Comments on: Science fiction series that suck http://futurismic.com/2008/05/15/science-fiction-series-that-suck/ Presenting the fact and fiction of tomorrow since 2001 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:03:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tom Marcinko http://futurismic.com/2008/05/15/science-fiction-series-that-suck/comment-page-1/#comment-16175 Tom Marcinko Fri, 05 Sep 2008 03:40:24 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=3294#comment-16175 David Wingrove's <i>Chung Kuo</i> series was, to me, gripping -- up until the last volume. Big letdown. Hoping Stephen King's <i>Gunslinger</i> books don't let me down. So far (vol. 4) I'm enjoying them quite a bit. David Wingrove’s Chung Kuo series was, to me, gripping — up until the last volume. Big letdown.

Hoping Stephen King’s Gunslinger books don’t let me down. So far (vol. 4) I’m enjoying them quite a bit.

]]> By: perthowghte http://futurismic.com/2008/05/15/science-fiction-series-that-suck/comment-page-1/#comment-16172 perthowghte Fri, 05 Sep 2008 02:38:59 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=3294#comment-16172 I would have to echo disagreement on the Dune series. I would say the final three books are actually my favorite of the six, being more heady, more complicated and more subtle than the first three; which seem to exude a sort of "standard-fair adventure" type style -- with the occasional smattering of a political and/or philosophical musing. I enjoy all six, but the later ones seem somehow more penetrating to me. Goodkind has his moments, but yeah, seems the series has lost its potency somewhere along the lines. Same with Jordan. I remember reading that in the nineteenth century authors were paid by the word, or, as they are today, by the "installment." It makes me wonder if it isn't natural to place some of the blame on the publishing companies and the contracts they devise, etc. ... I mean, nobody pays someone for 20 years to write one book ... but maybe if they did, we would see more creative genius on the scale of a James Joyce, or a Tolkien. I mean, when you churn creativity through a meat-grinder is it surprising you get mostly mush? I would have to echo disagreement on the Dune series. I would say the final three books are actually my favorite of the six, being more heady, more complicated and more subtle than the first three; which seem to exude a sort of “standard-fair adventure” type style — with the occasional smattering of a political and/or philosophical musing. I enjoy all six, but the later ones seem somehow more penetrating to me.

Goodkind has his moments, but yeah, seems the series has lost its potency somewhere along the lines. Same with Jordan. I remember reading that in the nineteenth century authors were paid by the word, or, as they are today, by the “installment.” It makes me wonder if it isn’t natural to place some of the blame on the publishing companies and the contracts they devise, etc. … I mean, nobody pays someone for 20 years to write one book … but maybe if they did, we would see more creative genius on the scale of a James Joyce, or a Tolkien. I mean, when you churn creativity through a meat-grinder is it surprising you get mostly mush?

]]> By: Hypatia http://futurismic.com/2008/05/15/science-fiction-series-that-suck/comment-page-1/#comment-14635 Hypatia Fri, 23 May 2008 11:22:20 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=3294#comment-14635 David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series comes to mind. I love the earlier books in the series but it effectively ended (and ended well) in "Ashes of Honor"....but he kept writing the same series. Everything after that book has been a slowly elevating level of bad. David Weber’s “Honor Harrington” series comes to mind. I love the earlier books in the series but it effectively ended (and ended well) in “Ashes of Honor”….but he kept writing the same series.
Everything after that book has been a slowly elevating level of bad.

]]> By: License Farm http://futurismic.com/2008/05/15/science-fiction-series-that-suck/comment-page-1/#comment-14504 License Farm Sat, 17 May 2008 02:58:15 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=3294#comment-14504 As a kid I initially loved and tried to struggle through Simon Hawke's "The Wizard of 4th Street" series but eventually gave up on it. Started very funny and imaginative, with a nice mix of scifi and fantasy, but after so many books you get wise that it's more or less the same plot every time. I think I gave up around the seventh book out of the nine (which included a prequel). As a kid I initially loved and tried to struggle through Simon Hawke’s “The Wizard of 4th Street” series but eventually gave up on it. Started very funny and imaginative, with a nice mix of scifi and fantasy, but after so many books you get wise that it’s more or less the same plot every time. I think I gave up around the seventh book out of the nine (which included a prequel).

]]> By: Dominic http://futurismic.com/2008/05/15/science-fiction-series-that-suck/comment-page-1/#comment-14496 Dominic Fri, 16 May 2008 13:04:39 +0000 http://futurismic.com/?p=3294#comment-14496 OK, got another one for you....Piers Anthony's "Bio of a Space Tyrant". The first book was everything a space opera should be...dark, gritty, violent, sexy, and yet uplifting and hopeful at the same time. Utterly brilliant. By contrast, book 5 feels like it was written with a gun to his head. It should have been subtitled "The Contractual Obligation Book". OK, got another one for you….Piers Anthony’s “Bio of a Space Tyrant”. The first book was everything a space opera should be…dark, gritty, violent, sexy, and yet uplifting and hopeful at the same time. Utterly brilliant.
By contrast, book 5 feels like it was written with a gun to his head. It should have been subtitled “The Contractual Obligation Book”.

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