Sci-fi literary quote contest - Page 2

Roy Batty · #31 (**permalink**) 07-December-2003, 09:33 PM

'How it Happened' by Isaac Asimov.

frenat · #32 (**permalink**) 07-December-2003, 09:47 PM

Yep. Your turn

Roy Batty · #33 (**permalink**) 08-December-2003, 06:55 PM

Oops, sorry for the delay.

Quote:

He was looking at the house, but I was unable to tell if there was anyone at the window

mike alexander · #34 (**permalink**) 08-December-2003, 07:39 PM

Light of Other Days?

Roy Batty · #35 (**permalink**) 08-December-2003, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike alexander

Light of Other Days?

That's correct 8)

mike alexander · #36 (**permalink**) 08-December-2003, 10:28 PM

(and I do love that story, although it hurts to read it)

Working from memory here... ah.

Quote:

He just said, "Don't tell, Beel." And winked.

ToSeek · #37 (**permalink**) 09-December-2003, 06:35 PM

Bump. No guesses at all? Want to give a hint, Mike?

mike alexander · #38 (**permalink**) 09-December-2003, 07:39 PM

Yes, and maybe a rule. Twelve hours or so with no guesses gets an automatic hint.

Hints:

Short story
Ending line
Author was half of a famous writing team, working alone

daver · #39 (**permalink**) 10-December-2003, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike alexander

Yes, and maybe a rule. Twelve hours or so with no guesses gets an automatic hint.

Hints:

Short story
Ending line
Author was half of a famous writing team, working alone

We seem to be stuck, so i resorted to desparate measures--I googled for science fiction and Beel, and got a hit on "Gomez", by C. M. Kornbluth. I don't have the story at home, and didn't see a copy online, so i couldn't check any further.

mike alexander · #40 (**permalink**) 10-December-2003, 03:51 PM

Whew!
daver is correct. Gomez by Cyril Kornbluth.

Your turn, daver.

informant · #41 (**permalink**) 10-December-2003, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToSeek

Okay:

Quote:

RED RECEDED FROM HIM

GREEN LIGHT ATTACKED

Code:

INDIGO            WITH             SPEED        A             SNAKE
       UNDULATED        SICKENING         LIKE    SHUDDERING

Touch was taste to him . . . the feel of wood was acrid and chalky in his mouth, metal was salt, stone tasted sour-sweet to the touch of his fingers, and the feel of glass cloyed his palate like over-rich pastry.

(Ignore the "Code:" part - that's the only way I could get the text to be even approximately correct.)

Admit it - you had always wanted to do that. :wink:

ToSeek · #42 (**permalink**) 10-December-2003, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by informant

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToSeek

Okay:

Quote:

RED RECEDED FROM HIM

GREEN LIGHT ATTACKED

Code:

INDIGO            WITH             SPEED        A             SNAKE
       UNDULATED        SICKENING         LIKE    SHUDDERING

Touch was taste to him . . . the feel of wood was acrid and chalky in his mouth, metal was salt, stone tasted sour-sweet to the touch of his fingers, and the feel of glass cloyed his palate like over-rich pastry.

(Ignore the "Code:" part - that's the only way I could get the text to be even approximately correct.)

Admit it - you had always wanted to do that. :wink:

Since the genesis of this thread, yes.

daver · #43 (**permalink**) 10-December-2003, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike alexander

Whew!
daver is correct. Gomez by Cyril Kornbluth.

Your turn, daver.

I was poking around on Amazon trying to get better confirmation; The Best of C. M. Kornbluth comes highly recommended. Maybe i'll get it for my next plane trip.

I'll give a longer quote--i think it should be fairly easy:

Quote:

"Wilbur Whately," he began, "this court is proud to announce that
you have been unanimously acquitted of the charge of political
irresponsibility, and of unjustified and excessive atrocity.

"There was one dissenting vote on acquitting you of the charge of
political irresponsibility; one of the associate judges felt that the late
unmitigated scoundrel, Austin Maverick, ought to have been
skinned alive, an inch at a time. You are, however, acquitted of
that charge, too."

mike alexander · #44 (**permalink**) 10-December-2003, 05:56 PM

Just a seconding vote here. The Kornbluth collection is excellent. He was always a good writer and at his best was superb. A terrible loss that he died very young. If in print, see if you can find Critical Mass, a collection of Pohl/Kornbluth collaborations.

Blanking on the quote, though.

daver · #45 (**permalink**) 11-December-2003, 05:16 AM

Quote:

"Wilbur Whately," he began, "this court is proud to announce that
you have been unanimously acquitted of the charge of political
irresponsibility, and of unjustified and excessive atrocity.

"There was one dissenting vote on acquitting you of the charge of
political irresponsibility; one of the associate judges felt that the late
unmitigated scoundrel, Austin Maverick, ought to have been
skinned alive, an inch at a time. You are, however, acquitted of
that charge, too."

Hmm. Looks like we need a hint. OK, the scene takes place near a largish BBQ (several thousand people).

Gas Giant · #46 (**permalink**) 11-December-2003, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daver

"Wilbur Whately," he began, "this court is proud to announce that
you have been unanimously acquitted of the charge of political
irresponsibility, and of unjustified and excessive atrocity.

"There was one dissenting vote on acquitting you of the charge of
political irresponsibility; one of the associate judges felt that the late
unmitigated scoundrel, Austin Maverick, ought to have been
skinned alive, an inch at a time. You are, however, acquitted of
that charge, too."

Sounds like a scene from Lone Star Planet (aka A Planet for Texans) by H. Beam Piper. There's certainly a very similar scene if that's not it.

ToSeek · #47 (**permalink**) 11-December-2003, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daver

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike alexander

Whew!
daver is correct. Gomez by Cyril Kornbluth.

Your turn, daver.

I was poking around on Amazon trying to get better confirmation; The Best of C. M. Kornbluth comes highly recommended. Maybe i'll get it for my next plane trip.

I'll give a longer quote--i think it should be fairly easy:

Quote:

"Wilbur Whately," he began, "this court is proud to announce that
you have been unanimously acquitted of the charge of political
irresponsibility, and of unjustified and excessive atrocity.

"There was one dissenting vote on acquitting you of the charge of
political irresponsibility; one of the associate judges felt that the late
unmitigated scoundrel, Austin Maverick, ought to have been
skinned alive, an inch at a time. You are, however, acquitted of
that charge, too."

Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror has a character with that name, at least.

daver · #48 (**permalink**) 11-December-2003, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gas Giant

Quote:

Originally Posted by daver

"Wilbur Whately," he began, "this court is proud to announce that
you have been unanimously acquitted of the charge of political
irresponsibility, and of unjustified and excessive atrocity.

"There was one dissenting vote on acquitting you of the charge of
political irresponsibility; one of the associate judges felt that the late
unmitigated scoundrel, Austin Maverick, ought to have been
skinned alive, an inch at a time. You are, however, acquitted of
that charge, too."

Sounds like a scene from Lone Star Planet (aka A Planet for Texans) by H. Beam Piper. There's certainly a very similar scene if that's not it.

Yes. Your go, Gas Giant.

daver · #49 (**permalink**) 11-December-2003, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToSeek

Lovecraft's The Dunwich Horror has a character with that name, at least.

That's very interesting. I wonder if Piper lifted the name intentionally or not.

snowcelt · #50 (**permalink**) 12-December-2003, 10:52 AM

It seems that Piper was full of arcane knowledge. He would use some very obscure references in his books all the time. Pournelle says that Piper read a LOT.