What do you think?
Rate this book
Damn You, Entropy!: 1,001 of the Greatest Science Fiction Quotes
Science fiction has hosted some of the greatest minds and most innovative thinkers in human history. From H.G. Wells to Octavia Butler, Star Trek to Star Wars, in books, on television, and at the movies, science fiction has shaped our future, pushed the limits of human imagination, and guided us within ourselves to examine universal truths of life. In this smartly curated book, author Guy P. Harrison collects 1,001 of the most influential and transformative quotations spanning four centuries of sci-fi, such
“Better to make a good future than predict a bad one.”―Isaac Asimov, Prelude to Foundation, 1988 novel
“Hope clouds observation.”―Frank Herbert, Dune, 1965 novel
“No amount of money ever bought a second of time.”― Avengers, Endgame, 2019 film, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Whether you are a Dr. Who superfan, a diehard sci-fi reader, or an outer space film buff—or are simply curious about the cosmos—Damn You, Entropy! is an essential addition to every science fiction fan’s library.
“Better to make a good future than predict a bad one.”―Isaac Asimov, Prelude to Foundation, 1988 novel
“Hope clouds observation.”―Frank Herbert, Dune, 1965 novel
“No amount of money ever bought a second of time.”― Avengers, Endgame, 2019 film, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Whether you are a Dr. Who superfan, a diehard sci-fi reader, or an outer space film buff—or are simply curious about the cosmos—Damn You, Entropy! is an essential addition to every science fiction fan’s library.
177 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 4, 2024
About the author
Guy P. Harrison
9 books104 followersI have a deep passion for science, history, anthropology, and nature. My mission is to inform and inspire as many people as I can about the workings and content of our world and universe. Reality is infinitely beautiful and endlessly fascinating. It's tragic that some people never quite glimpse the wonder of it all. Please don't be one of those people. I want you to be fully alive and awake as a human being.
Science is a body of knowledge and a practical tool available for everyone everywhere. Professional historians, anthropologists, and archaeologists tell the human story--your story. Listen to them. You live in exciting times because so much remains to be discovered and understood. In a sense, your home is an alien world filled with mystery and surprises. Learn, explore, dream. The more we know, the more we can imagine. The more we can imagine, the more we can do.
I am a positive and constructive skeptic. Think of me as a human who warns humans about being human. I use my imperfect brain to talk and write about the human brain's imperfections. I try to overcome my irrational beliefs and subconscious miscues so that I may better teach others about the problems of irrational belief and subconscious miscues.
I believe that our world could be much better - and a lot less crazy - if more people simply understood how science works and appreciated the protective value of scientific thinking in everyday life.
I've held numerous positions in the news industry, including editorial writer, world news editor, sports editor, photographer, page designer, and columnist. I've traveled extensively, having visited 30 countries on six continents. I have also had some very rewarding jobs teaching history and science to bright kids. My degree is in history and anthropology (University of South Florida). I've won some nice international awards for my writing and photography, including the WHO (World Health Organization) Award for Health Reporting and the Commonwealth Media Award for Excellence in Journalism.
What I am most proud of in relation to my work is that my writing has touched and helped many people. I consistently receive messages from around the world and it's always rewarding to learn that my words have inspired one more person to think in new and better ways.
When I'm not staring at a blank computer screen hoping my subconscious will deliver the next word, I'm likely running, hiking, reading, or teaching critical life lessons to my children via repeated viewings of Star Trek. When normal people are consumed with thoughts of politics, economics, or the Kardashians, there's a good chance I'll be daydreaming about time travel, the Singularity, ancient Greece, microbial life, the possibility of extraterrestrial life, World War II, robots, interstellar space travel, viruses, Homo erectus, the Apollo Moon landings . . .
Science is a body of knowledge and a practical tool available for everyone everywhere. Professional historians, anthropologists, and archaeologists tell the human story--your story. Listen to them. You live in exciting times because so much remains to be discovered and understood. In a sense, your home is an alien world filled with mystery and surprises. Learn, explore, dream. The more we know, the more we can imagine. The more we can imagine, the more we can do.
I am a positive and constructive skeptic. Think of me as a human who warns humans about being human. I use my imperfect brain to talk and write about the human brain's imperfections. I try to overcome my irrational beliefs and subconscious miscues so that I may better teach others about the problems of irrational belief and subconscious miscues.
I believe that our world could be much better - and a lot less crazy - if more people simply understood how science works and appreciated the protective value of scientific thinking in everyday life.
I've held numerous positions in the news industry, including editorial writer, world news editor, sports editor, photographer, page designer, and columnist. I've traveled extensively, having visited 30 countries on six continents. I have also had some very rewarding jobs teaching history and science to bright kids. My degree is in history and anthropology (University of South Florida). I've won some nice international awards for my writing and photography, including the WHO (World Health Organization) Award for Health Reporting and the Commonwealth Media Award for Excellence in Journalism.
What I am most proud of in relation to my work is that my writing has touched and helped many people. I consistently receive messages from around the world and it's always rewarding to learn that my words have inspired one more person to think in new and better ways.
