StaffyManasse
Member
I really can't make a list, but too have to mention Hyperion (Cantos) as the clear favourite.
What are your absolute top ten sci-fi/fantasy novels?
- Thread starter MrOogieBoogie
- Start date
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
Among the 3 First Law books and the 2 Stormlight, the most immersive is the first Stormlight book, The Way of Kings. It is a long ass book, but the chapters of the main character fly by.
In terms of characters, Stormlight has two great protagonists that I like a lot, but the rest are nothing too exceptional. The first law has a bunch of characters that are more or less fantasy archetypes turned on themselves, and one guy that is the best character between the two series.
This is hard because so many of the science fiction or fantasy novels I've liked have been parts of longer (not trilogies or tetralogies, for instance) series, and it's difficult to divorce them from that. I'm going to only list novels that for me worked on their own. There are multiple books from Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga or Hobbs' multiple series in the Realm of the Elderlings universe, for instance, that I liked every bit as much or sometimes more than the books I've listed, but I find it impossible to treat them as individual works, and the series too large to include as a single entries on the list.
Yeah, I know. It's more than ten. And frankly I could rearrange it wildly and still be more or less fine with the order that popped out.
Oh, and an honorable mention for Valente's Fairyland series. I think that the second book in the series is the best (though I haven't reread them yet to check), but it wouldn't feel right listing it by itself. I'd also say similar things for Mary Stewart's Arthurian novels, at least for the Merlin trilogy. And I haven't read A Song of Ice and Fire since mid-2011, but I recall A Storm of Swords being my favorite. It's also one that I could stick somewhere on that list if it didn't feel a bit off doing so.
- The Book of the New Sun & The Urth of the New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
- The Goblin Emperor, by Katherine Addison
- Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
- The Once and Future King, by T.H. White
- Paladin of Souls, by Lois McMaster Bujold
- City of Saints and Madmen, by Jeff VanderMeer
- Riddle-Master (Riddle-Master #1-3), by Patricia A. McKillip
- The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
- Shriek: An Afterword, by Jeff VanderMeer
- The Curse of Chalion, by Lois McMaster Bujold
- The Left Hand of Darkness, by Ursula K LeGuin
- The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien
- Hyperion, by Dan Simmons
- The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. Le Guin
- The Habitation of the Blessed, by Catherynne M. Valente
- The Golem and the Jinni, by Helene Wecker
- The Man Who Spoke Snakish, by Andrus Kivirähk
- The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell
Yeah, I know. It's more than ten. And frankly I could rearrange it wildly and still be more or less fine with the order that popped out.
Oh, and an honorable mention for Valente's Fairyland series. I think that the second book in the series is the best (though I haven't reread them yet to check), but it wouldn't feel right listing it by itself. I'd also say similar things for Mary Stewart's Arthurian novels, at least for the Merlin trilogy. And I haven't read A Song of Ice and Fire since mid-2011, but I recall A Storm of Swords being my favorite. It's also one that I could stick somewhere on that list if it didn't feel a bit off doing so.
ThoseDeafMutes
Member
I'm not nearly widely read enough to make a serious top 10 list, but a few of my favourites:
The Mote in God's Eye
In my opinion this is the finest SF novel I have read. The story follows an expedition sent to make first contact with an alien civilization. The science is not the focus, the people are, and it is ultimately about dealing with an alien psychology.
The Player of Games
This is a culture series novel. The protagonist is one of the Milky Way's foremost experts on games of all types. He is dispatched as an emissary of The Culture to a civilization whose social hierarchy is based around how they perform in an overly elaborate, ceremonial game played every few years.
The Forever War
The protagonist is among the first wave of soldiers conscripted for a period of a few short years - in subjective time. With each combat deployment, he jumps further and further into the future, leaving behind not just the people he loves, but the society he knows. A novel about the social alienation of a soldier coming home after several years taken to it's logical, science fiction extreme.
The Mote in God's Eye
In my opinion this is the finest SF novel I have read. The story follows an expedition sent to make first contact with an alien civilization. The science is not the focus, the people are, and it is ultimately about dealing with an alien psychology.
The Player of Games
This is a culture series novel. The protagonist is one of the Milky Way's foremost experts on games of all types. He is dispatched as an emissary of The Culture to a civilization whose social hierarchy is based around how they perform in an overly elaborate, ceremonial game played every few years.
