SF Signal: SF Tidbits for 11/7/06

SF Tidbits for 11/7/06

Two interesting posts from the Biology in Science fiction blog: Biology in Peter Watts' Universe: Vampires, Madonnas and more and Panspermia in Star Trek.

Devil's Due Publishing has optioned film, television and merchandising rights for R.A. Salvatore's fantasy novel series DemonWars. [via SciFi Wire]

At Strange Horizons, Matthew Cheney discusses The Absence of Animals on Battlestar Galactica.

In December, ABC will air the half-hour special Shrek the Halls, an original animated special from DreamWorks Animation SKG based on the hit Shrek movies.

Niall @ Torque Control uses Peter Watts' novel to talk about sub-genre in Blindsight and Hard SF.

The George R.R. Martin Podcast, Episode 6: An Excerpt from A Feast For Crows.

re: Hard SF

I submit that 'hard SF' is what most non-SF readers think SF is really about, and all because of one little word: science. Hard SF is tough for the non-SF reader to get into because it demands either outside knowledge of scientific concepts, or the willingness to slog through exposition explaining the science in the story. Since most people are ambivalent, at best, about science in general (see the horrible state of scientific education in the US), this kind of story scares people away and because it is about hard science, it gets equated with all SF.

And one more thought. It takes a certain mindset to really enjoy and get some pleasure out of reading a hard SF story. Most people aren't geared toward the intellectual pursuit of enjoyment. I'm not saying most people can't do that, just that most people aren't conditioned to use their mind for enjoyment. In other words, while there is enjoyment to be had in tackling and understanding difficult/new concepts, most people aren't used to doing so.

Posted by jp on Tuesday November 07, 2006 at 9:16 AM