Science fiction in the 1990's - Science Fiction Fantasy Chronicles: forums

phase38 · 6th October 2006, 01:13 PM

Interested in finding out about major works of sci fi in the 1990's.

A lot of influential sci fi stems from earlier... but I was interested in which pieces of science fiction are important to you guys.. from 1990 - 2000. Can be anything .. books, films, etc etc.

iratebeaver · 6th October 2006, 09:46 PM

the 1990's hmm... did alien come out then?

shadow9d9 · 6th October 2006, 10:24 PM

Star Trek:TNG came out in 1987 and ran a lot in the 90s along with its movies.. Stargate came out in the 90s, Farscape and DS9 came out in the 90s. Quantum Leap ran partly in the 90s.

Harpo · 6th October 2006, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iratebeaver

the 1990's hmm... did alien come out then?

Alien was late 70s

williamjm · 7th October 2006, 12:35 AM

I think Babylon 5 is probably the most important TV series, showing how to do an arc-based science fiction story on a grand scale. Star Trek TNG was also important, without it a lot of the 1990s science fiction would never have been made, although it did start in the late 80s so maybe doesn't count.

In terms of films I can't think of all that 1990s science fiction films that really stand, although The Matrix was certainly influential despite being partially a case of style-over-substance.

Books? There was a mini-revival of the Space Opera genre with excellent books like Vernor Vinge's "Fire Upon The Deep" and "Deepness in the Sky" and Iain M Banks' "Culture" books. If we're including Fantasy as well then George RR Martin's "A Song Of Ice and Fire" series has to be mentioned as well.

mightymem · 8th October 2006, 12:11 AM

Ben Bova series Great tour of the Solar System is very important to the genre as many of his visions of the future are actual possible, not all but many.

shadow9d9 · 8th October 2006, 03:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by williamjm

I think Babylon 5 is probably the most important TV series, showing how to do an arc-based science fiction story on a grand scale. Star Trek TNG was also important, without it a lot of the 1990s science fiction would never have been made, although it did start in the late 80s so maybe doesn't count.

In terms of films I can't think of all that 1990s science fiction films that really stand, although The Matrix was certainly influential despite being partially a case of style-over-substance.

Books? There was a mini-revival of the Space Opera genre with excellent books like Vernor Vinge's "Fire Upon The Deep" and "Deepness in the Sky" and Iain M Banks' "Culture" books. If we're including Fantasy as well then George RR Martin's "A Song Of Ice and Fire" series has to be mentioned as well.

Babylon 5 is great if you like awful acting and awful writing!

phase38 · 10th October 2006, 12:24 PM

Actually.. PD James wrote Children of Men in the nineties didnt she...

j. d. worthington · 10th October 2006, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phase38

Actually.. PD James wrote Children of Men in the nineties didnt she...

It was published in 1993, anyway....

phase38 · 10th October 2006, 01:02 PM

She`s a mystery writer... well, a writer of mystery to put it correctly. Is this her first sci fi?

Milk · 10th October 2006, 04:24 PM

The Hyperion Saga by Dan Simmons was written in the 90's,also William Gibson books. Also Neal Stephenson books.
The 90's is when I first started seeing 'cyberpunk' books crop up. William Gibson is considered to have started Cyberpunk novels... which to me means virtual landscapes and hackers and etc.

As far as movies or TV, nothing from the 90's comes to mind really, except possibly Johhny Mnuemonic which is Gibson based anyhow so thats redundant, oh yeah Terminator 2 was good actually . It might be my favorite decade for Sci-books but worse one for Sci-Fi movies and TV.

Loner · 11th October 2006, 09:17 AM

Oh definitely William Gibson and Neal Stephenson.
And heaven forbid we should forget HARRY POTTER!

In terms of TV a lot of stuff was coming out which wasn't always groundbreaking but was making Sci-fi more generally acceptable :
Stargate SG1
Dark Skies
Futurama
Space : Above & Beyond
Babylon 5
X-Files
SeaQuest DSV

Quantum Leap
Sliders
Angel
Buffy
Charmed

For a good list of movies and books from 1990 - 2000 see : http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateS....html#90sFilms

manephelien · 16th October 2006, 06:45 AM

Harry Potter is pure fantasy, but it did and does introduce lots of new people to the genre, so it it's good. However, it's not science-fiction.

Babylon 5 was pretty groundbreaking in that it had a planned 5-year story arc. It's unfortunate there were only 13 Crusade episodes released, it had the potential to be just as good.

Roswell marginally qualifies, as it started in 1999.

P.D. James hasn't written any other science-fiction since Children of Men, but she's one of my favorite mystery writers.

phase38 · 24th October 2006, 03:59 PM

Cheers for all the replies.. some interesting stuff.

