Here, for your Labor Day enjoyment, is NPR’s Your Picks: Top 100 Science-Fiction, Fantasy Books, along with some thoughts of my own, some nice pics, yada yada…
well of course
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
the first of many that I've never actually read. Every time I say I've never read this everybody's like, what??? I know, I know. But when I was in high school and this was popular EVERYONE was reading it and then just turned me off. Yes, I'm one of those people.
3. Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card
I've extolled the virtues of this book before, along with a few others.
4. The Dune Chronicles, by Frank Herbert
I've read the first one. It's good. Not like, “fourth best book ever good,” but good.
5. A Song Of Ice And Fire Series, by George R. R. Martin
Okay, so, The Scribblerati kept telling me two things about this book: that it was frakking awesome, and that my WIP was similar. So what did I do? I didn't read it, and I still haven't, but I have seen the HBO series and OMG is it frakking awesome! And yes, there are several similarities between it and my WIP.6. 1984, by George Orwell
never read it (this is the beginning of a trend).
7. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
Nope.
8. The Foundation Trilogy, by Isaac Asimov
Started but never finished the first one. That was way back when I was just when I was just a young un so to be fair probably I should probably give it another shot.
9. Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley
Uh, no. Noticing a trend here?
10. American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
Now I have to say, I really don't have anything against Neil Gaiman. I think he's a really talented writer but I just don't honestly get why everybody is all Ga-Ga Pants for everything he writes. It just doesn't melt my butter.
11. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
Really? #11?
12. The Wheel Of Time Series, by Robert Jordan
I read the first one and I thought it was pretty good, good enough to buy the second and then I was like, man am I tired of all the series where you have to wait forever in between books. I'm just gonna wait until it's all done.
Still waiting…
13. Animal Farm, by George Orwell
OK, I get it, but do people feel obligated to vote these kind of stories or something?
14. Neuromancer, by William Gibson
**embarrassed** I really should do something about this….
15. Watchmen, by Alan Moore
Fascinating. A graphic novel made the NPR list! But then that opens up all sorts of arguments about why this or that graphic novel didn't make the list. And there's some really great stuff out there…
16. I, Robot, by Isaac AsimovOh, that's not what they meant…
17. Stranger In A Strange Land, by Robert Heinlein
Now here's a “classic” that I actually have read. I read it when I was a teenager, which may be why I haven't read any more like this. It was good, but I was really more into a lot of things that haven't made the list yet.
18. The Kingkiller Chronicles, by Patrick Rothfuss
Never heard of it.
19. Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
Nope.
20. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
oh please…
21. Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?, by Philip K. Dick
Care to guess?
22. The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood
I’ve heard of Margaret Atwood, of course, but not the book.
23. The Dark Tower Series, by Stephen King
Only #23? SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! Even with the lackluster ending in the final volume this is one of the greatest pieces of literature ever produced.
24. 2001: A Space Odyssey, by Arthur C. Clarke
Eh…
25. The Stand, by Stephen King
I really need to read this.
26. Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson
27. The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
28. Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut
29. The Sandman Series, by Neil Gaiman
Nope.
30. A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess
No, but the move totally frakked with my teenage head.
31. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
I'm guessing the shower scene in the book is nowhere as near as exciting as it is in the movie.
32. Watership Down, by Richard Adams
33. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey
I read several of these when I was really young and I wish I still had them – where did they go?
34. The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by Robert Heinlein
35. A Canticle For Leibowitz, by Walter M. Miller
36. The Time Machine, by H.G. Wells
37. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, by Jules Verne
38. Flowers For Algernon, by Daniel Keys
39. The War Of The Worlds, by H.G. Wells
No, not her. I've never read the book, but I remember watching the classic movie adaptation back in the 80s, when I was 12ish. They were running it on that, what was it? Masterpiece Theatre on TNT? It blew my mind.
40. The Chronicles Of Amber, by Roger Zelazny
Finally were getting into some good stuff! I must have read the first five half-dozen times and while the second five started out with serious promise they really sputtered out at the end.
41. The Belgariad, by David Eddings
LOVE THESE! Yes they are full of tropes but they are fun!
42. The Mists Of Avalon, by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Beautiful book. 42 is a disservice.
43. The Mistborn Series, by Brandon Sanderson
??
44. Ringworld, by Larry Niven
45. The Left Hand Of Darkness, by Ursula K. LeGuin
46. The Silmarillion, by J.R.R. Tolkien
This isn't a real book….
