The reader has certain rights. He bought your story. Think of this as an implicit contract. He's entitled to be entertained, instructed, amused; maybe all three. If he quits in the middle, or puts the book down feeling his time has been wasted, you're in violation.

And every friend I've got has been writing Mars stories. It was pretty clear I'd never catch up.

Bruce Sterling is one terrific writer and he's relatively new, but I don't know how long he's been doing it; he probably doesn't need the publicity anymore!

I'm not predicting; I just love playing with superconductors.

The value of a thing is what that thing will bring. -Legal Maxim

A civilization has the ethics it can afford

How much intelligence does it take to sneak up on a leaf?