Whatā€™s a piece of SF that you just couldnā€™t get into, even though you feel like you should?

I tried to watch Babylon 5, for instance, and just couldnā€™t connect to it. I know itā€™s popular and people love it, but it never hooked me.

Another is The Three Body Problem. I tried reading it after a friendā€™s glowing recommendation, but I couldnā€™t get past the first chapter. I even tried reading it in another language in case it was the translation I couldnā€™t connect with, but the same thing happened.

Both are things I feel like I should like, but just donā€™t.

  • Madison_rogue@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    The Expanse. I just canā€™t engage with the series. I understand itā€™s great, but I just canā€™t seem to gain any emotional attachment to the characters.

    • TeaHands@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Came here to say this and Iā€™m so relieved thereā€™s someone else!

      I read the first couple of books long before the series was a thing, they were ok but didnā€™t grab me enough to keep going. And then a few episodes into the TV version I gave up on that too. Thereā€™s nothing in particular I could point to thatā€™s ā€œbadā€ exactly, itā€™s just not for me.

      The way people talk about it makes me think of revisiting it sometime but honestly, lifeā€™s too short to keep trying when something doesnā€™t appeal.

      • smallaubergine@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        For me the Expanse really started to shine towards the end of season 1. Then when they hit seasons 2 and 3 I fell in love. But I totally get not being able to get into it, especially because the first season takes a long time to get rolling

    • djc0@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      This was my first thought. The TV adaptation at least. Iā€™ve watch the first few episodes a few times and never feel the draw to keep going. Just kind of forget I started.

    • theinspectorst@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      I agree with this one too. I watched the first episode years ago and simply never carried on to the second. Then a year or so later people told me it was amazing so I persevered to the end of the first season, then drifted off again. Then I later picked it up again, then dropped it, then picked it up again - and think Iā€™m now early in the third season, but again havenā€™t actually watched an episode in about a year.

      I keep trying because people who have similar taste to me tell me I will like it, but I just keep finding it a bit lukewarm - Iā€™ll finish watching an episode once Iā€™ve started, but I almost always have to force myself to carry on to the next episode. It seems to have all the components of a good sci-fi political thriller / space opera, but those components feel like theyā€™re assembled so coldly that some magic is missing.

      I havenā€™t tried the books so maybe they succeed where the show hasnā€™t yet for me.