Science Fiction Trivia

[Milo]

Vogon poetry, I think, is a necessary response.

[Commander_X]

Kerro Panille (poet), in The Jesus Incident by Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom.

[Milo]

The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos ... a work of sci-fi based on poetry that contains poets writing poetry about it. But still, plot relevance could be debated, I suppose.

[ffutures]

Vogon poetry, I think, is a necessary response.

Indeed - the Guide wouldn't be the same without it. That's one!

Kerro Panille (poet), in The Jesus Incident by Frank Herbert and Bill Ransom.

Yes - he's a poet and he's important to the plot. That's two.

The https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos ... a work of sci-fi based on poetry that contains poets writing poetry about it. But still, plot relevance could be debated, I suppose.

I think it counts - it drives a lot of the plot for one major character. That's three, only one of which I expected.

Two to go!

[Disembodied]

The mad poet Navarth plays a key role in Jack Vance's The Palace of Love.

[ffutures]

The mad poet Navarth plays a key role in Jack Vance's The Palace of Love.

Indeed he does - one to go.

[ffutures]

Let's try a hint - a Hugo nominated and Nebula award winning novel in which a beautiful poet who discovers that an apparent code isn't what it seems to be.

[ffutures]

Another hint - a short story in which a time-travelling poet fails a course on his own work.

[ffutures]

Another hint - a poet who often seems to get caught up in strange steampunk plots, used in works by two authors.

[ffutures]

Really? Nobody has any ideas for one last poet?

OK, let's call this a win for Disembodied, who gave the fourth answer.

Answers to the clues I gave (and I suspect some of you will be kicking yourselves):

A Hugo nominated and Nebula award winning novel in which a beautiful poet who discovers that an apparent code isn't what it seems to be.
Ryda Wong, in Samuel R. Delaney's Babel 17

A short story in which a time-travelling poet fails a course on his own work:
William Shakespeare in The Immortal Bard by Isaac Asimov.

A poet who often seems to get caught up in strange steampunk plots, used in works by two authors.
William Ashbless in novels by Tim Powers and James P. Blaylock.

[Milo]

I considered Anubis Rising but I haven't read it and I got the impression that the poet Ashbless was not actually an active character.

[Disembodied]

Since I only gave one answer, and Milo gave two - and since I asked the previous question as well - I'll hand the Ceremonial Question Fish over to Milo.

[Milo]

OK, let's go with that theme. Name five different sci-fi settings where underwater or aquatic (floating, not land-connected) cities exist and the majority of the narrative occurs within them.

[ffutures]

City Under the Sea (1957) by Ken Bulmer

[Milo]

Looks like an interesting read. Initially when I searched for it, I found a 1965 film of the same name, which seems like a case study in why it is important to be considered trustworthy (else you may be sacrificed to a volcano).