Non-violent SF

[a***@gmail.com]

Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.

Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?

Abhinav Lal

"The struggle for freedom"

[James Nicoll]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible
to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read,
includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't
include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?

Oddly enough, I just read a short with no violence: "Eat, Drink,
and Be Merry", by Dian Girard. It's about a woman's efforts to
side-step ubiquitous monitoring of her diet so she can eat what
she wants.

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible
to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read,
includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't
include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

I don't recall any violence in "The Man Who Sold The Moon", or most of
Asimov's robot stories. Nor, I think on the Solar Queen stories, though
perhaps being quarantined counts at some level.

[p***@gmail.com]

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible
to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read,
includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't
include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

I don't recall any violence in "The Man Who Sold The Moon", or most of
Asimov's robot stories. Nor, I think on the Solar Queen stories, though
perhaps being quarantined counts at some level.

Some shorts by Heinlein were low on violence. "And He Built
a Crooked House" is about a quirk in geometry. "The Man Who
Traveled in Elephants" is, as the name suggests, about a man
who sold elephants door-to-door.

[J. Clarke]

Post by p***@gmail.com

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible
to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read,
includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't
include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

I don't recall any violence in "The Man Who Sold The Moon", or most of
Asimov's robot stories. Nor, I think on the Solar Queen stories, though
perhaps being quarantined counts at some level.

Some shorts by Heinlein were low on violence. "And He Built
a Crooked House" is about a quirk in geometry. "The Man Who
Traveled in Elephants" is, as the name suggests, about a man
who sold elephants door-to-door.

I don't recall any violence in "The Rolling Stones".

[Dorothy J Heydt]

Post by J. Clarke

Post by p***@gmail.com

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible
to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read,
includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't
include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

I don't recall any violence in "The Man Who Sold The Moon", or most of
Asimov's robot stories. Nor, I think on the Solar Queen stories, though
perhaps being quarantined counts at some level.

Some shorts by Heinlein were low on violence. "And He Built
a Crooked House" is about a quirk in geometry. "The Man Who
Traveled in Elephants" is, as the name suggests, about a man
who sold elephants door-to-door.

I don't recall any violence in "The Rolling Stones".

Closest thing to that is when the Stones arrive in the asteroid
belt, somebody knocks at the airlock, and at Hazel's insistence
they arm themselves before letting him in. The visitor is
perfectly harmless and slightly disconcerted by being greeted by
a show of arms.

[Robert Carnegie]

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible
to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read,
includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't
include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

I don't recall any violence in "The Man Who Sold The Moon", or most of
Asimov's robot stories. Nor, I think on the Solar Queen stories, though
perhaps being quarantined counts at some level.

I think in Andre Norton's _Sargasso of Space_ blaster guns
were got out of the locker, if that's the Solar Queen
you meant.


James White's space fiction avoids violence a lot
of the time, although even Sector General, the space
hospital, gets involved in a war, and a lot of his
other doctors are on battlefields.

[Peter Trei]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

There's a good bit of Clarke and Asimov. Try 'Rendezvous with Rama', and 'The Gods Themselves'.

Pt

[Christian Weisgerber]

Post by Peter Trei

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?

There's a good bit of Clarke and Asimov. Try 'Rendezvous with Rama', and 'The Gods Themselves'.

I feel confident that a number of Hal Clement's novels would qualify.
Unfortunately my memory is too hazy to decide which ones.
_Still River_, for one, I think.

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

Post by a***@gmail.com

Post by Peter Trei

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it

possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have
read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that
doesn't include violence.

Post by Peter Trei

Post by a***@gmail.com
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?

There's a good bit of Clarke and Asimov. Try 'Rendezvous with Rama',

and 'The Gods Themselves'.
I feel confident that a number of Hal Clement's novels would qualify.
Unfortunately my memory is too hazy to decide which ones.
_Still River_, for one, I think.
--

I believe the same goes for _Mission of Gravity_ & the sequels. _Needle_
had a bit iirc, what with being a cop/criminal book. I don't recall any
violence in _The Nitrogen Fix_ either.

[Christian Weisgerber]

Post by Ted Nolan <tednolan>

Post by Christian Weisgerber
I feel confident that a number of Hal Clement's novels would qualify.
_Still River_, for one, I think.

I believe the same goes for _Mission of Gravity_ & the sequels.

_Mission of Gravity_ has an attack by hostile natives. There is
also an occasion--I don't remember if that's the same incident or
a different one--where we learn that Barlennan's ship is armed with
flame-thrower cannon and these are fired in anger.

The sequel _Star Light_ is free of violence, I believe.

[Gary R. Schmidt]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?

_...And Then There Were None_, by Eric Frank Russell, available in the
fix-up _The Great Explosion_.

Non-violence as a working system.

Cheers,
Gary B-)

[Ted Nolan <tednolan>]

Post by a***@gmail.com

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible

to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read,
includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't
include violence.

Post by a***@gmail.com
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?

_...And Then There Were None_, by Eric Frank Russell, available in the
fix-up _The Great Explosion_.
Non-violence as a working system.

This brings to mind LLoyd Biggle's _Monument_.

[m***@sky.com]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

Grainger in the "Hooded Swan" series claims to be against violence. Hardin, in the Foundation Series, claims that violence is the last refuge of the incompetent - but these are values of "against violence" that still allow for enough action to keep things entertaining.

