I have a site that introduces new authors of quality fiction. We like SF, Political Thrillers and Satire. We have a couple of Iraq war books, The Painted Man by Kenneth Floyd--a CIA, Army Intel who-done-it in the streets of the Sunni Triangle.
Imminent Retribution by Mike Flanagan--an ecological disaster thriller (BTW Michael is investigating Global Warming in Australia right now).
The Last Resort is an irreverent dark satire (very funny) by Niel McInnes, a new Australian writer.
If you like these kinds of books, check them out at my site. You can download sample chapters for free. We'd like to know what you think--even write a review if you're so inclined.
Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
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Specfiction
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Specfiction
- Posts: 88
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 12:51 pm
Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
Well I'm around (not just here to tell you about my site) and want to talk about new authors in general. I have a forum on my site as well, and if the conversation develops here, I will link back to this conversation.
Anyway, I hope you find something you like.
Anyway, I hope you find something you like.
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Specfiction
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Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
Check out The 1492 Conspiracy by Assem Akram. It's a political thriller right out of the pages of today's paper. The 1492 Conspiracy is about the wars in the middle east as seen through the eyes of a political analysist and consultant in Washington. It spans a conspiracy of power politics whose roots reach back to the end of the middle ages.
Dr. Akram recieved a PhD from the Sorbonne in Paris and has written two history books. He is a newspaper publisher in Afghanistan and has appeared as a guest on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer.
You can find it at Speculative Fiction Review
Dr. Akram recieved a PhD from the Sorbonne in Paris and has written two history books. He is a newspaper publisher in Afghanistan and has appeared as a guest on the News Hour with Jim Lehrer.
You can find it at Speculative Fiction Review
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Specfiction
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Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
Just in case anyone's interested in "mainstream" science fiction, my novel, Proteus Rising, is now in print and available at Amazon. There are some reviews at Amazon (USA). The story is about evolution. I think it's an interesting story because, in the not too distant future, if we're still around, there might be breakthroughs that redefine many of the controversial issues in contention today. If people succeed in creating a machine with a soul, or reengineering ourselves in a way that the environment could not, how will the rest of us react? What will happen to religion if we can manufacture a soul that is better than the one we have? And what does better mean?
It's not so much the technology that is interesting in this kind of speculation, it's the world that results.
It's not so much the technology that is interesting in this kind of speculation, it's the world that results.
Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
Specfiction;471199 wrote: It's not so much the technology that is interesting in this kind of speculation, it's the world that results.You caught Mark Salow's eye a couple of weeks ago on his blog. That's not a bad recommendation at all. I'll mention the Amazon listing to one of the children and see if I get it for Christmas.
Welcome to ForumGarden, by the way.
Welcome to ForumGarden, by the way.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
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Specfiction
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Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
Thanks Spot.
I was wondering what people think of SF today. Has anyone ever heard the term mainstream SF? I've found myself involved in SF because most of my life I've been a scientist. The bad thing about being a scientist is that most of your time is spent on problems that are very specific and consuming. Later in life, when you come up for air, you can't help but see many of the contentious debates of the day through glasses colored, at least in part, by a science-culture prism. That's because many of the issues we face, climate change, genetic engineering (stem cells), oil, etc. have a strong science component that is often distorted depending on whose interests are at stake. I define "mainstream SF" as stories that may have SF elements, but whose point addresses some of these issues by putting them in context with characters the reader can relate to.
Any thoughts?
I was wondering what people think of SF today. Has anyone ever heard the term mainstream SF? I've found myself involved in SF because most of my life I've been a scientist. The bad thing about being a scientist is that most of your time is spent on problems that are very specific and consuming. Later in life, when you come up for air, you can't help but see many of the contentious debates of the day through glasses colored, at least in part, by a science-culture prism. That's because many of the issues we face, climate change, genetic engineering (stem cells), oil, etc. have a strong science component that is often distorted depending on whose interests are at stake. I define "mainstream SF" as stories that may have SF elements, but whose point addresses some of these issues by putting them in context with characters the reader can relate to.
Any thoughts?
Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
Only that the further adrift from a current setting the SF is, the less likely the reader relates its events to what they read in their newspapers. I'm trying to think of a remote mainstream setting where I nevertheless felt that modern life was being illuminated. OK, I got one - Zelazny's "Jack of Shadows". So there are exceptions, but I bet they'd be great works practically by definition to have achieved it.
As far as your background's concerned, I can't see how anyone can succeed in writing futuretech without the background you describe. Brin's "The Practice Effect" might be a very clever exception but that was an exercise in logic, not physics. And remembering some of the excesses in E E Smith's "Lensman" series, even people with training in science should be wary of timescales when engaged in hard-core planet-busting space opera.
Addendum: David Brin. I just went and checked, and I was wildly wrong. He had a lot of ammunition after all.
As far as your background's concerned, I can't see how anyone can succeed in writing futuretech without the background you describe. Brin's "The Practice Effect" might be a very clever exception but that was an exercise in logic, not physics. And remembering some of the excesses in E E Smith's "Lensman" series, even people with training in science should be wary of timescales when engaged in hard-core planet-busting space opera.
Addendum: David Brin. I just went and checked, and I was wildly wrong. He had a lot of ammunition after all.
- 1973 - received Bachelor of Science in astronomy from California Institute of Technology1978 - received Master of Science in applied physics from University of California, San Diego1981 - received Doctor of Philosophy in space science from University of California, San Diego
PS. "putting them in context with characters the reader can relate to" vis-a-vis E E Smith... I was only ten, I can be excused for the relating part.
Nullius in verba ... ☎||||||||||| ... To Fate I sue, of other means bereft, the only refuge for the wretched left.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
When flower power came along I stood for Human Rights, marched around for peace and freedom, had some nooky every night - we took it serious.
