Date: Tue, 19 Mar 2002 14:10:14 -0500
From: "Michael Walsh" <MJW at mail.press.jhu.edu>
To: <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: time travel
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

>"Strong, Lee" wrote:
>>
>>         Both Heinlein stories have been cited in serious physics books =
to
>> illustrate the apparent problems with time travel, including a =
wonderful
>> chart of the protagonist's worldline.
>
>I've read them -- I've read all of Heinlein at one point or another =AF
>and they're fine but for me they come under the category of 'puzzle
>stories', little intellectual pieces like mystery short-stories, with a
>prize for the winner and not a whole lot of characterization.  I prefer
>stories that have stronger (and better) characters, and ones in which
>the actual effects of the time shift can be shown through characters'
>behavior in more than just a snapshot.  What can I say?  I'd rather read
>about people than dissect the author's head games, and Heinlein's
>'authorial voice' comes through so strongly in much of his work that
>it's intensely annoying.

No question that RAHs voice is strong.  But in that case that's what - to =
my mind - makes his better stories so good.  It also makes his weaker/bad =
stuff even more weaker/bad.

Authors with voices/styles that are fairly unique to them are of course =
not uncommon in the genre, and the better authors can get away with it - =
Cordwainer Smith & R. A. Lafferty come to mind.

>
>Yes, I realize this is heresy to much of SF fandom, but I'm saying this
>having paid the dues of reading all of it first.

I wouldn't categorize such as "heresy" just an observation.

There are authors who are ever so popular that I just can't read,  I =
suspect just mentioning one of them here would cause gasps of disbelief =
amongst some of the folks on this list.

Though sometimes I think Sturgeon was an optimist . . .

mjw

>
>Kit
>