Antiscience fiction

[athon]

That's why I call Star Wars 'science fantasy'. It relies more on a fantasy concept to drive the plot than a science one.

Athon

 

[Genesius]

That's why I call Star Wars 'science fantasy'. It relies more on a fantasy concept to drive the plot than a science one.

Athon

You know it, and I know it, but to the masses of STAR WARS FANDOM suggesting that their favorite series is anything less than the pinnacle of science fiction is courting death by thousands of Ewok bites.

But, I'm nitpicky when it comes to SF movies. One of my wife's favorite movies is Armageddon, and when she sat me down to watch it she became offended at my loud laughter at everything they got wrong. Had much the same reaction to Space Cowboys, although I had to hold my reactions in and risk internal hemorrhage since we were in a theater. She's finally learned not to go with me to any SF movies, since no one seems to be able to make a science fiction movie without mangling the science.

 

[alfaniner]

One series that has a nice balance of science versus fantasy is Piers Anthony's Blue Adept series. And it actually ends! Not like the money-choker Xanth series, which ceased being interesting after about book 4.

 

[Genesius]

One series that has a nice balance of science versus fantasy is Piers Anthony's Blue Adept series. And it actually ends! Not like the money-choker Xanth series, which ceased being interesting after about book 4.

Never read Blue Adept, but as a fan of Piers I may have to check it out. And as a die-hard fan of horrid puns I still find Xanth highly enjoyable!

Hmmm. . . the Callahan's gang is now in Key West, and Spider Robinson is also noted for horrid puns. Do I smell a crossover approaching?

 

[TragicMonkey]

You want Antiscience fiction? How about "Star Wars"?

Think of the finale. They're bearing down on the Death Star, need to drop their bombs just so to blow the whole thing up. . . and they're relying on human reflexes to push a button at the right millisecond. And when that doesn't work, it's "Use the Force" time.

Hello? With all this high tech flying around, no one has bothered to invent some type of fire-control computer? Their scanners detect the target coming up, calculate the drop angle, release the bomb at excatly the right time, and the first fighter that gets through gets the job done. Who needs farm-boy Luke and the Force?

Star Wars is full of weird technological gaps. They have to resort to robotic hands? Hell, we're closer in real life to developing a way to grow new hands than we are to building a decent robot hand and finding a way to attach it so it works. Not that George should be faulted for failing to anticipate stem cells and gene research thirty years ago, but it does look funny.

Not to mention, who would bother to build a robot that's so pointlessly incompetent? Didn't they have quality assurance testing at the robot factory? "Beep beep boop beep!" "Sorry, you fail to meet the standards of Mom's Friendly Robot Company. Take yourself to the recycling bin." At least C3PO got explained: he was built by an evil ten year old, with plenty of sand in the works.

 

[Hastur]

I never saw R2 as incompetent. He's gutsy (~30 years without a mind wipe can do that to a droid) but he generally gets the job he needs to do done. May not be what people expect, but that is not incompetence.

 

[Psi Baba]

Star Wars is full of weird technological gaps.

Like fiery explosions in space or small, winged spacecraft that dodge, swoop and roll like biplanes.

 

[Melendwyr]

And if you absolutely must have a quill and ink for the "feel" of it, then what about some internal consistency? A throwaway line in The Philosopher's Stone about how modern technology interferes with the right magical frame of mind would be all it takes.

They don't understand modern technology well enough to build and implement it. Remember, Mr. Weasley's fondest dream is to find out what holds up Muggle aircraft.

Plus, ballpoint pens aren't very useful when special magical inks (or special magical writing implements) are needed.

 

[CBL4]

Originally posted by Marc L
It looks like you're talking about Calculating God and the Hominid Trilogy. Both were written by Robert Sawyer.

I think it was Sawyer but neither of those titles sound familiar but it has been a while.

The other one I was complaining about was Father to the Man by John Gribbin which was nominated for a Nebula. It started pretty good and then had the evolutionary howler.

[Spoiler Alert]A scientist finds out that pygmy chimpanzees evolved from chimpanzees after humans did. Somehow this means that pygmy chimpanzees are better than humans. Wrecked a pretty good book.[/Spoiler Alert]

CBL