Why fantasy / scifi refuse to be cool? - /lit/ (#24512155) [Archived: 568 hours ago]

Anonymous
7/1/2025, 8:40:13 PM No.24512155
Why
Why
md5: a77950648f9df2c1e47973b4bddc3fd2🔍
>check fantasy or scifi setting (Warcraft, Halo, Warhammer, Star Wars, Dune, etc.)
>check the main story, pretty cool setting and world-building
>check the past eras: ULTRA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY that makes the current one looks like something for babies (ex: W20k would smash 40k in a second, Chaos as a menace would be like an ant)
>never it's explored nor recovered
Why?
Replies: >>24512198 >>24512241 >>24512661
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 8:57:00 PM No.24512198
Dark Diamond_Asher
Dark Diamond_Asher
md5: 3e2caa08393f6bb1d9e8bbed6685d110🔍
>>24512155 (OP)
stop reading sloppa from the mega threads lists, anon.
>pic related (2025)
Replies: >>24512214
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 9:02:42 PM No.24512214
>>24512198
>'Nobody does science fiction like Neal Asher'
Why? What does he so different?
I say this as honest questions, first time I heard about this man.

>DOOMED TO DIE. AND DIE AGAIN.
Another techno-feudal-grimdank-sloppa?
Replies: >>24512311 >>24512331
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 9:04:38 PM No.24512218
Fucking ESL rat
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 9:14:21 PM No.24512241
>>24512155 (OP)
>sci-fi is better the closer its technology is to capeshit powerscaling
Okay. You're wrong and this wasn't worth starting a thread over. 40k especially is incoherent from a thematic and aesthetic standpoint without the technological degradation.
Replies: >>24512247
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 9:16:36 PM No.24512247
>>24512241
>writers create those power levels
>writers create cool setting with those power levels
>writers never explored them again
Anon, I'm just asking about something that's already created.
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 9:48:12 PM No.24512311
>>24512214
I started with his "Prador Moon". He's built a Tolkien-ish world, he has his books traversing through different POV of several constituents (see Agent Cormac series, Brass Man, etc.), his "science" doesn't overreach or go over the head of the reader.
Replies: >>24512401
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 9:56:46 PM No.24512331
>>24512214
I might be above myself, I threw this writer out to /lit/ about ten years ago, the response was, "write faster."
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 10:34:20 PM No.24512401
>>24512311
Sounds cool, thanks for the info, anon.
>Tolkien-ish world
In what sense? I see people using this term in both, a positive or a negative way.
Replies: >>24512426
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 10:40:53 PM No.24512426
>>24512401
His first novel "The Engineer Reconditioned" (rerelease) goes all the way to the deepest of space, then he covers everything in between there and Earth.
Replies: >>24512436 >>24512464
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 10:44:33 PM No.24512436
>>24512426
>cont'd
not in one breadth, though. He is diligent and has great control over the scope each novel includes.
Replies: >>24512464
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 10:56:48 PM No.24512464
>>24512426
>>24512436
Thanks.

What about the battles and the technology? Are coherent?
Replies: >>24512493
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 11:05:33 PM No.24512493
>>24512464
His aim is precision, build up the depth of it, and intense imagery of chaos is his appetizer through to the main dish - getting more raw each serving.
Replies: >>24512619
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 11:26:27 PM No.24512554
If you watch anime, I would watch Akira, GiTS, Full Metal Alchemist, and AoT.
Replies: >>24512608 >>24512625
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 11:45:01 PM No.24512608
>>24512554
If you're from further back, watch Angel Cop and Cowboy Bebop.
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 11:49:33 PM No.24512619
>>24512493
FINALLY MY JOURNEY HAS ENDED.

Is there a channel that explain his style?
I would like to write as good as him. I fear I would miss something that breaks the coherence and power levels of factions, weapons.
Replies: >>24512644 >>24512690
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 11:50:34 PM No.24512625
>>24512554
The only anime I like is Bobobo.
Replies: >>24512653
Anonymous
7/1/2025, 11:58:45 PM No.24512644
>>24512619
imho, haven't looked. His first book I mentioned is pretty clear cut of his direction/style, short story abilities, and enjoyable so far - I'm about halfway thru.
Replies: >>24512703
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 12:01:08 AM No.24512653
>>24512625
just watch "Robot Carnival" then
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLd5yuNZwww
Replies: >>24512703
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 12:04:53 AM No.24512661
>>24512155 (OP)
>W20k would smash 40k in a second, Chaos as a menace would be like an ant

40k is particularly bad with this. You didn't mention the brain dead Whore In Heaven stuff. A single Krork could spank The Emperor and make him wear an apron. This whole trend is just a weird form of retroactive power creep that trivializes and shits on the story and characters. Although I don't know why you mentioned Star Wars. Not too familiar with that aside from the movies and some EU books and games.
Replies: >>24512712
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 12:11:54 AM No.24512690
>>24512619
same anon, search YT also for reviewers of Gregg Bear, Alastair Reynolds - they're also proficient at sci-fi and probably have a larger base - just to get the feet wet.
Replies: >>24512715 >>24514128
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 12:15:54 AM No.24512703
>>24512653
>>24512644
Thanks anons.
Replies: >>24512706
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 12:16:39 AM No.24512706
>>24512703
yessir.
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 12:18:33 AM No.24512712
>>24512661
I mentionated Star Wars because Pre/Old Republic (check out Pius Dea, lit "Goddess-Empress" meme) eras are the "War of Heaven" of Star Wars.

>https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Pius_Dea
>https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Pre-Republic_era
Replies: >>24513869
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 12:19:34 AM No.24512715
>>24512690
Thank you so much, anon.
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 11:26:57 AM No.24513869
>>24512712
Damn. Even Star Wars did this...
Replies: >>24514664
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 2:20:14 PM No.24514128
>>24512690
Excuse my ignorance anon, I don't doubt they are great but why they're so unknown for the majority of people, even I that loves scifi, didn't know about them until now, I had to suffer YT's the slop-algorithm of "mainstream scifi" (the same "muh social critic" or "humanity is shit but in space" cliches).
Anonymous
7/2/2025, 6:28:52 PM No.24514664
>>24513869
It's a cliche.