I don't know of any sff primers, but I kind of feel that starting by reading is the best way when what you're talking about is a genre. I immediately thought, "What book would I give a neophyte as an introduction to sff?"
But then I realized that I'm not sure I'd even know where to start! It's just so broad that it encompasses whole vastly different genres. Do you start with epic fantasy, cyberpunk, space opera, pulp, Pern ripoffs, A Boy And His Dragon, modern fantasy, "hard" sf? Modern or classic? Neil Gaiman and Diana Wynne Jones, or something like Samuel Delany, or something more like Connie Willis?
I suppose for fantasy I'd start with a really awesome novel - if they are Harry Potter-positive, then a modern fantasy, either Jones or Gaiman or possibly Nina Kiriki Hoffman if they're maybe more into something weirder - probably Robin McKinley if they seem likely to go for epic high fantasy or Pamela Dean's Tam Lin if they're a fairytale type.
If they seem likely to be more interested in sf, then maybe a short story collection of second wave stuff - I always enjoy those, or CJ Cherryh's Foreigner or Vonda McIntyre's Starfarer for different types of space opera, or Samuel R. Delany if they seem likely to fall for the sheer overpowering weight of his intellect. Oh, or Greg Bear if they are male and into geeking out over "hard science" a la Jurassic Park. (Presumably there must be women who can read Greg Bear and get past his weirdly horrible characterization of women, but it is hard for me to quite picture how this could occur). Oh, or an apocanovel if they seem to like disaster movies and stuff! Although I don't usually like those myself, so I'd probably have trouble choosing one.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-03-10 08:40 pm (UTC)But then I realized that I'm not sure I'd even know where to start! It's just so broad that it encompasses whole vastly different genres. Do you start with epic fantasy, cyberpunk, space opera, pulp, Pern ripoffs, A Boy And His Dragon, modern fantasy, "hard" sf? Modern or classic? Neil Gaiman and Diana Wynne Jones, or something like Samuel Delany, or something more like Connie Willis?
I suppose for fantasy I'd start with a really awesome novel - if they are Harry Potter-positive, then a modern fantasy, either Jones or Gaiman or possibly Nina Kiriki Hoffman if they're maybe more into something weirder - probably Robin McKinley if they seem likely to go for epic high fantasy or Pamela Dean's Tam Lin if they're a fairytale type.
If they seem likely to be more interested in sf, then maybe a short story collection of second wave stuff - I always enjoy those, or CJ Cherryh's Foreigner or Vonda McIntyre's Starfarer for different types of space opera, or Samuel R. Delany if they seem likely to fall for the sheer overpowering weight of his intellect. Oh, or Greg Bear if they are male and into geeking out over "hard science" a la Jurassic Park. (Presumably there must be women who can read Greg Bear and get past his weirdly horrible characterization of women, but it is hard for me to quite picture how this could occur). Oh, or an apocanovel if they seem to like disaster movies and stuff! Although I don't usually like those myself, so I'd probably have trouble choosing one.