Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Don't Be Scared of Science Fiction

In an effort to be a better Reader's Advisor, I am on a mission to familiarize myself with more science fiction books. I’ve always steered away from reading science fiction. I’m not sure why, because I’ve always loved science fiction movies like Star Wars, the Matrix, and the Fifth Element. So, I decided to start with a well-known science fiction writer, Isaac Asimov. Yes, it's true-I've never read any of his books. I read I, Robot which is a series of stories about the development of robot technology. I also read The Caves of Steel, which is part of Asimov’s Robot series and features Elijah Baley, a police detective, who is partnered with a robot to solve the murder of a scientist. I have to admit, I really liked them both. The plot moves along quickly in both books and the story line kept me hooked. What I liked most about Asimov's books were that they have a believable element to them. Some science fiction plots are so out there and are just so unbelievable to me that it doesn't hold my interest. Asimov's books paint a picture of the future that does not seem so far-fetched. Although, it's not always a pretty future. In The Caves of Steel, he shows humans living together in huge indoor cities, never having contact with the air, eating strange, tasteless foods, using communal bathrooms. Not my idea of a good time. Nonetheless, it is a picture that seems possible. I definitely enjoyed these books and will certainly read more of his works.

Stay tuned for more updates on my science fiction mission....

1 comment:

shsilver said...

There's no reason to be scared of science fiction and, in fact, I believe the only publisher located in Deerfield, is a science fiction publisher (ISFiC Press).