[Steve Dodds]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

The Mote in God's eye was pretty nonviolent, in fact most of Niven's work is low violence.

[Peter Trei]

Post by Steve Dodds

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

The Mote in God's eye was pretty nonviolent, in fact most of Niven's work is low violence

I seem to recall a Niven body count in the trillions, albeit mostly offstage.

Pt

[J. Clarke]

On Tue, 28 Jan 2020 11:54:13 -0800 (PST), Steve Dodds

Post by Steve Dodds

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

The Mote in God's eye was pretty nonviolent,

Aside from the massive space battle in which the Motie watchmakers
made an assortment of major improvements in the armamentarium of the
ship they were destroying

Post by Steve Dodds
in fact most of Niven's work is low violence.

Are you reading the same Niven I am? Pak, Kzinti, "mercy-guns" that
aren't merciful, organleggers, the Permanent Floating Riot Club . . .

[Martin]

Post by J. Clarke
On Tue, 28 Jan 2020 11:54:13 -0800 (PST), Steve Dodds

Post by Steve Dodds

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

The Mote in God's eye was pretty nonviolent,

Aside from the massive space battle in which the Motie watchmakers
made an assortment of major improvements in the armamentarium of the
ship they were destroying

Post by Steve Dodds
in fact most of Niven's work is low violence.

Are you reading the same Niven I am? Pak, Kzinti, "mercy-guns" that
aren't merciful, organleggers, the Permanent Floating Riot Club . . .

Mote also had the background of an ongoing revolution that was being countered by methods up to and including sterilization of planets.

[Peter Trei]

Post by Martin

Post by J. Clarke
On Tue, 28 Jan 2020 11:54:13 -0800 (PST), Steve Dodds

Post by Steve Dodds

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel? Maybe a talk heavy political SF?
Abhinav Lal
"The struggle for freedom"

The Mote in God's eye was pretty nonviolent,

Aside from the massive space battle in which the Motie watchmakers
made an assortment of major improvements in the armamentarium of the
ship they were destroying

Post by Steve Dodds
in fact most of Niven's work is low violence.

Are you reading the same Niven I am? Pak, Kzinti, "mercy-guns" that
aren't merciful, organleggers, the Permanent Floating Riot Club . . .

Mote also had the background of an ongoing revolution that was being countered by methods up to and including sterilization of planets.

Plus Mote was so used to war that there was a specialized breed of Motie for
the Warrior role.

pt

[Christian Weisgerber]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it
possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I
have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel
that doesn't include violence.

James P. Hogan's _Inherit the Stars_ is a very suspenseful novel
about a scientific mystery--what's the 50,000-year old body of an
astronaut doing on the moon?--that does not feature violence in its
main plot. It does have historical violence off-stage, though.

I don't recall, did anybody resort to violence in John W. Campbell's
survival tale _The Moon Is Hell_?

[D B Davis]

Post by Christian Weisgerber

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it
possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I
have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel
that doesn't include violence.

James P. Hogan's _Inherit the Stars_ is a very suspenseful novel
about a scientific mystery--what's the 50,000-year old body of an
astronaut doing on the moon?--that does not feature violence in its
main plot. It does have historical violence off-stage, though.
I don't recall, did anybody resort to violence in John W. Campbell's
survival tale _The Moon Is Hell_?

/January 11./
... We know it is Bender now [who's stealing the food].

/January 12./
... Bender is raving; he threw us off when he regained
consciousness. It seems he intended to come in before he
became unconscious, and re-capture the food. Bender must
be eliminated. We are not safe.

/January 15./
Bender has been executed.

Time travel tales might be a good source of non-violent SF. Are:
_The Door Into Summer_ (RAH), _The Devil in Crystal_ (Marlow), _Replay_
(Grimwood), _The Man Who Folded Himself_ (Gerrold), and _Bid Time Return_
(Matheson) sufficiently non-violent?
How about _A Scanner Darkly_ (PKD) and _Thrice Upon a Time_ (Hogan)?

☮

Thank you,

[a***@msn.com]

Post by Christian Weisgerber

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it
possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I
have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel
that doesn't include violence.

James P. Hogan's _Inherit the Stars_ is a very suspenseful novel
about a scientific mystery--what's the 50,000-year old body of an
astronaut doing on the moon?--that does not feature violence in its
main plot. It does have historical violence off-stage, though.

Just the one I was going to mention.

Hogan's Thrice Upon a Time also is violence free.

[Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)]

Post by a***@gmail.com
Is it possible to solve our problems without violence? Is it possible to get entertained without violence? Most of the SF I have read, includes violence. In fact I can't think of a SF novel that doesn't include violence.
Maybe a peaceful space exploration novel?

A lot of space exploration ones do that, yes. Flight of the
Dragonfly/Rocheworld had almost all of the stress/conflict be based on
the dangers of the universe, not people fighting each other.

Eric and I deliberately went for that in the Boundary and Castaway
books. In Boundary there is exactly one, very brief, moment of
interpersonal violence (when AJ goes to lay a hand on Madeline, and she
proceeds to fold him up like a package). Threshold has more -- there's
an espionage thriller subplot -- but there's none at all in Portal, and
no interpersonal violence in any of the Castaway books at all.