My Problem With SF

[poliphilo]

Once again I pick up an SF novel (in this case Ian M Banks' Excession) only to be reminded that I don't like SF novels because everyone in them is so boring.  I don't think it can be an inflexible rule of the genre that real people and space ships don't mix because Wells breaks it- but where are  the other SF writers who give you characters you can care about?

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

Lois McMaster Bujold's Barryar series definitely has real characters. Actually so do many of Ian M Bank's books.

Having said that, the appeal of a certain type of SF is the background, setting and situation rather than the characters. Odd characters in an odd setting with odd things happening ends up as Too Much Odd, so sometimes the characters tend towards the bland to avoid this problem.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, I can see that. I like the phrase "Too Much Odd".