• Replies 28 replies
  • Subscribers 87 subscribers
  • Views 2737 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

Science fiction

A

Something I’ve been thinking about for  while but was just reminded by Pixiefox: why do so many of we autists like science fiction?

It just seems to come up again and again and, perhaps unusually, it’s not just us blokes (sci fi is usually stereotyped as a male interest).

I’ve been an avid sci fi fan almost since I could read. I started with classics like Bradbury, Asimov, Heinlein and moved on to make a pretty good stab at reading the entire sci fi section of my local library and book store, all while avidly watching Doctor Who, Star Trek and Blake’s 7.

So why do autists connect so strongly with it?

Parents

  • It is possibly because SF is very plot driven, with interpersonal relationships playing a background role, unlike in most fiction. Ironically, my favourite SF author is Jack Vance, whose science was mostly comparative anthropology, there being very little 'hard science' in his fiction.

  • in reply to Martin

    I’ve had a copy of Tales of the Dying Earth sitting on my bookshelf for years but still haven’t gotten round to reading it.

Reply
  • in reply to Martin

    I’ve had a copy of Tales of the Dying Earth sitting on my bookshelf for years but still haven’t gotten round to reading it.

Children
  • in reply to A

    I think Vance is a bit like Marmite, you will either passionately love his work, or hate it. He is/was certainly held in great esteem by many other SF/fantasy authors such as Poul Anderson, Dan Simmons, Michael Moorcock, Dean Koontz, Robert Silverberg, Tanith Lee and George RR Martin. Five of the authors I have named wrote 'Dying Earth' short stories for 'Songs of the Dying Earth' a tribute-book for Jack Vance.

    The Dying Earth short stories and novels are more fantasy than SF, though, in general, his SF is rather fantastical and his fantasy is tinged with SF.

    The DD and Advanced DD treatment of magic is lifted directly from Vance's 'Dying Earth' - limited ability to memorise spells, IOUN stones, Phandaal's prismatic spray etc. etc.