Wednesday, December 26, 2012

The 2013 Sci-Fi Experience: Coming Soon

For a couple of months, I have been making plans to read science fiction in 2013. And now the time is almost upon us. I am participating in the 2013 Sci-Fi Experience at Stainless Steel Droppings. The event starts in January and runs through February.



Carl V. at Stainless Steel Droppings encourages readers to spend time together to:
a) Continue their love affair with science fiction
b) Return to science fiction after an absence, or
c) Experience for the first time just how exhilarating science fiction can be.

Per Carl V.:
The “rules” of the experience are simple: there are none. Remember, this isn’t a challenge. If you would like to join us in discussing any science fiction reading or television viewing or movie watching you do over the time period, please do.

Check here for more information. There is a review site here.

This event is perfect for me. My son has been encouraging me to move outside of the mystery genre for some of my reading... especially into the area of science fiction and fantasy. I have noted several books in both those areas recently that I am interested in.

I am in the middle group (return to science fiction after an absence). I read a lot of science fiction in my late teens and twenties. I read Harlan Ellison, Theodore Sturgeon, Arthur C. Clarke, John Brunner, even Edgar Rice Burroughs. But for quite a while, I have stuck almost exclusively to the mystery genre, with some non-fiction thrown in along the way. More recently (2006, 2007) I have sampled the Dream Park series by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes and the Well of Souls series by Jack Chalker.

Currently I have these books in mind to read early in 2013:
Red Planet by Robert Heinlein
Old Man's War by John Scalzi

I would love to re-read Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency; I am not sure if I read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or not. Certainly have watched the TV series.

If things work out, I plan to watch (and report on) Serenity and at least some episodes of the Firefly series. We have viewed both of those multiple times and enjoy them every time. And / or maybe a Star Trek movie.


4 comments:

Sergio (Tipping My Fedora) said...

This sounds like an excellent idea TracyK - you could always try a few SF/Mystery hybrids, like Alfred Bester's amazing THE DEMOLISHED MAN and Algis Budrys' WHO? as well as Asimovs NAKED SUN / CAVES OF STEEL book. I love Ellison and Sturgeon and re-read them regularly - really look forward to reading your reviews next year.

Anonymous said...

Tracy - I give you so much credit for wanting to expand your reading horizons. I always think it's good to read new things and learn to think in different ways. And as for your choices? I think you can't get much better than Heinlein (Unless it's Asimov) when it comes to science fiction.

TracyK said...

Thanks for the suggestions. I want to come up with a list of combined mystery / sci-fi books to read over time. I definitely want to read The Caves of Steel and plan to get a copy soon.

Cheryl @ Tales of the Marvelous said...

You have all kinds of great plans--and you can't go wrong with Firefly. :)