My girlfriend's mother and I have a real intellectual rapport, in some ways. Recently we've been talking about literature. She's extraordinarily widely read, but only really within the canon. I've been fronting, claiming that genre fiction like sci-fi has plenty of stuff of genuine literary merit in it. She's called my bluff and asked for a recommendation. What would you suggest? I was thinking something strange and ornate like Cordwainer Smith, but am open to advice.
posted on Mar 4, 2008 - 74 answers

I'm looking for examples of how humanity is depicted as "exceptional" in science fiction - like how in Saberhagen's Berzerker books, humans are seen as uniquely ferocious and warlike, or how in Star Trek they seem to have a talent for diplomacy, or how in David Brin's uplift novels humans alone possess scientific curiousity. Anyone got more examples?
posted on Jan 8, 2008 - 48 answers