What is your favorite SF story that is not Star Trek or Star Wars?

[Tedward]

I'm wasn't familiar with Reynolds, either, and only picked up the books as I recognized the name from ads (his books have been recently translated to my native language, and surprisingly, they've even been marketed quite extensively) and could get those three (in English, I don't read translations if the originals are in English) for a low price.

But recently beed reading books from Peter Hamilton and that has bumped up to my favourite, that is the problem, one of his series I found too much as in dull. Which of the ones of his I like it is hard to say. So, Greg Mandel, as it is just that bit off reality but still within today, ish.

I have all Hamilton's sci-fi books except Great North Road, and while they do have dull parts, I did enjoy them. Greg Mandel series is good (it's tighter writing than most of the other works), but the Commonwealth Saga is his best stuff, in my opinion.

Great North Road is good, but the ending felt rushed. The Commonwealth series I did enjoy and my new favourites  but the Mind Star books just seem to be that bit closer to a today. The series of his I could not get on with, The Reality Dysfunction. Finished that book and felt a bit "meh!"

Mr Hamilton is about to release another tome it would seem as well.

[agingjb]

Two of my favourite SF series, Varley's Gaia trilogy and Aldiss' Helliconia trilogy, both have elements that verge on fantasy. Then again two other favourites "Earth Abides" (George R. Stewart) and "Greener than you Think" (Ward Moore) have minimal counterfactual premises.

[smartcooky]

Some years ago read a short story in a compendium (which I cannot remember the name of) that was a collection of short stories about Mars. I remember that those stories were from some of the greats of the genre; Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Lester Del Ray, Harry Harrison and Frank Herbert among others.

However there was one story (and again I cannot remember what it was called) where the basic premise was about these two neighbours (on Mars) who were both engineers (at least one was an electrical engineer) who, while flying across the desert in their own aircraft, discover an ancient piece of damaged Martian equipment, the purpose of which is a mystery to them. So, being engineering types, they decide to experiment with it in order to try working out what it is adn what it does. The story is quite humorous as I recall, with a number of things going wrong (one of which was that they ended up blowing a trench between their two houses). Does this ring any bells with anyone?

This story was one of the many things that inspired me to take up electronics as a career.

[Valis]

Some years ago read a short story in a compendium (which I cannot remember the name of) that was a collection of short stories about Mars. I remember that those stories were from some of the greats of the genre; Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Lester Del Ray, Harry Harrison and Frank Herbert among others.

However there was one story (and again I cannot remember what it was called) where the basic premise was about these two neighbours (on Mars) who were both engineers (at least one was an electrical engineer) who, while flying across the desert in their own aircraft, discover an ancient piece of damaged Martian equipment, the purpose of which is a mystery to them. So, being engineering types, they decide to experiment with it in order to try working out what it is adn what it does. The story is quite humorous as I recall, with a number of things going wrong (one of which was that they ended up blowing a trench between their two houses). Does this ring any bells with anyone?

This story was one of the many things that inspired me to take up electronics as a career.

Can you remember what the piece of equipment did? If it was for wireless power transmission, my guess would be George O. Smith's Lost Art in the short story collection Mars, We Love You (Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Mars-Love-You-Jane-Hipolito/dp/0515030864).

[edit:] I haven't read it, your inquiry just matched the collection itself, which is the only one I'm aware of with the specific theme and the authors mentioned.

[smartcooky]

Some years ago read a short story in a compendium (which I cannot remember the name of) that was a collection of short stories about Mars. I remember that those stories were from some of the greats of the genre; Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison, Lester Del Ray, Harry Harrison and Frank Herbert among others.

However there was one story (and again I cannot remember what it was called) where the basic premise was about these two neighbours (on Mars) who were both engineers (at least one was an electrical engineer) who, while flying across the desert in their own aircraft, discover an ancient piece of damaged Martian equipment, the purpose of which is a mystery to them. So, being engineering types, they decide to experiment with it in order to try working out what it is adn what it does. The story is quite humorous as I recall, with a number of things going wrong (one of which was that they ended up blowing a trench between their two houses). Does this ring any bells with anyone?

This story was one of the many things that inspired me to take up electronics as a career.

Can you remember what the piece of equipment did? If it was for wireless power transmission, my guess would be George O. Smith's Lost Art in the short story collection Mars, We Love You (Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Mars-Love-You-Jane-Hipolito/dp/0515030864).

[edit:] I haven't read it, your inquiry just matched the collection itself, which is the only one I'm aware of with the specific theme and the authors mentioned.

That's it. It was supposed to be a beam power transmission tube, and the two of them wreaked a fair bit of havoc while they experimented with it.

I just did a Google search and found that "Mars: We Love You" was also published as  "The Book of Mars" .....



......which, when I think of it, was the book I read it in. The two main characters (Barney Carroll and Jim Baler)  also appear in a number of Smith's "Venus Equilateral" stories.

