All Questions
69,392
questions
18
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Moorcock reading order, Can I start reading Moorcock with the Dancers at the End of Time series?
Where should some one start and how should someone proceed with reading Michael Moorcock? Elric? Nowhere specific? A very specific order?
I am asking because there are stories with different ...
32
votes
7
answers
17k
views
What is the difference between a parallel universe and an alternate timeline?
"Star Trek" fans have labeled the new J.J. Abrams movie as being set in an alternate timeline. Alternate because it is different from the established history of the Star Trek universe.
The word ...
- 2,415
13
votes
5
answers
545
views
What is a good example of a progression from the current state of Cryogenic freezing, to a working system used for interstellar travel? [closed]
In all of the books that I read, the intermediate steps in turning cryonics into a useful technology seem to be glossed over, and the actual implementation is not described in great detail.
Is there ...
- 4,572
14
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What 80s movie features a mad scientist building an inter-dimensional portal in his attic?
From what I can remember of the movie, it features an increasingly isolated loner building or inheriting a machine in his Attic that starts bringing back monsters from outside reality when he turns it ...
- 22.6k
16
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Have bodily functions been abolished in the Star Trek universe?
The more modern uniforms seem, in general, to be lacking significantly when it comes to easy access for bodily function purposes (ahem). This suggests that access is nowhere near as high in demand.
...
- 4,572
15
votes
3
answers
772
views
I'm trying to identify a book, where the main character (a private detective, I believe) speaks mostly in e-prime
Many years ago, I read a sci-fi novella, which remains in my memory mostly due to the main character speaking in e-prime (the book was written in non-e-prime English besides the dialogue with the main ...
- 4,572
36
votes
7
answers
8k
views
Which names and terms in the Dune series come from Hebrew-inspired phrases?
Kwisatz Haderach is one example of a name that is inspired by a Hebrew phrase. What is a complete list of terms that are used in Dune and share this property?
- 4,572
28
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Are there any better English translations of Solaris available, beyond the original translation from French?
The version of Solaris that I've read, apparently been translated into English from French, was never considered to be particularly good by Stanisław Lem. Have any other translation attempts been made,...
- 4,572
22
votes
4
answers
3k
views
How "hard" is the science behind the genetics mentioned in Blade Runner?
How accurately does the science in Blade Runner reflect the current understanding of genetics?
- 4,572
61
votes
11
answers
137k
views
Significance of the origami Deckard found in Blade Runner
What was the significance of the origami figure Deckard found at the end of Blade Runner? What could it have symbolized?
- 4,244
75
votes
5
answers
46k
views
What order should I be reading the Discworld books in?
I've read some of the Discworld books, and they were referencing each other in an order different than what I've been reading.
If I wanted to maintain chronology, and get all of the back references, ...
- 4,572
20
votes
2
answers
809
views
What book features aliens defeating humanity with a sleep inducing virus?
What I remember of the plot is that aliens called Poppers (or something similar) have landed on Earth and released a virus that has put the human population to sleep. Only about one in a hundred ...
- 309
28
votes
3
answers
4k
views
What is a Star Trek Couch?
I've seen the pictures from Fog Creek Software's offices of their Star Trek couch. Why is that a Star Trek couch? Was the same style of couch used on-set of TNG or something?
From Fogcreek.com
- 445
16
votes
1
answer
607
views
In "Spin" by Robert Charles Wilson, why was it called "the spin?"
I just finished this book, and I never understood why the phenomena/event was called "the spin."
- 1,450
34
votes
3
answers
17k
views
Who was the piano player that Starbuck met in the bar on Galactica?
Towards the end of season four, Starbuck meets a piano player in the makeshift bar on Galactica.
Now, it appears that this guy is some kind of ghost/angel like Caprica-6 and the ghost Baltar - but I ...
- 44.7k
11
votes
1
answer
879
views
How to read the Foreigner Universe
I have read the first trilogy in C.J. Cherryh's Foreigner universe and found them to be excellent. It's been a while, though, so I'm re-reading them.
I've also discovered that there are actually four ...
user557
27
votes
7
answers
2k
views
What would be a reasonable technological explanation for why phaser beams are different colors?
On Star Trek when a Starfleet ship fires its phasers, the color of the effect is usually red/orange, but sometimes blue (in TOS). This is also generally true for the phaser sidearms (with green ...
