National generalizations: Americans respect heroes and authority whereas Brits are iconoclastic. The anti-authoritarian ethos of the British sf comic, 2000 AD, has affected American superheroes and sf films.
I think of British sf as a literary tradition:
Mary Shelley
HG Wells
Olaf Stapledon
CS Lewis
Brian Aldiss -
- but have not kept up with more recent authors. However, 2000 AD is one current manifestation.
What is the future of urban civilization?
The Time Machine and The Sleeper Wakes by Wells;
The Caves Of Steel by Isaac Asimov;
A Torrent Of Faces by James Blish and Norman L Knight;
The Corridors Of Time and other works by Poul Anderson;
Judge Dredd's Megacity One.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Don't feel bad about not keeping up with all of recent science fiction. Exceptions like the works of S.M. Stirling aside, my view is that much of the SF of past 20 years or so is worthless.
I don't know if you are aware of it, but SF "circles" in general has been roiled by the quarrels between the "Social Justice Warriors" (or Morlocks, as some call them) and the Sad/Rabid Puppies. Too briefly, the SJWs contend Politically Correct "messages" should drive SF, even if that made for lousy writing. The Sad Puppies, not all of whom are conservatives or libertarians, argue SF should be about writing interesting stories people WANT to read.
Sean
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