SF/fantasy books that turned into series, and shouldn't have

[davidbrucehughes]

Is it fantasy that the exact social conditions prevailing today (spiritual ignorance, exploitative governments, etc.) were predicted over 5,000 years ago in the Vedic literature Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Is it fantasy that we started writing about the present economic/political crisis back in 2002? No, Asimov's psychohistory is simply fantasy, because human consciousness can never be understood by mathematics, especially statistics. Vedic psychohistory is factual, and you can learn more here.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by davidbrucehughes

Is it fantasy that the exact social conditions prevailing today (spiritual ignorance, exploitative governments, etc.) were predicted over 5,000 years ago

It is a fantasy that such a prediction-- if it happened-- is in any way meaningful. Religious people have always looked down on (or killed) those that they thought weren't religious enough. All people have always complained about their governments, whatever they may be. Predicting that "things in the future will pretty much be like things today" isn't anything profound or impressive.

Is it fantasy that we started writing about the present economic/political crisis back in 2002?

Also counts as the "bloody freaking obvious." Everybody knows that there are bubbles that burst, and that there are rises and falls in economies. But nobody-- even your Holy Dead Superstitious Dudes-- knows exactly WHEN they will be. See: http://www.boingboing.net/2009/03/05...al-estate.html

Vedic psychohistory is factual, and you can learn more

"Vedic psychohistory" is a steaming pile of drivel, just more of the "lost wisdom of the ancients" garbage spewed out by the poorly educated and conspiracy-minded, and you are a spammer.

[ardeegee]

Interesting-- if you have the "query suggestions" turned on in Google, as you type in "David Bruce Hughes" it suggests "david bruce hughes cult."

So, poster, are you one of the Kool Aide Drinkers, or are we graced with the spamming presence of the cult leader himself?

If you are really the Grand Poobah, I suggest that you run away now-- this is not a community of credulous, ignorant sheep like your followers. Your arguments will be vivisected.

[Hadrien]

Originally Posted by PieOPah

I think I stopped reading after the fourth book (God Messiah Dune?). The one based thousands of years in the future and Paul's Son is mainly worm. I found the books so difficult to enjoy that I didn't bother with any more.

That's by far my favorite book in the Dune series. The son is much more interesting than the father in this family.

[DMcCunney]

To all concerned:

I don't believe in the "Hidden Histories" of the Vedic teachings, either.

But I do believe in maintaining common courtesy in this forum. If you find yourself resorting to insult in response, please reconsider whether you want to post at all.
______
Dennis
Wearing his Moderator hat for the moment.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

But I do believe in maintaining common courtesy in this forum. If you find yourself resorting to insult in response, please reconsider whether you want to post at all.

He's a spammer, doing nothing more than advertising his personal for-profit web site. You want to make proper use of your moderator hat? Ban him, like most reasonably moderated forums would.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by davidbrucehughes

Is it fantasy that the exact social conditions prevailing today (spiritual ignorance, exploitative governments, etc.) were predicted over 5,000 years ago in the Vedic literature Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Is it fantasy that we started writing about the present economic/political crisis back in 2002? No, Asimov's psychohistory is simply fantasy, because human consciousness can never be understood by mathematics, especially statistics. Vedic psychohistory is factual, and you can learn more here.

And how many forums on MobileRead are you going to proclaim your facts in?

You're at the point of being considered a spammer and banned. If you want to talk about Vedic history as a source of knowledge and can do so in a manner on topic to the forum you are posting in, you are welcome to. If you just want to promote your for pay website offering to teach such things, you aren't.
______
Dennis

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by ardeegee

He's a spammer, doing nothing more than advertising his personal for-profit web site. You want to make proper use of your moderator hat? Ban him, like most reasonably moderated forums would.

Answered in PM.
______
Dennis

[ardeegee]

Understood. I no longer will say a single bad thing about David Bruce Hughes.

[davidbrucehughes]

Oh my goodness, it was not I who turned this discussion into a religious argument. Nor is our site a "pay site"; yes there is a form for donations, but ALL of our material is available for free: over 500 videos, more than 250 podcasts and audio files, and oh yes library full of downloadable e-books—dozens of them—which is incidentally why my posts are certainly on-topic for this site.

