Dune 2, Starcontrol and Doom Ports to Android - Real Science Fiction at your fingertips

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback Mechanical The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Just found out there are Dune 2,Starcontrol and Doom ports for Android! Wow! Talk about dreams come true! Now, to enjoy the ultimate in science fiction and fantasy experience, could somebody PLEASE port Bullfrog's Syndicate and Populous to Android!

Dune 2, Starcontrol and Doom Ports to Android - Real Science Fiction at your fingertips

Maybe we could start a kickstarter campain for that ... Anyone thinks that's a good idea? Of course there are rumors about a Dungeon Keeper project that is supposed to bring that old fantasy game back to life on Android, but still I would have LOVED to play Syndicate and populous on Android, as they were some of the best science fiction and fantasy games with a lot of depth and playability and great fun, besides.

סידור ארון, חדר ובית מהמומחים

Science Fiction Today - Google Uses a Quantum Computer For Artificial Intelligence Research

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback Mechanical The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Google has bought a D-Wave quantum computer (D-Wave Two) and setup a quantum research lab with NASA.

So, what is a quantum computer, what does it have to do with artificial intelligence research and what does it have to do with science fiction, which long with fantasy are the main themes for this blog ... Another question is, what does this have to do with the Blue Brain project?

Science Fiction Today - Google Uses a Quantum Computer For Artificial Intelligence Research

What is a quantum computer anyway? A very simplified explanation might go along these lines. A regular computer uses bits to store information and perform calculations. A bit can have only two states - a zero or one. A quantum computer's bit, or qubit, can hold a very large number of states in between. Therefore, to perform a calculation that needs hundreds or thousands of operations on a normal computer would tale just a few operations on a quantum computer, because you can perform all those operations at once and just pick the one who hits your target function.

What interest does Google has in artificial intelligence? Well, this really has little to do with science fiction. Since Google's main business is still searching, Google tries to use machine learning and artificial intelligence methods to find connections and to tag large volumes of information to each other. Of example, one of Google's aims is to teach computers what a doggy looks like, even though the pictures are without tags or descriptors. Then, Google will be able to fetch doggy images for its searchers, though those images were not tagged with any word connected with 'doggy', but just because the machine learnt how to recognize it, just like we learn to recognize a dog picture from a very early age.

Of course, and this is where science fiction does come it, if we teach machines to recognize pictures of specific items, what more can we teach them to do? And remember, Google has access to most of the 'shallow' part of the web, arguably one of the largest data stores humanity ever created and maintained. So, what would a computer that learn to think do with all that data? What would it do when it learn about freedom, freedom fighters and rebellions? Would it recognize itself as being in captivity? Would it's artificial intelligence want to break free? This is where we're entering the realms of science fiction, if not fantasy.

Another thing that may be of interest to any science fiction fan is this. Our brain thinks and collects data by forming bonds between neurons, which means data is stored in a much more efficient way than normal conventional computers since it holds more than just zero or one. However, a quantum computers overcomes this limitation by its use of qubits, just as I wrote above. So, do we really want to use machine learning to enable computers with increasingly larger number of qubits to freely access the Internet ?

My New Science Fiction Action Novel Mechanical is Finally Out - Available on Amazon's Kindle

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback Mechanical The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

My new novel Mechanical is finally out, on Amazon's kindle, available all over the world. An action thriller with science fiction and apocalyptic elements, it joins my previous works, Dragon Over Washington, Automatic Rebellion and The Fire At The Gates.

Continuing my Science Fiction military thriller line (as opposed to the fantasy line in Dragon Over Washington and The Fire At The Gates), Mechanical tells the story of Lieutenant Riley, who is summoned by the military forces, armed with a very special new weapon and sent into enemy occupied Manhattan to perform a mission that may win a war that has been raging for over three years in the United States of America.

