Science Fiction Trivia

[Gimi]

I spend quite a lot of my time marking work from non-native English speakers/writers on my MSc course - I find myself not reading between the lines, but reading between the words!

Been there and done that, at the same place even, but on the other side, being the non-native speaker trying to express myself in an accurate and consistent way, at a MSc level. Not easy, and I certainly learned to use a dictionary. Leniency and tolerance is required on both sides. Have to say though, this is one thing the Brits are good at. They accept their language being abused, and will more often than not interpret in the favour of the "weaker" party.

[DaddyHoggy]

I spend quite a lot of my time marking work from non-native English speakers/writers on my MSc course - I find myself not reading between the lines, but reading between the words!

Been there and done that, at the same place even, bot on the other side, being the none native speaker trying to express myself in an accurate and consistent way, at a MSc level. Not easy, and I certainly learned to use a dictionary. Leniency and tolerance is required on both sides. Have to say though, this is one thing the Brits are good at. They accept their language being abused, and will more often than not interpret in the favour of the "weaker" party.

Absolutely, I always try to presume the best in my students - after all it has been my role during the previous X weeks to facilitate the shoe-horning in of the knowledge they're supposed to be able to draw from. It's the Far Eastern students that seem to struggle the most in their abilities express themselves clearly (Singaporean, South Korea etc.) and their electronic dictionaries/thesaurus make some interesting (and smile provoking) choices for them sometimes...

(It also makes identifying the passages they cut & paste from elsewhere and "forget" to reference - quite easy to spot too)

[Wyvern Mommy]

...or you could have just said "Well done!".

but a lady doesn't lie.

[Smivs]

...or you could have just said "Well done!".

but a lady doesn't lie.

Of course not, but he got it right and was the only one who did. I reckon that's pretty good, and merited some small compliment at least.

[Disembodied]

Never mind all that ... Rxke, a question please!

[Rxke]

nope, I'm out of this thread , it's no fun anymore.

[Wyvern Mommy]

Of course not, but he got it right and was the only one who did. I reckon that's pretty good, and merited some small compliment at least.

that merit is more than neutralized by his "i know but won't tell" stunt.

[Disembodied]

As the person who started said I-know-but-won't-tell "stunt", I'll draw a swift line under this and ask the next question myself. Name the (recent) SF novel whose title is a transliteration into English of the Russian for "I love you".

[DaddyHoggy]

As the person who started said I-know-but-won't-tell "stunt", I'll draw a swift line under this and ask the next question myself. Name the (recent) SF novel whose title is a transliteration into English of the Russian for "I love you".

I suspect that's the very odd sounding "Yellow Blue Tibia" by Adam... (quick Google) ...Roberts? I've not read it, but one of my PhD students had a copy (he was a Romanian who spoke a bit of Russian - and was of the mind "know thy enemy") and he explained the odd title (for a Sci-Fi novel) when I noticed it on his desk.

[Disembodied]

I suspect that's the very odd sounding "Yellow Blue Tibia" by Adam... (quick Google) ...Roberts? I've not read it, but one of my PhD students had a copy (he was a Romanian who spoke a bit of Russian - and was of the mind "know thy enemy") and he explained the odd title (for a Sci-Fi novel) when I noticed it on his desk.

Got it in one! I enjoyed it but I think his New Model Army is better ... very interesting in light of the recent riots, too.

[DaddyHoggy]

Normally I blunder into this thread long after a question I could answer has already been replied to, so it was nice to grab one!

OK, try this one.

An author, co-founder of something that could be taken to mean crushing fairy-folk, took up the challenge in 1979 of continuing a saga started by a doctor who may, or may not have created a method for enhancing one of Homer Simpson's favourite foods. The lead character of the first book of this new series shares his name (but not his spelling) with a head swapping bird scarer.

Name the author, who he took over from, the title of the book and the lead character of said book.

If you get one you should get all four parts.

[Cody]

David Kyle (Gnome Press) took over from E. E. Doc Smith, writing The Dragon Lensman, Lensman from Rigel, Z-Lensman (and possibly Red Lensman).
The character’s name is Worsel, I think.

[Mauiby de Fug]

!

I have not read these; I did not know that they existed! Are they any good?

(And typical! There actually is a question I already know enough of an answer of to be able to google the rest of it efficiently and someone gets there before I do... *shakes squirrel fist*)

[DaddyHoggy]

David Kyle (Gnome Press) took over from E. E. Doc Smith, writing The Dragon Lensman, Lensman from Rigel, Z-Lensman (and possibly Red Lensman).
The character’s name is Worsel, I think.

Absolutely spot on! Not cryptic enough!

The amazing thing is - David A. Kyle was born in 1919 and he's still with us (sadly his wife died earlier this year) - although I don't know if he's still writing.

And MdF - yup, I know how you feel!

[Cody]

*shakes squirrel fist*

Semi-drunken Squirrels 0, Stone-cold Sober Contrabandistas 1

Three astronauts leave Earth on the first deep space mission, using an untested hyperdrive. On their return, they are shocked to find that five millennia have passed, and Earth is a very different planet to the one they left.

Usual pack-drill… title and author please.