's like the most basic place to start (perhaps with the exception of Fahrenheit 451), but still... I remember reading Bradbury way back when I'd just discovered science fiction. Was scouring my library, simply going by alphabet, carrying away the maximum allowed amount of books each week, going by alphabet.
Having read everything by Asimov, I thought I knew science fiction then, and understood a bit of how much books within the genre could differ.

And then I came upon the Martian Chronicles. A book where it wasn't just the tale that differed, but one that had such a completely different outlook on the universe, such a vivid style.
I'm ashamed to say I didn't think it was all that special way back then.

It did however greatly influence me. Preparing me in some essential way for the rest of the alphabet I think.

's been quite a few years now that I last visited that library, and I've recently begun refinding all the books from that time that together had such a profound influence on who I am. And so I once more came upon the Martian Chronicles...

If you'll forgive me for trying to be overly poetic, it's like I refound a piece of my soul.

I think my mistake was reading TMC before I tried reading Asimov. I suppose Asimov's novels are indeed among the best in the genre, but Bradbury's style is so fine, so rare, so wild with imagery, that I find it hard to put up with other SF writers after him.

But what can I say? I'm a word guy.

Lance-

I agree. I think the reason it's hard to go back to other SF writers after reading Ray Bradbury is because, like Ray himself says, the stories in 'The Martian Chronicles' aren't science fiction, but undiluted Myths. They never grow old, they never go out of style... And the prose is simply amazing.

-Greg

It just seems like the others are either so concerned with (a) science, or (b) world-building, that the forget to tell us anything important. Now, nothing against hard sci-fi, and there's certainly nothing wrong with world-building, but I prefer the Myths; they remind me of old Truths I'd forgotten. I can more readily see "me" up there in space through Bradbury's language than that of anyone else.

Lance-

Absolutely. You hit the nail on the head.

-Greg