The Forever War
The protagonist is among the first wave of soldiers conscripted for a period of a few short years - in subjective time. With each combat deployment, he jumps further and further into the future, leaving behind not just the people he loves, but the society he knows. A novel about the social alienation of a soldier coming home after several years taken to it's logical, science fiction extreme.
You KNOW it killed me to leave all three of those out. KILLED. And no Bujold from me. If we had a "ten best fantasy" Penric and Desdemona would be on it for me.
And you listed entire series, too! Of your list, I haven't read any entries from:
Great Sky River Series -- Gregory Benford
Mars Trilogy - Kim Stanley Robinson
The White Plague - Frank Herbert
Ringworld Series -- Larry Niven
Years of Rice and Salt -- Kim Stanley Robinson
Manifold Trilogy -- Stephen Baxter
Diaspora - Greg Egan
Kiln People -- David Brin
Queen of Angels - Greg Bear
Culture Series - Iain M Banks
Clearly someone has been derelict in their evangelistic responsibilities.
Honestly kind of surprised to reflect upon how few of the heavy hitter titles in these genres I've actually read. I've got a list of 8 and a bunch I've read that I can just take or leave.
American Gods is probably my favorite novel of all time. I very rarely reread books, but I've gone through that one several time.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is flawed, but I love the shit out of it. How regrettable that the series looses altitude with each passing installment.
Flowers for Algernon is probably the most devastating thing I have ever read. The third act just stabs through the heart and twists the blade.
Perdido Street Station is a really unique fantasy world. The follow-up (The Scar) is even better, for my money. Iron Council, less so.
Snow Crash was my first and most beloved exposure to the genre of cyberpunk. Got me borrowing all of my dad's Wililam Gibson books (He didn't have anything else by Neal Stephenson)
The City & The City is definitely a speculative fiction book, but might not really be fantasy or scifi. It pulls off a bizarre premise really well.
The Princess Bride is decidedly low fantasy, but is just ridiculously charming.
A Song of Ice and Fire is getting a lot of love here, so I may as well throw my hat into the ring with it.
American Gods is probably my favorite novel of all time. I very rarely reread books, but I've gone through that one several time.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is flawed, but I love the shit out of it. How regrettable that the series looses altitude with each passing installment.
Flowers for Algernon is probably the most devastating thing I have ever read. The third act just stabs through the heart and twists the blade.
Perdido Street Station is a really unique fantasy world. The follow-up (The Scar) is even better, for my money. Iron Council, less so.
Snow Crash was my first and most beloved exposure to the genre of cyberpunk. Got me borrowing all of my dad's Wililam Gibson books (He didn't have anything else by Neal Stephenson)
The City & The City is definitely a speculative fiction book, but might not really be fantasy or scifi. It pulls off a bizarre premise really well.
The Princess Bride is decidedly low fantasy, but is just ridiculously charming.
A Song of Ice and Fire is getting a lot of love here, so I may as well throw my hat into the ring with it.
Apologies for any missing obvious holes...but nearly a thousand books and stuff gets misplaced. Particularly when it comes to stories where emotional connections with specific characters are more meaningful at times than the raw literary merit. (Sure, Dune is probably ' better ' than some of these books...but I don't love it more)
1. Holy Fire, Bruce Sterling (Art vs. artifice, still feels ahead of our time 21 years later. It is the literary piece of an era, a must read.)
2. Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolf.
3. Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson (likely on its way to number two after next read through. That world building)
4. Kovacs Trilogy, Richard K. Morgan (Vibrant, slick, and brutal with a true revolutionary spirit.)
5. Air, Geoff Ryman (Are we sure this isn't happening right now? Anyone been to Kyrgyzstan recently.. )
6. Discworld, Terry Pratchett (Small Gods and Maskerade are my personal favorites)
7. Glasshouse, Charles Stross (His strongest character work, amusing when you consider everyone's background. Another story that is aging like scotch....)
8. Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, Fritz Leiber (Especially on a gaming forum people should appreciate someone that helped create a whole fucking motif. Somehow darker and more squirrely than most of its descendants.)
