Max's Cool Beans
Which sci-fi author would you like to meet?
Clive Maxfield
10/25/2012 11:32 AM EDT
Seriously, here's your chance to tell me which science fiction author you would like to see at one of our forthcoming UBM events (I'm hoping for Design West 2013, because I'm going to be there giving presentations myself). And how did this all come about? Well...
I just received an email from Karen Field, who is the senior vice president of content for UBM Electronics and the supreme commander of all she surveys ("All hail the supreme commander!")
It seems that Karen ("Fear her wrath!") has so much free time on her hands that she's been reading my blogs on science fiction and fantasy books. Well, you can only imagine my surprise (I didn’t realize that anyone read my blogs :-)
Anyway, in her message to me, Karen ("Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair!") spake as follows:
The "Living, of course!" portion of this communication gave me pause for thought. Until now I had assumed that all of my readers showed at least some signs of life. And then I realized that Karen was referring to the science fiction author. Well, I don’t know about you, but I would be hard-pushed to pick a single dead science fiction author that I would like to see giving a keynote presentation at a forthcoming UBM event, so I certainly agree that selecting a living member from their number would be the preferred approach.
All joking aside, Karen ("May the radiance of her smile continue to shine upon us and light our humble lives") is being serious here. If we can reach a consensus as to whom we would like to see, then Karen ("May she rule for 1,000 years!") will track him or her down to their lair and hound the little scamp until they submit to her will (as must we all) and agree to give the keynote at the designated event.
To be honest, this has put me in a bit of a quandary, because there are so many science fiction authors I would like to see and hear "in the flesh" as it were.
Hmmm, I shall have to ponder this deeply. In the meantime, what say you? Who would you choose?
If you found this article to be interest, visit Microcontroller / MCU Designline where – in addition to my Max's Cool Beans blogs on all sorts of "stuff" – you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to all aspects of designing and using microcontrollers.
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
Last but certainly not least, make sure you check out all of the discussions and other information resources at All Programmable Planet. For example, in addition to blogs by yours truly, microcontroller expert Duane Benson is learning how to use FPGAs to augment (sometimes replace) the MCUs in his robot (and other) projects.
I just received an email from Karen Field, who is the senior vice president of content for UBM Electronics and the supreme commander of all she surveys ("All hail the supreme commander!")
It seems that Karen ("Fear her wrath!") has so much free time on her hands that she's been reading my blogs on science fiction and fantasy books. Well, you can only imagine my surprise (I didn’t realize that anyone read my blogs :-)
- Which science fiction books should be made into films?
- What’s the best time-travel book/film ever?
- Traveling through time – what trade goods should we take?
- What’s the best post-apocalyptic book / film / TV program?
- What’s the best Generation Ship science fiction book / film / song?
- Zombie tales for people with brains
Anyway, in her message to me, Karen ("Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair!") spake as follows:
"Max, can you ask your readers which science fiction writer they would like to see most as a keynote at one of our events? Living, of course!"
The "Living, of course!" portion of this communication gave me pause for thought. Until now I had assumed that all of my readers showed at least some signs of life. And then I realized that Karen was referring to the science fiction author. Well, I don’t know about you, but I would be hard-pushed to pick a single dead science fiction author that I would like to see giving a keynote presentation at a forthcoming UBM event, so I certainly agree that selecting a living member from their number would be the preferred approach.
All joking aside, Karen ("May the radiance of her smile continue to shine upon us and light our humble lives") is being serious here. If we can reach a consensus as to whom we would like to see, then Karen ("May she rule for 1,000 years!") will track him or her down to their lair and hound the little scamp until they submit to her will (as must we all) and agree to give the keynote at the designated event.
To be honest, this has put me in a bit of a quandary, because there are so many science fiction authors I would like to see and hear "in the flesh" as it were.
Hmmm, I shall have to ponder this deeply. In the meantime, what say you? Who would you choose?
If you found this article to be interest, visit Microcontroller / MCU Designline where – in addition to my Max's Cool Beans blogs on all sorts of "stuff" – you will find the latest and greatest design, technology, product, and news articles with regard to all aspects of designing and using microcontrollers.
Also, you can obtain a highlights update delivered directly to your inbox by signing up for my weekly newsletter – just Click Here to request this newsletter using the Manage Newsletters tab (if you aren't already a member you'll be asked to register, but it's free and painless so don't let that stop you [grin]).
Last but certainly not least, make sure you check out all of the discussions and other information resources at All Programmable Planet. For example, in addition to blogs by yours truly, microcontroller expert Duane Benson is learning how to use FPGAs to augment (sometimes replace) the MCUs in his robot (and other) projects.
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ChrisTruelove
10/25/2012 12:43 PM EDT
Neal Stephenson would be a good one.
Kim Stanley Robinson - his Mars series is particularly relevant today.
John Scalzi would be screamingly hilarious. Maybe he can lead everyone in a sing-along of "Redshirts."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E90oZSY9M-s
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karen.field
10/25/2012 12:49 PM EDT
Max, actually I am quite surprised at easily distracted you are, but we don't need to get into it here. I do rather like the idea of hunting down our science fiction in his or her lair though. My vote - FWIW - is WIlliam Gibson. I met him and Bruce Sterling at a book signing at MIT several years ago and he's cool. Actually they both are.
