[conspire] OT: Science Fiction, places to start

[Rick Moen]

Quoting Edward Cherlin (echerlin at gmail.com):

> Fantasy, of course, not SF.

Congratulations:  You just wasted everyone's time with a tiresome,
unenlightening, trite, boring, tendentious distinction.

> I loved Cryptonomicon, but Snow Crash lost me at the pizza mafioso.

~ $ cat /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1       localhost
198.144.195.186 linuxmafia.com enzo uncle-enzo.linuxmafia.com uncle-enzo 
                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

> It is very important to be aware that these are not all straight
> science fiction. Some are really fantasy.

Such a genius in the arts of the obvious and trivial, you are.  I am
dazzled with admiration.

> Some are meant to be as silly as possible (Douglas Adams),

Next, you'll be claiming Lewis Carroll didn't write the most profound
fundamental documentation non-fiction the Western world has ever
produced, and that he was writing fiction, or something.

> while others achieve utter silliness without even trying (Niven) 

Couldn't do the maths, could you?

> I would add Rudy Rucker, White Light (mathematical; not for everyone,
> but not for that reason); Manly Wade Wellman, Silver John; Zenna
> Henderson, The People; Sherry Tepper, True Game, Raising the Stones;
> Robert Sheckley, Mindswap.

None in the same league.  (Disclaimer, however: I haven't read
Wellman's, and appreciate the recommendation.)  Many worthy of respect.  

I should mention:  The following authors mentioned currently or upthread
are acquaintances, so season with skepticism to taste:  Tim Powers, Lois
McMaster Bujold, Charles Stross, Steven Brust, Rudy Rucker.