This topic was shamelessly stolen from a question asked by Jim Walsh at the 41st annual Minicon at the Sheraton Bloomington. [quote:1078e664ed="www.citypages.com"]Two weekends ago, the 41st annual Minicon at the Sheraton Bloomington attracted some 600 sci-fi and fantasy fans. We took the opportunity to ask a few Miniconners the question: Since Earth is such a mess right now, what world would you rather inhabit? Troy Paton, Stillwater (pictured above) The Star Trek world—Earth or any of the major developed Federation worlds—would be good, because you've got it made. You go to your living room and have anything you want cooked up. You have yourself teleported halfway across the planet. I'm thinking about conveniences, here. Marty Byers, St. Paul Mars. It's close to what we've already got, and there's no one there to screw it up. We get there, we set up our own community, get some better people runnin' it, and...smooth sailing. And after that, we move to Io. It's a moon of Jupiter, from 2001: A Space Odyssey: "Io is not ours." Alison Sommer, St. Peter Alderaan, before it blew up. It's the imaginary planet from Star Wars. It's peaceful; they have no weapons. Ethan Sommer, St. Peter Vulcan. Because they're very logical there and I would seem really creative in comparison. Shari Mann, St. Paul Pern, a world created by Ann McCaffrey and her Dragonriders of Pern series, where humans left Earth and populated this new planet and kind of lost touch with Earth. One of the things that appeals to me is that it's got dragons. We don't have them here. We don't have anything that's quite that big and different. The biggest things we've got are whales, and we don't get to see them too often. If you've got dragons flying around, you don't have to put on special scuba equipment. You just look up and there they would be. Amanda Halperin, Walnut Creek, California I just read Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin. There, they have a whole International League that's kind of like Star Trek but a little more practical. They run their government more like evolution runs. You'd think by now that if evolution worked the way it's supposed to work, everything would be perfect. So it's the opposite of Machiavellian. The means justify the ends. The way you do it is the important thing, and not the ends. I like that because I don't really like the ends justify the means so much. Nathan Skerbinc, Minneapolis Discworld from Terry Pratchett is one of the funnest ones: flat planet, bounce on the back of four elephants, ride around on the back of a giant turtle floating around space. A world like that existing is a million-to-one shot, but as any good wizard will tell you, a million-to-one shot happens nine times out of ten. I like the concept of someplace where what you believe in is what will happen to you. Carolyn Brust, Minneapolis Amber, from The Chronicles of Amber by Roger Zelazny. I like the idea of being able to transfer through shadow, to make a world exactly what you want it to be, and to be able to want changes and go somewhere that fits your current want. Benjamin Gardner, St. Paul Early-on Gallifrey. I'm an old fan of Dr. Who. I'd like to visit a place where you can get vacation trips to anywhere in the universe, including Earth, and see Shakespeare in the original. Robert Yeo, Laurium, Michigan Mars. The first science-fiction book I read was The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury, and it sounded like a good place. "We are the new Martians," it said. Pat Scaramuzza, Sioux Falls, South Dakota The later Star Wars movies were kind of crap, but the home of the Republic in its height, before everything went to hell, was pretty nice. It looked like everyone was rich and everyone lived in these wonderful penthouse apartments. They also seemed whole. It wasn't just capitalism or politics. They had religion. It seemed to have everything. It was a deep planet. Brianna Bowen, Minneapolis Definitely the Star Trek Next Generation world. Gene Roddenberry just had this awesome vision of the future. It was so hopeful and humanity straightened itself out. We didn't ruin our planet. And then we started finding other things and trying to get everyone to get together and talk and be friends. [/quote:1078e664ed] Personally I quite like the Star Trek Earth, though I'm pretty fond of Earth anyway and (somewhat optimistically) see this Earth developing into a Star Trek Earth eventually.
I think Lamuella from Hitch Hikers seems a nice place. [b:ba700cfc75]"HITCH HIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY"/"MOSTLY HARMLESS" SPOILERS WILL FOLLOW[/b:ba700cfc75] It's the planet where Arthur lives and makes sandwiches out of the meat of the Perfectly Normal Beast.
I liked the idea behind Trantor .. I think that might work well for Earth. Dig deep, and leave the surface clean. Use magnetic or geothermal energies for our power requirements. I agree with Mal, Earth has the potential to become a sci-fi planet by itself .
For me, it would have to be Tellus Tertius (Earth Number Three) from Robert Heinlein's Lazarus Long series - loose enough laws for a rational anarchist like me, rejuvenation treatments, plus the opportunity to visit anywhere/anywhen else with the Burroughs Drive - even if it meant joining the Time Corps! What more could one want? Edited to add a late thought: As Pixel, where else could I want to be?