[AstroBrant]

Movie: _Forbidden Planet_

Books: _Childhood's End_ by Arthur C. Clarke
_Martian Chronicles_ by Ray Bradbury
_Contact_ by Carl Sagan. I liked the book better than the movie. The whole thing with pi was fascinating, but I was completely dumbfounded by the revelation of the circle of zeroes. (Or was it ones? I forget.) I really didn't expect Sagan to get that metaphysical. He, of all people, knows that if you allow yourself trillions of random digits, and you can choose the dimensions of the digit grid, and any number base you want, you will find some highly improbable coincidence. If a trillion bridge games were played, sooner or later someone may get all 13 cards of one suit on the deal. It's not a miracle. (If you ever get 13 hearts, diamonds, or spades, do NOT bid seven no-trump!!!!)

Edit: Oh, and the pendulum bet. I was surprised Sagan didn't suggest the simple solution of just closing your eyes. Now if someone required you to keep your eyes open, that's not really a fair test, because in that case instinctive reflex may overwhelm faith, (or knowledge).

[Allan F]

Movie: _Forbidden Planet_

Books: _Childhood's End_ by Arthur C. Clarke
_Martian Chronicles_ by Ray Bradbury
_Contact_ by Carl Sagan. I liked the book better than the movie. The whole thing with pi was fascinating, but I was completely dumbfounded by the revelation of the circle of zeroes. (Or was it ones? I forget.) I really didn't expect Sagan to get that metaphysical. He, of all people, knows that if you allow yourself trillions of random digits, and you can choose the dimensions of the digit grid, and any number base you want, you will find some highly improbable coincidence. If a trillion bridge games were played, sooner or later someone may get all 13 cards of one suit on the deal. It's not a miracle. (If you ever get 13 hearts, diamonds, or spades, do NOT bid seven no-trump!!!!)

Edit: Oh, and the pendulum bet. I was surprised Sagan didn't suggest the simple solution of just closing your eyes. Now if someone required you to keep your eyes open, that's not really a fair test, because in that case instinctive reflex may overwhelm faith, (or knowledge).

There was actually an article in a danish newspaper, which reported exactly that - not only did one player get one full color, but all four players EACH got a full set. It could be staged, though. Old people can do the strangest things.

[smartcooky]

Movie: _Forbidden Planet_

Books: _Childhood's End_ by Arthur C. Clarke
_Martian Chronicles_ by Ray Bradbury
_Contact_ by Carl Sagan. I liked the book better than the movie. The whole thing with pi was fascinating, but I was completely dumbfounded by the revelation of the circle of zeroes. (Or was it ones? I forget.) I really didn't expect Sagan to get that metaphysical. He, of all people, knows that if you allow yourself trillions of random digits, and you can choose the dimensions of the digit grid, and any number base you want, you will find some highly improbable coincidence. If a trillion bridge games were played, sooner or later someone may get all 13 cards of one suit on the deal. It's not a miracle. (If you ever get 13 hearts, diamonds, or spades, do NOT bid seven no-trump!!!!)

Edit: Oh, and the pendulum bet. I was surprised Sagan didn't suggest the simple solution of just closing your eyes. Now if someone required you to keep your eyes open, that's not really a fair test, because in that case instinctive reflex may overwhelm faith, (or knowledge).

There was actually an article in a danish newspaper, which reported exactly that - not only did one player get one full color, but all four players EACH got a full set. It could be staged, though. Old people can do the strangest things.

I once got dealt an ace-high royal flush in spades. Needless to day, I stood pat!

[ka9q]

I once got dealt an ace-high royal flush in spades. Needless to day, I stood pat!

You know what the chances are of that from a properly shuffled deck?

[Allan F]

I once got dealt an ace-high royal flush in spades. Needless to day, I stood pat!

You know what the chances are of that from a properly shuffled deck?

1/(52x51x50x49x48)?

[Echnaton]

I know there is a better notation that involves a ! function, but it is something like this.

(5/52)*(4/51)*(3/50)*(2/49)*(1/48)

Or somewhat greater than the probability of a Apollo hoax being real. 

[Allan F]

I know there is a better notation that involves a ! function, but it is something like this.

(5/52)*(4/51)*(3/50)*(2/49)*(1/48)

Or somewhat greater than the probability of a Apollo hoax being real.

Oh - right - forgot that the 5 cards could be drawn in any order.

[frenat]

I know there is a better notation that involves a ! function, but it is something like this.

(5/52)*(4/51)*(3/50)*(2/49)*(1/48)

Or somewhat greater than the probability of a Apollo hoax being real. 

I know there is a better notation that involves a ! function, but it is something like this.

(5/52)*(4/51)*(3/50)*(2/49)*(1/48)

Or somewhat greater than the probability of a Apollo hoax being real.

Oh - right - forgot that the 5 cards could be drawn in any order.

That's if you're calculating for a specific suit.  If the object is just to get a royal flush then the suit is not determined until the first draw.  Should improve the chances slightly.

[Echnaton]

That's if you're calculating for a specific suit.  If the object is just to get a royal flush then the suit is not determined until the first draw.  Should improve the chances slightly.

I think if you allow any suit the odds would be four times that of the spade royal flush Smartcokie was dealt. 

That is ((4*5)/52)*(4/51)*(3/50)*(2/49)*(1/48)

[ka9q]

Almost as unlikely as a royal fizzbin.