9. Bridge trilogy, William Gibson (Better character work than neuromancer, and the finale All Tomorrow's Parties is particularly gorgeous)
10. Talion: Revenant, Michael Stackpoole (I've read it like ten times. Comfort food for my soul, there's just something perfectly complete about the story. Tempo, the details of rituals and ceremonies, the balance between showing and telling. There's nothing literary about it...but it's fun, fun, fun.)
1. Holy Fire, Bruce Sterling (Art vs. artifice, still feels ahead of our time 21 years later. It is the literary piece of an era, a must read.)
2. Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolf.
3. Malazan Book of the Fallen, Steven Erikson (likely on its way to number two after next read through. That world building)
4. Kovacs Trilogy, Richard K. Morgan (Vibrant, slick, and brutal with a true revolutionary spirit.)
5. Air, Geoff Ryman (Are we sure this isn't happening right now? Anyone been to Kyrgyzstan recently.. )
6. Discworld, Terry Pratchett (Small Gods and Maskerade are my personal favorites)
7. Glasshouse, Charles Stross (His strongest character work, amusing when you consider everyone's background. Another story that is aging like scotch....)
8. Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, Fritz Leiber (Especially on a gaming forum people should appreciate someone that helped create a whole fucking motif. Somehow darker and more squirrely than most of its descendants.)
9. Bridge trilogy, William Gibson (Better character work than neuromancer, and the finale All Tomorrow's Parties is particularly gorgeous)
10. Talion: Revenant, Michael Stackpoole (I've read it like ten times. Comfort food for my soul, there's just something perfectly complete about the story. Tempo, the details of rituals and ceremonies, the balance between showing and telling. There's nothing literary about it...but it's fun, fun, fun.)
For you, Queen of Angels. It's the story of a poet in a society where everyone is required to receive therapy. He uses neurotechnology to go strange places in his brain, and terrible things happen. It features a police officer with orca skin, a device called a hellcrown used by puritan terrorists, and a healthy dose of syncretic voodoo/catholicism.
The White Plague is about a guy whose wife and daughter are killed by a terrorist bomb, so he decides that no one should have a wife or daughter and begins spreading a gene-tailored plague that only kills women. The world goes batshit.
Switch Back 9
a lot of my threads involve me fucking up somehow. Perhaps I'm a moron?
The City & the City might be my favourite Mieville book. I loved when the whole thing finally clicked for me.
Randy Monk
Member
Dune
Hyperion
Altered Carbon
Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy
Cats Cradle
Do Androids dream of electric sheep?
Hyperion
Altered Carbon
Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy
Cats Cradle
Do Androids dream of electric sheep?
1. Farseer / Tawny Man / Fitz and the Fool trilogies - Robin Hobb
2. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
3. A Song of Ice and Fire - George RR Martin
4. Discworld novels (favorite stuff are Rincewind & Death novels) - Terry Pratchett
5. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
6. American Gods / Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman
7. Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
8. Earthsea - Ursula K. Le Guin
9. Harry Potter - JK Rowling
10. Dragonlance Legends - Margaret Weiss & Tracy Hickmann
Trying to limit myself with one saga per writer. Cheating a bit with Good Omens but it's so good and included both Anansi Boys & American Gods from Gaiman. I have so much still to read. Need to expand far beyond Martin, Hobb, Tolkien, Pratchett, Gaiman and the rest. I know there's better stuff than Harry Potter & Dragonlance out there.
Haven't read too much scifi. All I can list is Hyperion and Supernaturalist. :S
2. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
3. A Song of Ice and Fire - George RR Martin
4. Discworld novels (favorite stuff are Rincewind & Death novels) - Terry Pratchett
5. Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
6. American Gods / Anansi Boys - Neil Gaiman
7. Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
8. Earthsea - Ursula K. Le Guin
9. Harry Potter - JK Rowling
10. Dragonlance Legends - Margaret Weiss & Tracy Hickmann
Trying to limit myself with one saga per writer. Cheating a bit with Good Omens but it's so good and included both Anansi Boys & American Gods from Gaiman. I have so much still to read. Need to expand far beyond Martin, Hobb, Tolkien, Pratchett, Gaiman and the rest. I know there's better stuff than Harry Potter & Dragonlance out there.
Haven't read too much scifi. All I can list is Hyperion and Supernaturalist. :S
Vulcano's assistant
Banned
The Mote in God's Eye
In my opinion this is the finest SF novel I have read. The story follows an expedition sent to make first contact with an alien civilization. The science is not the focus, the people are, and it is ultimately about dealing with an alien psychology.
