Thursday, June 18, 2009

Booking Through Thursday: Fantasy and Sci-Fi

This week BTT asks about the fantasy and science fiction genres. Sci-fi author Sharon Lee has declared June 23rd Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Day:
"A day of celebration and wonder! A day for all of us readers of science fiction and fantasy to reach out and say thank you to our favorite writers. A day, perhaps, to blog about our favorite sf/f writers. A day to reflect upon how written science fiction and fantasy has changed your life."
Thus, we have this week's topic: What might you do on the 23rd to celebrate? Do you even read fantasy/sci-fi? Why? Why not?

I do read sci-fi and fantasy, although I'm not going to get into "why." I just like it – OK? And although reading SF/F has helped me through some rough patches of existence, I'm pretty sure it hasn't changed my life in any significant way. Well, nothing that springs to mind anyway – I'd have to think about that a while.

These days I don't read sci-fi or fantasy as much as I did in the past. There was a time when I was a real science fiction fanatic, and read almost nothing but. I once had a huge collection of SF/F books and magazines. No more, though – most of it got left behind when we moved from Louisiana to Virginia a couple of decades ago. Still wish I'd held onto those original editions of the James Blish Star Trek adaptations, published by Bantam in the late '60s and early '70s – they're a little hard to find these days, in really good condition.

Moving on.

I'm still something of a sci-fi devotee, although I do more watching than reading – I love sci-fi movies and TV shows. But I do still read science fiction (in the last year I've read Solaris and 2010: Odyssey Two), even though I might be a little more discriminating about it. And I have to admit that I stay mainly with the older authors that I loved in my youth – Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Clifford D. Simak, Theodore Sturgeon, John Wyndham. As for fantasy – well, that's a little different. I read fantasy, but it's mostly the kid lit type – like the book I just finished reading, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH. I've never really been very interested in sword-and-sorcery tales or Lord of the Ring clones.

And as for celebrating the genre on June 23rd, well I guess that's an OK idea. I might do a blog post about a favorite author or book. Traditionally, June 23rd is Midsummer's Eve – so it might be a good opportunity to re-read A Midsummer Night's Dream, one of my favorite fantasies. In fact, that's part of one of the challenges I'm involved in this year, Carl V's Once Upon a Time Challenge. And if you're looking for some intriguing ideas about fantasies to read, the challenge website here is a good place to start.

12 comments:

  1. I like that idea! (I'm pretty sure I've got A Midsummer Night's Dream somewhere . . .)

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  2. YA fantasy often breaks new ground like adult fantasy doesn't; a lot of my recent favorite fantasies have been for teens! I'm not as much into sci-fi though I have been trying it out lately.

    - Meghan @ Medieval Bookworm

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  3. I'm not crazy about sci-fi and fantasy, but I think I'm in the minority.

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  4. A Midsummer Night's Dream -- what a great idea!

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  5. I'm not into the SC/F genres. Never have been, really. With the exception of The Chronicles of Narcia. I do enjoy watching Star Trek:TNG, but have never read one of the books. I like your idea of A Midsummer Night's Dream though, for the 23rd.

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  6. Fun idea to read A Midsummer Night's Dream on Midsummer's eve. I didn't even know there was a Midsummer's eve. :-)

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  7. I do enjoy some sci-fi tv shows and movies and I'll read a few books, but it's not my favorite genre to read.

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  8. Now that you mention it, I do watch a lot of sci-fi on tv. Really must read more in this genre, I'm sure I would like it if I found the right authors.

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  9. I've been going back to kids books as well. Partly it's because I'm working on becoming a school librarian, partly it's because of my daughter, partly it's because some of them--like my current Susan Cooper book--they're just quite good.

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  10. Shakespeare began quite a few genres. It's good to be reminded of that.

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  11. I no longer care to read sci fi. But, have you read Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451?

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