Can't really remember what kicked me off... probably began with comics and then up to SF novels... remember repeatedly getting a Ray Bradbury anthology out of the library for weeks on end, reading and re-reading it every night. Bought a lot of Moorcock books in the early Eighties, which were probably preceded by Asimov. I remember being about 11 and on holiday in Dorset. Went to a car boot fair and bought two huge carrier bags of classic SF for about a quid for the lot.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Or if they don't ackshully print copies of yer book, godammit! Ooops, well slap mah thigh and bite mah tongue.... ;-)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

I got into sci fi quite late, but picked up fantasy when I was just a sprat because my sister, who is seven years older and infinately cooler, had a ton of it in her bedroom. It's always better to break into someone's bedroom to steal something worth stealing, no?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Could you bear to fill in a survey for me? http://sfquestions.blogspot.com

It's only going to be there for five days more.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Just looking in to say Hi!

Roz Kaveney here....

(Reply to this) (Thread)

When I was a teen my teacher once commented that without Star Wars I would never have gotten my O Level art - as everything I painted, drew, sculpted and otherwise muddled up from nothing, was distinctly Lucas-inspired. For a while I read anything and everything I could get my hands on, Silverberg, Clement, Vance, JRRT, and then quite suddenly I pretty much lost all interest for about 5 years, deciding it was far more important to do the boy thing, you know, chase girls... and then my folks went on vacation and I was alone in the house for three weeks. For some peculiar reason I decided upon a trip to the library. I came home with a David Eddings, a Tim Powers and a Stephen Donaldson. The Eddings was the Enchanter's Endgame - yes the final book in the series but I hadn't grasped the concept that you had to read books 1 through 4 first. I was young, what can I say? Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Then I read Anubis Gates and Thomas Covenant and that was it. Sold for life.

Who'da thought how much trouble my parents going on vacation would get me into in the long run?

~Steve Savile~

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

The first science fiction books I remember reading were Douglas Hill's Last Legionary Quartet and the Young Legionary prequel, which I still remember as being truly excellent reading, particularly for a lad of 8. Then my Mum started drip-feeding me Tolkien, Lewis, McCaffrey, Eddings and the rest... start of the slippery slope, obviously.

Steve, you experienced Eddings and Powers in one sitting? Must have been a heck of a contrast?

--Ariel--

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Aaargh! I was wracking my brains to think of those Douglas Hill books! I remember them well from when I was a kid. Didn't he have a computer or a pet alien that talked to him in italics? I was blown away by this stylistic act of genius and have used it in every single thing I've written ever since.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Kiell Randor, Last Legionary of Moros, was allied to a telepathic, flying alien - whose name escapes me, but who was definitely female - and who was the representative of some sort of council of wise alien beings who were trying to bring down an evil uber-baddy, whose sidekick was a golden robot-bodied bruiser called The One. Randor was also armed with a fearsome array of weaponry, had a *really* cool spaceship, and was practically undefeatable in unarmed combat.

What more could you possibly need from a science fiction story? :D

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Put it this way, mate - having read Powers I never went back...

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

I must get hold of Tim's new novel.

Remember having lunch with him and Serena at the New Orleans World Fantasycon in 1994, just after I'd taken him on for Random House in London. Wonderful people! And wonderful food and wine, as it happens, although Tim had already given up alcohol, so Serena and I had to do the right thing with the Califorian red...

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Hi Roz!

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Hi there Mr Jarrold! Welcome (albeit belatedly) to the world of livejournal!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Ian, thanks for the welcome. But you *really* don't look like Russell Crowe!!!

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Hiya John! Welcome to the wild world of LJ.

Liz Williams

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Hi Liz! Thanks for the welcome!

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

What got me into science fiction was a little embarrassing. I read comics as many as I could and watched every Science Fiction and Horror program I could see. and lots of real science programs and documentaries. I am dyslexic so did not start reading Science Fiction and Fantasy books till I was 15 and started with the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and eeeek Dean R Koontz since he was easy to read.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Hello! I want to know, where you have a section for advertising at a forum? Or it is not present? I have not found it.
P.S. Are you see storm in Europe? It's a horror...

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Hi there

If you click on 'livejournal userinfo' at the top of the Live Journal blog you'll find out details about the user. In my case, my website and other details are mentioned there. But to make it easy, my website is: http://www.sff.net/people/john-jarrold/

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)