Comments on: Depth, Height, and Mass of SF http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/ Musings, Reasonings, Fancies, Drollery and Apologetics from honorary Houyhnhnm and Science Fiction Writer John C. Wright Sun, 05 Feb 2012 05:00:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: John C Wright http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47125 John C Wright Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:21:00 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47125 My views on Cordwainer Smith range from puppy love to slavish fanboy devotion to professional admiration for his craftsmanship to wonder and awe at the breadth of his imagination. What is there to say? My views on Cordwainer Smith range from puppy love to slavish fanboy devotion to professional admiration for his craftsmanship to wonder and awe at the breadth of his imagination. What is there to say?

]]> By: Mary http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47122 Mary Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:18:50 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47122 Come to think of it, I think I got the time line wrong. I think, on reflection, it was the Reformation. I.e. the era when religious tolerance was repudiated with the most vigor. Come to think of it, I think I got the time line wrong. I think, on reflection, it was the Reformation.

I.e. the era when religious tolerance was repudiated with the most vigor.

]]> By: Mary http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47121 Mary Wed, 04 Aug 2010 19:18:01 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47121 Well, they were in Germany. Well, they were in Germany.

]]> By: Earl Wajenberg http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47102 Earl Wajenberg Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:32:17 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47102 By way of contrast, I would be interested to read your views on a very different SF writer, Cordwainer Smith. Perhaps the subject for another posting? By way of contrast, I would be interested to read your views on a very different SF writer, Cordwainer Smith. Perhaps the subject for another posting?

]]> By: John C Wright http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47088 John C Wright Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:58:19 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47088 "Have you read “An Experiment in Criticism” by C. S. Lewis?" Yes, indeed I have. In fact, the idea behind my essay here comes from that essay, namely, looking at the story from the point of view of the effect on the reader rather than the intent of the writer. “Have you read “An Experiment in Criticism” by C. S. Lewis?”

Yes, indeed I have. In fact, the idea behind my essay here comes from that essay, namely, looking at the story from the point of view of the effect on the reader rather than the intent of the writer.

]]> By: Hux http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47069 Hux Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:37:21 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47069 Understood. Sorry about the double post. I didn't even see the notice about moderation until after my second post. Mea culpa Understood. Sorry about the double post. I didn’t even see the notice about moderation until after my second post. Mea culpa

]]> By: John C Wright http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47054 John C Wright Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:39:34 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47054 Hmm. I think your counter example defeats my argument here. John Holbrook Vance is quite an accomplished writer of mysteries, and so he could, if he wished, tell the story of Kirth Gersen and his vendetta, set it in the modern world with none of the Vancean civilizations and their oddities, and I suspect the result would be as tense and satisfying as any of his other murder mysteries. Vance's odd cultures are a major "science fiction element" in his science fiction, but in this specific example, I think the story is strong enough that the loss of SF elements would be insignificant (I mean, the Count of Monte Christo in Space is still a ripping good yarn when told as the Count of Monte Christo in France). I concede the point. Hmm. I think your counter example defeats my argument here. John Holbrook Vance is quite an accomplished writer of mysteries, and so he could, if he wished, tell the story of Kirth Gersen and his vendetta, set it in the modern world with none of the Vancean civilizations and their oddities, and I suspect the result would be as tense and satisfying as any of his other murder mysteries.

Vance’s odd cultures are a major “science fiction element” in his science fiction, but in this specific example, I think the story is strong enough that the loss of SF elements would be insignificant (I mean, the Count of Monte Christo in Space is still a ripping good yarn when told as the Count of Monte Christo in France).

I concede the point.

]]> By: John C Wright http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47052 John C Wright Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:17:33 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47052 That is an excellent question. I am not qualified to answer, but I will give it some thought, and mayhap write a piece on this question this week or next. That is an excellent question. I am not qualified to answer, but I will give it some thought, and mayhap write a piece on this question this week or next.

]]> By: John C Wright http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47051 John C Wright Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:16:02 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47051 The comments are held for moderation. I was out of town for three days. I did not have a change to fish through the spam filter and pull out non-spam accidentally sent their until yesterday. The comments are held for moderation. I was out of town for three days. I did not have a change to fish through the spam filter and pull out non-spam accidentally sent their until yesterday.

]]> By: Hux http://www.scifiwright.com/2010/07/depth-height-and-mass-of-sf/comment-page-1/#comment-47046 Hux Tue, 03 Aug 2010 19:16:35 +0000 http://www.scifiwright.com/?p=1884#comment-47046 What in the world? My test post, which I did after my previous two comments, appeared after my test post. What's up with that? What in the world? My test post, which I did after my previous two comments, appeared after my test post. What’s up with that?

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