- 2,415
20
votes
2
answers
2k
views
What's happening with the Ender's Game movie? [closed]
* UPDATE: Movie is out in theaters as of 2013 *
I'm not asking for rumor here, but verifiable fact. Anyone know what the status of the Ender's Game movie is? Last I heard it was in something of ...
- 13.1k
8
votes
1
answer
233
views
Are there any awards for Sci-Fi miniseries?
Sci-Fi miniseries typically rock, because they mix the conciseness - closer to a movie - with the volume of content that would take a TV show a season or more to produce. If you look for Sci-Fi mini-...
- 22.6k
28
votes
6
answers
6k
views
Why exactly were the Pah-wraiths kicked out of the wormhole?
The series Deep Space Nine ultimately revolves around the Bajoran wormhole and the battle between the Pah-wraiths and the Prophets. The Wraith-Prophet war centers around the Pah-wraiths' attempt to ...
- 22.6k
16
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Wasn't there going to be a different ending to Total Recall originally?
I once heard that Total Recall was going to have a different ending in which the lead character awoke - the whole story was not real but created by Rekall.
Is that correct?
26
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Why does the dedication plaque on the Enterprise (NCC-1701) bridge say the ship is of the "Starship Class?"
I'm looking for a reasonable, in-universe explanation that works with the Star Trek canon.
It is a well-known fact that Kirk's Enterprise as seen in the original series is of the Constitution class. ...
- 2,415
48
votes
3
answers
19k
views
What is "Blue Sun" in Firefly?
There are many references to Blue Sun in firefly. Most are background type images such as billboard advertisements or a shirt that Jayne wears. Is this ever explained, either directly in an episode ...
- 1,850
28
votes
4
answers
5k
views
How many times throughout the Dune novels is Duncan Idaho ghola'd?
Throughout the Dune novels I would like to know how many times Duncan Idaho is ghola'd (cloned) before he reaches Kwisatz Haderach status?
user512
23
votes
2
answers
12k
views
Are there any other works featuring Riddick?
I particularly enjoyed the Riddick movies. Do you know any more works featuring the hero, or at the very least in that particular universe?
16
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What role did the Tunnels & Cruciform parasites play in "Hyperion"
I was discussing Dan Simmons Hyperion books with a friend recently.
While we both could recall the immediate roll the Cruciform parasites played in the novels, we couldn't remember where they - or the ...
user296
22
votes
8
answers
2k
views
Could the terraforming techniques from Red/Blue/Green Mars work on any other planets in our solar system? [closed]
The Red Mars / Green Mars / Blue Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson describes the process of terraforming Mars so that humans could live there. Could those same techniques work on other planets in ...
- 4,498
19
votes
5
answers
785
views
Why do anthologies have such a prominent place in the history of written SF?
My obsession with science-fiction first came to me through short stories, read in anthologies and single-writer collections.
Dangerous Visions and The Science-Fiction Hall of Fame are more or less ...
- 7,158
14
votes
5
answers
3k
views
What short story interprets common idioms literally?
I'm trying to place a short story told from the viewpoint of a person who understands common idioms literally. For example, if someone asks him to “lend a hand”, he would understand that the hand ...
user56
180
votes
23
answers
66k
views
Is the basic premise of humans as a power source in The Matrix reasonable? [closed]
In The Matrix the machines "grow" humans to provide a source of power. Is this really feasible from the perspective of power generation (never mind all the business of growing/feeding people)? Wouldn'...
- 2,757
27
votes
12
answers
2k
views
Why are "reboots" not done for novels? [closed]
It's pretty common for science fiction TV shows to be "rebooted" (I would guess more common than other genre because of the way that the science elements date). For example, Battlestar Galactica, ...
- 30k
11
votes
1
answer
772
views
Who created New Caprica City in V-world?
New Caprica City was one of the cooler aspects of the Caprica show. New Cap City was like a more detailed grand theft auto game except you could only die once. When New Caprica was introduced the ...
- 22.6k
48
votes
3
answers
4k
views
What short story is about an invasion from metallic creatures?
I used to have a bunch of used short form books when I was growing up that I have since long lost, and I remember a story about an invasion of Earth by some metallic creatures that I never finished ...
- 2,875
33
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Was Roddenberry involved in the creation of Deep Space Nine or Voyager before he died?
I know that Roddenberry took a less and less active role in TNG as his health deteriorated. He died before the release of Deep Space Nine or Voyager.
Did he having anything to do with the creation ...