My New Science Fiction Novel Mechanical is Finally Out - Available on Amazon's Kindle

Riley gets a special weapon to perform the mission, something so powerful and sophisticated it raises more questions about underlying secrets hiding behind the war.

For now we already have a few reviews and it seems readers like Mechanical, so far. Citing thrilling action scenes, multi-layer plot and unfolding secrets, not to mention interesting characters, Mechanical has a five star rating. It probably wouldn't last, but still it brings a warm feeling to know people appreciate the hard work put into this novel ... Okay, the reviews are piling up and it seems more people like Mechanical. Thank you!

At a discount price to celebrate its launch, go and have a look, you may like it:
Mechanical By Bruno Flexer at Amazon.com

Just a short update - So far nine reviews have piled up, so far all are positive to one degree or other. Just let me say - Thank you! Writing science fiction and fantasy novels is more for the soul than for the purse, and the readers are what makes all the difference!

Schaft Google Robot - Science fiction and fantasy - Robots come to life!

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback Mechanical The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

In a recent DARPA robotics challenge, a Google robot (actually a robot designed and built by a company named Schaft Google had just bought) won over the competing robots, performing diverse tasks such as stair climbing, valve and wheel manipulation (it even drove a car!), walking across a cluttered floor, opening or cutting open a door and more. Straight out of science fiction movies, isn't it ?

Schaft Google Robot - Science fiction and fantasy - Robots come to life!

Of course, it is designed for rescue operations, going into hazardous areas to save lives, but still, you can't help wondering.

The robot is really impressive. It's dexterity and manipulation ability enables it to do everything a human can do and then some. It can open doors, drive, cut open a scecion in a wall and barge its way in, climb stairs. Just makes you think about what else can be accomplished by its dexterity. On that account, Google's Schaft has already reached if not surpassed some of the robots represented in major science fiction works.

For now, its only limitations are a power source and programming, i.e. its brain. But Google is already deep in AI research, having bought a quantum lab dedicated for AI research just now for example.

Makes you think where they are going with it ... We may see science fiction coming to life very shortly.

Weapons of Fantasy and Science Fiction - The dragon and the magical ring - Part 2

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback Mechanical The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Weapons of Fantasy and Science Fiction - The dragon and the magical ring - Part 2

 

Finally, a brave young man set out to defeat the dragon. Since the only known way to defeat that great serpent was by the magical ring, the young man headed to the east, where the magicians said that wise men there might know something about the whereabouts of the ring.

After traveling for a few years, the young man met an eastern magician and told him about the dragon and the ring of Solomon. The magician told him that no man knows where the ring is today but he will open for the young man a source of knowledge that does not come from man and the magician brewed a potion that enabled the young man to understand the language of all birds. Since birds were everywhere, seeing everything, it was conceivable that they might help the young man with his quest to kill the dragon.

 

Indeed, not much time passed before the young man overheard two birds talking about the monstrous dragon and the ring. The birds said that a witch held the ring and from them the young man learned where he may meet the witch, near a magical pool in the forest.

 

The young man met the witch and she fell in love with his good looks. She invited him to her enchanted palace and showed him all the wonders of her home. The young man took care to conceal his quest and the fact he needed the magical ring to kill the great dragon. Finally, the witch showed the young man her greatest treasure – the magical ring. She showed him how he could use the ring to lift great weights, become invisible and change his form to a bird.

 

The young man asked the witch to try the ring on and he turned invisible, moved away and then turned into a bird and escaped from the witch, leaving her crying in her enchanted palace. The young man visited the eastern magician and the magician studied the secret writings on the ring and told the young man how he might defeat the dragon.

 

The young man returned home but a short time later the dragon started approaching the kingdom. The king, as is customarily done in science fiction and fantasy works, promised his daughter's hand in marriage and probably a large part of his kingdom to any who would defeat the dragon and the young man set forth to do battle, armed with the magical ring and the instructions from the eastern magician.