Have heard about since forever, but never actually even read a synopsis of it. Your two other choices are among my very favorites, so I think it is about time I check The Mote in God's Eye.
I'll happily second it. A fantastic novel with some of the most detailed and realistic alien culture you're likely to find. Also, to this day I still make references to my gripping hand (you'll understand that later). The only reason I didn't include it on mine was I included Ringworld instead, which ties into Niven's KnownSpace, which is probably my favorite imagined future beyond The Culture.
MotionBlue
Member
Underrated gem.
NipplesAndToes23
Member
The Amber Spyglass, Who Fears Death?, Six of Crows, 100,000 Kingdoms. Some other one I can't remember I think Slayven mentioned it. It has some black girl learning magic.
Hell yes. Dawn and Wild Seed are pretty much tied as my favorites by her. Mind of My Mind is good too, but it was written earlier in her career and it shows. I like Fledgling and Parable of the Sower a lot too. Everything else by her is good, except for Patternmaster. That was one of her first books and it's the only one I straight up don't like.
Yeah, it's easily my favorite Mieville work too. I readily admit that it's not for everyone, but I thought it was amazing and fantastic. My only minor gripe would be that
Breach is initially hinted as having some sort of supernatural element to it, but then it turns out that everyone just thinks they're from the opposite city that they are.
Angelus Errare
Banned
The Culture series by Iain Banks
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Ringworld Series by Larry Niven
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone
The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
American Gods - Neil Gaiman
Ringworld Series by Larry Niven
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone
The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey
PhoncipleBone
Banned
I see much love for Dune in here. All is well then.
not psycho
Member
I've been wanting to read more sci-fi/fantasy and earlier today picked up The Gods Themselves, The Lies of Locke Lamora, and Roadside Picnic. This thread should be a help!
For my current favorites:
1. Foundation series and Elijah Baley series - Isaac Asimov
2. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser - Fritz Leiber (never leave home without it)
3. Lord of Light and The Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently - Douglas Adams
5. The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, LOTR - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
6. Discworld (The Amazing Maurice, Nightwatch,...) - Terry Pratchett
7. The Book of the New Sun - Gene Wolfe
8. Rendezvous with Rama, Childhood's End, ... - Arthur C. Clarke
9. Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead,... - Orson Scott Card
10. The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
The Goblin Emperor and Hyperion Cantos are going to the top of my want list now.
For my current favorites:
1. Foundation series and Elijah Baley series - Isaac Asimov
2. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser - Fritz Leiber (never leave home without it)
3. Lord of Light and The Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Dirk Gently - Douglas Adams
5. The Silmarillion, The Hobbit, LOTR - John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
6. Discworld (The Amazing Maurice, Nightwatch,...) - Terry Pratchett
7. The Book of the New Sun - Gene Wolfe
8. Rendezvous with Rama, Childhood's End, ... - Arthur C. Clarke
9. Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead,... - Orson Scott Card
10. The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
The Goblin Emperor and Hyperion Cantos are going to the top of my want list now.
I even hyped non-Dune Frank Herbert. It's a shame so few people have read his other stuff. His BuSab books are great.
Monocle
Member
I am not well read in the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Please excuse any glaring omissions. Also, I may have my genres mixed up.
1. The Culture series by Iain M. Banks (The first three are a brilliant intro to the series. Read in release order. Skip Inversions because there's like one brief scene of cool Culture stuff and the rest is vanilla medieval fantasy.)
2. The Book of the New Sun (four volumes) + The Urth of the New Sun by Gene Wolf (The essential sequel that will blow your mind with how it ties all of the insane time traveling stuff together.)
3. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
5. A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
6. Redwall series by Brian Jacques
7. The Last Question by Isaac Asimov (A short story.)
8. The New Jedi Order: Traitor by Matthew Stover
9. At The Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft (A shortish story. A novella?)
10. Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund
I am partway through the audiobook of Dune and it is brilliant. So that will have to steal a place on my list eventually.
I am reading American Gods right now because I want to experience the source material before the show. 43% in and it's very good.
The Sandman (by Neil Gaiman) and Lucifer (by Mike Carey) graphic novel series would be close to the top of my list if they counted.
