Significant SF meme

[davidschroth]

This is a list of the 50 most significant science fiction/fantasy novels, 1953-2002, according to the Science Fiction Book Club. Bold the ones you've read, strike-out the ones you hated, italicize those you started but never finished, and put an asterisk* beside the ones you loved.

1. The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
2. The Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov
3. Dune, Frank Herbert
4. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein*
5. A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
6. Neuromancer, William Gibson
7. Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke
8. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
9. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
10. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
11. The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
12. A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
13. The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov
14. Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras*
15. Cities in Flight, James Blish
16. The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett
17. Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison
18. Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison
19. The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
20. Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany
21. Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
22. Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
23. The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Stephen R. Donaldson
24. The Forever War, Joe Haldeman
25. Gateway, Frederik Pohl
26. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.K. Rowling
27. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
28. I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
29. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
30. The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
31. Little, Big, John Crowley
32. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny*
33. The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick
34. Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement
35. More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
36. The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith
37. On the Beach, Nevil Shute
38. Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
39. Ringworld, Larry Niven
40. Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys
41. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
42. Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonnegut
43. Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
44. Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner
45. The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester
46. Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein
47. Stormbringer, Michael Moorcock
48. The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks
49. Timescape, Gregory Benford
50. To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer

Comments

Yes

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

I've been looking at this list of 50, which has appeared on the LJ posts of many of my friends. I think the most significant gap on your own list is *Rogue Moon,* by Algis Budrys -- not so much that I would agree that it belongs on that list of 50, but once it's there, and once I've noted the other books you really liked, I suspect quite strongly that you would like this one just as much. I'm glad we agree on *Children of the Atom* -- a book with many flaws, but a book that spoke so well to so many of us who were bright children that I want to praise Ms. Shiras just for telling so many of us that intelligence was *okay*. I've read it ten or eleven times.

Nate B.

Re: Yes

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

For some of the ones I marked as not having read, I definitely haven't read them (The Sword of Shannara comes to mind, if it is indeed on the list).

For others, I can't remember if I've read them or not. I may well have read Rogue Moon - I just can't remember.

[thirdworld.livejournal.com]

Huh. Sod. As is I didn't feel inadequate enough already. You must be a book club member.

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

You must be a book club member.

As it happens, yes I am.

But I'm guessing that the bulk of the reading happened when I wasn't a book club member - I read Stranger In A Strange Land in France, when I was 10 or 11.

As is I didn't feel inadequate enough already.

You just have more to look forward to than I do.

[thirdworld.livejournal.com]

As I said to another, many of the authors I read, like Silverberg and Wyndham are not on the list, and some I read their other books. Heinlein for example I just didn't like. And yes, I read a lot of Fantasy too. But I plan to go with books getting recommended to me from my listing of this meme. I need to read more of these books -- I'll admit that freely.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Eh, don't sweat it. I wouldn't attach any great *importance* to the fact that David, and I, have read so many of these (and nearby) books. Especially if you haven't been working on the project for more than 40 years, as I have (and apparently David has too, given the age he gives for reading stuff in France; I know roughly how old he is).

With only modest effort (and especially if I could consult my bookshelves at home) I could give a fairly long list of books I've read that I'd probably rather have the time back, too.

To the extent you think these books really *are* significant (*I* think it's a fairly decent list, but far from perfect) -- try to find the time to read the ones you haven't. At least the ones you think you'd like to have read.

And otherwise don't sweat it.

[thirdworld.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

What dd_b said.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

You are obviously a mine of highly selective tastes! Is it that this list misses your favorites in SF and fantasy, or only that the number of books you'd describe yourself as "loving" is pretty small?

I suppose I should do this, but the font manipulation is *such a pain* on lj.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Huh; "man", how about?

As opposed to a "land mine of information", of course.

[aelburr.livejournal.com]

Use richtext and it's a breeze.

[davidschroth.livejournal.com]

There are no books on the list of books I've read that I didn't enjoy. The ones that I describe myself as loving are just the ones I regard as exceptional (I meant to flag Little, Big, but forgot to do so before I posted).

I agree with others who have pointed out that there are definitely books not on the list that I think should be on the list. Books that I would flag as "loving".

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, The Shockwave Rider, probably others if I had the time and inclination to think about it.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

Yes, I thought The Shockwave Rider was more interesting than the Brunner they had on the list, too. Always keeping in mind the difference between "significant" and "good". Possibly Stranger actually had more "significance", whatever that is, than Moon, but it certainly isn't as good.