Science Fiction

(Various sources, mostly Amazon)

As most of you know, I like to read. A lot. I always have something close to hand that I'm reading. It might be an historical work (right now it's Neptune's Inferno) or it might be a work of fiction. I tend to go with military stuff, loved Tom Clancy's work, with the possible exception of some of his last efforts, and have always been a huge fan of Stephen Coonts. (Hhmm, Naval Aviator, spins a great yarn, what's not to like?) There are others, the late Vince Flynn springs to mind and Lee Child is also a favorite. (I'll let you Google those thine own self, there comes a point on a Friday, after a long week, where the seeking and implantation of links becomes tiresome. Nah, I'm just lazy...)

One category I have not spoken much of is science fiction. That particular genre is an entire universe, all to itself, at least amongst the devotees of that sort of thing. (Hugo Awards? Sad puppies? While I know of such things, there is enough drama in this existence without adding to it. Just so you all know that I'm not completely out of touch with modern times.)

As a lad I did read quite a bit of science fiction. After all, it was a time when we as a species were first breaking the surly bonds of gravity and venturing into space. Sputnik, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Soyuz were all names familiar to folks of my ilk. That is, semi-geeky, college bound, well read (sort of) boys. I'm sure there were girls also very interested in such things but back then, well, girls were icky. (One of the first steps on the road to manhood is the realization that girls are most definitely not icky, and are actually far more interesting than any book.)

Anyhoo. Dune (all six original volumes, I understand that Frank Herbert's son has written more in collaboration with another author), Starship Troopers, Stranger In a Strange Land, almost anything by Heinlein for that matter, and the odd bits of Isaac Azimov here and there (The Foundation Trilogy was a favorite as I recall) all came over the transom at one time or another in the idle days of my youth.

Then long years passed before I read any science fiction. But sometime back when I was in the Air Force, I read three of those four books featured in the opening graphic. The only one missing was The Gripping Hand which, had I known of its existence, would have been read long ago. I only recently (in the last five years) found a (free!) copy of it. Saw the Niven/Pournelle names and picked it up for a glance. The whole "Sequel to The Mote in God's Eye" thing rang a few old dusty bells way in the back of my brain box, so I took it home and commenced to reading it. Many old memories were awakened and I enjoyed it immensely.

I've read a couple of Orson Scott Card's books fairly recently, Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead and fully intend to acquire the rest of the books in that series. So while I'm not a screaming science fiction fanatic, there are certain authors I enjoy. Those four up top? Definitely my favorites. As a matter of fact, I just might need to re-read those this summer.

Just so you know, I do like a little science fiction from time to time, it's not all history and techno-thrillers at Chez Sarge. Why, I'll even read the odd Russian novel from time to time. (Then ask myself, "Why, why did I do that?")

On the gripping hand, there are so many books I want to read, I doubt I'll have the time to read everything I want. 'Tis a nice dilemma. Though these choices are all desirable.

It's off to the library! Быстро! Быстро

- I say "library" as I have been chastised by The Missus Herself lately as to the large number of books in the domicile and "where do you think you're going to put that?" is a frequent lament. So the library must become my friend. It's cheaper than buying and ya know what, they'll store the books for you! Wow. Don't suggest Kindle or Nook. I do have one of those but it's for traveling. Electronic reading devices are nice but I like the heft of a book and the aroma of ink on paper. Why eat astronaut food when you can have the real thing? Or something. Call me old school.



No, this is not an April Fools post, I was born in May...