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« on: March 03, 2008, 07:19:43 PM »
I read a book recently where the whole book revolved around a mad scientist type of quantum physics gone wrong thing. It really irritated me, ruined the whole book, even though the plot (except for that little science bit) and dialogue and characters and most of the other writing was pretty good, but the science was so awful I felt like yelling at the characters that they were all idiots. I had to rant at my husband later about how stupid it was, which brings me to the point of this post:
So at what point does science become a stumbling block in a book/movie/TV show for you? I was thinking that there seems to be a spectrum. At one point are things that not everyone knows, but are definitely true. A lot of detective fiction uses those. Then there is the other end where the science is completely out there and may as well be magic. Once you accept the transporter beams and faster-than-light travel, everything else is easy. Where in the middle does it get irritating, and does it matter how much you know about a given topic? For example, does Jurassic Park really irritate biochemists or someone who knows how much work it would take to replicate a dinosaur while those of us who have no idea can pass it by?
Thoughts? Examples? Rants?