Escape Artists

The Arcade => Polling Place => Topic started by: Ocicat on April 04, 2010, 11:34:13 PM

Title: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: Ocicat on April 04, 2010, 11:34:13 PM
Okay, so we like Dune.  Asimov's Foundation got less than a quarter of the votes.

This week we have the artificial man vs. the artificial mind.  That is, Frankenstein's creation vs. HAL9000.  The themes are perhaps different, but the results did end up somewhat similarly, you have to admit.

After this week we'll have just four books left, and three polls - two semifinals and the final.  I'm pretty sure I know which novels are going to end up in the finals, but I'm willing to be surprised!
Title: Re: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: Swamp on April 05, 2010, 03:12:41 AM
This was actually kind of hard.  I like both of these for different reasons, so I went with 2001 when I asked myself, "Which book would I like to re-read now?"
Title: Re: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: Anarkey on April 05, 2010, 11:20:31 AM
This was actually kind of hard.  I like both of these for different reasons, so I went with 2001 when I asked myself, "Which book would I like to re-read now?"

Swamp, I went this same exact way, asking myself the same question, thinking it was a hard choice!  But I got a different answer. 
Title: Re: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: kibitzer on April 05, 2010, 03:09:16 PM
That is, Frankenstein's creation vs. HAL9000.  The themes are perhaps different, but the results did end up somewhat similarly, you have to admit.

I do? 'cause I'm not so sure about that statement. Hafta think about it.
Title: Re: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: Scattercat on April 05, 2010, 04:45:54 PM
*seconds Anarkey*

Frankenstein was fun to read.  2001 was just a slog for me.
Title: Re: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: kibitzer on April 05, 2010, 11:58:32 PM
Frankenstein was fun to read.  2001 was just a slog for me.

Astounding. Direct opposite for me. What was it about 2001 you found unappealing? The plot? The dialogue? The characters? I'm genuinely curious.

(Incidentally, can there be an indirect opposite?)
Title: Re: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: Scattercat on April 06, 2010, 12:42:58 AM
The writing just... I dunno.  Didn't inspire me, and I thought the whole thematic structure was just meh.  I couldn't feel the story, you know?  Whereas I enjoy the archaic language and the Gothic tone in general.  I love Poe and Lovecraft.  I loved "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell," which consciously imitated that style.

I'm also a cynical bastard, and pretty much always have been.  So I'm predisposed to enjoy the writing in "Frankenstein," and I'm far more ready to believe that man's creations will escape his control and he will destroy himself out of pride than I am prepared to believe that a benevolent-if-mysterious force is shaping everything to humanity's good.  This tendency blends interestingly with my spiritual life, I can tell you.
Title: Re: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: kibitzer on April 10, 2010, 12:32:27 PM
If I may Cat -- you're rather young to be a "cynical bastard", and a self-confessed one at that :-)

Many thanks for following up with a description of why.
Title: Re: SF Novel poll: Quarterfinals 4
Post by: Heradel on April 14, 2010, 02:18:00 AM
If I may Cat -- you're rather young to be a "cynical bastard", and a self-confessed one at that :-)

Many thanks for following up with a description of why.

The response to this and other posts were split and put here: http://forum.escapeartists.net/index.php?topic=3481.0