View Full Version : rec.arts.sf.written Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


Evelyn C. Leeper
07-13-2008, 11:51 AM
The rec.arts.sf.written FAQ has gotten too large to continue to post,
so I will be posting just the table of contents (see below), a note of
changes made, and a pointer to it:

http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper/sf-written.htm

It is also mirrored at:
http://www.steelypips.org/sfwrittenfaq/

(Thanks to Kate Nepveu!)

(I have also converted it from text to HTML.)

Last change:
27 Jan 2008

Changes:
12D. The next book from Steven Brust
12K. George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire"
12N. The next book from Ken MacLeod

Table of Contents
0. Introduction and Abbreviations
1. Story identification requests
2. Spoilers
3. What books or stories are about X?
A. Cyberpunk
B. Steampunk
C. Alternate Histories
D. Transformation Stories
E. Gender Issues
F. King Arthur and Robin Hood
G. Jewish SF
H. Mormon SF
I. Christian SF
J. Only non-human characters
K. Post-apocalypse
L. SF set in Ireland
M. Other
4. What books have been written by author X?
5. List of the Hugo, Nebula, or World Fantasy Award winners
6. Does anyone want to talk about X?
7. What is science fiction?
7a. Are techno-thrillers science fiction?
8. What is the difference between science fiction and fantasy?
8a. Isn't magical realism just another name for fantasy?
8b. Why are fantasy works nominated for Hugo Awards?
9. The SF-LOVERS Digest
10. Star Trek
11. Common abbreviations
12. Various questions about multiple editions, long-awaited
books,etc.
A. Iain M. Banks
B. The sequel to Steven R. Boyett's ARCHITECT OF SLEEP
C. The next book in David Brin's "Uplift" series
D. The next book from Steven Brust
E. The next book in Orson Scott Card's "Alvin Maker" series
F. The next book in Glen Cook's "Black Company" series
G. The next book in P. C. Hodgell's "God Stalk" series
H. Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana ending
I. The next book in S. M. Stirling's "Draka" series
J. The sequel to David R. Palmer's THRESHOLD
K. George R. R. Martin's "Songs of Fire and Ice"
L. The next book in Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden
Universe
M. The next book in Catherine Asaro's "Skolian Web" series
N. The next Ken MacLeod book (and reading order)
O. The fourth book in Alexei Panshin's "Anthony Villers"
series
P. The next Merlin book from Nicolai Tolstoy
Q. [deleted]
R. The third book in Paul Edwin Zimmer's "Border" series
S. The third book in Meredith Pierce's "Darkangel" trilogy
T. The fifth book in the "Chtorr" series
U. The next book in Vernor Vinge's "Slow Zone" series and the
annotated FIRE UPON THE DEEP
13. Clarke's Laws
14. SF themes in music
15. Oldest Living SF Authors
16. Authors by Ethnicity
A. Black SF authors
B. Asian/Asian-American SF authors
C. Arab-American SF authors
17. Good SF bookstores in town Z and ordering by mail/Web
17a. Are chain bookstores evil?
18. What is Johnny Rico's ethnic group in STARSHIP TROOPERS?
19. In what order should I read:
A. Lois McMaster Bujold's "Vorkosigan" series?
B. Steven Brust's "Dragaeran" series?
C. Isaac Asimov's "Foundation" series?
D. Ken MacLeod's books?
E. Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" series?
F. Iain M. Banks's "Culture" series?
20. Science Fiction Book Club
21. Recent Obituaries [discontinued]
22. SF ENCYCLOPEDIA et al
23. What is the difference between "mass-market" and "trade"
paperbacks? Why do some books come out in trade paperback
instead of the more affordable mass-market format? What
about A, B, and C format in Britain?
24. What do the letters "PJF" after Steven Brust's name mean?
25. Is Megan Lindholm writing under a pseudonym?
26. Who is William Ashbless?
27. Who is Kilgore Trout?
28. Pronunciation of Cherryh
29. Stephen Jay Gould and Steven Gould
30. Sturgeon's Law
31. What is the Thor Power Tools decision and how did it affect
publishing?
32. What is the best science fiction magazine to subscribe to?
33. How much do authors get in royalties?
34. Who said:
A. "He's a chimp! She's the Pope! They're cops!"
B. "The Golden Age of Science Fiction is 12."
C. "War God of Israel/The Thing with Three Souls"
D. "Science fiction should get out of the classroom
and back in the gutter where it belongs!"
E. "Life is like a simile."
F. The Eight Deadly Words
35. Would the windmills in Kim Stanley Robinson's "Mars" books
work?
36. What's the world's shortest science fiction story?
37. What are the books that come up again and again in
rec.arts.sf.written?
38. What are good SF books for children/young adults?
39. Spelling
40. Are there multiple versions of "A History of the Twentieth
Century, with Illustrations" by Kim Stanley Robinson?
41. Novel, novella, novelette, short story--what is the difference?
99. Science Fiction Archives

--
Evelyn C. Leeper
Just because everything is different doesn't mean
anything has changed. -Irene Peter

Dan Goodman
07-13-2008, 03:09 PM
Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:

> The rec.arts.sf.written FAQ has gotten too large to continue to post,
> so I will be posting just the table of contents (see below), a note of
> changes made, and a pointer to it:
>
> http://www.geocities.com/evelynleeper/sf-written.htm
>
> It is also mirrored at:
> http://www.steelypips.org/sfwrittenfaq/
>
> (Thanks to Kate Nepveu!)
>
> (I have also converted it from text to HTML.)
>
> Last change:
> 27 Jan 2008
>

The definitions of science fiction at http://web.treitel.org/sf/sf.html
seem to be gone; the website is unfindable.

--
Dan Goodman
"I have always depended on the kindness of stranglers."
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Expire
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