

I always check all of the subject and genre tags my local library puts on a book before considering it.

I've been noting the Amazon categories. They can be revealing.

[DiapDealer]

Moderator Notice
Just a reminder that this is a family-friendly forum. I've deleted a post that was easier to delete than edit (which is my preferred method). That person is free to recreate their post after brushing up on the forum rules.

[Demoniac]

Originally Posted by haertig

Another example where science doesn't seem all that important is "Alien Earth" by Edmond Hamilton. It's a short story about time perception in a rain forest. The effected human moves extraordinary slow from the viewpoint of other humans. But from the slow humans viewpoint, trees and other plants are moving quickly - reaching for things with their vines and roots, slapping at things with their branches. The growth of plants over time is sentient, although too slow for a normal human to perceive. The only science in this that I can remember is that the human must take a drug to reach this ultra slow motion state (called "hunati" in the story). I guess drugs are the scientific part that makes it science fiction. Although it's not a lab developed drug, it's an ancient native drug IIRC. I always though the plot was such a neat concept. I remember it from my youth (which was a long time ago!)

This short story appears in Isaac Asimov's "The Golden Years of Science Fiction, Sixth Series" and also in a few other collections.

Sounds like an interesting read and it's a unique idea/perspective by the author.