1. The Culture series by Iain M. Banks (The first three are a brilliant intro to the series. Read in release order. Skip Inversions because there's like one brief scene of cool Culture stuff and the rest is vanilla medieval fantasy.)
2. The Book of the New Sun (four volumes) + The Urth of the New Sun by Gene Wolf (The essential sequel that will blow your mind with how it ties all of the insane time traveling stuff together.)
3. The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
5. A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin
6. Redwall series by Brian Jacques
7. The Last Question by Isaac Asimov (A short story.)
8. The New Jedi Order: Traitor by Matthew Stover
9. At The Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft (A shortish story. A novella?)
10. Halo: The Fall of Reach by Eric Nylund
I am partway through the audiobook of Dune and it is brilliant. So that will have to steal a place on my list eventually.
I am reading American Gods right now because I want to experience the source material before the show. 43% in and it's very good.
The Sandman (by Neil Gaiman) and Lucifer (by Mike Carey) graphic novel series would be close to the top of my list if they counted.
What makes that NJO book stand out? I'm wary about touching any of the EU, but I'm also a sucker for things that are Star Wars and also good.
Hambulance
Member
In no particular order (Cos i can never decide this kinda shit)
David Gemmell - every godamn book
Malazan Book of the Fallen - Steven Erikson
Blindsight - Peter Watts
Magician - Raymond E. Feist
Harry Potter - JK Rowling
Blood Song - Anthony Ryan
Farseer/Tawny Man - Robin Hobb (havn't hit fitz & the fool yet)
The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch
[Insert something here]
[Insert something here]
David Gemmell - every godamn book
Malazan Book of the Fallen - Steven Erikson
Blindsight - Peter Watts
Magician - Raymond E. Feist
Harry Potter - JK Rowling
Blood Song - Anthony Ryan
Farseer/Tawny Man - Robin Hobb (havn't hit fitz & the fool yet)
The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch
[Insert something here]
[Insert something here]
I only have 9 books that are surefire classics I can pick up and read again and again. I guess I don't read enough sci-fi/fantasy. Or there were more (like the Dunes and the Foundations) before and my tastes have shifted over the years. In no particular order, with quotes that reflect the story:
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Other Wind
The Farthest Shore
The Dispossessed
The Silmarillion
Ubik
The Cyberiad
The Road
Neverwhere
The Left Hand of Darkness
The Other Wind
The Farthest Shore
The Dispossessed
The Silmarillion
Ubik
The Cyberiad
The Road
Neverwhere
Monocle
Member
- Starts out very dark, stays pretty dark.
- Tells a really engaging standalone story that doesn't require you to know anything about the characters going in.
- Features a fascinating enigma in the character of Vergere. A sort of Kreia/Obi-Wan hybrid who doesn't shy away from dispensing harsh lessons.
- Presents a compelling alternative view of the Force as more than a light/dark binary (which was subsequently written out of canon, to my strong disapproval).
It's a great story that keep pulling me back for another reading. It feels like a glimpse at what Star Wars could be if it were a let off the leash and allowed to get ambitious and raw. I'm not hugely into the Star Wars EU. I really liked Shatterpoint. I think highly of James Luceno's stuff. I'm enjoying the first book in the Thrawn trilogy so far. But no other Star Wars novel has grabbed me like Traitor.
There's a lot of love for the usual suspects like Asimov, Herbert, and Tolkien, but I have to echo Zelazny's Lord of Light wherever and whenever possible.
Starship Troopers is phenomenal. The movie is loosely and I mean loosely based on the novel so definitely pick it up and if you liked the movie you will really really enjoy the novel!
I also think two Halo books stand out as being pretty good. Both by Eric Nylund I believe; Fall of Reach which may be nostalgia on having a Halo book at the time and Ghosts of Onyx.
This thread reminded me to read Forever War. Gonna get it now!
I also think two Halo books stand out as being pretty good. Both by Eric Nylund I believe; Fall of Reach which may be nostalgia on having a Halo book at the time and Ghosts of Onyx.
This thread reminded me to read Forever War. Gonna get it now!