47. The Once And Future King, by T.H. White
48. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
49. Childhood's End, by Arthur C. Clarke
50. Contact, by Carl Sagan
Great movie. And who doesn’t love Jodi Foster?
Not even in the top 50 - such a shame! I love these books so much I want to marry them!
52. Stardust, by Neil Gaiman
53. Cryptonomicon, by Neal Stephenson
54. World War Z, by Max Brooks
55. The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle
Haven't read it but ...
56. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
??
57. Small Gods, by Terry Pratchett
58. The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant, The Unbeliever, by Stephen R. Donaldson
I read the first one and, well, not so much…
59. The Vorkosigan Saga, by Lois McMaster Bujold
60. Going Postal, by Terry Pratchett
61. The Mote In God's Eye, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
62. The Sword Of Truth, by Terry Goodkind
Another one that I read the first novel of and not any more. No offense to Mr. Goodkind, but it makes me wonder, how many times can we write that same story again and again?
63. The Road, by Cormac McCarthy
64. Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
Weird book. I got like 100 pages in and still nothing had happened…
65. I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson
Okay, I probably should read that.
66. The Riftwar Saga, by Raymond E. Feist
These books are like yummy candy.
67. The Shannara Trilogy, by Terry Brooks
Okay, so I probably shouldn't like these as much as I do, but damn I love these. Let me just say, there's a reason that the magic wielding people in my WIP are called Druids and it starts and ends with Terry Brooks.
68. The Conan The Barbarian Series, by R.E. HowardJason moma Man Crush!
69. The Farseer Trilogy, by Robin Hobb
70. The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
71. The Way Of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
72. A Journey To The Center Of The Earth, by Jules Verne
I think those Robin Hobb books should probably be on my list.
73. The Legend Of Drizzt Series, by R.A. SalvatoreSweet! These make me want to get out my dragon dice.
74. Old Man's War, by John Scalzi
75. The Diamond Age, by Neil Stephenson
76. Rendezvous With Rama, by Arthur C. Clarke
77. The Kushiel's Legacy Series, by Jacqueline Carey
78. The Dispossessed, by Ursula K. LeGuin
I read this for a class in college and it single-handedly got me re-interested in science fiction after years of being nothing but a fantasy junkie.
79. Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury
80. Wicked, by Gregory Maguire
81. The Malazan Book Of The Fallen Series, by Steven Erikson
Never heard of it.
82. The Eyre Affair, by Jasper Fforde
Or this one.
83. The Culture Series, by Iain M. Banks
84. The Crystal Cave, by Mary Stewart
This is one of the first novels I ever read. I don't even think I was 10 and I was slogging through this one page at a time. But if there was one thing that's true then that is still true now, it's that there isn't enough magic.
85. Anathem, by Neal Stephenson
86. The Codex Alera Series, by Jim Butcher
87. The Book Of The New Sun, by Gene Wolfe
88. The Thrawn Trilogy, by Timothy ZahnTwo words: Mara Jade!
These are easily the best Star Wars novels ever written. The only thing that comes close is Michael Stakpole’s X-Wing series.
89. The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldan
90. The Elric Saga, by Michael Moorcock
Oh, Elric of Melnibone, I totally have a hard on for Stormbringer, even if it does eat souls.
91. The Illustrated Man, by Ray Bradbury
92. Sunshine, by Robin McKinley
93. A Fire Upon The Deep, by Vernor Vinge
94. The Caves Of Steel, by Isaac Asimov
95. The Mars Trilogy, by Kim Stanley Robinson
96. Lucifer's Hammer, by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
97. Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis
98. Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville
Weird book.
99. The Xanth Series, by Piers Anthony
I don't think I could read this today, but at the time, when I was a teenager, these were full of awesome.
100. The Space Trilogy, by C.S. Lewis
Well, that's it friends. Thanks for sticking in there. It was a blast!
I'll leave you with this curious omission...
10 comments:
Hi Shawn,
Thanks for posting. Interesting to see what books come up in lists like this. I'm pleased to say I've read 27 of the books on this list... that being said I have a lot more to go. Personally I would rank "The Stand," "The Road" and "I am Legend" higher on the list. I've read some Asimov and Heinlein but find their stuff hard to get through (love the movie version of StarShip Troopers). I'm currently reading "American Gods" but finding the pacing a bit slow for my tastes--although Gaiman has some great humor and writing in his books. I was always a Sandman fan. A few of these books are in my six-foot high reading stack (like Sunshine and Hyperion)--I just need to get to them.