We wish to contact readers of Asimov's Foundation Series to discuss, seriously and without bias, the concept that something like psychohistory actually could exist. I have many endorsements from clients who are amazed at the accuracy of our predictions. Just because certain interests would like to keep the power of psychohistory confined to fantasy does not in any way diminish the record of accuracy of our predictions. Since they have not taken the time to evaluate our work, their prejudices will simply deprive them of its benefits. The justice of the universe is indeed perfect.

[Dr. Drib]

GETTING BACK ON TOPIC:

The books after Asimov's series written by other people were the ones, in my opinion, that shouldn't have been written, even though they were approved by Asimov and (later) by his widow.

To my way of thinking, the continuing of the series diluted the power of the original three (even Asimov's fourth one, published much later in his career.)

I remember the power of those first three novels, and reading them with that sense of wonder that I also felt when I read "Slan," by Van Vogt.


Don

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

GETTING BACK ON TOPIC:

The books after Asimov's series written by other people were the ones, in my opinion, that shouldn't have been written, even though they were approved by Asimov and (later) by his widow.

To my way of thinking, the continuing of the series diluted the power of the original three (even Asimov's fourth one, published much later in his career.)

I remember the power of those first three novels, and reading them with that sense of wonder that I also felt when I read "Slan," by Van Vogt.

Agreed.

Worse is his robot series, though he wrecked that himself. And wrecked is putting it mildly.

In the many years intervening between the two series' and their subsequent sequels, Asimov changed some of his belief systems. He abandoned psychohistory for environmentalism, and changed sexual mores (a married character who remains chaste in the face of serious temptation through one book, gives it up without a second thought in the later book... it was so out of place it made me wonder if he read his own work!).

His own personal beliefs being changed for good or ill is not the issue. It's that he injects those new beliefs much later into a well-established series, and does so in a way that "takes away" from the originals.

On calling psychohistory "fantasy." While its origins may be, Asimov certainly dealt with it in a "scientific" matter. You'd be pretty hard pressed to call Foundation a book of Fantasy just because of psychohistory.

-Pie

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by EatingPie

On calling psychohistory "fantasy." While its origins may be, Asimov certainly dealt with it in a "scientific" matter. You'd be pretty hard pressed to call Foundation a book of Fantasy just because of psychohistory.

-Pie

I think my post was the one you're referring to, and I didn't call Psychohisory "fantasy". Psychohistory was portrayed as an application of sophisticated mathematics, manipulating variables to predict broad trends and likely conclusions. That's firmly science, even if the science employed is something we haven't achieved yet.

I *did* call predictions based on Vedic teachings fantasy. The predictions may be valid, though I doubt it, but from where I sit, if it can't be treated mathematically, whatever it may be, it's not science.
______
Dennis

[EatingPie]

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

I think my post was the one you're referring to, and I didn't call Psychohisory "fantasy". Psychohistory was portrayed as an application of sophisticated mathematics, manipulating variables to predict broad trends and likely conclusions. That's firmly science, even if the science employed is something we haven't achieved yet.

I *did* call predictions based on Vedic teachings fantasy. The predictions may be valid, though I doubt it, but from where I sit, if it can't be treated mathematically, whatever it may be, it's not science.

Yes, your post was the one I referred to. Thanks for clarifying!

-Pie

[Badandy]

A couple questions.

Originally Posted by davidbrucehughes

Just because certain interests would like to keep the power of psychohistory confined

What interests? The profit potential of accurate psychohistory is so great that you'd have 90% of the world's largest companies begging you to divulge your "secrets" for untold wealth.

...does not in any way diminish the record of accuracy of our predictions. Since they have not taken the time to evaluate our work, their prejudices will simply deprive them of its benefits. The justice of the universe is indeed perfect.

Without sifting through all the useless information on your website, I want you to do something very simple.

-Show two examples of something you predicted accurately that could not have been done save for you using your breakthrough analysis and insight.

I don't want 20 minute podcasts, just a simple three to five sentence paragraph. I, along with most everyone else on this board I'm guessing, will completely disregard what you have to say if you refer us to a myriad of crazy cult videos.


ON TOPIC

Dr. Drib: I saw "Slan" is in Kindle format. It's really worth reading, eh?