Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with fiction

The Origin of the Matrix

madmamasmith — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:30:53 -0800

Origin of the Matrix relating to a Science Fictional setting... I am reading Neuromancer by William Gibson and the main character mentions "the matrix", as something he "jacks in to". Now this is my first foray into sci-fi and I am only about 20 pages in but I was wondering where the term originated. Did The Matrix movie steal this term and its meaning from Gibson or was it already being used in previous sci-fi works? I have only ever heard it used in a sci-fi context so that's why I;m wondering. I'm admitting my lack of knowledge in this area, so please don't make me feel like a ding dong if the answer to this question is blindingly obvious to you! Also, while on the topic of Sci-fi, the last book I read in the genre was Ender's Game in junior high and I loved it, so please suggest any sci-fi reads I should check out.

What should be on a "Personal MFA in Creative Writing" reading list?

thepalephantom — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:05:26 -0800

What titles should be on a "Personal MFA in Creative Writing Fiction" reading list? You don't have the money/time/inclination to actually attend a MFA program for creative writing, instead you just want a reading list to plow through on your own time. What titles should be on that reading list? Non-fiction, fiction, memoir, etc.

Can you use a professional sports team as a character in a piece of fiction?

(bb|[^b]{2}) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 16:45:05 -0800

Would it be considered "fair use" to pen a satirical children's book based on a professional sports team? For instance, "How The Yankees Stole Christmas" or something similar. (That's not the title I have in mind, but it gets the point across.) I guess it just boils down to whether or not it's legal to use a generalized concept of a sports team in a fictional work. Thanks!

How did you get to know the characters in your novel?

2oh1 — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:40:20 -0800

How did you get to know the characters in your novel? I tried writing a novel but crashed and burned around chapter three. I realize that is common to the point of being cliche. The main problem was that I have (what I think is) a great story, but I don't know my characters very well. In fact, at one point, I asked myself if I cared about these people, and the answer was "no." I didn't care about them because I didn't know them well enough to really care about them.

How did you get to know the characters in your novel? Do you care about them? How much did you know about your characters when you started plotting your novel? What tips and tricks for character development have you learned along the way?

The perfect novel?

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:28:34 -0800

Help me find that perfect novel for a Christmas present. Sorry to post this anonymously, but someone close to the recipient is one my contacts!

Now, I spent a good part of yesterday perusing book stores, eventually walking away empty handed.

The person receiving this book is a mid-fifties male who is an avid reader of good popular fiction. E.g. really likes Frank McCourt; really dislikes Dan Brown.

I considered Netherland by O'Neill but decided against it because I haven't read it and thought it might be too political. (Is it?) So if you need a gage to go by then it'd be McCourt.

The suggestion needn't be a heavy story, for well-written, humorous, insightful prose works just as well. What I want is a story that will stick with this person for time to come.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Please recommend books similar to Bill Simmons' Book of Basketball

reenum — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:44:05 -0800

I love Bill Simmons' "The Book of Basketball". What should I read next? I'm in the middle of Simmons NBA opus, and it fascinates as to how he's able to pack in so much info, yet have the book remain accessible. I especially love how he makes fun of and injects humor into the various characters and events in the NBA's history.

Are there other books that are basically all encompassing, sprawling accounts of a particular entity, field, event, etc., yet remain fun to read?

I know some folks might suggest Mary Roach, but I just couldn't get into her stuff.

I prefer nonfiction, but well written fiction would work too.

Thanks!

The Nine Billion Stories About God?

jefficator — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:01:20 -0800

Please link me to Sci-Fi or Fantasy stories involving God--especially "surprise" God. I'm curious about Sci-Fi or Fantasy stories like the Nine Billion Names of God. Basically any stories in which God is a character--especially those in which God is a "surprise" character.

If you think a story might be relevant, please pass it along!

Thanks Everyone!

I can't be running low on books already?!

titantoppler — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 23:36:08 -0800

MeFites, help! Need more books to read. /book-recommendation-filter I'm currently about halfway through my to-read list, and want some book recommendations. Help me out here, MeFites!