Parson · 24th October 2006, 07:36 PM

How can we talk about influencial SF in the nineties without mentioning David Weber, who might just be the most read of the lot? He is about the only author I regularly purchase the hard cover edition being unwilling to wait for the paperback to come out.

If I could choose a charcter that I would like to be in SF it would be Honor Harrington.

6th October 2006, 01:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
phase38 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 70	Science fiction in the 1990's Interested in finding out about major works of sci fi in the 1990's. A lot of influential sci fi stems from earlier... but I was interested in which pieces of science fiction are important to you guys.. from 1990 - 2000. Can be anything .. books, films, etc etc.

6th October 2006, 09:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
iratebeaver i see said the blind man Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 197	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's the 1990's hmm... did alien come out then?

6th October 2006, 10:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
shadow9d9 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 104	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's Star Trek:TNG came out in 1987 and ran a lot in the 90s along with its movies.. Stargate came out in the 90s, Farscape and DS9 came out in the 90s. Quantum Leap ran partly in the 90s.

7th October 2006, 12:35 AM	#5 (permalink)
williamjm Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Cambridgeshire Posts: 445	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's I think Babylon 5 is probably the most important TV series, showing how to do an arc-based science fiction story on a grand scale. Star Trek TNG was also important, without it a lot of the 1990s science fiction would never have been made, although it did start in the late 80s so maybe doesn't count. In terms of films I can't think of all that 1990s science fiction films that really stand, although The Matrix was certainly influential despite being partially a case of style-over-substance. Books? There was a mini-revival of the Space Opera genre with excellent books like Vernor Vinge's "Fire Upon The Deep" and "Deepness in the Sky" and Iain M Banks' "Culture" books. If we're including Fantasy as well then George RR Martin's "A Song Of Ice and Fire" series has to be mentioned as well.

8th October 2006, 12:11 AM	#6 (permalink)
mightymem Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 87	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's Ben Bova series Great tour of the Solar System is very important to the genre as many of his visions of the future are actual possible, not all but many.

10th October 2006, 12:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
phase38 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 70	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's Actually.. PD James wrote Children of Men in the nineties didnt she...

10th October 2006, 01:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
phase38 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 70	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's She`s a mystery writer... well, a writer of mystery to put it correctly. Is this her first sci fi?

10th October 2006, 04:24 PM	#11 (permalink)
Milk Registered User Join Date: May 2006 Location: California Posts: 108	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's The Hyperion Saga by Dan Simmons was written in the 90's,also William Gibson books. Also Neal Stephenson books. The 90's is when I first started seeing 'cyberpunk' books crop up. William Gibson is considered to have started Cyberpunk novels... which to me means virtual landscapes and hackers and etc. As far as movies or TV, nothing from the 90's comes to mind really, except possibly Johhny Mnuemonic which is Gibson based anyhow so thats redundant, oh yeah Terminator 2 was good actually . It might be my favorite decade for Sci-books but worse one for Sci-Fi movies and TV.

11th October 2006, 09:17 AM	#12 (permalink)
Loner Bernard Black wannabe Join Date: May 2001 Location: Australia Posts: 356	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's Oh definitely William Gibson and Neal Stephenson. And heaven forbid we should forget HARRY POTTER! In terms of TV a lot of stuff was coming out which wasn't always groundbreaking but was making Sci-fi more generally acceptable : Stargate SG1 Dark Skies Futurama Space : Above & Beyond Babylon 5 X-Files SeaQuest DSV Quantum Leap Sliders Angel Buffy Charmed For a good list of movies and books from 1990 - 2000 see : http://www.magicdragon.com/UltimateS....html#90sFilms Last edited by Loner; 11th October 2006 at 09:41 AM.

16th October 2006, 06:45 AM	#13 (permalink)
manephelien Transmural Feline Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Finland Posts: 721	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's Harry Potter is pure fantasy, but it did and does introduce lots of new people to the genre, so it it's good. However, it's not science-fiction. Babylon 5 was pretty groundbreaking in that it had a planned 5-year story arc. It's unfortunate there were only 13 Crusade episodes released, it had the potential to be just as good. Roswell marginally qualifies, as it started in 1999. P.D. James hasn't written any other science-fiction since Children of Men, but she's one of my favorite mystery writers.

24th October 2006, 03:59 PM	#14 (permalink)
phase38 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: UK: ENGLAND: Posts: 70	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's Cheers for all the replies.. some interesting stuff.

24th October 2006, 07:36 PM	#15 (permalink)
Parson This world is not my home Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Iowa Posts: 3,238 Blog Entries: 5	Re: Science fiction in the 1990's How can we talk about influencial SF in the nineties without mentioning David Weber, who might just be the most read of the lot? He is about the only author I regularly purchase the hard cover edition being unwilling to wait for the paperback to come out. If I could choose a charcter that I would like to be in SF it would be Honor Harrington.

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