When I'm not staring at a blank computer screen hoping my subconscious will deliver the next word, I'm likely running, hiking, reading, or teaching critical life lessons to my children via repeated viewings of Star Trek. When normal people are consumed with thoughts of politics, economics, or the Kardashians, there's a good chance I'll be daydreaming about time travel, the Singularity, ancient Greece, microbial life, the possibility of extraterrestrial life, World War II, robots, interstellar space travel, viruses, Homo erectus, the Apollo Moon landings . . .
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 6, 2024
A collection of quotes from scifi books, short stories, movies, Tv series, and graphic novels from classics to more recent releases. It’s wide ranging and divided by categories including death, artificial intelligence, gods, love, fear and so much more. A great book for dipping in and out of. And I love the title!
May 1, 2024
My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Globe Pequot Prometheus for an advance copy of this book of quotations featuring numerous words of wisdom from works of science fiction from classics to modern masters.
I don't know when I started, but I have been using file cards as bookmarks for many, many years now. Even on e-readers I keep a file card tucked away along with a pen, to write down things I come across in whatever I am reading. Usually words I don't know, foreign phrases, food stuffs, historical facts or just facts in general. And of course quotes. Lines from the author, epigraphs from others, lines of poetry. I believe the editor of this book Guy P Harrison must have done the same thing, as Harrison's collection Damn You, Entropy!: 1,001 of the Greatest Science Fiction Quotes is one of the most wide ranging and complete collections of science fiction quotes I have ever read.
The book like most quote books is broken into themes, more than fifty, dealing with Art, Free Will, Science, Artifical Intelligence, and my two favorites Doomsday and Stupidity. The quotes range from classic works like Karel Čapek's RUR, who wrote, Nobody can hate Man more than Man. There are lines from movies, Star Wars Terminator and other films. Even modern masters like Ken Liu and of course Andy Weir, where the title of this book came from are included. The introduction by Harrison is always well done, a reminder to readers about the power of science fiction, stories in general, and the hope that science fiction gives readers.
People will always have opinions about books like these. Why don't you have insert name here? I can't believe you omitted insert name here? I thought this was a a very good collection, with lots of works I remembered fondly, and a few I wrote down on my handy file card to look up later. Most of these lines put smiles on my face, as I remembered either hearing of seeing them for the first time year ago. That's the power that many of these words have.
A great gift for someone who loves the genre, likes quotes in general, or needs just a little boost to help with their writing. A really good collection that I can't wait to get a physical copy of so I can read it again.
I don't know when I started, but I have been using file cards as bookmarks for many, many years now. Even on e-readers I keep a file card tucked away along with a pen, to write down things I come across in whatever I am reading. Usually words I don't know, foreign phrases, food stuffs, historical facts or just facts in general. And of course quotes. Lines from the author, epigraphs from others, lines of poetry. I believe the editor of this book Guy P Harrison must have done the same thing, as Harrison's collection Damn You, Entropy!: 1,001 of the Greatest Science Fiction Quotes is one of the most wide ranging and complete collections of science fiction quotes I have ever read.
The book like most quote books is broken into themes, more than fifty, dealing with Art, Free Will, Science, Artifical Intelligence, and my two favorites Doomsday and Stupidity. The quotes range from classic works like Karel Čapek's RUR, who wrote, Nobody can hate Man more than Man. There are lines from movies, Star Wars Terminator and other films. Even modern masters like Ken Liu and of course Andy Weir, where the title of this book came from are included. The introduction by Harrison is always well done, a reminder to readers about the power of science fiction, stories in general, and the hope that science fiction gives readers.
People will always have opinions about books like these. Why don't you have insert name here? I can't believe you omitted insert name here? I thought this was a a very good collection, with lots of works I remembered fondly, and a few I wrote down on my handy file card to look up later. Most of these lines put smiles on my face, as I remembered either hearing of seeing them for the first time year ago. That's the power that many of these words have.
A great gift for someone who loves the genre, likes quotes in general, or needs just a little boost to help with their writing. A really good collection that I can't wait to get a physical copy of so I can read it again.
July 28, 2024
Damn You, Entropy! is a treasure trove of science fiction quotes that spans the vast expanse of time and imagination. With over 1,001 thought-provoking snippets, it’s like stargazing through a literary telescope. But, alas, there’s a black hole in this constellation: the absence of commentary to make this any more than a curio.
Let’s start with the good points. This book is eminently quoteable. There are some great, insightful, and well-curated quotes within this book. From Asimov’s cerebral musings to the warp-speed wit of Douglas Adams, this anthology covers it all. Whether you seek warp drives or existential ponderings, you’ll find your orbit here.
The book is also well-structured. Not only is it organised by topic, but we also get a sense of chronology. We can chart the evolution is sci[fi, from early authors like Jules Verne and his Victorian visions, through to people like N.K. Jemisin and her Afrofuturism. It’s like flipping through the pages of a cosmic history book.