Books that I've enjoyed thoroughly:
- The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
- The Hour I First Believed, by Wally Lamb
- Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides
- The Cider House Rules, by John Irving
- Child 44, by Tom Rob Smith
- The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski
- The Conscience of a Liberal, by Paul Krugman
- Freakonomics, by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt
- Hot, Flat and Crowded, by Thomas Friedman

Books on my to-read list:
- Superfreakonomics, by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt
- What the Dog Saw, by Malcolm Gladwell
- Everything is Illuminated, by Jonathan Safran Foer
- We Need to Talk About Kevin, by Lionel Shriver

There are of course, other books that I've read and liked, but these by far are my favourites. Your input is much appreciated!

FictionFilter: Inside the Kremlin during the Cold War

Gerard Sorme — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:26:05 -0800

Looking for fiction heavy on Kremlin/CPSU/Politboro intrigue. I suppose Forsyth would be a given, but beyond that? I'm looking for anything written between 1980-present, but only FICTION, centering around intrigue inside the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during the time of the cold war.

Did I spend too much on a book?

Bacillus — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:22:12 -0800

Did I spend too much on a book? $325 for a very good hardcover 1st Edition UK (Picador) Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West by Cormac McCarthy? About a year ago I became a huge Cormac McCarthy fan and decided to get as many of his 1st Editions as possible.

I recently bought Blood Meridian for $325 before even reading it. The day I bought it over eBay I went to the local book shop and bought the paperback (so I wouldn't damage the hardcover) and have read half and absolutely love it.

After reading half of the paperback I'm not sure I'd ever want to sell it.

Would it bother you if it was the UK edition?

Will the price of the book go up considering the popularity of Cormac's Pulitzer winning fiction novel The Road, The Road Movie recently released in cinemas and the fact that their making Blood Meridian The Movie?

Would you sell it?

Did you enjoy this book?

looking for sci fi book

sorindome — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:05:16 -0800

Looking for a science fiction book I read a few years ago. I believe it came out within the past five years. Basic plot was that a guy died and then his mind was uploaded into a robot. I think the main character might have been fairly poor at one time and then started dating an heiress which was why he was able to do the upload after death. I'm actually looking for a specific passage from the book describing color blindness. The main character was colorblind before he died and then the robot was not colorblind. I just remember the 2-3 pages describing the transition as being the best description of colorblindness I've ever read. I've always wished I could remember it to explain to others my own colorblindness.

Lookin' for words in all the wrong places

Madamina — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:53:09 -0800

Between my iPhone's Stanza app and the loooooong quiet days ahead of me in the office during the holiday season, I'd like to read some stuff online. Any suggestions? I'm basically looking for good stories: things with a bit of a narrative that will keep me wondering what happens next. They should be easy to get into and not particularly deep (I will likely be interrupted a lot).

Nonfiction: longer articles with a bit of a twist, like New Yorker or Vanity Fair pieces about interesting people or events. Not commentary (unless it has some sort of unique backstory).

Fiction I've already enjoyed on Project Gutenberg: anything by the Brontes and L.M. Montgomery. I've also read pretty much everything that appeals to me (thus far) in the Harlequin online reads library, although I don't generally read paper romance novels.

I've seen this thread and this one too.

Thanks!

Book recommendations for a new Christian!

schmoo — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:37:43 -0800

I'm looking for book recommendations for a young woman who has recently become interested in religion. Ideas please! I would like to buy my younger sister a book as one of her Christmas gifts. She is 19, and about four or five months ago was introduced to religion when she joined some college friends on a trip to Africa to do the normal Christian aid type work. She's since become more and more involved with the church and interested in religion - to the point that she was baptised a couple of weeks ago. The church is the most relaxed I've ever been to - it's in a purpose-built barn/hall, and they have a live band playing covers of modern songs. It's all very youth-orientated and all about friendship, community and fun. (I'm giving this information to try and give an idea of the kind of church/religion she's into. I'm not religious at all so apologies if I sound a little clueless.)

