Comment Re:It's not the universe, it's the concept... (Score 1) 1190
I think what makes great science fiction isn't the universe, it's the concept behind it.
Brilliant concepts are one of the things that makes me pick Cordwainer Smith's "Instrumentality of Mankind" as one of my favorite SF universes.
I'm also fond of time-travel stories, especially "parallel" and alternate timelines. Some favorites I haven't seen mentioned:
Michael McCollum's A Greater Infinity - An Everyman protagonist who is Destined For Greatness, and my favorite conception of Paratime, plus an epic war between the lines dominated by Cro-Magnons and those under Neanderthals.
Frederick Pohl's The Coming of the Quantum Cats - Dizzying interactions between at least four alternate realities, and a disturbing realization about the ramifications of the physics involved.
Poul Anderson's "Time Patrol" universe - Well thought out considerations of how changing the past could affect the future.
H. Beam Piper's Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen - Detailed study of how one competent man can change things, and how difficult it can be to do so.
Brilliant concepts are one of the things that makes me pick Cordwainer Smith's "Instrumentality of Mankind" as one of my favorite SF universes.
I'm also fond of time-travel stories, especially "parallel" and alternate timelines. Some favorites I haven't seen mentioned:
Michael McCollum's A Greater Infinity - An Everyman protagonist who is Destined For Greatness, and my favorite conception of Paratime, plus an epic war between the lines dominated by Cro-Magnons and those under Neanderthals.
Frederick Pohl's The Coming of the Quantum Cats - Dizzying interactions between at least four alternate realities, and a disturbing realization about the ramifications of the physics involved.
Poul Anderson's "Time Patrol" universe - Well thought out considerations of how changing the past could affect the future.
H. Beam Piper's Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen - Detailed study of how one competent man can change things, and how difficult it can be to do so.
