Right! It's become clear to me over time that a lot of you don't read enough SF. I'm sure someone will dispute that, probably going on to announce they've read all the X-Files books. . .
So here's what I'm going to do: every so often I'm going to come along and hold forth about a certain book, series, author, short story, whatever - so long as it's literary SF. Maybe someone will be interested enough to go out and look it up and read it - if even one person does that, I'll have done something.
And so, I'm going to start with John Brunner (1934 - 1995). This British author was largely unknown and remained so at his death - even to me, I had only started reading him at the time. Far more tragically, all his books are put of print: I picked up a whole collection in a second-hand bookshop, one of my better purchases.
Mr. Brunner is chiefly remembered for four novels all of which dealt with specific issues in a near-future world - but a different vision of the future each time. These were:
Stand On Zanzibar (1969): The first of a loose trilogy of books dealing with specific problems that might affect a future world, SoZ tackled the subject of overpopulation (the title refers to the fact that if all the people of the world stood shoulder-to-shoulder they could fit on the island of Zanzibar) in a bizarre 'multimedia' style with little inserts of adverts and so forth to set the tone, while following a disparate group of people through their normal or not-so-normal lives.
The Jagged Orbit (1970): The fear of race warfare that struck some quarters in the late 60's is extrapolated to extremes in this novel, which features arms dealers exploiting the situation in order to sell "this year's model" of personal weapons to the public.
The Sheep Look Up (1972): The trilogy concludes with a world in which pollution has reached meltdown (the title comes from Milton's Lycidas). As with the two other books a pop-sociologist is on hand to explain it all, and is largely ignored.
The Shockwave Rider (1975): If you think William Gibson invented Cyberspace, think again. Data transfer becomes the subject where anyone can - literally - control the world if they know the right codes. A genius hacker sets out to breaks the US Government's policy of secrecy.
I'm not a big fantasy fan, but this is an exception:
The Traveller In Black (1971), expanded as The Compleat Traveller In Black (1987): In a chaotic universe, a lone black-clad traveller, with many names but a single nature, walks the roads of existence. He observes silently, only intervening to grant people's ill-advised wishes for good, or more often, ill.
If you ever have the opportunity, give one of his books a go. I heartily recommend them. In terms of what to read first, if you have the choice, go for Stand On Zanzibar or The Shockwave rider.
Posted by Xentrick (Member # 64) on :
Read "Shockwave Rider" back in 1982-----and still own that copy, that's how good it was. Some of the cultural and technical issues addressed then are still valid concerns today (I especially find Brunner's comments about organized crime controlling governments rather prophetic in light of recent events.)
[This message has been edited by Xentrick (edited July 11, 1999).]
Posted by Chimaera on :
Sounds interesting, I'd never heard of John Brunner until I read this topic. I looked him up on the Chapter's Bookstore website ( www.chapters.ca ) and found that many of his titles are now available in reprints (I'm sure other sites like Amazon would probably have them too). Stand at Zanzibar, The Sheep Look Up, and Shockwave Rider all appear to be available for purchase online, so these titles are still around. I for one will probably go out and read one.
------------------ "But, it was so artistically done." -Grand Admiral Thrawn
Posted by Kosh (Member # 167) on :
Wrote down name and titles. I like to look through yard sales for books, never know what you are going to find.
------------------ WHO ARE YOU
Posted by The First One (Member # 35) on :
I'm delighted to hear that reprints are available. . . Chimmychops, get 'em if you can afford them. 8)
Another tale that seems bizarrely ahead of its time: John Jakes' "Sellers Of The Dream," a short story from 1966. The onky other stuff I've seen written by Jakes (if it's the same guy) are Civil War potboilers, yet this covers high-tech industrial espionage and body-modification according to the dictates of fashion in a way you wouldn't see again until the rise of Cyberpunk.
Posted by yeswab (Member # 1574) on :
I'm new here, but I completely agree. I've agreed since seeing Star Wars episode "4" in 1977. There's not enough awareness out there of science fiction BOOKS. And where else are you going to find the best writing, other than in books? (At least find it reliably?)
Heck, I'd be happy if more people were reading Gibson and Sterling, but there's so much red-hot great old stuff out there by the semi-obscure greats of the 50s, 60s and 70s. Laumer, S.R. Delaney, Brunner, not to mention the really classy guys today like Benford, Baxter and Bear.
Yes, folks; turn off the TV and read a BOOK.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
You gotta be fucking kidding me! Six years, and one ID-change later, and someone resurrects my thread? On the plus note, there's some Brunner back in print these days, which is nice.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
I told Charles to leave "New members must make their first post in an old, dead thread" out of the new User Agreement.
Seriously, that's a fucking record for digging up an old thread.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
I miss Xentrick.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
I miss, er, Jordan. Yes, that'll do.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
You are Dwight Yorke and I claim my �5.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
Don't make me, er, sleep with you.
No, not that.
Posted by Lee (Member # 393) on :
I know, I know, you keep saying, you're saving yourself for Charles. . .
Posted by Wraith (Member # 779) on :