The Kingkiller Chronicles are #18? Seriously? I mean, I'm only part-way through the first one, but there is no way--NO WAY--those books crack the top 20.
I'm calling bullshit on NPR.
As I read on, my incredulity only grew. Patrick Rothfuss is better than Cormac McCarthy? Really? And Richard Matheson too? Mary Shelley? Robert E. Howard? Kurt Vonnegut??? Are you kidding me? H.G. Wells? Richard Adams of Watership Down? The Kingkiller books are better/more influenetial than Watership Down?
It's like the list was put together by metal head fantasy fans from some backwater community college?
The influence Stephen King has on pop culture alone should demand that he be ranked better than Patrick Rothfuss. Arthur C. Clarke? T. H. White? T. H. White, really? Neal Stephenson?
Joe Haldeman?
Isn't Forever War supposed to be one of the greatest sci-fi novels ever? I mean, jesus, Rothfuss is nothing but an R. A. Salvatore clone, how does he get ranked higher than Drizzt Do'Urden?
And you're totaly right, Shawn. No JK Rawlings? What planet are they speaking of? Earth 2, where Harry Potter was never written?
And my own personal WTFing: No Joe Abercrombie? No Richard K. Morgan? If Rothfuss can make the top 20 of this list, then those two guys should be no-brainers.
Phillip K. Fucking Dick????
Really?
A travesty, an absolute fucking travesty. Patrick Rothfuss wouldn't exist without these people. Of course, I don't blame Rothfuss, he didn't create this list, but I may write an angry fucking letter to the gaggle of backassward ultra-morons that did.
....Or maybe not.
Either way: Hate Vibes!
Ah... upon closer inspection, the reason for this list's idiocy becomes clear.
It's us.
It was us all along...
YOU BLEW IT UP! YOU BLEW IT UP, YOU BASTARDS! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!
Oh, I know, it's kind of ridiculous. I kept reading the list and thinking, am I the only one who thinks this is bizarre? Although maybe it's accurate, if you're like a 60 year old English prof. ( Although certainly not a hip philosophy prof! )
PS Jon, I was wondering if this would get your dander up. :-)
PPS Mark, agreed on Asimov and Heinlein.
I liked the first Kingkiller quite a bit-I wrote a review post of it awhile back. What seems odd to me is that the series isn't finished yet: so how can it rank so high when no-one's been able to contemplate the whole?
Bingo!
I agree that Kingkiller, being incomplete, shouldn't be eligible, yet. Although that first book is a doooooozy. Good stuff.
I would have put Thomas Covenant way farther up, personally. I think it was a game changer, one of the first fantasy books to go all internal and psychological and shit.
It's interesting, Shawn, because you definitely have a range of sci-fi fantasy books that you like...and I'm going to go ahead and be the devil's advocate here. (hideous Rowling oversight notwithstanding.) Because, although I like a lot of what you like, I think there's a point where we diverge, and that this list represents a bigger spectrum of sci-fi writers and readers that covers both of our tastes.
A LOT of the books you haven't read, or to which you said "huh," or never heard of it" , are favorites of mine, or at least ones that I've read and enjoyed.
The Eyre Affair, Doomsday Book, Handmaid's Tale, all of Neil Gaiman's stuff that they included here, Clockwork Orange, Slaughterhouse 5 ... love, love, love.
Also, I'd say that many books by Vonnegut, Huxley, Wells, etc, are not on the list because people felt like they had to be, they're on the list because they are incredibly powerful literature, haunting stories, mind blowing ideas.
I agree with some of the stuff you said about the order of the list - and I was pretty 'meh' about Jonathan Strange too (Even though all signs pointed to me loving it, I just wasn't drawn in)... although the movie 'Contact?' Really? Jody foster or no... yeah. I'll just leave it at that. ;)
And my little bit of outrage: where the frak is Jonathan Letham?
It occurs to me now that not only is Harry Potter overlooked, so is Narnia, Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials, the Taran books, etc.
I haven't seen the original source for this post, but I'm thinking that they decided to eliminate anything that could be construed as "Young Adult."
Of course, you could argue that point as well...
I do believe they kept YA out of it, which is a shame because in many respects there's a LOT of overlap, especially in the fantasy genre.
After all, more than one of these "fantasy" books are based on the young hero saves the world trope and the line between that and YA isn't that thick.
Again, Harry Potter anyone?
Post a Comment