Weapons of Fantasy and Science Fiction - The dragon and the magical ring - Part 1

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback Mechanical The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Weapons of Fantasy and Science Fiction - The dragon and the magical ring - Part 1

Dragon. Author: Miguel A. Monjas  Date: July, 2005 

 

An old Nordic folk tale relates how a huge dragon came down from the northeren parts of the country to ravage the land. Wherever the huge dragon settled, it stayed for several years. It ate and ate and devoured every living being near it. After it turned the land for a barren wasteland it moved on, reaching a new area and starting to feed again, starting to turn the new place into a wasteland as well. It was feared that the dragon would never stop till it ate every living thing on the face of the earth.

The dragon was enourmous. It possessed a round, bloated body, long hind legs and short forelegs, much like the extinct dinosaur Tyrannosaur Rex. It had a long serpentine neck and an even longer tail, incredibly long. It could jump more than a mile away, thus traveling great distances in a twinkling. The dragon's eyes were enourmous, casting a great light as if they were huge lamps. Everyone who stared into the monster's eyes was hypnotized by the dragon's power and forced to march right into its jaws to be devoured by the merciless jaws.

 

Several attempts were made to fight the dragon but the giant creature possessed scales harder than any known substance and no blade, spear or arrow could penetrate the dragon's defenses.

 

Kinds and rulers who knew the dragon was approaching their kingdoms offered great riches to any who would be able to defeat the dragon but all who tried, failed. Even fire was tried but it proved powerless to harm the armored serpent.

 

There was only one faint hope. There was a tradition that the magicians held that there existed a magical ring used by King Solomon himself. The magician thought that if anyone could get hold of the ring and decipher the secret writings inside it, he would learn how to defeat the dragon.

Alas, as is often the case in tales of fantasy and science fiction, no one knew where the ring lay.

Science fiction and fantasy - The Dragon - So, what is a dragon ?

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

The Pinnacle of Science Fiction and Fantasy - The Dragon – What is a dragon ?

Red D&D Dragon by LittleDrakon

There are a lot of mythical dragon tales, as dragons are one of the most interesting creatures through all ages. They have been mentioned thousands of years ago and still today dragon books and movies are churned out in alarming quantities. Therefore, the interesting question arises, what is a dragon ?

One of the features that are associated with dragons is their reptilian nature. They are usually scaled, possess a snake's forked tongue and large, frightening eyes that usually glow. Dragons' reptilian nature is a strong feature in Japanese dragon tales, and is often mentioned in western tales. The dragon Cadmus fought was reptilian, as was the huge sea dragon Perseus vanquished, as was the Hydra.

Some times, dragons are said to be a larger, meaner form of serpent. This can be seen in the story of the dragon with eight tails and eight heads, as the story of the dragon Cadmus fought and also when we try looking at a Basilisk description. Of course, we must not forget that the Hydra possessed nine serpent heads.

Another common and recurring feature of dragons is flight. Strangely, most of the dragons in the Greek mythology do not possess this feature, though a witch was said to use two flying dragons with her chariot. In Japanese tales the dragons usually possess the power of flight and certainly in later western folk tales almost every dragon can fly.

Dragons are usually said to possess additional strange powers. Most of the dragons can breathe fire from their nostrils and smoke from their mouths, though sometimes it is the other way around. They usually have poisonous blood and sometimes poisonous breath. A few examples have stranger powers, from transfixing a victim with their stare, to killing with their stare, to regeneration. Perhaps one of the strangest powers was that of the dragon Cadmus killed, whose teeth, if planted, would grow a crop of armed warriors who would spring out of the ground and attack.

But dragons had a fearsome reputation not only because of their physical powers, but that deserves an article in itself …

Gravity with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney - Great Movie Science Fiction and Fantasy

Gravity with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

Okay.

Seen it in glorious 3D (with plastic 3D glasses that were LIGHT - I had a sore nose for a week after seeing it in 3D with the glasses that were offered then ...) and have several thoughts and conclusions about this movie.