- 22.6k
51
votes
11
answers
9k
views
Where does human waste go when going to the toilet in the Star Trek universe?
Even if the society in Star Trek has evolved into a cashless state, that still leaves the matter of stools and other bodily excretions (not sweat or blood) to deal with.
Where does that all faecal ...
- 2,024
52
votes
4
answers
11k
views
Is the Klingon language fully realized, or just a handful of disconnected phrases?
I watch Big Bang Theory a lot and notice they sometimes speak to each other in Klingon and I remember at one point seeing a poster, when I was little, with a bunch of Klingon phrases for like, "where ...
- 5,853
20
votes
3
answers
911
views
Is there a disconnect between how the original Tron movie ended and the new one began?
I saw the, uh, what are they calling it -- sequel -- and was curious as to how the original movie ended. I can't find a rental copy anywhere and it's not streaming on Netflix anymore.
- 5,853
66
votes
7
answers
22k
views
In Dune, was the Golden Path really necessary?
I am trying to understand the reason why Leto II merged with the sandtrout in Children of Dune and why he was so committed to the Golden Path.
I just finished the first four books and I fear that I ...
- 2,875
33
votes
6
answers
2k
views
Other than River Tam, are there any other Psychics in the Firefly 'verse?
Since it's introduced quite early in the series, I was surprised that no further psychics turned up in Serenity (if there's one there's two).
Are there any other instances of psychics in the Firefly ...
- 1,097
6
votes
2
answers
241
views
Harry Turtledove's non-alternate-history sf
Which of Harry Turtledove's sf¹ works are not alternate history?
The only one I know of is The Case of the Toxic Spell Dump. There's possibly the Videssos series, from the Wikipedia description. What ...
user56
21
votes
2
answers
451
views
Who/what are Kim Stanley Robinson's Influences?
I'm a big fan of Kim Stanley Robinson's books, and as with musical interests, I like to know who their influences are.
The problem is this: His work is quite distinct, and I can't find any conceptual ...
- 1,097
22
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Was the Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn an order by George Lucas for the movies 7-8-9?
I read somewhere and long ago that the "Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn" was ordered by George Lucas to make movies out of it, but that project was dropped later.
Did someone have any reference of ...
- 95.1k
86
votes
8
answers
32k
views
Weren't there originally going to be nine Star Wars films?
I seem to remember reading that there were going to be three trilogies originally in Star Wars, i.e. they would add episodes 7 - 9.
Was that ever the case? What happened to that plan?
Update: looks ...
17
votes
4
answers
3k
views
What is the law regarding magic in the BBC TV show Merlin?
I started watching Merlin and I've noticed that it isn't clear what law Uther exactly imposed.
Is being a magician outlawed (Gaius is still alive because he stopped using magic), or
Is using magic ...
- 2,355
15
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is the Commonwealth restored in Andromeda?
The driving motivation for the main character in Andromeda was to seek the restoration of the All Systems Commonwealth. The Commonwealth, which is mostly a facsimile of Star Trek's Federation, fell ...
- 22.6k
35
votes
9
answers
3k
views
Why don't Vulcans speak a loglan (a logical language)?
If anything Spock appears to be speaking a Tolkienesque Elvish language.
Were Vulcans intended to be space elves or logical beings? It isn't reflected in their current language.
Is canon too well ...
- 3,619
23
votes
1
answer
1k
views
What changes in society led to "Brave New World" becoming accepted?
For many years (over 50?) Huxley's Brave New World was received poorly by critics, and in many cases banned from libraries and schools.
In what way did society change so that the book is now ...
- 30k
44
votes
6
answers
23k
views
Is the "Time War" introduced only in "new" Doctor Who?
A central plot element of the "new" Doctor Who series is the Time War between the Daleks and the Time Lords.
I never really watched the sixth or seventh Doctors, and haven't seen the eighth doctor ...
- 30k
15
votes
3
answers
659
views
Are there subgenres for science fiction with accurate science vs. made up science?
Are there terms that describe a science fiction story that strictly adheres to, I guess, plausible science concepts and technology versus science fiction were the science is really just made up and is ...
- 5,853
127
votes
14
answers
17k
views
Why and how did the Star Trek Universe evolve to a cashless/commerce-less society?
I've always wondered this ... I recall fleeting references to the lack of a money system in TNG (something about abandoning the quest for material wealth), but was it ever explained why and how and ...
- 5,853