Science Fiction Trivia

JazHaz · Post by **JazHaz** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:04 am

JazHaz wrote:
JazHaz wrote:
My question is simply: Who wrote "Shards"?

It should be a difficult one to find on Google, being just a single word title!
OK will give you something to help narrow it down. It's not a full length novel, but a short story. And it's by a major author.

Here's another clue, it was first published in 1962.

Post by **Disembodied** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:02 am

The closest I can get is Robert Sheckley, whose collection of short stories Shards of Space was published in 1962 ... but I can't find a story in that collection called "Shards"!

Website · Post by **Cody** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 10:53 am

'Shards' seems to be a popular title with authors.

I'll have another go... Brian Aldiss.

Zieman · Post by **Zieman** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:25 am

Sounds oddly familiar, but can't get the hang of it - I'll guess Kurt Vonnegut.

JazHaz · Post by **JazHaz** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:47 am

El Viejo wrote:
'Shards' seems to be a popular title with authors.

I'll have another go... Brian Aldiss.

At last! Brian Aldiss is correct!

Website · Post by **Cody** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:03 pm

Can’t think up a good question right now, so I’ll throw an anagram at you.
Re-arranged, this is the title of a well known fifties sci-fi book by a well known author:

‘Catch the lame ronin sir’

Can anybody solve it without any clues?

Zieman · Post by **Zieman** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 12:57 pm

Hey!

I read this book a few weeks ago, it's
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, right?
At least the anagram fits

.

Website · Post by **Cody** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 1:02 pm

'In maze' gets it right.

Your turn sir.

Zieman · Post by **Zieman** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 8:32 pm

El Viejo wrote:
'In maze'

A good one

- implemented!

As for a question... as usual, I've had several *good* ones ready, but now that it's my turn, I can't remember any

...

This will have to do:
Name the book and author, the hint is: a version of Earth exists where the Second World War didn't happen.

JazHaz · Post by **JazHaz** » Thu Apr 08, 2010 11:55 pm

Zieman wrote:
Name the book and author, the hint is: a version of Earth exists where the Second World War didn't happen.

Don't think this is right, but I will guess:

Vinland The Dream, by Kim Stanley Robinson?

Rxke · Post by **Rxke** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:11 am

Century Rain, Alastair Reynolds

Zieman · Post by **Zieman** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:48 am

Ah, it was an easy one again

.

Rxke got it, your turn.

Rxke · Post by **Rxke** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:58 am

Problem with winning a trivia-question, is you have to come up with one yourself...

I consider this one a classic, no idea if I'm alone in this, we'll see:

Title and author of the book wherein a scientist goes crazy after losing his wife and kids in a Irish terrorist bombing... and in revenge creates a rather 'novel' and hence very effective disease to wipe out humans.

Commander McLane · Post by **Commander McLane** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 9:15 am

I seem to remember this (or something very similar) as a movie plot. But I couldn't say which movie...

Rxke · Post by **Rxke** » Fri Apr 09, 2010 9:19 am

I don't think it has been made into a film.

Let's make this a bit more Google-friendly: the guy was a molecular biologist.

aaaand was nominated for a Locus Award for best science fiction novel but lost to Isaac Asimov’s novel Foundation's Edge. (Got that last piece of info from Wikipedia)