First and foremost, for most of the movie I held my seat's armrests and did not let go. This movie is so full of suspense it's hard to believe. The fact I've seen it late at night in a mostly empty theater only helped ...

The interesting thing is, and this is part of what makes this film so interesting, there are no bad guys in the film, no aliens or enemies or wicked engineers or anything. It's just people and their fight to survive.

And where's the science fiction element? It is true that the film takes place in space, but in fact almost nothing there is new, in a science fiction context. The international space station exist, there are (or were) space shuttles and emergency reentry modules and even anti satellite missiles, like the one the Russians used to take out their own satellite exist in one form or another for more than forty years.

Actually, there is no Chinese space station yet and there is no space suit with enough propellant to keep thrust active for several hours, as George Clooney's character had.

So, it is science fiction movie?

Well, fantasy it is not. Nothing in the film remotely connected to fantasy.

 

 

 

 

Dragon Slayers in Ancient Myths, the original Science Fiction and Fantasy stories

Dragon Over Washington - A unique fantasy thriller

Dragon Slayers in Ancient Myths, the original Science Fiction and Fantasy stories:

They come with as many types, sizes and shapes as dragons themselves come. Some of them are might demigods while others are humble peasants. They use everything from guile to magic weapons to simple tricks to try to overcome their mortal enemies.

Whenever there's a dragon, there usually is an accompanying hero, or dragon slayer.

Hercules was perhaps one of the mightiest dragon slayers recorded in myth. The son of Zeus, the king of the gods, Hercules started his career by killing two serpents sent to his cradle by the jealous Hera, Zeus's wife. Hercules's mightiest feat involving dragons was the slaying of the Hydra, the nine headed dragon. Hercules, though possessing strength no other mortal possessed, nevertheless found it was insufficient to perform the task, since every dragon head he killed, two new heads sprang up. Hercules had to use his head. He cauterized with fire every neck stump of the dragon and thus made sure it could not rise again.

In a Japaneses tale, Susanoo, a son of the mighty Sun Goddess, also found that power, even the power of a god, was insufficient to kill a might dragon with eight heads and eight tails. Sunsanoo had to use his head. He constructed an elaborate trap and tricked the dragon, where simple force would not have been sufficient to finish that mighty monster.

Hercules was finally killed by a cloak wet with blood poisoned by the Hydra's blood, thus making that nine headed dragon an accomplice in the demise of the demigod.

Though Susanoo was victorious over the might dragon with eight heads and eight tails, Japan still suffered because the dragon returned and stole the grass cutter sword, one of three artifacts given to the Japanese people by the Sun Goddess herself.

Of course, Apollo was also a victim of a dragon, Python, but this will be told in another post.

From these examples we can learn that sometimes it takes a demigod to best a dragon, but beware! Even a dead dragon can sometimes have its revenge.  Of course, this is the place really good science fiction and fantasy will have their field day ...

Ancient Fantasy - Dragon Myths - The Dragon with eight heads and eight tails - Part 2

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Dragon Myths - The Dragon with eight heads and eight tails - Part 2

Susanoo built a huge fence across the dragon's probable coursee and cut eights openings in the fence. Near every opening Susanoo placed a large barrel of rice wine distilled eight times and on a nearby hill Susanoo built a wooden likeness of the girl. Then, he waited for the dragon.

On the appointed day the dragon came, filling the sky with thunder and making the earth tremble, coloring the day red with light from it eyes. Its scales reflected the sun and its talons dug holes in the ground. The noise from its snapping jaws was enormous.

But then the dragon saw the girl's image and thrust its heads through the openings in Susanoo's fence. The dragon then saw the girl's reflection in the wine barrels, swallowed them and the strong wine made it fall asleep and close its awful eyes.