1. Ender's Game- Orson S. Card
2. The Robot series (I Robot universe)- Isaac Asimov
3. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three - Stephen King
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
5. ASOIF III: A Storm of Swords - JRR Martin
6. The Prestige- Christopher Priest
7. Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury
8. Speaker for the Death- Orson S. Card
9. The Foundation series - Isaac Asimov
10. The War of the Worlds- HG Wells
2. The Robot series (I Robot universe)- Isaac Asimov
3. The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three - Stephen King
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
5. ASOIF III: A Storm of Swords - JRR Martin
6. The Prestige- Christopher Priest
7. Fahrenheit 451- Ray Bradbury
8. Speaker for the Death- Orson S. Card
9. The Foundation series - Isaac Asimov
10. The War of the Worlds- HG Wells
This is an amazing list I'd recomment to anyone who likes scifi at all.
My own would probably be a bit different. Some of mine might not be ultra literary classics but I just love rereading them.
1. Culture Series / Banks
2. Dune / Herbert
3. Hyperion / Simmons
4. Perdido Street Station, Scar / Mieville
5. Cyberiad / Lem
6. Altered Carbon / Morgan
7. Great Sky River
8. Various stuff by Clark Ashton Smith
9. Tigana / Kay
10. Covenant Chronicles / Donaldson
Bubbling under I have anything Cthulhu related because that's mah thing. Other stuff, huh... Margaret Atwood (Handmaid's Tale, Blind Assassin, Oryx and Crake) but since she doesn't like to be called scifi, I won't put her on the list. The ultimate guilty pleasure I have to mention is Empire series by Raymond E. Feist and Janny Wurts. It may not be high literature but it's insanely rereadable for some mysterious reason.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Is Cryptonomicon science fiction?
Any Questions
Member
Most of these are on my list as well. I urge you to try reading the Agent Cormac series by Neal Asher. I think you would enjoy.
1. The Book of the New Sun - Gene Wolfe
2. The Fifth Head of Cerberus - Gene Wolfe
3. Neuromancer - William Gibson
4. Tales Of The Dying Earth - Jack Vance
5. The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin
6. The Forever War - Joe Haldeman
7. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
8. Ship of Fools - Richard Paul Russo
9. Viriconium - M. John Harrison
10. The Stress of Her Regard - Tim Powers
There's nothing better than getting completely absorbed in a fantasy/sci-fi book. Just looking at this list makes me want to go back and re-read all of them haha
The Sparrow was very good. That one was a surprise for me as I picked it up on a whim and wasn't expecting to read much into it. Ended up getting hooked from like page 1.
Lots of other good books on your list as well. I loved The Curse Of The Chalion but still haven't gotten around to reading Paladin Of Souls unfortunately
2. The Fifth Head of Cerberus - Gene Wolfe
3. Neuromancer - William Gibson
4. Tales Of The Dying Earth - Jack Vance
5. The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin
6. The Forever War - Joe Haldeman
7. Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
8. Ship of Fools - Richard Paul Russo
9. Viriconium - M. John Harrison
10. The Stress of Her Regard - Tim Powers
There's nothing better than getting completely absorbed in a fantasy/sci-fi book. Just looking at this list makes me want to go back and re-read all of them haha
The Sparrow was very good. That one was a surprise for me as I picked it up on a whim and wasn't expecting to read much into it. Ended up getting hooked from like page 1.
Lots of other good books on your list as well. I loved The Curse Of The Chalion but still haven't gotten around to reading Paladin Of Souls unfortunately
Praetorpwj
Member
The Diamond Age - Neal Stephenson
Mars Trilogy - Kim Stanley Robison
Foundation Series - Asimov
Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (First Only!) - Stephen R Donaldson
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
Dune Series - Frank Herbert
The Gap Series - Stephen R Donaldson
Culture Series - Iain Banks
Hitchhikers Guide - Douglas Adams
Warlord Trilogy - Bernard Cornwell
Mars Trilogy - Kim Stanley Robison
Foundation Series - Asimov
Chronicles of Thomas Covenant (First Only!) - Stephen R Donaldson
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
Dune Series - Frank Herbert
The Gap Series - Stephen R Donaldson
Culture Series - Iain Banks
Hitchhikers Guide - Douglas Adams
Warlord Trilogy - Bernard Cornwell
StaffyManasse
Member
Btw, there is a club for all you scifi lovers of GAF
1. The Dark Tower series - Stephen King
(The Gunslinger and Wizard & Glass dragged on a bit, but the rest is top shelf stuff)
2. Hyperion Cantos - Dan Simmons
( Hyperion isolated is perhaps the most impressive sci-fi book I've ever read)
3. Dune - Frank Herbert
( Classic with a capital 'C' )
4. Perdido Street Station - China Mieville
( Where the «new weird» really gets weird)
5. Good Omens - Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
( Funniest thing since Monty Python)
6. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
( The Marquis de Carabas is worth the entry fee alone....)