Ultimately, it’s just interesting, and some quotes really hit home like meteor showers; brief but brilliant. They ignite curiosity, spark debate, and remind us that imagination is our most potent means of travel.
That said, the book is ultimately a little flat for me. The void between quotes is vast. Where are the footnotes? The context? The author’s commentary? Without these, we’re lost in space, floating without coordinates. This is the real failing of this book for me. I want to enter into a debate. I want to explore the timeline of how sci-fi has developed. I want a line drawn between authors who have inspired authors who have inspired authors.
Damn You, Entropy! is a cosmic kaleidoscope, but it yearns for a celestial guide. If you seek raw inspiration, dive in, and the book is good for what it is. But bring your own star map, because sometimes, even entropy needs a nudge.
This makes the book tricky to rate. I want to say 2 out of 5, but am I rating this against a metric that the author never attempted to meet? Is this fair? It certainly succeeds at what it intends to do. That should count for something.
Let’s start with the good points. This book is eminently quoteable. There are some great, insightful, and well-curated quotes within this book. From Asimov’s cerebral musings to the warp-speed wit of Douglas Adams, this anthology covers it all. Whether you seek warp drives or existential ponderings, you’ll find your orbit here.
The book is also well-structured. Not only is it organised by topic, but we also get a sense of chronology. We can chart the evolution is sci[fi, from early authors like Jules Verne and his Victorian visions, through to people like N.K. Jemisin and her Afrofuturism. It’s like flipping through the pages of a cosmic history book.
Ultimately, it’s just interesting, and some quotes really hit home like meteor showers; brief but brilliant. They ignite curiosity, spark debate, and remind us that imagination is our most potent means of travel.
That said, the book is ultimately a little flat for me. The void between quotes is vast. Where are the footnotes? The context? The author’s commentary? Without these, we’re lost in space, floating without coordinates. This is the real failing of this book for me. I want to enter into a debate. I want to explore the timeline of how sci-fi has developed. I want a line drawn between authors who have inspired authors who have inspired authors.
Damn You, Entropy! is a cosmic kaleidoscope, but it yearns for a celestial guide. If you seek raw inspiration, dive in, and the book is good for what it is. But bring your own star map, because sometimes, even entropy needs a nudge.
This makes the book tricky to rate. I want to say 2 out of 5, but am I rating this against a metric that the author never attempted to meet? Is this fair? It certainly succeeds at what it intends to do. That should count for something.
July 20, 2024
Guy P. Harrison has compiled a cosmic compendium of science fiction quotes that spans the infinite realms of the space-time framework of the genre! This wonderful, thoughtful and extensive collection of memorable quotes brings together the vision and wisdom of the classic pioneers of science fiction -- H. G. Wells, Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, and many others -- and juxtaposes them with those who have followed in their footsteps, forming a concise, integrated fabric of commentary on the human condition as it may come to be as humanity accelerates relentlessly into the future. I really liked the way the book is organized into thematic sections that reflect the major niches of focus of humankind throughout the ages ( e.g., life, death, fear, free will, happiness, consciousness, emotions, ethics & morality, gods, religions, & belief) plus the more modern and presently relevant concerns (e.g., artificial intelligence, democracy, technology, robots, war & violence, the future, etc.). I highly recommend this work as a go-to reference any time you need to do a reality check on the true scope of the role and influence of science fiction in the present and future of human affairs!
May 7, 2024
I enjoyed this book. I thought that the quotes selected were very meaningful. I started out selecting my favourite quotes, but the list became too long, so I started selecting my favourite chapters. And again the list became too long. Ultimately, I selected “Science” as my favourite chapter, with honourable mention to “Ethics and Morality”. But really, all the chapters were great. The book also gave me leads on what other genre books I might like to read. Overall, this is a great book for fans of the genre. Thank you to Netgalley and Prometheus for the advance reader copy.
May 29, 2024
Thanks to Prometheus and NetGalley for providing a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a fun little read. Very coffee table type of book, or if you want a good quote to use, this would be a handy reference. I found myself looking for some of my favorite quotes--most were in there, one or two were not. I also thought it was very well organized so it would be easy to leaf through to find a quote to look back on.
This was a fun little read. Very coffee table type of book, or if you want a good quote to use, this would be a handy reference. I found myself looking for some of my favorite quotes--most were in there, one or two were not. I also thought it was very well organized so it would be easy to leaf through to find a quote to look back on.
June 18, 2024
I dipped into this collection of quotes over and over. There were some favourites of mine and some new-to-me authors/novels/films/series that I added to my TBR.
Unfortunately, I had the feeling that quotes from male authors dominated the collection. i was hoping for more diversity.
All in all a book that would make a great gift for sci-fi fans.
Unfortunately, I had the feeling that quotes from male authors dominated the collection. i was hoping for more diversity.
All in all a book that would make a great gift for sci-fi fans.
August 14, 2024
Continuing my 2024 challenge to read 2+ books per Dewey and hence reading something I normally wouldn't pick up. This was nice surprise. I commend the author for his diligence and passion for collecting and organizing these quotes. Good fun.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews