Retro Fantasy and Sci-fi

Introduction

This is my home for discussion of fantasy and science fiction published on or before September 11, 2001, after which everything for people in my generation changed.

Most of my fondness for memories of the old internet is circumscribed by the online fantasy and science fiction fandoms of the Late 90’s and early 00’s. I can viscerally recall the buzz derived from reading and discussing rumors and theories in places like WOTmania and asoiaf.westeros.org. These hubs of enthusiasts were vital in nourishing my budding interest in the genre, and reading in general.

I never really read for pleasure prior to Junior High/High School, when I saw an acquaintance pull out a doorstopping paperback copy of one of the books in the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind. My interest was piqued by the sheer size of the book and the cover art. I borrowed and read the first three or four volumes of that series from that acquaintance (thanks, buddy!) and from there I was hooked. I quickly moved on from Goodkind (who wasn’t that good anyway) and started seeking out the like minded online.

The Fantasy and Science Fiction "fandom" of today is almost indistinguishable from what it was at the turn of the century. Booktok/Booktube are the thing now, dominated by banal discussion of ultra-popular Romantasy series (Fourth Wing, anything by Sarah J “Ass.”) This unfortunate shift is moving the hobby more into the feminine realm, basically a 180 degree shift from the masculine heroic fantasy (Gor, Conan, etc.) popular during the seventies and eighties.

The nineties and early 00’s is the goldilocks zone between the two extremes, the perfect s-curve between yin and yang.