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Science Fiction

Science fiction includes such a wide range of themes and sub-genres that it is notoriously difficult to define. This is a list of definitions that have been offered by authors, editors, critics and fans over the years since science fiction became clearly separate from other genres. Definitions of related terms such as "science fantasy",...more »

Science fiction includes such a wide range of themes and sub-genres that it is notoriously difficult to define. This is a list of definitions that have been offered by authors, editors, critics and fans over the years since science fiction became clearly separate from other genres. Definitions of related terms such as "science fantasy", "speculative fiction", and "fabulation" are included where they are intended as definitions of aspects of science fiction or because they illuminate related definitions — see e.g. Robert Scholes's definitions of "fabulation" and "structural fabulation" below. Some definitions of sub-types of science fiction are included, too; for example see David Ketterer's definition of "philosophically oriented science fiction". In addition, some definitions are included that define, for example, a science fiction story, rather than science fiction itself, since these also illuminate an underlying definition of science fiction.

The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, edited by John Clute and Peter Nicholls, contains an extensive discussion of the problem of definition, under the heading "Definitions of SF". The authors regard Darko Suvin's definition as having been most useful in catalysing academic debate, though they consider disagreements to be inevitable as science fiction is not homogeneous. Suvin's cited definition, dating from 1972, is: "a literary genre whose necessary and sufficient conditions are the presence and interaction of estrangement and cognition, and whose main formal device is an imaginative framework alternative to the author's empirical environment." The authors of the Encyclopedia article - Brian Stableford, Clute, and Nicholls - explain that, by "cognition", Suvin refers to the seeking of rational understanding, while his concept of estrangement is similar to the idea of alienation developed by Bertolt Brecht, that is, a means of making the subject matter recognizable while also seeming unfamiliar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Definitions_of_science_fiction#In_chronological_order « less

Category: Genres | Started February 2007

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Buy, Sell or Trade

I have a bunch of SF & F books that I need to get rid of and I figured, rather than try and sell them on ebay and the like, it made a lot more sense to try and sell them within a group that obviously loves the genre.

That said, I don't know if this is the correct forum to start such a thread and so I'm respectfully asking the admins, before I post things for sale, do you think such a thread is a good idea?

I'm thinking that members could offer up books for sale or trade and then interested parties can carry on the discussion in private messages off-thread.

Just a thought.
Thanks
Stuart.

Stuart Clark started this discussion 2 months ago. ( reply )

6

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Dog Lover (edited)

Stuart,
VERY nice - adhering to site courtesies. Thank you. I especially like your proposal that the negotiations would take place off-group.
(BTW - you can directly communicate to any group's admin by using the text box found on the right side of the "Members" tab's page. This sends an email to them both and conceals your personal email address. You can also private message them separately but that does reveal your personal email address.)
Have you considered listing the books on Amazon?
I have a suggestion about how to do all this - pending Anthony's approval, of course.
Just use this same thread. You can edit the OP with instructions to our members about how to respond to the listings and, then, use a separate "reply" with the title/author of each book and other pertinent information. When/if one of our members completes a deal with you, you can edit that reply to say "closed" or "no longer available" or something of that nature.
Good luck. I never allow a book to leave my possession once it gets there to begin with so I have no experience with disposing of them.
DL

posted 2 months ago. ( reply )
PhoenixFalls

I have one other suggestion. . . what I do with books I decide I don't want on my shelves (it happens occasionally, when a book just upsets me so much I don't even want to look at it anymore) is put them up on Paperback Swap. Obviously you don't get cash for them, but if you're at all like me all you're going to do with the cash is get new books anyway. Basically, the system is you sign up and post at least ten ISBNs that you want to get rid of. Once you do that you get two credits from PBS and can use them to order any title available in the system (over 15 million books are posted at the moment). The person who posted the book you are ordering ships it to you, PBS takes one of your credits away and then gives it to the person who mails you the book once you say you've received it. Then when someone else requests one of the books you've posted, you mail it to them and gain a credit when they receive it. Generally it costs $2.38 to mail a paperback novel via Media Mail, so you in essence get a book (in pretty good to great condition; there are rules for what qualifies a book to be postable) for the cost of mailing one of your books away.
It's simpler when you do it than it sounds when I try to explain it. ;)
It seems to be really popular among SF and fantasy readers (at least, those discussion boards are some of the most active, and I know I can always find tons of SF and fantasy that I want to order), so if that sounds interesting go here:
http://wwww.paperbackswap.com
And feel free to list me (PhoenixFalls) as the person who recommended the site to you! Full disclosure -- anytime you get someone to sign up you get a free credit. :)

posted 2 months ago. ( reply )
Nee

I donate my unneeded books to the Friends of the Library used book store, to insure that great stories can continue to inspire new readers and so the Library can get a little extra cash—for with all the budget cuts that have taken place (and have yet to take place) our libraries are not doing well people...!

posted 2 months ago. ( reply )
mark s

I have a horrible time getting rid of books...even books I did not like I want to cling to. Sadly, I was forced to make a consession with my better half (the woman who actually noticed several mounds, stacks, shelves, etc)...for every new book I brought in I had to get rid of one....which actually started the winnowing process...When I unload my books now I take them to Half-price books...which although pays pennies....I know that those books get resold to people looking for stuff out of print. They sell all books at half the cover price...which means you can pick up some very good and ancient works for less than a dollar usually...
I would rather share my books with people who would enjoy reading them than collectors...rather than have some guy horde a book in mint condition for decades itr would be nice to see some teenager actually pick up a copy of Doc Smith or Simak...

posted 1 month ago. ( reply )
Raoul

Yeah, my old stuff goes to the local library, too.

posted 1 month ago. ( reply )
booktoad

I use Readitswapit.co.uk where you will be listed as booktoad same as on here. I have swapped hundreds of books successfully - it,s a really good site.

posted 3 weeks ago. ( reply )
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