I would like to buy her a book for Christmas with some kind of spiritual/religious/Christian theme, to show her that while I'm not religious (and have probably been quite scathing about religion in the past) I respect her and am pleased that she's found this and that it makes her happy. However, I don't want to get herself anything with too strong a message - as I said she's only starting to be involved in the church, she's young, and I think she'd only be embarrassed by any too overtly religious gift as she knows how unreligious I am.

When I was younger I flicked through one of the Chicken Soup books at a friend's - I seem to remember that these had a vaguely religious theme to them, am I right? Something like this is what I'm looking for.

So - please give me your recommendations!

To sum up- I'm looking for

- nothing too strong in its religious message
- probably fiction, but non-fiction ideas welcome
- something appropriate for a 19 year old girl who loves going out, seeing friends, parties - all the normal teenage stuff!
- something well written, with an inspirational or thoughtful message.

Thanks!

Great Fiction, Online? Does It Exist?

2oh1 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:45:54 -0800

Where can I find great works of fiction online or in some sort of text form that I can read on my Mac? I want to become a better writer, and I realize this means I need to read more... but... I'm legally blind. My vision is just good enough that regular books are a pain to read (I definitely can, but exceptionally slowly). Oddly enough, large print is even more difficult for me to read. This is because bigger isn't better. For me, closer is better. I realize this might be hard for someone who doesn't have my vision to understand...

...luckily, I can read just fine on a computer. In fact, I'm constantly reading online. I'm practically addicted to it! The problem is, I'm reading everything except what I really should be reading in order to improve my writing.

I want to read great works of fiction. Hell, even just-plain-good works of fiction will do. What's available online? Is there anything I can find in text-form?

What should I be reading and where can I find it?

I'm not sure if this is helpful or not, but as a point of reference, this is an example of my writing. What I really want to do is learn to write fiction. Ah, but I've probably read fewer than 15 books in my entire life because I am suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch a slow reader (with books, anyway. I do much better on a computer screen). Hence this question.

Oh, Hive mind, help me trade my bad habit of reading the news for a good habit of reading fiction [that I can learn from].

Protagonists named 'Scarlett'

beniamino — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:30:59 -0800

I am looking for all kinds of fiction, especially for children, featuring a protagonist named Scarlett or Scarlet. Children's stories, novels, poems, movies, songs etc etc are all of interest. Thanks! No need to mention 'Gone with the wind'.

Help me identify this story.

uans — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:29:36 -0800

Please help me remember the title and author of a short story I read maybe 15 years ago. A handicapped woman, living with her sister and her sister's family, sees a man in church she feels quite sure is the devil. In order to get away from him, she struggles to regain the physical independence she had given up. (She had gone into a wheelchair because walking was possible, but too painful.) She does manage to become self-sufficient enough to move out on her own--and then wonders if it was worth it, after all. I am almost sure the author was Italian. Can anyone help?

Doc, I'm seeing things.

Fenriss — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:50:13 -0800

How would a psychiatrist treat an adult who was having visual hallucinations, but no other symptoms of psychosis? FYI, this is for fiction writing purposes. I've got character with no history of mental illness who has suddenly started seeing troubling things. He is otherwise entirely lucid, and would not exhibit any other symptoms, except a little understandable anxiety under the circumstances.

I'd like to know what a p-doc would realistically do in this situation. Would s/he medicate for the hallucinations? Or maybe just suggest therapy? Thanks for the help.

What films are about people who decide to live on the road?

artlung — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:39:47 -0800

Besides Lost in America, Easy Rider, Surfwise, and Into the Wild, what other films are about people who make an affirmative decision to live on the road? The closest Wikipedia seems to get is Road Movies, which is not really apt. If not movies, what other cultural works of fiction deal with that kind of decision?

Finding an old 80's sci-fi flick.

ninazer0 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:46:57 -0800

Sci-Fi Movie Filter: Trying to locate the title of a movie I saw in the late 80's. It was set in the US in the near future. A private eye or cop was trying to track down someone smuggling a deadly drug or chemical that - when it came in contact with the human body - dissolved it in a fantastically gruesome fashion with smoke and screaming. The first person you see dying this way is a shuttle pilot. I remember very clearly a scene in a post-mortem where the ME says "We recovered his hand" and picks up the hand, only it is brown and mushy and comes to pieces on his glove.