Who has a spare two minutes to play in this month's FG Trivia game! ... My other OS is Slackware.
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Specfiction
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Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
You know, the interesting thing about futures of order--say 500-1000 years--is that technology may change, but if we assume people don't (physiologically), then we have a story that people can relate to. Even if that future technology changes almost miraculously, there are physical constrains that we understand today that will probably stand in a practical sense (even if we find violations). For example, let's say that FTL is possible--from what we know today, the energy budget would be so high that it would probably not be practical. And if it were, we understand exploration, the emotional and cultural involvement--and we have a story.
I choose to write about a quantum jump in genetic and cyber technology for two reasons. First is the assumption that if you change people, in some basic way, then you change everything. No change in technology could possibly change society as much. Second, if we were ever to create a machine with a "soul," many of our ideas about ourselves would change drastically. I tried to package that in a story that would work for most people. I got a great compliment from someone who read the manuscript. He told me that he thought the story work on many levels—which is what I was looking for.
I choose to write about a quantum jump in genetic and cyber technology for two reasons. First is the assumption that if you change people, in some basic way, then you change everything. No change in technology could possibly change society as much. Second, if we were ever to create a machine with a "soul," many of our ideas about ourselves would change drastically. I tried to package that in a story that would work for most people. I got a great compliment from someone who read the manuscript. He told me that he thought the story work on many levels—which is what I was looking for.
Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
Specfiction;472120 wrote: Thanks Spot.
I was wondering what people think of SF today. Has anyone ever heard the term mainstream SF? I've found myself involved in SF because most of my life I've been a scientist. The bad thing about being a scientist is that most of your time is spent on problems that are very specific and consuming. Later in life, when you come up for air, you can't help but see many of the contentious debates of the day through glasses colored, at least in part, by a science-culture prism. That's because many of the issues we face, climate change, genetic engineering (stem cells), oil, etc. have a strong science component that is often distorted depending on whose interests are at stake. I define "mainstream SF" as stories that may have SF elements, but whose point addresses some of these issues by putting them in context with characters the reader can relate to.
Any thoughts?
I've been reading science fiction as long as I remember. Fantasy I'm not a great fan of but my tastes are fairly eclectic.
I choose to write about a quantum jump in genetic and cyber technology for two reasons. First is the assumption that if you change people, in some basic way, then you change everything. No change in technology could possibly change society as much.
I would beg to differ there, there are many innovations that changed society probably the innovations that changed society the most was the invention of the horse collar and the swing plough, suddenly one horse could do the work of ten men so why did you need serfs to work the land ? warfare and the drive for better weapons and more food together have done much to shape the society we live in.
I was wondering what people think of SF today. Has anyone ever heard the term mainstream SF? I've found myself involved in SF because most of my life I've been a scientist. The bad thing about being a scientist is that most of your time is spent on problems that are very specific and consuming. Later in life, when you come up for air, you can't help but see many of the contentious debates of the day through glasses colored, at least in part, by a science-culture prism. That's because many of the issues we face, climate change, genetic engineering (stem cells), oil, etc. have a strong science component that is often distorted depending on whose interests are at stake. I define "mainstream SF" as stories that may have SF elements, but whose point addresses some of these issues by putting them in context with characters the reader can relate to.
Any thoughts?
I've been reading science fiction as long as I remember. Fantasy I'm not a great fan of but my tastes are fairly eclectic.
I choose to write about a quantum jump in genetic and cyber technology for two reasons. First is the assumption that if you change people, in some basic way, then you change everything. No change in technology could possibly change society as much.
I would beg to differ there, there are many innovations that changed society probably the innovations that changed society the most was the invention of the horse collar and the swing plough, suddenly one horse could do the work of ten men so why did you need serfs to work the land ? warfare and the drive for better weapons and more food together have done much to shape the society we live in.
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Specfiction
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Political Thrillers and Satire by new Authors
gmc;472682 wrote: I've been reading science fiction as long as I remember. Fantasy I'm not a great fan of but my tastes are fairly eclectic.
I would beg to differ there, there are many innovations that changed society probably the innovations that changed society the most was the invention of the horse collar and the swing plough, suddenly one horse could do the work of ten men so why did you need serfs to work the land ? warfare and the drive for better weapons and more food together have done much to shape the society we live in.
I agree. Just like the greatest innovation in medicine was washing your hands. But what I'm assuming here is that we may see things that we've never seen before as a species. For example, one of the intrinsic ideas in Proteus is that evolution can never wipe the slate clean and start again. If you look at the human brain, one can see structures that resemble everything from fish to rat brains. Evolution builds on what's there, driven by environmental forces. But what if the natural progression is that if a species reaches human sentience that evolution can take a large step, initiated by "artificial" methods, wiping the slate clean and prompting a new history. That's the vehicle SF offers--that's why I choose to write SF instead of a nonfiction popular science book, which would have been much easier to sell.
I would beg to differ there, there are many innovations that changed society probably the innovations that changed society the most was the invention of the horse collar and the swing plough, suddenly one horse could do the work of ten men so why did you need serfs to work the land ? warfare and the drive for better weapons and more food together have done much to shape the society we live in.
I agree. Just like the greatest innovation in medicine was washing your hands. But what I'm assuming here is that we may see things that we've never seen before as a species. For example, one of the intrinsic ideas in Proteus is that evolution can never wipe the slate clean and start again. If you look at the human brain, one can see structures that resemble everything from fish to rat brains. Evolution builds on what's there, driven by environmental forces. But what if the natural progression is that if a species reaches human sentience that evolution can take a large step, initiated by "artificial" methods, wiping the slate clean and prompting a new history. That's the vehicle SF offers--that's why I choose to write SF instead of a nonfiction popular science book, which would have been much easier to sell.