7. The Manifold Trilogy - Stephen Baxter
( Mind blown...)
8. Otherworld quartet - Tad Williams
( So much better than his fantasy novels)
9. The Night's Dawn Trilogy - Peter F. Hamilton
( Mind blown....again)
10. Song of Ice and Fire - George R.R. Martin
( The first three novels are great, then of course, there's a decline )
(The Gunslinger and Wizard & Glass dragged on a bit, but the rest is top shelf stuff)
2. Hyperion Cantos - Dan Simmons
( Hyperion isolated is perhaps the most impressive sci-fi book I've ever read)
3. Dune - Frank Herbert
( Classic with a capital 'C' )
4. Perdido Street Station - China Mieville
( Where the «new weird» really gets weird)
5. Good Omens - Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
( Funniest thing since Monty Python)
6. Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
( The Marquis de Carabas is worth the entry fee alone....)
7. The Manifold Trilogy - Stephen Baxter
( Mind blown...)
8. Otherworld quartet - Tad Williams
( So much better than his fantasy novels)
9. The Night's Dawn Trilogy - Peter F. Hamilton
( Mind blown....again)
10. Song of Ice and Fire - George R.R. Martin
( The first three novels are great, then of course, there's a decline )
I have so many and yet I haven't read enough.
Here are 12 I loved in no particular order:
Dune (all 6 books)
The Cadwal Chronicles (trilogy)
Stranger In A Strange Land
The Hobbit
The Stars, My Destination
A Fire Upon the Deep
Snow Crash
Neuromancer
Harry Potter (as a series)
The Road
Hitchhikers Guide (series)
I Am Legend
I cheated.
Here are 12 I loved in no particular order:
Dune (all 6 books)
The Cadwal Chronicles (trilogy)
Stranger In A Strange Land
The Hobbit
The Stars, My Destination
A Fire Upon the Deep
Snow Crash
Neuromancer
Harry Potter (as a series)
The Road
Hitchhikers Guide (series)
I Am Legend
I cheated.
In no particular order, and might edit this later on:
Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
George RR Martin's A Song of Fire And Ice series
Frank Herber's Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Also love the others but I do think these three are the best.
Alastair Reynold's Revelation Space series (particularly Chasm City but they're all great and he is probably my favorite 'hard scifi writer')
Peter F Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy.
Ian M Bank's Culture series
King's The Dark Tower
King's IT
King's The Stand
Dan Simmon's Hyperion Cantos + Endymion Cantos
Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon (not really 'sci fi' I guess).
Douglas Adam's Hitchhikers Guide To The Universe
Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun (it was tough to get through tho..)
Tolkien's Lord of the Rings
George RR Martin's A Song of Fire And Ice series
Frank Herber's Dune, Dune Messiah and Children of Dune. Also love the others but I do think these three are the best.
Alastair Reynold's Revelation Space series (particularly Chasm City but they're all great and he is probably my favorite 'hard scifi writer')
Peter F Hamilton's Night's Dawn trilogy.
Ian M Bank's Culture series
King's The Dark Tower
King's IT
King's The Stand
Dan Simmon's Hyperion Cantos + Endymion Cantos
Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash and Cryptonomicon (not really 'sci fi' I guess).
Douglas Adam's Hitchhikers Guide To The Universe
Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun (it was tough to get through tho..)
If you want more hard-scifi stuff with some biological / gothic horror undertones; I would sugges Alastair Reynold's Revelation Space books
If you want more 'epic ideas that are more borderline fantasy and don't make sense but are entertaining as hell' I would suggest Peter F Hamilton's Night's Dawn Trilogy.
Ian M Bank's Culture series is also terrific but they are more stand-alone stories and your mileage might vary a bit.
My favourite Mieville book is definitely Embassytown - I was about three-quarters of the way through when I realised it was
a sci-fi version of the biblical Fall of Man from the serpent's point of view.