[quote:07412eaa3b="sampanna"]I liked the idea behind Trantor .. I think that might work well for Earth. Dig deep, and leave the surface clean. Use magnetic or geothermal energies for our power requirements. I agree with Mal, Earth has the potential to become a sci-fi planet by itself .[/quote:07412eaa3b]Is Trantor that massive planet from the Foundation series by Asimov, the one that's covered in metal but eventually has it all stripped off?
That planet - can't remember its name right now - from Sean McMullen's Voyage of the Shadowmoon series. I love the idea of radiation manipulated to mimic magic. Most magic series, the idea of magic is taken for granted. This is the only series that actually looks for how it could really exist.
May I attempt an answer whilst simultaneously being too lazy to go get the book and look up the name of the planet? Methinks.... yes. I would gladly swap my current posting for the planet in Anne McCaffrey's 'Nimisha's Ship' discovered by said Nimisha in said ship. Challenging, pretty much free of humans and above all, the sexy, feisty Nimisha makes her home there.
I am sure you would find yourself at home there, Ba. And while you are at it, you might try stoping by Terry Gilliam's Brazil. (speaking of [i:ce09bf13b7]Brazil[/i:ce09bf13b7], does anyone know why it is titled that.)
off the top of my head, i would actually say the Disc- I like the idea of anywhere that has the profession of "Research Theologian". If not there, I'd like to live in Middle Earth. Specifically, the Shire. I'd make a good hobbit
Oooh, yeah, that sounds good, I'll go to be a Hobbit with you ! Although I'd probably be more of a Bilbo than the average hobbit, getting dragged into mad adventures...
[quote:3868a5e92c="QuothTheRaven"]I am sure you would find yourself at home there, Ba. And while you are at it, you might try stoping by Terry Gilliam's Brazil. (speaking of [i:3868a5e92c]Brazil[/i:3868a5e92c], does anyone know why it is titled that.)[/quote:3868a5e92c] I love the Internet . Stolen from http://www.faqs.org/faqs/movies/brazil-faq/ " 5. What is the title BRAZIL supposed to mean? Certainly BRAZIL is an enigmatic title for a movie that seems to have nothing to do with the country of Brazil. One of the drafts of the screenplay was entitled _The Ministry of Torture, or Brazil, or How I Learned to Live with the System -- So Far_, and Gilliam also considered calling his screenplay 1984 1/2. Many of the drafts appear to have simply been titled "The Ministry." In the book _The Battle of Brazil_, Gilliam explains where the inspiration stemmed from, while he was in Port Talbot, Wales: "Port Talbot is a steel town, where everything is covered with gray iron ore dust. Even the beach is completely littered with dust, its just black. The sun was setting, and it was quite beautiful. The contrast was extraordinary, I had this image of a guy sitting there on this dingy beach with a portable radio, tuning in these strange Latin escapist songs like 'Brazil.' The music transported him somehow and made his world less gray." Sid Sheinberg didn't like the title, and had the Universal staff submit suggestions for a new title. These suggestions included the titles: If Osmosis, Who Are You? Some Day Soon Vortex Day Dreams and Night Tripper What a Future! Litterbugs The Works Skylight City You Show Me Your Dream... Access Arresting Developments Nude Descending Bathroom Scale Lords of the Files Dreamscape The Staplegunners Progress Forever More The Right to Bear Arms Explanada Fortunata Is Not My Real Name All Too Soon Chaos Where Were We? Disconnected Parties Blank/Blank Erotic Shadow Time Maelstrom Forces of Darkness The Man in the Custom Tailored T-shirt Fold, Spindle, Mutilate Can't Anybody Here Play the Cymbals? Sign on High The Ball Bearing Electro Memory Circuit Buster This Escalator Doesn't Stop At Your Station Gnu Yak, Gnu Yak, and Other Bestial Places. "
I would like to stay on The World of Tiers (Philip Jose Farmer I THINK :? ) - I read the books years ago and it has always been, to me, kinda cool. R.
After hearing all of the names that the studio proposed, I am glad that Gilliam just stuck with [i:90d45ea935]Brazil[/i:90d45ea935].
Splatterjay from Neal Asher's The Skinner Partly very high technology, but also very backward... Some really good benefits though
I wouldn't mind that planet from old Star Trek with the green half naked ladies. Mind you, I wouldn't mind any planet with half naked ladies, green or otherwise.
