Saw this and sent to Mrs. R, and she agreed it is a good list. I asked her if we had “A Memory Called Empire”, and she said yes it is upstairs. She read the “Three Body Problem” and liked it, but that was a library book, so I will check it out soon, as I keep seeing references to it. I read Science Fiction often in HS and University, but not so much lately. I have some catching up to do.
There are some I might quibble with, and some authors are not included (cough, Skalzy, cough) but it is a decent list.
I don’t read books to often because I read something constantly all day. Frankenstein was a book I couldn’t quit reading. It was fantastic. (FWIW - Dean Koontz Frankenstein series is worth your time to read as well.)
I read more horror fiction than science fiction, but I have been listening to some Sci Fi lately. It was good to see PKD and Crichton on there, although Andromeda Strain would be more fitting than Jurassic Park given current events.
NK Jemison is fantastic. I’m behind on my reading and it looks like I need to add a few more. The Left Hand of Darkness I just grabbed for a buck, excited to get into it
Saw this also and bookmarked it. I have read many on here. Interestingly enough I have “A Memory Called Empire” saved as a sample on my Kindle and was considering reading that. Now I certainly plan to.
Plenty left off the list (how do you not include "The Stars My Destination"by Alfred Bester???) but a lot of good suggestion and many books here I do want to read.
I read “The Three Body Problem” a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it. It has social commentary that goes beyond the sci-fi, as many of the best do. The original H.G. Wells books have lots of that, but since the commentary is on 19th century England the humor is sometimes lost on the modern reader.
i juist have to go back and say this is the funniest thing I have seen on the internet in a while. It’s like the “Mystery Science Theater 2000” of Fiction book covers. Hysterical!
I actually read some of the books he has listed from my dad’s library – he had a ton of sci fi paperbacks from 60’s, 70’s and early 80’s. At first i didn’t noticed the captions ore mouse over titles. Great stuff.
The Three Body Problem is the best Science Fiction I have read in decades. Best book I’ve read in a number of years. Will find the sequels at the Library.
A while back when I made more time for recreational reading, I was trying to decide whether to buy American gods or Anansi Boys, I opted for the latter. After later seeing the promos for the “Gods” TV series I think I got the better of the two. Anansi reminded me a lot of Satanic Verses, but much shorter and much more digestible, just about as weird though.
Someone asked Neil Gaimon if the upcoming show based on Anasi Boys would better than American Gods. He replied something along the lines of “yes it will be I’m producing it”. He has been said to be disappointed with the American Gods show.
The Gods promos were enough to keep me from watching the show, I might still read the book someday.
As for the list, any list of top SF books that doesn’t include anything from Niven & Pournelle or Zelazny but does include Starship Troopers [not one of Heinlein’s best IMO] isn’t much of a list in my mind.
All “best of” lists are inherently flawed, but like Jeff, I’ve gobbled down a few. (The Murderbot Diaries are fun)
And I suspect for Heinlein - they used Starship, not because it’s one of his best, but because of the long reaching impact it’s had. (Also, man, I re-read F-451 the other year and it’s even more prescient now in an age of youtube, podcasts and Tiktoks)