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Max the Magnificent
10/25/2012 1:59 PM EDT
What do you .... "Oooh, Shiny!"
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David Ashton
10/25/2012 2:33 PM EDT
Max, I get the impression you may have overdone the fawning a bit... :-)
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Max the Magnificent
10/25/2012 2:37 PM EDT
The word "fawning" isn't in my vocabulary (but that's true of a lot of words)
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SteveD_Aus
10/26/2012 1:20 AM EDT
Max breeds deer?!
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ChrisTruelove
10/25/2012 12:58 PM EDT
Karen - a friend of mine (an artist who used to run the SFWA parties at Philcon) refers to William Gibson as William "Be still my heart" Gibson.
Cory Doctorow is another name that comes to mind.
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RichQ
10/25/2012 1:14 PM EDT
I ote for Jerry Pournelle. From the look of his blog site (http://www.jerrypournelle.com/jerrypournelle.c/chaosmanor/) he could be quite controversial and thus highly entertaining.
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Max the Magnificent
10/25/2012 1:58 PM EDT
Hi Rich -- I used to exchange emails with Jerry way-back-when (circa the late 1990s) although I'm sure he won't remember me now.
In fact I have a framed photo on my office wall that was given to me by Jerry's son, Alex
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ozindfw
10/25/2012 4:23 PM EDT
Can't pick just one, but any of these:
David Weber
Eric Flint
John Ringo
Larry Niven
Jerry Pournelle
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SylvieBarak
10/25/2012 9:28 PM EDT
My favorite sci-fi book ever remains John Wyndhams's Day of the Triffids. the BBC did do a series on it back in the 80's, but it was thoroughly rubbish and the "special effects" were super lame. I wish someone would remake that one properly.
As for traveling through time... my favorite episode of star trek was the "Stone knives and bear skins" episode (Star Trek Classic episode The City on the Edge of Forever)- that has some good ideas about what would be useful and what wouldn't!
And, in terms of Zombies, I really liked I am legend, though it ended a bit weakly in the movie
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Thomas "Rick" Tewell
10/26/2012 12:04 AM EDT
Without a doubt...Greg Bear. Runs or has run with many Grand Masters of Sci-Fi including Heinlein, Clarke and Asimov. He wrote a Foundation book for goodness sake...how many get chosen to do that?
Has written Halo, Star Trek AND Star Wars books and wrote one of the absolute hands down BEST hard sci-fi books of all time...EON (The Way is mind blowing!!!) Nebula award winner...nominated numerous times for Clark, Hugo and other prestigious awards...this guy ROCKS sci-fi. If you haven't picked up a Greg Bear book...run to your local laptop and hammer Amazon for one or forty.
Could easily see him being designated a Grand Master someday.
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Max the Magnificent
10/26/2012 12:04 PM EDT
I must admit that I would like to see Greg Bear myself
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vapats
10/27/2012 12:19 PM EDT
Greg Bear (and Greg Egan) are without any doubt superb. Top-notch, yet mostly under-appreciated.
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amacon
10/26/2012 2:26 PM EDT
David Brin writes the best hard science fiction.
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vapats
10/27/2012 12:22 PM EDT
Not always... He's written some boring crocks, IMHO.
I must say that his /Glory Season/ is absolutely brilliant; utterly superb.
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emklaus
10/26/2012 2:37 PM EDT
My vote is for Larry Niven.
He's been my fav for decades.
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Max the Magnificent
10/26/2012 3:41 PM EDT
I like him also
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vapats
10/27/2012 12:26 PM EDT
Niven does a better job, when he collaborates with Ed Lerner.
IMHO, - vic
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Clyde
10/26/2012 2:39 PM EDT
Although I won't be able to attend, I would vote for Jack Chalker or Orson Scott Card.
Actually, since I am an old coot, I really would prefer Isaac Asimov or Arthur C. Clark. Impossible, I know, unless one of the time travel experts could get them there.
BTW, I am currently reading Winter's Tale at your recommendation.
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Max the Magnificent
10/26/2012 3:40 PM EDT
WONDERFUL -- I really look forward to hearing what you think of it
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Thomas "Rick" Tewell
10/27/2012 4:12 PM EDT
Chalker would also require a time machine. Card is the only living one in the bunch.
Chalker was great. Well of Souls series and Four Lords of the Diamond would be great movie material...maybe somebody Hollywood-ish will "discover" his work someday.
Card would be an excellent choice for presenting...but I still stand by Greg Bear.
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Clyde
11/1/2012 12:34 PM EDT
Hadn't heard about Jack Chalker.
Another requiring a time machine would be Ray Bradbury. I'm seeing so many names here that I have forgotten that I read in the distant past.
I think the Well of Souls would require a full season on TV. With the special effects available today it could be fantastic
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johnjulian
10/26/2012 3:06 PM EDT
I would vote for either:
Robert N. Charrette
David Drake
Always did like cool tech.
