Raised in religion?

[Kyuuketsuki]

Science Fiction! FACE PALM! I hadn't thought of that as an influence,but of course it was:I discovered Edgar Rice Burroughs' "John Carter Of Mars" series at 18 and went on from there.---- "Doc" Smith, Asimov,Clarke,Dick. Wyndam, Heinlin,Herbert, Moorcock and Farmer to name a few. Even read some "If you you wan to get rich invent a religion" Hubbard; (a second rate hack)

Well it not only expanded my mind to consider all kinds of other possibilities (pretty much crapping on the idea many try to advance when being critical that some of us aren't open-minded) but it also taught me a lot of basic science concepts particularly space ones.

You seem to have read many of the same authors as me ... I loved the Edgar Rice Burrows "Barsoom" series (even liked the Venus ones and read some of the Tarzan ones too, but Mars was by far the best; I heard a while back that there was some idea to make the Barsoom books the next big Hollywood blockbuster series. That would be cool but I haven't heard anything since). I absolutely loved the E. E. "Doc" Smith books, my favourites (obviously I suppose) being the "Lensman" and "Skylark" ones but I ate up most of the rest too (despite the really alternative tech ... I mean Vu-meters, recording on wire and the rest of that) ... space opera at its finest. Asimov, early Heinlein & Clark (the latter in particular went seriously flaky later in life) indeed my first science fiction book was Heinlein's "Tunnel In The Sky" but I tended to prefer the more adventure oriented tales such as E. C. Tubb's "Dumarest" series (seriously crap but hugely entertaining), some mad stuff about a character called "Hook" and Edmund Cooper (especially his aliased "Expendables" series). Some Ben Bova stuff was good too as well as A. E. Van Vogt, Brian Aldiss, Frederic Pohl, Silverberg and so on. Did you ever read any of those pulp counter-Earth books by John Norman? I loved them until the main character became all screwed up ... I gave up then.

But yes, SF really did have mind-opening effect on me.

I was too young for the golden years of the pulp Sci Fi magazines. But,in the 70's,I knew a guy with vast collection of "Argosy", "Amazing""and "Astounding" mags. I read most of them over several years.

I guess that makes you a similar age to me because I started reading SF about 12 or 13 so, born in 57, that's early 70's ... I used to read a lot of the older stuff because I frequented libraries & second-hand book stores.

Of course some of those brilliant and original thinkers influenced my developing mind,perhaps helping develop the WAY I think. I'm eternally grateful

Yeah me too.

Kyu