Science and Fiction

You know how people always say science is absolutely correct, right up until someone proves it wrong? Well I feel like that is perhaps the truest reflection of life as we know it. The fact that science is so concrete and yet mysterious can activate the imagination of a writer like nothing else. FYI in case you haven't noticed, I am a huge science fiction fan. And one of the reasons that I love it so much is that great science fiction can approaches philosophy. Despite, or perhaps because of the outlandish settings, good sci-fi can make the reader examine their own life and ask certain unanswerable questions.

The boyfriend asked me today what were my favorite books and why, and I had to think about it. Here are some of the ones that I've come up with:

1. Ray Bradbury - "I sing the body electric and other stories":
        This one is not so much a well-read favorite. Instead it is the first book (or rather, collection of short-stories) that I remember reading that truly horrified me, especially "Night Call, Collect." This was a story about a man that got left behind on Mars because of an atomic war on Earth and decides to pass the time recording phone calls to his future self. These calls would ring at an appropriate time in the future and he could talk to himself to pass the time while he waits to be rescued. Of course by the time he gets to be eighty years old, he knows now that no one will be coming for him. Its a haunting story, especially for an only child like myself, I think. It drew attention to the undeniable feeling of loneliness, even though you are surrounded by all these voices. And I also think of it as a metaphor for the different parts of you that constantly argue with one another about right choices.  That is just my personal interpretation of it,  but I could be wrong. But now looking back on it I love it especially because it evoked such an intense emotion from me. Good writing should always make you feel :-)

2. David Weber - On Basilisk Station
    This is a space opera aka battles in space, in which the main character is a woman and she is the new captain of her ship. Of course, stuff happens, sexism and discrimination ensues and she finds herself put in the position of battling to save the "Federation". This one is pretty much greatness if only because you get to see Honor Harrington kick some ass outnumbered by crazy bigger, better equipped ships. Its kind of awesome in my opinion.

Anyway, thats just 2 of the ones that I can think of while I procrastinate doing work but I'll post more as i think of them.

Look out for my book review for the Cannonball Read! It kicks off this week and I'm already a couple pages into Margaret Atwood's "Oryx and Crake", so be prepared!