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Steve_B
10/26/2012 5:23 PM EDT
In order of preference, my vote:
William Gibson
"The future is already here. It just isn't evenly distributed."
"...the street finds its own uses for things"
Neal Stephenson
Cory Doctorow
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karen.field
11/1/2012 11:51 AM EDT
Neal was my second choice!
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CorbenAceFan
10/29/2012 11:44 PM EDT
Peter Hamilton. I've been reading scifi for 52 years and have read all of the greats and agree with most of the comments so far. But I was surprised to see no one has mentioned the best grand saga ever, "The Reality Dysfunction". This 5 or 6 (?) Volume series SO deserves a movie series like Star Wars or The Lord of the Ring to do it justice. You MUST read - just be sure to read them in order. My brother and I have been exchanging favorite books for years, but he gave me the series back explaining that he "just couldn't get into it". Later I found out he had started with the third volume...
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Max the Magnificent
10/30/2012 8:54 AM EDT
"Later I found out he had started with the third volume..."
LOL
I'm trying to remember this series -- the name sounds familiar, but nothing is springing to mind...
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VectorForce
10/30/2012 11:15 AM EDT
Piers Anthony
HOwever, among the dead, my vote would be the original sci-fi author, Johannes Kepler
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OmegaMan
10/30/2012 11:46 AM EDT
My current favorite hard sci-fi author is Dan Simmons. His Hyperion and Endymion novels are fantastic, best I have ever read. He also wrote a "horror" book, "Children of the Night", which adds a modern spin on the Vlad the Impaler/vampire legend.
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Max the Magnificent
10/30/2012 11:53 AM EDT
I think his best ever was "Carrion Comfort" -- you'll be thinking about this one for a long time after you've read it...
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OmegaMan
10/30/2012 11:58 AM EDT
I never read that one, I'll have to check it out. Thanks Max!
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Max the Magnificent
10/30/2012 11:59 AM EDT
No Worries -- out of all his work, this is the one that really sticks out in my mind -- I'd love to hear what you think about it after you've read it
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karen.field
11/1/2012 11:52 AM EDT
Have you read SImmons' "Song of Kali?" Absolutely the most frightening book I have ever read
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Max the Magnificent
11/1/2012 11:56 AM EDT
No -- but it's on my Wish List :-)
Have you read "Carrion Comfort"?
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OmegaMan
10/30/2012 11:48 AM EDT
I forgot to mention his latest novels, "Ilium" and "Olympos", which have mind-boggling scope. And he writes with such a poetic flair.
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Raj_Nair
10/30/2012 12:48 PM EDT
I find it sad that a list of most popular Sci-Fi writers does not include someone from India. My favorite writer is "Desi Babu" from India, who has written some amazing Sci-Fi stories. Check out this one, called "The Useless Dust" to read an
India flavored Sci Fi story:
http://peanutexpress.blogspot.in/2012/01/useless-dust-part-i.html
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Max the Magnificent
10/30/2012 1:31 PM EDT
Hi Raj -- thanks for the suggestion -- I will take a look at this as soon as I get a spare moment.
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Charles.Moore_#1
10/31/2012 12:40 AM EDT
Does screen writer count? My favorite story author is Joe Straczinsky (Babylon 5).
Also would like to see Vernor Vinge +/- Orson Scott Card. As well as Neal Stephenson, William Gibson, David Brin, Timothy Zahn, or James Hogan. Also Harry Turtledove whose famous for alternate histories.
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Max the Magnificent
10/31/2012 9:01 AM EDT
"A Fire Upon The Deep" by Vernor Vinge left my mind racing with all sorts of ideas.
Strange to relate -- some scientists are now postulating that the equivalents of some of the strange effects he talked about may be real...
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Fabrice.Popineau
10/31/2012 4:59 AM EDT
Nobody cited John Varley. He is one of my all time favorite. Read 'Golden Globe', you will understand why :-)
(I like many of the other ones named here anyway).
Best regards,
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Max the Magnificent
10/31/2012 8:55 AM EDT
I agree with John Varley -- although "Golden Globe" was not his best in my humble opinion. I thought his "Steel Beach" was one of the best Sci-Fi reads ever...
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pmoyle111
11/1/2012 9:21 AM EDT
I'd vote for a Dr Who author. Somewhere, between 3rd doctor and 8th doctor. Plenty of authors to choose from!
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Max the Magnificent
11/1/2012 10:04 AM EDT
Forget the author -- I'd like to see Doctor Who!!!
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pmoyle111
11/1/2012 10:38 AM EDT
Tom Baker!
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canuck23
11/1/2012 3:20 PM EDT
One of my favorite sci-fi novels of all time is "A Canticle for Leibowitz" by Walter Miller, Jr. Havig him speak may run ino the same problem as with Arthur C Clarke and Isaac Asimov, also two favorites. Or Orson Scott Card, Greg Bear, David Brin, Frank Herbert...
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sierra tango
11/5/2012 3:19 PM EST
Clarke or Roddenberry
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