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![]() The Newspaper of the Science Fiction Field |
Excerpts from the interview with... |
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D
A V I D
   B
R I N : Dialog With the Future
(from the March 1997 issue -- Order) |
![]() Photo by Beth Gwinn § Back to Interviews page |
David Brin is the author of the "Uplift" series, including the novels Startide Rising (1980), winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and Locus awards; The Uplift War, (1987) winner of the Hugo and Locus awards; Brightness Reef (1995), Infinity's Shore (1996), and Heaven's Reach (forthcoming, 1997). His stand-alone novels include The Postman (1985), winner of the Campbell Memorial and Locus awards; Earth (1990), and Glory Season (1993). "I would normally never set out to write a trilogy. It was not my intent when I began Brightness Reef. The fact that it will stretch into three books is my fault, as evidence of lack of discipline. ... I will outline in the future!" "...The third book [of the trilogy] will take some people from Jijo and Streaker on a pell-mell ride through some of the more exotic places and features of my universe. We'll meet the hydrogen-breathing civilization, the machine civilization, the civilization of transcended beings -- all sorts of good sci-fi stuff." "...One of the rules I try to follow is that normal people are going to be involved even in heroic events. Even if you have superior protagonists, I hate to make them slans. I hate the whole ubermensch, superman temptation that pervades science fiction. I believe no protagonist should be so competent, so awe-inspiring, that a committee of 20 really hard-working, intelligent people couldn't do the same thing..." "...At first, I turned down the offer to do one of the 'Foundation' books... Then Greg Benford pointed out that the best science fiction always involves a conversation with the reader, as well as an author's conversation with him- or herself. ... Isaac himself went through three or four cycles in his attitudes towards power and destiny..." |
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