9) MORE OF YOUR SF/F TOP-TEN LISTS!
Last month, we asked club members to prepare a SF/F top-ten list on any science fiction, fantasy, horror, or fannish topic—for example, top ten classic Star Trek episodes, or top ten Hugo-winning novels, or top ten movie monsters, spaceships, comic book superheroes; the choice was left to each club member as to specific focus.
We ended that segment of programming short of time to accommodate all of the lists on hand, and so we’ve scheduled time during this meeting to present those few lists on which the clock ran out last month! One has been posted below, a couple more will be presented, now, as part of our ZOOM chat.
Whenever we schedule this semi-regular feature, we ask each participant to present their list, either by sending it to us in advance of our virtual get-together to be included as part of the SF/F Top-Ten Lists post, or day-of, live via ZOOM. We ask our list-makers to include, perhaps, a few illustrative images which can be shared with the group as they impart their top-ten. And, we ask that they be prepared to field questions and/or, perhaps, defend their choices!
Those unable to join our video chat today may still submit in writing their own SF/F top-ten list via this post’s “Leave a Comment” option. Include a quick description or outline of each of your entries and explain why you’ve included each, and why your fellow genre fans might also enjoy the selections you’ve listed.
MY TOP TEN COOL-SOUNDING SCI-FI CHARACTER NAMES
By Leonard Lang
10) Captain Nemo—Jules Verne’s mysterious scientist/inventor is the first major SF character that I can remember who wasn’t white—he’s Indian royalty, son of raja. So, he was ahead of his time, in that respect. Nemo reserved a special hatred for Imperialism, and especially of the British Empire, which drove him to vengeance. Plus, he commanded a really boss, technologically advanced submarine, not exactly the kind of watercraft common in the late 19th century!
9) Bernard Quatermass—Nigel Kneale’s penultimate scientist/hero, head of the British Experimental Rocket Group and star of the influential BBC science fiction serials of the 1950s, and the subsequent Hammer films, among other adaptations, was unwavering as he faced sinister threats from outer space. Bernard Quatermass just sounds so like a scientist’s name, like science fiction personified!
8) Kal-El—I’ve always liked Superman’s Kryptonian name!
7) Logan 5—A Sandman turned runner in Logan’s Run. Any name that includes a number is definitely a cool-sounding sci-fi name!
6) Indiana Jones—Any name that includes a geographical component is absolutely a cool name! The whip and fedora don’t hurt, either!
5) Duncan Idaho—He of the Dune series; like Indiana Jones, a name that includes a geographical component is cool, and this one rolls off the tongue with a particular pirate-like swagger!
4) Spider Jerusalem—A comic-book version—the cyberpunk Transmetropolitan series—of gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, his name combines that aforementioned geographical component with the name of a bug; too cool!
3) Sabetha Belacorus—Simply the coolest name for a fantasy anti-heroine! A thief, she was the love interest of Locke Lamora, of the Gentleman Bastards, until she left Camorr on unknown business. There’s more, but we don’t have the time!
2) Darth Vader—there are a lot cool-sounding sci-fi names in Star Wars, enough to fill up a whole other top-ten list, but I’m going with Vader, here, because the moniker positively drips with menace, as any good villain’s name should!
1) Zaphod Beeblebrox—Just an unquestionably science fictioney, cool, wonderfully funny name conjured up by Douglas Adams for his Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series.