I saw a book signing yesterday.
I like Terry Pratchett, but I'm not a fanatic. I read his novels, as and when I get around to them, in order for the most part.
not too fussed when I get a look see at all the extras and spin offs
Bought Making Money from waterstones half-price yesterday.
Annyway, there was a bored looking woman sitting at a desk in the corner.
I looked again, she had a pen in her hand, and there was a sign "Book Signing Today"
I have no idea who she is, or what the book was, and I felt kinda sorry for her, but I didn't buy her book.
not too fussed when I get a look see at all the extras and spin offs
Bought Making Money from waterstones half-price yesterday.
Annyway, there was a bored looking woman sitting at a desk in the corner.
I looked again, she had a pen in her hand, and there was a sign "Book Signing Today"
I have no idea who she is, or what the book was, and I felt kinda sorry for her, but I didn't buy her book.
Post edited by thx1138 on
Comments
Well that was an anticlimax.
Your profile says Bedford is this where the Waterstones branch was? might be enough of a clue to find out who she was.
Not for me it isn't baby and I used to live in Bedford. So who could she have been?
(BTW who is Jack L Chalker???)
Ahhh, I think I may have read one of the Wonderland Gambit books.
Chalker's only the greatest sci-fi writer...ever...and thats a proven fact.
I do love Pratchett.
Don't be sad for her. It's experience! Well, that's what I've been told, but it's still gotta be pretty horrible for her. Aparrently a lot of signings go like that, where no one bothers to turn up. I've heard of a few accounts. What a shame.
My sis saw Craig Charles all alone at a signing, and decided to have a long chat with him. Although she didn't buy his book, she got her, 'Smeg-ups' video signed.
No support for Lem? the shame of it all.
I couldn't find the proof and I've never read any of the authors works.
I would find it hard to discount the works of Asimov or Clarke by accepting that statement.
I would also find bumping Harrison off that slot (depending on mood) difficult too.
I am also fond of Niven (and Pournell's) style.
Chalker would have to go some to beat any of these. In fact if he did I would feel like I had missed out in a big way.
However following with the statement:
Makes me less than eager to sample Chalker's work. :-P
Listverse gives this as a top 10 http://listverse.com/literature/top-10-most-influential-science-fiction-writers/
However I would say than some of them were "pioneering" rather than the best, it seems a rather trendy choice. Personally, I wouldn't include Frank Herbert. Dune was a canny read but the remaining books spiralled rapidly into a very dull read indeed.
My humble but flawed and uncalled for opinion. :rolleyes:
Nice, friendly chap.
Actually it comes down to either being immortal or having a time machine. An immortal with enough time on their hands could keep a list of every sci-fi author and then at the end of time could tally up the votes for each author. A person with a time machine could skip all the list-keeping/tallying and just go straight to the end of time and ask the immortal what the outcome is.
I'm guessing an event such as this one could be chronicled in a book called "The Barnes And Noble at The End of the Universe" ...
But karingal is also right ... it's all down to individual opinions.
sometimes greatness is thrust upon you.
Excellent point!
Now propose a definition of "Greatest Sci-Fi Author" ... how does one detect such a person? We already have the way of getting the outcome (now we just need a time machine).
That sounds ouchful!
(and somewhat random)
(oo-er missus)
That is correct but that outcome is in flux. You see, there might one day be a way of detecting The Greatest Sci-Fi Author. One way to get a solid answer is to get a time machine and go to the Barnes and Noble at the End of the Universe.
You could have written a whole book on his left buttock...
I met him once..impressive fellow.
Well, you can have your Stanislaws and your Assimovs, but it's still a proven fact. Chalker is the greatest.
Why have you gone all necromantic on us?
for the greatest science fiction writter ever, you'd have thought he might have won the hugo once or twice.
he might be your fave but certainly isn't considered one of the greatest sci-fi writters.
I don't have to prove anything to a load of Barry Potter fans. We all know literary prizes go to the person with the best publicity machine behind them, and seldom the best authors...unless the prize givers want to look cool, then they give the prizes to some unknown Albania guy.
So, stick that in your pipe and set fire to it.