Proto-Science Fiction discussion

Here's a thread for everyone to say hello and (if you wish) a little about yourself.

I'm Chris, and I live in north Texas with my wife and 4 daughters. My first interest in Science Fiction came from watching the original The Time Machine movie (based on H.G. Wells' novel) as a kid.

I created this group to help facilitate discussion of this topic that didn't seem to have a home on GR. However, I'm by no means an expert. Although I'm passionate about the the topic, I actually haven't taken literature very seriously until the last few months and am excited to discuss with others far more knowledgeable than myself.

Hello Chris and other members:

I'm Richard and I live in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada. I'm a former French literature major but have also studied library science. I'm interested in many subjects and genres.

The first science fiction authors I read were Jules Verne (in English before I became a French lit student!), John Wyndham, John Christopher (the Tripods), H.G. Wells (short stories), and C.S. Lewis (Out of the Silent Planet).

I don't consider myself an expert in proto-science-fiction, but I find it fascinating that authors were imagining space flight and things like that long before they ever happened.

Hello all,

Just to introduce myself. I'm Steve from the UK. I've always had a fascination with avant-garde science fiction without ever giving it a name or using the term "proto-science fiction". Whether it be the late Victorian works of Wells et al, pre-moon landing sci-fi radio drama or some amazingly imaginative childrens' annuals that I find while book collecting, I still remain fascinated by the scope and imagination of these early exponents of future-writing. By discovering more of these works, I will probably feel like I'm a child once again, and hopefully enjoy the books in the same way.

Welcome Anna! And (while I'm at it) welcome also to those of my friends who accepted my invitation to join!

Funny thing about Star Wars. I went to see it in a drive-in theatre with my parents when I was in grade school. When we got to the scene in the bar with the hostile aliens, my parents drove out, because they thought these violent space muppets would give me nightmares. So I missed out on a possibly life-changing experience. Isn't that just sad?

Hello, all.
I'm Joshua. I don't read much science fiction these days, but there was a time when I read quite a bit of it. Right now, I've been mostly reading Medieval lit and Victorian novels. My introduction to science fiction, as with most people, was through H.G. Wells, but I also ready Lewis' Space Trilogy in my early literary development. The last science fiction novel I read was, I believe, A Canticle for Leibowitz. I like post-apocalyptic works quite a bit. I'm not sure what the next science fiction novel I'll read will be though. Maybe someone on here will suggest something I really have to read.

Learn the ways of the force and become a Jedi!

Hi, I'm Stefan. Richard invited me to this group and it looks to be up my alley. I recently went back to school for my Bachelor's Degree and managed to add an English Literature minor along the way. One of the classes that I took during that time was a Science Fiction course in which I was introduced (or re-introduced) to several of the founding authors of Science Fiction including: Isaac Asimov, Mary Shelley, H.P Lovecraft and H.G. Wells. I have also read Sci-Fi novels by Ursula Le Guin, Orson Scott Card, Frank Herbert, Robert Heinlein, Douglas Adams, Michael Crichton and many others.

I'm also not ashamed to admit that I have also read, continue to read, and enjoyed Science Fiction novels in the Star Wars series, Piers Anthony's Science Fiction novels, and a lot of Young Adult cyberpunk/dystopian/futuristic-type Science Fiction as well.

Anyway, I look forward to going through the existing conversations in this group and participating in new conversations as they arise.