<< The reason QB tends to shy away from
science fiction is that so much of it is absolute crap.
Everyone knows Heinlein and Asimov, and who wants to
answer questions about science fiction's version of
romance novels? >>
I don't know what science
fiction you read (or don't read) but I would wager that
90% of anything ever published is absolute crap, and
that includes everything ever published between the
time man learned to write and today. Granted, science
fiction probably has a higher percentage of crap floating
around in it; that in no way invalidates the gems that
have been produced. Besides Heinlein and Asimov, there
is also Lem, Clarke, Bradbury, and Ellison, whom
I've mentioned before, as well as Bester, Farmer,
Sturgeon, Ballard, and others. So there are plenty of good
novels to choose from if you want to write a question
about a good science fiction work.
I'd also like
to thank you for providing that quote by Vonnegut.
Notice how he says, "so many critics have _mistaken_ it
for a urinal." (emphasis mine).
Jerry