Quote Originally Posted by it-ogo View Post
Classic sci-fi is traditionally modern-problems oriented technical and social. Yes, it is not about credible characters, it is about ideas. Nowadays sci-fi usually treated as easy reading in fictional setting that makes the genre more flexible for experiments. That is what fantazy, and many contemporary Russian writers often write in both genres (sci-fi and fantasy) or even mix them up so it is hard to distinguish them. In the same mix often alternative history.

Here some of my preferences (a bit outdated) in both genres as I don't separate in contemporary literature in random order.

Lukyanenko is today's easy reading in sci-fi with acceptable literary quality.

Kirill Eskov - I can recommend two books actually The Gospel of Afranius and The last ringbearer. He used scientific approach to the Gospel and Tolkien's universe and gained nice action adventure novels. The first one may be too boring if you don't know well the background.

Parfenova - her debute trilogy contained all typical mistakes of the beginning writer but at the same time was of extreme quality and really refreshing. The books full of female emotions, that a techno&science&logic man like me was able to enjoy. Though the language is rich and intensive and can be hard to read.

...to be continue... maybe

Whereas I don't make a lot of sense when I am tired, and writing in a hurry, you do, lol ! That was interesting. Please continue whenever...

Yes, probably science fiction gets dated eventually; or it becomes clear that technology moved in a different way than what the writers imagined, so the technical premise of the novel seems irrelevant. Social ideas and values. The sexism in older American science fiction is very tiresome - just have to try to ignore it to enjoy the story. Of course, it was normal at the time of publishing, and almost all the readers were men anyway.

I know some of the older sci-fi it is literature in its own right; philosophical etc. Definitely including some Russian science-fiction.
But it's not for me. I like the social aspects of sci-fi, the politics and the technology. The Foundation saga (Asimov) is still one of my favourite books. Asimov was unable to imagine how computing would develop though - and some aspects of the books seem very dated today.

Same for films: Watched a an episode of "Star Trek Voyager" from the late 1990s (I believe). All the computing and communication looks ancient and very clunky!

[off to work, more later]