I often wonder why science fiction attracts so many, including myself. Perhaps it is just a very fancy and exciting form of entertainment. Perhaps it is just the XX. century version of mythology and people simply need some myths and tales. Perhaps sci-fi is the natural reaction of the society to the age of science and technology. Perhaps it is a strange form of optimism. Or an escape route from the real and often boring world. I also consider science fiction an exciting mind game (since even an imaginary science fiction world needs to be carefully constructed from a small set of basic axioms).

Well, I guess that all of these have an impact on the great success of science fiction. Concerning myself: I can eat science fiction in every form and level including the most stupid soap operas, Hollywood-blockbusters, popular novels and easy humourous writings. But sometimes I manage to get to the higher level of thought-provoking literature. Here are some links to illustrate this:

Cinema/TV:

• Brazil by Terry Gilliam is probably my favourite!
• The Fifth Element by Luc Besson is very good, but his first movie Le Dernier Combat is much better!
• The City Of Lost Children (who said that only Americans can do good scifi)?
• the inevitable Star Wars link
• and yet another science fiction soap-opera: Babilon 5

Authors:

Douglas ADAMS

The author who introduced humour to science fiction: the Hitch-Hiker's "Trilogy" is very funny indeed and the two Dirk Gently books are also worth their price. Adams is world-class entertainment!

Terry PRATCHETT

And another one who did the same in fantasy: check out the Discworld novels for a funny Universe!

Kurt VONNEGUT

Try Cat's Cradle or Slapstick!

Stanislaw LEM

A Polish author who is probably the best or perhaps the only known sci-fi writer from the former Communist bloc. A great writer and a great thinker! The Cyberiad is a good start, if you do not know Lem yet.

STRUGACKIJ brothers

Two Russian authors, quite as good as Lem. Their Picnic na obochine (published as Roadside Picnic in English) served as a basis for the script of Stalker, a must-see movie by Andrej Tarkovskij.