Comments on: For the stoners amongst us…

By: RL

RL — Sat, 25 Sep 2021 14:34:14 +0000

At the end is a discussion by King of the research that went into it… it blew me away, I learned a lot about the events surrounding the JFK assassination.

By: podrock

podrock — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 15:11:28 +0000

Thanks RL, I’ll especially look into the last one.

By: RL

RL — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 13:10:46 +0000

The ‘Bobiverse’ series by Dennis E. Taylor is not bad–first couple of books are pretty good-like many series it declines a bit as it goes on… I can’t call it ‘serious’ sci-fi, just ‘fun’- literary candy.

‘Children of Time’ by Adrian Tchaikovsky is an odd one- mediocre story (your impression might differ) with what I consider fairly lame attempts at being ‘hard’ sci-fi… BUT it’s portrayal of alien intelligence, biology and psychology is pretty unique- in the end that was the only reason I finished the book. (Sort of like the movie ‘Se7en’ – stupid movie, but worth watching simply for Kevin Spacey’s portrayal of pure, content, and calm evil).

I kept hearing raves about ‘three body problem’ by Liu Cixin- and I was intrigued about the idea of Chinese sci fi… so I gave it a try- aside from interesting portrayals of the Cultural Revolution I found it a complete waste of time. Not worth reading in my opinion… I certainly was not willing to try the sequels.

’11-22-63′ by Stephen King… This is a stunning work of science(?) fiction (Only science fiction aspect is the time-travel plot device)- I STRONGLY recommend this book- the research that went into this book is unbelievable, and it is all put together by a master storyteller- without question one of the best books I have read in a VERY long time.

By: podrock

podrock — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 03:18:03 +0000

I’d light one with him.

By: RL

RL — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 16:49:46 +0000

But voodoo crap by a fairly good writer…
He is the guy that wrote ‘The Martian’ and ‘Hail Mary’ – fun books that at least made an attempt at being ‘hard’ sci-fi…
(In reality they ended up being somewhat malleable sci-fi, or perhaps gooey sci-fi, but I appreciated the attempt and forgave his more egregious sins because he writes a pretty good story)

By: ER

ER — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 02:50:36 +0000

and I don’t believe any of that voodoo crap.

The universe is matter and energy interacting in time and space, and NOTHING ELSE. There is a reason for everything but a purpose to nothing.
It is random and chaotic and pointless.

Oh, yeah, there are those Laws of Physics that are supposed to be a clue to some hidden logic or intelligence, but no. They’re just accounting to keep track of electricity and gravity and such. They really don’t mean anything.

The great secret of the universe is that there is no secret.

The most terrifying fact about the universe is not that it is hostile but that it is indifferent; but if we can come to terms with this indifference and accept the challenges of life within the boundaries of death – however mutable man may be able to make them – our existence as a species can have genuine meaning and fulfillment. However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.”
― Stanley Kubrick

So you see, even though the universe is meaningless, we are not.