Science Fiction Trivia

[Disembodied]

All good answers! Commander_X, you supplied number five, so it's over to you for the next round …

[Commander_X]

Will interrupt the 5 item lists for this one.

The author and the trilogy name, where the main character starts as a game player, and ends as a ruler over two galaxies.

[Commander_X]

No attempt?

Ok, hint #1 (quite subtle, I'd say): the main character has something in common with the late Solarian inhabitants as presented in "Foundation and Earth" by Asimov.

[Commander_X]

Whew, was hint #1 maybe too subtle?

Hint #2: most fans dismiss the third volume, it seems critics also thrashed it, and it's been released 40 years after publishing the first volume.

[Disembodied]

From hint #1, is the main character very antisocial, and/or a hermaphrodite?

[Commander_X]

From hint #1, is the main character very antisocial, and/or a hermaphrodite?

Neither.

[Disembodied]

Umf … well, that exhausts my knowledge about Solarians. Unless the main character has some sort of telekinetic power?

[Commander_X]

Umf … well, that exhausts my knowledge about Solarians. Unless the main character has some sort of telekinetic power?

You've made some small steps for one man, big D, hopefully there'll be the big leap from the audience.

Hint #3: the trilogy name has some association with an ancient Greek philosopher.

[JD]

The association with a philosopher suggests "The World of Null-A" (ie A as in Aristotle), by A. E. van Vogt. I read it many years ago, and don't remember too much about the story, but checking with Google suggests it might fit. I didn't realise it was part of a trilogy.

Cheers
John

[Commander_X]

The association with a philosopher suggests "The World of Null-A" (ie A as in Aristotle), by A. E. van Vogt.[...]

Correct, the trilogy name could be shortened to Null-A, there were three books, "The Word of Null-A" (you mentioned), "The Pawns of Null-A", and "Null-A Three". My next hint would've been the author had a Dutch name, was born in Canada, and died in California

For the completeness hint #1 was about a brain "extension". In Solarians' case, they used it to harvest energy to power their robotized establishments, while the main character in Null-A (Gilbert Gosseyn) used it for a sort of teleportation, and "after-death" soul migration to another of his bodies.

You have the floor, JD.

[JD]

Right then. I don't read as much SF as I used to, so I'm not sure whether this is mainstream or obscure, but here goes.

This novel might draw inspiration from the legend of Rabbi Loew. It features someone called Albert, along with ditAlbert, ditAlbert, and another ditAlbert. Other colours are available. Quality not guaranteed.

Cheer
John

[Disembodied]

I think that's Kiln People by David Brin.

[JD]

That's correct. Not too obscure then.

A story from 2002, set in a world where people could bake clay facsimiles of themselves in order to get more done. Cheap green dittoes for the menial tasks, grey for professional work.

Over to Disembodied.

Cheers
John

[Disembodied]

OK … SF novels are often given pithy, one- or two-word titles. The challenge here is to come up with five books - just books this time, no films, TV, games etc. - with titles that are a minimum of SIX words long.

Ground rules: stock elements from series, e.g. Doctor Who and the …, are not allowed. Phrases tacked onto titles, such as … and Other Stories, also do not count!

[Cody]

The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch? There are several others by Dick, but one per author seems fair, yes?