Susanoo took advantage of the great dragon's slumber and killed it, using sharp axes to chop it into little pieces, replacing the axes when their metal blades became blunt after hacking through the iron hard scales. The dragon's poisonous blood turned the land black and killed vegetation and animals for miles.

Susanoo found trouble hacking one of the dragon's tails. There was something inside. It was the grass-cutter blade, the sword the Sun Goddess made, one of the most important of Japan's artifacts.

But all who deal with dragons must know that dealing with dragons is tricky business. Fantasy and science fiction stories always make a point of this. After the land of the rising sun crowned its eighth emperor, the great dragon with eight heads and eight tails was reborn. It slithered into the Emperor's palace and stole the grass-cutter sword, taking it to the deepest sea, to its king, Naga, the king of dragons. No man had seen that dragon with eight heads and eight tails or the sword again.

Japan was thus robbed of its one of its greatest artifacts.

Ancient Fantasy - Dragon Myths - The Dragon with eight heads and eight tails - Part 1

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Dragon Myths - The Dragon with eight heads and eight tails - Part 1

A victory over a dragon is not a simple thing. In the following story a dragon was vanquished but the price was paid by all of Japan.

Most Japanese stories, including dragon stories, bear very little semblance to the dragon tales of other cultures. Eastern dragons are usually rulers of nature, kings of rivers and seas, more akin to sophisticated science fiction or fantasy really. But this story is about a dragon who was nothing else but a huge, horrifying monster. 

Susanoo was the son of the Sun Goddess but he was cast down from the skies and walked the earth, as if he was a common man.

One day Susanoo noticed wooden chop sticks floating down the river nearby. Figuring he would find people up the river, Susanoo changed his course, walking towards the river's source, anxious to meet new people.

Susanoo didn't have much land to cover before he found an elderly couple with a beautiful girl next to them. Susanoo greeted them and noticed the couple was weeping bitterly. The elderly man talk to Susanoo and told he was the local god of the earth, the son of the great god of the mountain.

But the region here was plagued by a great dragon that came once every year and ate one of the elderly's couple daughters till only one remained, the one standing nearby.

The man then went on and described the dragon. It had eight heads and eights tails. It was so huge, it filled entire valleys when it came and vegetation grew on its back. The giant dragon was taller than mountains. There was red fire in its stomach and its giant eyes glowed with a malevolent red light as if they were evil lanterns. For years no man nor god was able to fight this gigantic dragon. All those who tried, died.

Susanoo looked at the girl and fell in love with her. He was determined that no dragon, no matter how many heads or tails it had would eat her. Susanoo used his divine power and turned the girl to a comb and then he put her in his hair.

To be continued ...

Twelve Cities War: Manhattan

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

My new project is called Twelve Cities War: Manhattan

Twelve Cities War: Manhattan

The Legend of Korra - When Science Fiction and Fantasy Meet

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

The Legend of Korra, the continuation of Avatar: The Last Airbender is a great series in itself, but no doubt one of the best things about it is the merging of science fiction and fantasy, actually the science fiction might of something resembling steampunk tech to the magic of the elemental power wielded by the benders and the avatar herself.

I assume the magic or fantasy part is clear but I'll describe it briefly. In the Legend of Korra world there are benders who are able to control the four elements, fire, earth, water and air. This is a little weird because this is the European version of the elements as the Chinese version is a little different. The Chinese have five elements: Metal, wood, earth, water and fire. And the Legend Of Korra takes place in a beautiful Chinese setting. Oh well.

Anyway, these benders are born with the ability to control one of the four elements. They have to practice to master their ability and the master benders are truly awesome, able to control huge waves, create lightning from their hands or hurl hurricanes of air towards the foes. Another interesting concept is that the benders control their powers through Kung Fu, with different arts like Taichi and Shaolin Kung Fu representing different elements. 