And then later, one of the baddies injects what he thinks is his fix of some amazing drug but - you guessed it - he starts smoking and screaming.

There's one other scene I clearly remember when the PI/cop steals some sort of nifty shuttle that an old lady had illegally stashed in her garage.

Any ideas? It was definitely low budget and had a faintly Logan's Run style to it. Possibly it was released directly to video. I don't remember any of the actors.

Name that historical novel

thomas j wise — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:12:39 -0800

NameThatNovelFilter: Early twentieth century (first couple of decades) historical novel by a Russian emigre to France, set around the time of the Napoleonic Wars. IIRC, it's part of a trilogy. Near the beginning of the novel, our hero is recruited by William Pitt the Younger (whose interest in said hero seems not entirely professional). What is this? I'm drawing a complete blank, and GoogleFu has failed me.

What if the world was a glorious donut?

reverend cuttle — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:09:05 -0800

If I'm sitting on the terraformed surface of a Culture orbital, what does the horizon look like? For those unfamiliar with Iain Banks' Culture novels, imagine an artificial ring spinning on its axis and revolving around a star. People live on the inside (concave) surface of the ring.

Ostensibly, the curvature of the ring is gradual enough that the ground beneath them appears flat, as it does on the convex surface of the Earth. But what do they see when they look to the horizon? Can they see the far edge of the ring? Every time I try and picture this, my brain stops working.

Thanks for indulging a nerd.

Fictional M to fictional F?

sively — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:27:32 -0800

Looking for fictional female characters originally written as men. I'm interested in fictional women in literature, cinema, comic books, TV etc., whose characters were originally meant to be men, but at some point during the creative process / production became female characters in stead. (Be it due to casting decisions, publisher's feedback, other external influence, writer's sudden eureka moments... Any reason at all.)

The only two examples coming to my mind are:
- Judi Dench as M
- Sigourney Weaver as Ripley (although according to Wikipedia, all the characters in Alien were originally written "unisex", and the producers decided to cast a woman)

Although "MTF" is my main interest, I'm also curious to hear about male characters originally intended to be women - if that ever happens - or other gender-bending changes during any stage of the process, for that matter. (Just to be sure: I don't mean stories such as Orlando, where gender change itself is part of the story line.)

Also, any suggestions for further reading, background or general articles related to this topic would be much appreciated.

Perhaps a chair coated with glue?

BitterOldPunk — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:09:03 -0800

With NaNoWriMo looming ever nearer, I would like to hear your best tips, tricks, habits, and techniques for staying chained to the keyboard. Realizing that the point is to get 50,000 words written, I've jettisoned all illusions of producing quality, publishable prose. My only goal is to finish without having to copypaste "All work and no play makes BOP a dull boy" five thousand times. I have a (rather vague) outline, I have some preliminary character sketches, and I have every expectation that the first ten thousand words will flow fairly quickly. But. I suck at follow-through. I have the attention span of the common housefly. So, writers: how do I stick with it, fight through discouragment and ennui, and produce 50,000 reasonably coherent words?

Note: I'm not looking for tips like "prepare moar" or "work your plan". I'm looking for how to stay motivated when the fun stuff stops and the hard work begins.

More William Gibson please

Cool Papa Bell — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:38:54 -0800

Book like William Gibson's Pattern Recognition and Spook Country. Near-future, near-science fiction, non-fantasy, non-artsy-fartsy, delving into technological culture. Stipulations: I hate Pynchon and DeLillo. I've already read everything by Neal Stephenson.

By Bruce Sterling, I've read only Heavy Weather and liked it, but didn't rave about it. Is his other work comparable?

Book Filter: Name This Book Please.

CollegeNelson — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:43:41 -0800

I want to give a book to a young friend but I can't remember the title and the librarian could not find it either. Book teaches about Gandhi in a cool way. I don't know the age of the book but the plot revolves around a white kid who was raised until 13 or 14 in India and after his father dies (at the start of the book), he move to US to live with his aunt. He then teaches the local kids about Gandhi and has a hunger strike to change either a rule or law I forget. It was written for young adults and is fiction but I don't know anything more.