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Well, I looked at this site. And this Gibson story seems really boring. I mean, I know he's a dry writer and all that, but he's gone downhill since Neuromancer. This story was densely written, lacked plot development, and the character progression was minimal. Personally, I think he's trying to capture the "hard sci-fi" that Neal Stephenson does so well. Hopefully Gibson will return to more familiar ground and produce a better story next time.

Its really bad form to link to Stephenson's book but not to Vinge's. Interesting review here.

Ah, but there has been a SF story based on this concept! I don't remember who wrote it, but the basic plot was there was guy who bought the spent fuel tanks of shuttle lauches (the big red things), and used them construct a space habitat. People scoffed at the idea initially, but eventually it became economically viable, and corporate/government interests wanted it for their own. The habitat was a closed system and was mostly self-sufficient, but needed propellant to keep the orbit stable. That was the angle that the bad guys used to coerce the owner of the habitat into selling, but in a moment of serindipity (due to an accident I think) the protagonist realized that if he applied or drew a current from the superstructure he could change orbit using the earth's magnetic field. Ah, yes, the title was "Dynamo", no wait, "Tank Farm Dynamo", and it was written by David Brin. (Thanks Internet Speculative Fiction Database!)

Vorkosigan Saga - by Lois McMaster Bujold

Honor Harrington - by David Weber

I am told that the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch is also good but have not had a chance to read it yet.

Vorkosigan Saga - by Lois McMaster Bujold

Honor Harrington - by David Weber

I am told that the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch is also good but have not had a chance to read it yet.

Vorkosigan Saga - by Lois McMaster Bujold

Honor Harrington - by David Weber

I am told that the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch is also good but have not had a chance to read it yet.

Vorkosigan Saga - by Lois McMaster Bujold

Honor Harrington - by David Weber

I am told that the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch is also good but have not had a chance to read it yet.

Vorkosigan Saga - by Lois McMaster Bujold

Honor Harrington - by David Weber

I am told that the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch is also good but have not had a chance to read it yet.

Vorkosigan Saga - by Lois McMaster Bujold

Honor Harrington - by David Weber

I am told that the Seafort Saga by David Feintuch is also good but have not had a chance to read it yet.

I'm afraid that you are very much mistaken.

The original Dianetics article was published in the May 1950 issue of Astounding Science Fiction (John W. Campbell was also into this kind of thing). The book seems to have originally been published in 1951 according to the Library of Congress.

Battlefield Earth on the other hand was published in 1982 (1984 paperback) long after L Ron Hubbard had started the Scientologists I'm afraid. Battlefield Earth was published after L. Ron Hubbard had not been seen by non-scientologists for several years and was supposed to prove he was still alive. The interesting fact is that he then started to publish the 10 volume series "Invaders Plan". The Scientologists then announced in 1986 that he had died when only about half the books had been published (but the rest were already written - honest).

A sub-plot of the 1981 movie "The First Monday in October" about hiding the death of the CEO of a large company could be based upon the rumours about L. Ron Hubbard at the time.

I'm afraid that you are very much mistaken.

The original Dianetics article was published in the May 1950 issue of Astounding Science Fiction (John W. Campbell was also into this kind of thing). The book seems to have originally been published in 1951 according to the Library of Congress.

Battlefield Earth on the other hand was published in 1982 (1984 paperback) long after L Ron Hubbard had started the Scientologists I'm afraid. Battlefield Earth was published after L. Ron Hubbard had not been seen by non-scientologists for several years and was supposed to prove he was still alive. The interesting fact is that he then started to publish the 10 volume series "Invaders Plan". The Scientologists then announced in 1986 that he had died when only about half the books had been published (but the rest were already written - honest).

A sub-plot of the 1981 movie "The First Monday in October" about hiding the death of the CEO of a large company could be based upon the rumours about L. Ron Hubbard at the time.

Actually the first verse and chorus of Clone of My Own were originally written for FSF by Randall Garrett. Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, and several others did contribute a number of verses; I don't thing RAH was one of these others, but I could be mistaken.

Rev Neh

Actually the first verse and chorus of Clone of My Own were originally written for FSF by Randall Garrett. Isaac Asimov, Robert Silverberg, and several others did contribute a number of verses; I don't thing RAH was one of these others, but I could be mistaken.

Rev Neh

There was also an article by Mark Clifton in the February 1958 issue of Astounding Science Fiction (Don't you love The Internet Speculative Fiction DataBase). It is about this frightening condition and is well worth a look if you can find it.

It pointed out how people who have eaten tomatoes start to show symptoms such as deteriorating eyesight, arthritis, general weakening, etc. as they grow older. Any cases of people who have eaten tomato soup and survived beyond 100 years showed they are severely debilitated.

If tomato soup is withheld then the addict's craving drives them to use substitutes such as water. If all substitutes are withheld then the addict dies of withdrawl.

• Lawrence Watt-Evans
• James H. Schmitz
• Urula K. Le Guin (A Wizard of Earthsea)
• Larry Niven (Neutron Star is good)
• David Brin (River of Time, The Postman)
• Clifford Simak
• Theodore Sturgeon
• James Tiptree, Jr. (occasionally explicit)
• Brian W. Aldiss
• Harlan Ellison
• Alan Dean Foster
• Harry Harrison
• R. A. Lafferty
• Frederik Pohl
• C. M. Kornbluth
• Robert Silverberg
• Jack Chalker
• Geoffrey A. Landis
• Robert Heinlein
• Isaac Asimov

• Donald A Wollheim presents The 19__ Annual World's Best SF
• Universe 6 (Terry Carr)
• The Science Fiction Hall of Fame (Volumes I and II) (Robert Silverberg)