Ask YC: What's the most insipid sci-fi book you've read?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=140381

by moog • 18 years ago

10 8 18 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Since Mary Shelley published 'Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus' in the early part of the nineteenth century, there's been an awful lot of sci-fi written. Which books do you recommend I should steer well clear of and why?

rglovejoy2• 18 years ago

Inherit the Stars by James Hogan

Like a lot of people, by the time I got to the end of the book, I just wanted to fling it across the room.

-----Here be spoilers--------

The entire premise of the book is that humans evolved on a planet called Minerva, which was in an orbit somewhere between Mars and Jupiter. The humans were descended from hominids brought over by space aliens millions of years ago. Some 50,000 years ago, these people had a war and blew it all up, leaving Minerva completely destroyed. The remains of Minerva become what is now the Asteroid Belt.

When Minerva was destroyed, its moon, having a colony of humans, somehow made its way to Earth and settled into an orbit around it. This moon is the Moon we see in the sky at night.

Never mind that millions of years of evolution has made life on Earth adapted to a moon that causes tides and shines brightly at night. Hogan's plot needs for us to have a moon that has only been around for 50,000 years!

-----------End spoilers------

TrevorJ• 18 years ago

I've read a good deal of crap in sci-fi magazines, and now steer clear of them in favor of re-reading classics

SpruceMoose• 18 years ago

Anything by E.E Doc Smith.

kingnothing• 18 years ago

I'm probably the odd man out on this one, but I've honestly not read many, if any, sci-fi books. I've always been more interested in non fiction and realistic fiction, although I do get in to a bit of fantasy as well.

I thought I'd give it a go, though, and the copy of Crypotnomicon I ordered last week should be here soon.

jsmcgd• 18 years ago

Probably anything by L Ron Hubbard. To be fair I haven't read anything by him but if his religion is anything to go by the books are probably beyond insipid.

rglovejoy2• 18 years ago

Like Dianetics. Oh, wait, L. Ron was trying to be serious in that one.

ericb• 18 years ago

I read one of his sci-fi books a long time ago, and yes it was insipid. Dianetics was at least interesting as an exploration of their cult's beliefs. If anyone is planning to read it, I suggest you borrow it or at least buy it used, rather than pay for it. Giving them money is a bad thing...

mullr• 18 years ago

Really? Stranger in a Strange Land. Lots of Heinlein is harmless, but that one really made me hate the guy.

Ask YC: What's the most insipid sci-fi book you've read?

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