How do you feel about Greg Bear writing Foundation books

[redbugpest]

I just picked up a Greg Bear book set in the Foundation universe...

Has anyone here read Foundation in Chaos?

[SandChigger]

Nope.

Only read the first three Foundation books, never been interested in any of the others, couldn't possibly care less about this.

I can't recall reading anything by Bear at the moment, but I hear that he's a REAL AUTHOR and NOT A HACK, so if he has done his homework on the series and writes a good book, more power to him!

(You see, stupid, it's not that fact that the Dune series is being continued that bothers me, it's the fact that it's being continued with SUBPAR CRAP. )

[TheDukester]

How do you feel about Greg Bear writing Foundation books

That's easy:

* I feel that Bear has won two Hugos and five Nebulas, and has been awarded a career Heinlein award. Unlike TheKJA's Golden Duck, or whatever the fuck it was that's the only award he's ever won, they don't just give that stuff away.

* I feel that Bear will take the assignment seriously, using his talent to make an honest attempt to both advance the original stories while also paying tribute to them. He will not, in other words, attempt to take over Asimov's family using a drug-addicted zombie as his front door, with the eventual goal of controlling the entire family and destroying Asimov's literary legacy.

* I feel that Bear will not grab a recorder, walk around and talk to himself for awhile, throw the tape at a typist / slave, come back a week later for the manuscript, go over it once while watching 38 DVDs and 47 TV shows, then call it good and ship it off to the publisher. I think he might actually ... wait for it ... compose at a word processor, then take his time and carefully revise.

* I feel that you are being disingenuous, at best, when you ask these questions and act like you really give a shit what anyone's answers will be.

[Hunchback Jack]

I thought it was the second best of the three. Ultimately not canon, but a very good contribution nonetheless.

Why? Well:

* He didn't stray too far outside the lines with respect to the universe Asimov created
* what he did add did not actively contradict Asimov's universe
* it was well written. Suspense was generated for characters I cared about. All that stuff.

The problem with KJA (if that's where you're going with this) is not that he's writing Dune books. Its that he's writing Dune books badly. And I want him to stop.

HBJ

[redbugpest]

I thought it was the second best of the three. Ultimately not canon, but a very good contribution nonetheless.

Why? Well:

* He didn't stray too far outside the lines with respect to the universe Asimov created
* what he did add did not actively contradict Asimov's universe
* it was well written. Suspense was generated for characters I cared about. All that stuff.

The problem with KJA (if that's where you're going with this) is not that he's writing Dune books. Its that he's writing Dune books badly. And I want him to stop.

HBJ

I'll be sure to post my thoughts as I am a huge a Foundation fan.

[Nekhrun]

I thought it was the second best of the three. Ultimately not canon, but a very good contribution nonetheless.

Why? Well:

* He didn't stray too far outside the lines with respect to the universe Asimov created
* what he did add did not actively contradict Asimov's universe
* it was well written. Suspense was generated for characters I cared about. All that stuff.

The problem with KJA (if that's where you're going with this) is not that he's writing Dune books. Its that he's writing Dune books badly. And I want him to stop.

HBJ

I'll be sure to post my thoughts as I am a huge a Foundation fan.

Good Christ, I hope you can find the time!

[Omphalos]

I think you mean "...having written Foundation books" But congratulations on noticing so only 11 years too late!

[Redstar]

Probably not as big a deal, but it's more recent news than this: Eoin Colfer is apparently writing a new Hitchhiker's book, entitled And Another Thing....

I'm a fan of his work, though I've never cared for his writing. He tells a good story for a short read, but that's it. He's pretty amateur at writing itself, so I can't imagine him moving on from his juvenile work to the adult, semi-intellectual humour that is Hitchhiker's. I'm going to check it out, only because he has some direction in his writing, but I'm not looking forward to anything special.

[SandChigger]

Yeah, The Hack posted something about that in one of his blahgs a few days back. I've been meaning to look into it, but hadn't gotten around to it yet.

Photo op with Hack and Holstein (AKA Bride of Anderstein)



I'm sure KJA was excited about this because it's another example of someone "doing" a Dead Writer's Franchise.

[Spicelon]

Meh, moot point. Foundation is overrated, even those authored by Asimov himself. Conceptually Asimov is
boss, but his execution is sub-par.

[Freakzilla]

I've only read Asimov's Foundation books but I have read Greg Bear's Eon and Eternity. They were good, I sure he could write in the Foundation universe.

He seems like the type of guy who would actually READ the originals first.

