Who remembers their first exposure to science fiction?
I have always been a voracious reader. When I was a little girl, my local library had a special exception for me. Children under 12 could only check out 5 books at a time. They let me have 15, so I wouldn't have to come in every couple of days (I was lucky, my grandmother worked there!). By the time I was 9 or 10 I had read most all of the books in the "little kids" section and began to look in the adolescent section. There, I found the book that set my main reading interests for life.
Who else could it be but Robert Heinlein?!! "Have Spacesuit Will Travel", to be precise! I was in love. From then on, every time I went to the library, his name was the first one I looked for.
When I was old enough to buy my own books, for many years I never bought anything other than SciFi (or Fantasy, once I came across Andre Norton). I waited with breath held for each new Heinlein book. I've read them all, many times, and cried like an idiot when he died. I wish I could have met him.
Now that I'm all grown up (hey, who says???) I'll read just about anything that looks interesting, except westerns and romance, but SciFi and Fantasy are still my favorites, and the first aisle I head to at the book store. I also have quite a few other favorite authors by now , but I'll never forget that dear Robert was my first love. There will never be another quite like him!
I guess my first exposure was through comic books...does Superman count? After all, he was an alien...And if you consider Poe to have done some sci-fi, then guess it would be him...I mostly stuck to horror but branched out into Bradbury, who I love, but with some of the older sci-fi writers I would sometimes be a little put-off by their portrayal of women. I think with Asimov in particular, it seems he could envision these wild future scenarios but the woman was just 'space-secretary' or 'space-hostess'. Now, I just finished some Philip K. Dick, but my favorites will always be Doug Adams and Kurt Vonnegut.
My first exposure wasn't strictly Sci-Fi - more Fantasy - David Eddings. Straght Sci-Fi - Anne McCaffery. I love her description on the author notes - "I have green eyes and freckles - the rest is subject to change without notice."
I have always remembered that story more than any other. It was just poignant and nuts at the same time. It was going through my head when I started writing my reply, but I didn't think it would be remembered at all. There was also the one "I Sing The Body Electric", and "Dark They Were, With Golden Eyes". The last one was a good short story. I have his entire collection, and I highly recommend it, simply because he write an introduction for the book, "Drunk & Riding a Bicycle", it's great.
Heinlein of course! But I got a late start. You see I spent years reading fantasy...some good, like R.E. Howard, some bad like....well, all those nameless series that were about in the late '80's ( The D&D Days!!! Yeah Baby!). Then, after teh army, I picked up a copy of "Stanger in a Strange Land" and....voila!! Then I think "The Puppeteers" in movie form was due tho come out, so I read it quickly. The "Strarship Troopers" (One of my top 5 Fav books of all time" Hey, why don't I just make a list...HAHAHA!!
Tom Swift's adventures were my first science fiction books - passed by a rack of them in Dayton's to and from my doctor appts. Asimov and Heinlein were my first non-series books...I am not a fan of story collections mainly because I like a longer story where the plot has more room for growth and development. I HAVE TO have a book with me everywhere I go - I cannot bear to pass a rack of any kind of book really - I just have to take a peek and see if they have something good. I think people miss one of the greatest pleasures and arenas for personal enhancements when they don't read.
Of course, if the question includes all forms of science fiction, then comics came first. Batman and Superman to be precise. My Dad thought comics were trash and he thinks books are pretty worthless but since he reads maybe a book every 10 years i think he really can't speak on the matter with any authority. i was once the proud owner of the very first issue of Little LuLu - which would fetch a bundle today but my know-it-all Dad made me throw out dozens of comics - I guess you can tell my Dad had little consideration for views besides his But many people don't let the fact they know nothing about a subject stop them from being an expert neh?!?
BTW: if you're a big andre norton fan check out project gutenberg at gutenberg.org where andre norton lent her strong support to the PD books project - several of her books have been added to their collection of public domain works - lots of books and in lots of formats including audio files...
I remember the book that turned me to reading period, and it happened to be a fantasy book. "The Fire Stone" by Tanya Huff. My dad tried to get me to read louis Lamore, and my mom was going for those self help books. My grandparents offered the bibles. But my babysitter...she went to the bookstore asked for a book for an 11 year old girl. He handed her the fire stone and I was hooked. Hmm, I should re-read it just for the heck of it.
My father-in-law absolutely LOVES Louis La'mour, he's got file cabinets full of em! I've never read Louis La'mour, but Fire Stone, sounds like it's worth checkin out. I usually end up stumbling upon lots of books, so I wouldn't doubt if I'd seen the title before. I finished The Giver awhile back. I hadn't read it in nearly 10 years, and it was interesting to have a different perspective. If you ever have a book that you really remember form the past, it's always a good idea to read it again. :-)
I got into fantasy books first and to be honest I don't remember the name of the book or the author. I do remember the author's last name started with a Z. Here's what I remember of the general summary was about a boy who lived with his grandmother (or aunt) and through a series of events ends up with a skunk for a familiar, gets apprenticed to a wizard, some magic mayhem, saving the king, etc. the end. I've looked for this book when I went back to my hometown but was unable to find it. Any ideas on title or author name would be appreciated.
I think my first straight sci-fi book was Anne McCaffery's Rowan.
Was it Mary Frances Zambreno? I've never read them, but I think she did Journeyman Wizard, and the sequel with the boy and his skunk familiar is A Plague Of Sorcerers.
I just threw the basics into google and it brought this up.
I do not remember the first science fiction or fantasy book I read, but I definitely remember the first I bought. It was "The Witch World" by Andre Norton. It, along with a western by Zane Grey (not sure which one it was) was the first books I purchased with my own money to take to camp with me. I read the library out in the science fiction section, and kept losing my library card until I was issued an adult card by mistake so that I could expand my horizons. Heinlein's juveniles are still among my favorites, especially "Citizen of the Galaxy".
My Dad introduced me to all thisngs sci-fi. It began at such a yound age though I am not sure I could pin point it. I know there was Dr Who, Star Trek and Robotech on TV and Issac Asimov, Piers Anthony, and The Phantom Tollbooth in print. The exact begining though... no idea. Guess I was just brought up this way. LOL
The book that made me a Sci-fi enthusiast was Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Although certainly satirical with respect to dogmatic religous beliefs and the way with which man has used religion to his own profit. I found the Man from Mars declaration that " you are God" particularly intriguing. I will always credit Heinlein with my introduction into this genre.
I don't remember who was first, but it was my Father that got me started... He reads EVERYTHING. I was 9 when I picked up the first of his stray novels lying around the house, and then my fate was sealed. Not only would I read my library selections, I'd read his new purchases before he could and would read all of Mom's mysteries before she got through the second chapter.
Ever been grounded from recreational reading? I was.
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