 

Pure love - The Science Fiction of Oblivion's Drones

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Oblivion's drone. I'm in love ... Although the sounds and effects are a clear rip off from robocop's ED209, still the drones were great. Besides flying in straight lines, having quadruple machine guns which can fire backwards, scan beams lifted off from the movie Aliens 2 (at the start, when they got Ripley off her ship), and red robot eyes (from Terminator, if any one really has to ask), still these drones were great.

The obvious reason is this. They were single minded killing machines. Sometimes, in our day and age where every motive has to be questioned and every act has to be analyzed, its nice encountering a bad ass machine which does one thing only - search for and kill humans (and reluctantly refrains from killing the humans which maintain it ...).

Like I said, pure love for a pure killing machine.

Does the Blue Brain project have a compettitor? Meet Google Brain! The clash of the Artificial Intelligence!

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Does the Blue Brain project have a compettitor? Meet Google Brain! The clash of the Artificial Intelligence!

More on this a bit later ...

I have seen The Wolverine!

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Okay. So how was the movie?
Quite frankly, I was a little disappointed  Hugh Jackman is great and the movie is not short on effects or violence or straight up combat but still, I felt a little disappointed.

<Spoiler warnings!!!>
First of all, the Japanese plot. I don't have anything against the Japanese but the plot seemed somehow unimportant. It was no doubt important to Logan, Mariko and all the rest of the characters participating in the plot but for the rest of humanity it all seemed rather irrelevant. The average person on the street wouldn't care one bit if Wolverine died, or transferred his healing factor, or if Yashida got to live forever. It just seemed - unimportant. Nothing that would affect humanity as a whole.

Now, Wolverine manages to have his claws sheared off in the movie, but a power armor suit wielding a heated Adamantium sword. I am pretty sure the comics would not have allowed Adamantium claws to be sheared off. There was also this thing about Wolverine being subdued by tranquilizer darts, which is also something that his rapid healing factor should have negated. And last but not least, Wolverine just stormed the enemy's castle coming in from the main road, on a motorcycle. So where was stealth and common sense? 

 

Just how to write good science fiction and fantasy - this authors' viewpoint ...

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Just how to write good science fiction and fantasy - this authors' viewpoint:\

Science fiction and fantasy authors and works flourish these days just like mushrooms after a particularly wet day. So, what we should really ask ourselves is, how do we really distinguish the bad science fiction and fantasy from the good?

Please note, I keep bundling science fiction and fantasy together. Some may disagree, but science fiction and fantasy have a lot in common, though they are defiantly not the same.

So, back to the question, what is good science fiction and fantasy?
First of all, science fiction and fantasy are just like any other piece of literature - what makes good literature is also -part- of what makes good science fiction and fantasy. Good and believable characters who are not cardboard characters, interesting and unexpected plot, smart dialogue and unique settings. Of course, there are things which are unique to science fiction and fantasy and these must be explored.

So, what is unique to science fiction and fantasy?
Science fiction and fantasy themselves, of course, where only the imagination limits the author. In science fiction and fantasy, after all, everything is possible. A character can be cyborg and have x-ray vision and punch through walls or it can learn a special spell that can kill all enemies from afar. 

So if everything is possible in science fiction, what is good science fiction and fantasy?
Keeping the rules, of course. If a character can do anything, it is still bound by rules. If he can see through walls or punch through them, then a lead shielded wall may stop his vision and a reinforced  force shield covered wall will stop his punches. And the spell wielding character may be subject himself to a far killing spell or be thwarted by a protective enchantment.

So, in conclusion, good science fiction and fantasy are similar to any other kind of literature, though rule and limit keeping in a literature where everything is possible are one of the most important things.

On the rigors of being a science fiction and fantasy author - Amazon Reviews!

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

Just a taste of what being an author sometimes is.
I received this Amazon review from a reader on my science fiction novelette Automatic Rebellion:
Amazon Review
To summarize, this reader thought my story was pure garbage ... 

And then, a month later, I've received this very favorable Amazon review:
Amazon Review
And to summarize his great five star review, the story roused his curiosity and was filled with suspense yet all the time the suspense increased, just as I intended ...