[SandRider]

huh.

that, Pest, is called a backfire.

you thought these folks would express negative opinions
on an(y)other author expanding a universe.

but damn, you got a variety of opinions, from those who
had different opinions on the originals as well.

that's because these kids are mostly very smart & well-read,
and actually enjoy thinking about what they read, instead
of just slurping up comic book crap for cheap thrills.

my answer to your question is : I really don't care.

I enjoyed Foundation the first time around well enough,
but it was no DUNE. Not by a long-shot. And, as Duke
pointed out, Bear is an actual author, not a hack
that churns out movie novelizations.... and, as Duke
pointed out, you don't care about the responses of the
sietch ... you were looking for a homogenized condemnation
of all expanded-universe books, which you didn't get, because
we are not all Chigger-puppets.

and here's another (mostly) pointless thread started
by you, instead of arguing the points presented in all these
other threads ... that's called a red-herring ....

and I'd like to add Pest to the list of idiots of who aren't allowed
to start threads... or better, since we are supposed to be
about Freedom of Speech and all that, I propose that any threads
that Pest (&Nebbish) start remain unanswered ....(if they're pointless
& STOOPID, or have an ulterior motive)

since I just replied to this bullshit & took the bait,
I propose this starts ..... now ....


just say

[SandChigger]

Seconded.

Ignore any post that is not in direct response to one of the question/debate threads.

[Nekhrun]

Starting.....NOW!

[cmsahe]

I love the Foundation series, so when I bought this "interquel" trilogy by the "killing bees" i wanted to like it and even left 5 stars reviews on Amazon, but after a while, the truth emerged on my mind, a nagging feeling that I shouldn't have done it (the 5 stars reviews), because these books are bad and forgetable.

[Hunchback Jack]

I think they were quite good but forgettable. Don't add much to the universe (and not canon, in any case), but not disruptive to it either. Done with respect.

HBJ

[TheDukester]

that, Pest, is called a backfire.

you thought these folks would express negative opinions
on an(y)other author expanding a universe.

but damn, you got a variety of opinions, from those who
had different opinions on the originals as well.

Good call, SR.

I'll admit I missed that one. I thought he was just trying to distract attention away from his non-answering of all the questions that have been submitted in other threads.

[GamePlayer]

Is this topic a setup?

Perhaps...for a blind date?

[Nebiros]

and I'd like to add Pest to the list of idiots of who aren't allowed
to start threads... or better, since we are supposed to be
about Freedom of Speech and all that, I propose that any threads
that Pest (&Nebbish) start remain unanswered ....(if they're pointless
& STOOPID, or have an ulterior motive)

A conspiracy against me? Could somebody please tell me if this non-person has been made an admin. To answer threads I start or not is entirely a choice. It will be very difficult to ignore me if I start BG bashing again.

By the way, I'm not trying challenge anyone. I just feel insulted at such a suggestion to censor me. Isn't this sort of censorship you are trying to get away from which exists on Dunenovels?

Here are three threads I started I think are worthwhile since they do actually discuss things Dune:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1373

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1326

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1565

[SandChigger]

[Nekhrun]

[Serkanner]

I like Greg Bear's novels ... at least a number of them. I liked Eon, Eternity, The Infinity Concerto and Blood Music best. I am not to big a fan of the Foundation series I have to admit. I liked the concept but the stories ( after I re-read the first book of the series ) themselves are rather shallow. I never read Foundation and Chaos ... so I can not judge it.

[SandRider]

and I'd like to add Pest to the list of idiots of who aren't allowed
to start threads... or better, since we are supposed to be
about Freedom of Speech and all that, I propose that any threads
that Pest (&Nebbish) start remain unanswered ....(if they're pointless
& STOOPID, or have an ulterior motive)

A conspiracy against me? Could somebody please tell me if this non-person has been made an admin. To answer threads I start or not is entirely a choice. It will be very difficult to ignore me if I start BG bashing again.

By the way, I'm not trying challenge anyone. I just feel insulted at such a suggestion to censor me. Isn't this sort of censorship you are trying to get away from which exists on Dunenovels?

Here are three threads I started I think are worthwhile since they do actually discuss things Dune:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1373

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1326

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=1565

a non-person ?
WTF ?

are you calling me a Chigger-puppet ?

[SandChigger]

Is THAT what he meant by that?

I'm used to phrases or whole sections of Nebby's writing not making sense, so I just noted that one and moved on.

HA HA! You're yet another ME!

[SandRider]

I've been a ChiggerClone for awhile now ....