The way we are going now I don't see too much space travel even in 300 years. P.K. Dick had it right in "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?". The only people that are going to leave the planet are the rich ones. Leaving the poor and middle class to fend for themselves.
@reddingofish: If it means that the people who run Wall Street get to go off and ruin their own planet with "financial devices" then more power to 'em.
In addition to science fiction I'm a huge fan of historical fiction. Put them both together and it's a win in my book. "Gallileo's Dream" sounds like it fits perfectly into that category. The only problem I see is that Amazon lists it as being released on Dec. 29. Why isn't this a pre-Christmas release publishers?
@Demonbird: Ummm... they have killed original cast already.
Still, other than the whole Killiks/Joiner debacle (those were painful to read), I've rather enjoyed the extension of the franchise in a logical path that the novels have taken since Zahn's original trilogy.
The focus is getting more and more onto the next generation of characters, including Ben Skywlaker and Jaina Solo, plus a number of other characters introduced into the mix from various sources: Corran & Mirax Horn and their kids, Jag Fel, Chief of State Daala, etc
@Burke:
I've enjoyed them too, but there is definitely a lot that could be done if a newgroup was allowed to take a swing at the franchise.
Also, Chewbacca was ultimately expendable, and is the only one to die out of all the books.
Currently, Luke, Leia, and Han still have a very big role in the stories being told, despite their age, and if that's what people want, elt them do a reboot.
@Demonbird: A reboot is highly unlikely. People have talked about this before and the general consensus has been against a reboot. People have spent too much time and money on the current universe that starting it all over would just make people very angry. Plus Del Rey doesn't seem to be thinking in that direction at all so it's not likely to happen.
I would however like the focus to shift away from the movie characters. Del Rey keeps using the argument of '60 is the new 40' but that's just lazy IMO. However we are getting more standalones focusing on minor characters, like the upcoming novel Crosscurrent which takes place shortly after Legacy of the Force and focuses on Jaden Korr, a video game character and Jedi Knight of the younger generation.
@Xicer:
I have no idea what Del Ray is going to do after they advance the story another 10-15 years. Besides having at least two massive galactic conflicts during that time.
I'm so excited! The Road is the kind of book where I won't mind if they make changes in adapting it to a movie.
I pretty sure that it wasn't a nuclear disaster in the book, but I'm still going to spend a lot of the movie worrying about their exposure to radiations (No! Don't drink that! It's +10 rads/sec). I blame Fallout 3.
@Traveshamockery: It doesn't really specify in the book. I've always assumed multiple meteor impacts worldwide. It's the explanation that makes the most sense given the available information.
@RandomFrequentFlierDent: Why do you think it wasn't nuclear in the book? It doesn't specify it, but it seems clearly a nuclear-winter scenario (yeah, meteorites would do that as well), and well... they wouldn't talk about radiation because there's nothing they can do about it. Also, It doesn't need to be radioactive everywhere for there to be a nuclear winter, just several big explosions that release enough dust
@cletar: I'd recommend it. It's a nice story and a fast read. If you like post-apocalypse settings (admittedly I'm a huge fan of the genre) you should enjoy it.
Great post. Also an interesting iteration of this nutty phenomenon: screenplay adaptations. Guess who wrote the novelization of "The Abyss?" Orson Scott Card, for chrissakes! Guess who turned the Philip K. Dick short story-turned-screenplay back into prose for a novel-length version of "Total Recall?" None other than Piers Anthony. Does anyone else have one of these to add?
01:09 PM
Redqueenmeg beat me to the happy dance, dammit! I'm so unhappy!
However, I am also very happy about this.
12:41 PM
12:21 PM
*gonna go read all the KSR in her library now*
12:01 PM
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11:47 AM
At the very least you've pissed of a large number of Greeks.
10:33 AM
The novels anymore are just
"What can we take away from the main cast, without killing any original cast, to create more drama?"
11:35 AM
Still, other than the whole Killiks/Joiner debacle (those were painful to read), I've rather enjoyed the extension of the franchise in a logical path that the novels have taken since Zahn's original trilogy.
The focus is getting more and more onto the next generation of characters, including Ben Skywlaker and Jaina Solo, plus a number of other characters introduced into the mix from various sources: Corran & Mirax Horn and their kids, Jag Fel, Chief of State Daala, etc
11:55 AM
I've enjoyed them too, but there is definitely a lot that could be done if a newgroup was allowed to take a swing at the franchise.
Also, Chewbacca was ultimately expendable, and is the only one to die out of all the books.
Currently, Luke, Leia, and Han still have a very big role in the stories being told, despite their age, and if that's what people want, elt them do a reboot.
Hell, even Boba Fett still gets notice.
#speakup
12:34 PM
I would however like the focus to shift away from the movie characters. Del Rey keeps using the argument of '60 is the new 40' but that's just lazy IMO. However we are getting more standalones focusing on minor characters, like the upcoming novel Crosscurrent which takes place shortly after Legacy of the Force and focuses on Jaden Korr, a video game character and Jedi Knight of the younger generation.
12:58 PM
I have no idea what Del Ray is going to do after they advance the story another 10-15 years. Besides having at least two massive galactic conflicts during that time.
#speakup
09:29 AM
08:44 AM
08:24 AM
I pretty sure that it wasn't a nuclear disaster in the book, but I'm still going to spend a lot of the movie worrying about their exposure to radiations (No! Don't drink that! It's +10 rads/sec). I blame Fallout 3.
10:32 AM
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08:23 AM
I never read the book, by the way. Should I? Should I read the book then see the movie, or vice versa?
08:40 AM
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08:21 AM
Omigod, I was wrong!
It was earth, all along!
Oh, you finally made a monkey...
out of MEEEEEE!
08:29 AM
"I hate them all,
from Chimpan A
to Chimpan Z!"
08:41 AM
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05:29 AM
This is what keeps me from reading Doctorow. His books always sound like screeds for his... fanciful... politics.
-Kle.