OK, this is going to seem to be either a ridiculous question or there is something there.
I have noticed that Asimov is a huge fan of the word "sardonic". Maybe it's just that I notice it because I wouldn't normally use this word. Maybe it's just that sci-fi stories lead to greater likelihood of characters being sardonic.
Am I imagining this or does Asimov really use the words "sardonic" and "sardonically" particularly frequently?
I have seen this in Niven and Brin too. Are they also using this word a lot, and is it under influence (intentional or not) from Asimov?