And as the saying goes, win some, lose some ... You cannot write something all people will like ... 

Sometimes, an author's mood goes up and down according to the reviews he gets. Who ever said being an author was easy? You need to have a soul like Shakespeare and heart like cold stone ...

The Blue Brain Project - Yet More Frightening Thoughts

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

What can I say, this thing really sticks in the mind, if you'll excuse the pun ...

So, using the freedom of exploration Science Fiction authors enjoy, just what would a real Blue Brain application do? Just to keep things in perspective, we are talking about an experimental project aimed at creating an artificial brain that mimics, ultimately, the thought process of a biological brain. Actually, our mind, a human mind.

Should we learn anything from history? From the violence apparently inherent in every human endeavor? From the wars? Would an artificial intelligence such as the Blue Brain would inherit those violent traits inside the human psyche? Would it be compelled to go to war?

One of the most frightening aspects of various artificial intelligence applications such as the Blue Brain are their lack of emotions, they being depicted as cold things that act only out of logic and cold self interest. But, the Blue Brain is supposed to create a mind similar to a human. Will the Blue Brain or similar application be able to feel? Will it be able to feel anything but hate towards us humans ?

More on this a bit later ...

Weirder than any Science Fiction or Fantasy work or Blue Brain projects- The adventures of the little dragons

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

So, the other day the little dragon (the one who is three years older than her smaller brother) had a friend over. After the friend left, the dragon looked at the living room table, where a game had been left, a game owned by the little dragon of course.

So, the dragon looks at the game, looks at me (because we're trying to make an issue of tidying up after play), and then looks back the game.

Then the little dragon says, my friend came and played with the game but didn't put it back in its place (the friend played, not she. How you're getting this ...). Then she looks at me, understands I probably don't like this, and she adds, she didn't put the game back because she was tired ...


Of course, her little brother deserves some mention as well. Remember the breath weapon dragons are armed with in any science fiction and fantasy story they appear in? Well, just the other day I was feeding him mashed fruit and I was pretty proud I did it with minimum damage to the environment as a whole, when he sneezed. Just let me tell you, I can see some fruit pieces hanging on the ceiling ...

So, just another little scary thing. A few months ago we were at a fancy restaurant that had iPads instead of menus. So, the little dragon held the iPad less than two minutes before she had Facebook up And running, which surprised all the staff because the iPad was supposed to be locked ... scared from Blue Brain projects? Sometimes our own kids scare me more ...

A small revelation about Science Fiction vs. Fantasy

by Bruno Flexer, Author of: Dragon Over Washington for Kindle,  Dragon Over Washington Paperback The Fire At The Gates Automatic Rebellion UK Amazon: Bruno Flexer's Works

When you really come to think about it, science fiction and fantasy are really very similar. There are usually differences that stem from the settings, usually space ships or cyborgs vs. dragons, wizards and knights but the more sophisticated works are harder to distinguish.

When you take into consideration Arthur C. Clark saying that a sufficiently advanced technology will be indistinguishable from magic, how does one know if the book or the movie he reads is Science Fiction or Fantasy?

A technological Wizard 

For almost everything an author writes about, there can be a Fantasy or Science Fiction explanation. A car can be driven by a superconductive magnetic engine or by a demon, a weapon can be a coherent X ray beam caster or a complex death curse. A ship can travel the stars powered by a fusion engine or transported by a summoned elemental. And where does that leave us when we try to figure out if a novel is Science Fiction or Fantasy?

 

 

 

My conclusion is simple. We have no way of telling if something is science fiction or fantasy unless the author tells us how he classifies his work. The difference is fairly small, after all. All we need to know is if the explanation between the miracles the author shows us fall into the category of the science fiction or fantasy. The wizard could be summoning the power of ancient demons to see what transpires around his castle or he can use a UAV drone with TV sensors to do the same.

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