Thank You to James Nicoll...

[seawasp]

This is a post I should have made a while back.

Many of you know james_nicoll  from here and perhaps elsewhere -- actual conventions, Usenet, etc. -- and know that he's one of the most consistently... INTERESTING posters anywhere. Besides his long sequence of Nicoll Event adventures, James happens to be one of the most voracious readers of SF/F in the world, partly because he gets paid to do it (he's a primary reader for the SFBC and others), but partly because he is a fan of the genre in all its glory and ignominy.

He's also a very EDUCATED reader and one who has a wide variety of referenced knowledge on vital facts and considerations for would-be SF/F writers, especially those who might want to attempt the hard-SF subgenre.

James gave me, in particular, several useful pointers in writing Boundary and Threshold; the most significant ones probably being pointing me in the direction of Robert Sheldon's "Dusty Plasma" drive concept, which I subsequently used for the Bemmie vessel in Threshold, the need and use of magnetic-based shielding for charged-particle radiation (especially near Jupiter!) and helping me understand the use of the Oberth maneuver. (Note that any failures in my attempt to use these, or any other, concepts should be laid entirely at my feet and not at any of the people I have consulted). There were other similar, though perhaps less important, points that his comments (and sometimes rants about other books) gave to me to keep in mind while writing. Yes, he's acknowledged in Threshold, but I felt a somewhat more detailed thanks was called for.

So thanks for your help, your anecdotes, and your Net.Presence, James!

Comments

[james-nicoll.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[seawasp]

As I said, no, thank YOU. Whether I *achieved* my goals in writing the novels, I know they were a lot CLOSER to the goals because of your input.

And the Dusty Plasma idea was just too cool not to use! :)

[burger-eater.livejournal.com]

He does have a terrific blog. I got the ending of my WIP from one of his joke polls.

[seawasp]

And of course the epic adventures of our "Joe Buckley" are directly and deliberately patterned after the Nicoll Event Lifestyle.

Joe Buckley, Doomed But Only Up To a Point

[tamahori]

Yeah, Joe does seem to have a knack for ending up in situations that, just barely, avoid critical damage.

Myself, I just seem to have a very low grade version of the Nicoll Event Lifestyle, my series of amusing pratfalls aren't nearly as funny, and generally at worst only break the skin ... somehow I've managed to avoid breaking any bones so far, and only a couple of weeks in hospital that didn't even leave much in the way of scars. So you know, strictly junior grade.

My friends and I refer to it as the Power Klutz (like the Power Cosmic, but a heck of a lot less useful, and with no silver body-paint) ... sometimes I can even pass it off to other people for a day, which is good for me, but sucks for them.

I have to say, if I could get Joe's lifestyle (Supergirl, getting to go to outer-space) in return for his series of near death experiences ... I'd consider it a fair trade-off. :)

And I fully agree with you on James Nicoll being awesome. :)

-- Brett, who's just trying to learn how to aim this power of his.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

James is the man. As for me, I really appreciate his "horrifying future"; it's a wonderful antidote to the gloomyness or libertarian boosterism that infests Science Fiction these days.

[seawasp]

I would like to take a large, iron-bound copy of "Atlas Shrugged" to all of the so-called "libertarians" who keep misusing the word.