Difference between Science Fiction and Fantasy

David Brin has posted an article over at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies that aims to tackle the difference between Fantasy and Science Fiction.  This is a pretty unique take on things.  It is well worth the 5 minutes it takes to read (unless you sucked into the comments). 

Can anyone back him up or prove him wrong?  let me know in the comments. 

Trillian's Read My Review

Cover of Kiln People (The Kiln Books)

Trillian is hosting a science fiction book review type blogfest.  The great thing is that you can use a review that you have written before as long as it fits the criteria.    I could use pretty much any review on this site but I will pick my Kiln People review.  I picked it because it was pretty good and I don't think it is on a lot of people's radar. 

Please click the button above to read other scifi book reviews that you may be interested in.

Kiln People - Book Review

Cover of Kiln People (The Kiln Books)

Kiln People is a novel by David Brin.  It takes place in a future where people can copy their souls into clay golems called Ditos or Dits.  These golems only have a life span of about 24hrs and their experiences can be uploaded back into the original. 

I found the novel exceptionally good.  Brin does a wonderful job of world building here.  I picked the hardback up at a Dollar Tree or Dollar General Store a couple of years aga and wasn't expecting much. 

The novel follows Albert, a detective, as he is trying to track down Beta, a person that makes illegal copies of well known people.  The two have a history with each other and Albert can never really catch up with Beta, although he does manage to throw a monkey wrench in his plans from time to time.  Eventually Albert finds his dittos involved in something world changing. 

The science in the novel is fictional but is presented in a well thought out manner.  Brin does an excellent job of researching golems and totems througout history.  Nestled into the book are pretty real questions about what constitutes life.  The book can be very funny at times as well.  The ending gets pretty deep and philosphical just before the climax.  It went pretty starchild and I am not sure I enjoyed that as much as I did the rest of the book. 

I would recommend this book to science fiction readers and those interested in the moral debates on cloning.  Non science fiction fans may like it as well but may get bogged down a little by some of it.  Well worth a read, and I am sorry it took me this long.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Golems! (rockpapershotgun.com)
• Gateways: Tribute to Fred Pohl with stories by Bear, Benford, Brin, Bova, Gaiman, Harrison, Haldeman and me! (craphound.com)