My dear friends, I am calling on you to help me start a movement. This December, let us take another step in further promoting one of our great loves---Science Fiction and Fantasy. Let us declare December to be SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY HISTORY MONTH.
What? Why does it have to be promoted? you ask. Aren't we inundated with it? Isn't there more genre in film and on television than ever? Isn't the fiction market dominated by genre?
Perhaps, but as lovers of the genre, we owe it to ourselves to promote quality work and to invite the young into our fold ,giving them a perspective and understanding of the traditions and tropes of our literary world. Consider the political and cultural influence of science fiction and fantasy, and how it has helped us vent our angst, voice our identity, and celebrate our optimism.
So Spaketh Stewart Sternberg.
I think it's a great idea. I've been neglecting my SF for, oh, a decade or so, ever since I rediscovered Howard, and discovered the great fantasy fiction I missed out on. Indeed, The Blog That Time Forgot is quickly starting to become A Beardy Scot Rambles About Howard, occassionally punctuated by various other authors, cinema and works.
Well, I'm going to make an attempt to discuss more of the classic history of SF&F throughout December. I might revisit SF classics like The Time Machine, Star Maker, Roadside Picnic, The Stars My Destination, The Forever War, A Canticle for Leibowitz, I Am Legend, Flowers for Algernon, More Than Human, Childhood's End, and more Ray Bradbury stories than I can remember. I might also go for fantasy classics I haven't had an opportunity or inclination to talk about: The Prydain Chronicles, Stormbringer, "Black God's Kiss," The Metal Monster, etc.
If not, I'll just re-read some old favourites.
I love "A Beardy Scot Rambles About Howard" but yeah variety is good.
ReplyDeleteHeh, well my professed Howard moratorium didn't last very long, as you can see by my next post. Ulp!
ReplyDeleteehem... more or less all the months are for me to reading s/f and fantasy, including horror, waht's the exactly purpose of this iniciative, teach young readers, reivindicate some authors?
ReplyDeleteI have in the tbrb, the pile, for a long time classics like Day of the triphids by John Wydham and The forever war by Joe Haldeman, maybe a good time to read them, since I don't read so much s/f as I read fantasy or horror
by the way these days and for all the Christmas in my town is a second hand and used books, with books by 3 or 4 €, I have bought
Conan, scourge of the bloody coast by Leonard Carpenter
Carlemagne by Harold Lamb
The black company, the first chronicle by Glen Cook
Pawn of chaos, various authors writing with the concept of the eternal champion by Michael Moorcok
Tales of the white wolf, other anthology based specifically on Elric of Melnibone
Darwinia by Robert C Wilson
The Cthulhu cycle, a lovecraftian anthology
The star rover by Jack London
have you read some of them? some suggestion to put in the top of the pile?
Francisco