Top 10 SF and Fantasy Novels?

[herongale]

So, NPR is doing this thing where they are going to put together a "Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels" list. Earlier they solicited nominations for potential titles, and now they are asking for people to vote: to vote, you are asked to check off your favorite ten (only ten!) titles and submit your ballot

Comments

[kutsuwamushi]

I voted for the books that made a lasting impression on me, even if they weren't the most enjoyable to read. For example, the Dune books -- flawed, problematic, disintegrate into a chaotic mess, but the way that Herbert wove his plot and setting together amazed me.

The Lord of the Rings is similar. Tolkien created a mythology that has become shared by so many people; even though they were sometimes a slog I feel a connection to the setting and characters.

Honestly, after those two, I had a hard time picking. Those two clearly had to be on the list, but there were more than ten remaining that also made a lasting (though slightly lesser) impression. I'm not sure I even remember which ones I settled on.

(I might have loved the Pern books to death when I was in high school--and probably spent more time reading them than either Tolkien or Dune, but even at their best they didn't impress me. They were more like popcorn reading. Now that I'm older I have very little desire to revisit them or the world that they're set in. So I didn't

[herongale]

I tried reading the Goodkind books once, since the cover art interested me. NEVER HAVE THE WORDS "DO NOT JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER" SEEMED MORE APT.

And you know, I've never read Dune, but a few people have mentioned that as one of their top picks, for one reason or another. Would you recommend it to an adult who is a bit jaded in her tastes?

I totally agree with you about the Pern books, btw.

[kutsuwamushi]

It's hard to guess whether you'll like Dune, but I do think you're missing out if you don't give it a try.

As for jaded adult taste - well, it has problems, but they're not because it's unsophisticated. It's an imaginative and unique work. If you hate it, it won't be for the same reasons you hated Goodkind. My main caveat about recommending it is that its premise is problematic. Some people say that the prose is clumsy, but to be honest, Stephenson could knock Herbert out in a clunker contest.

I'm a little hesitant to put my thoughts about the premise in this comment because I feel like flatly stating what it is makes the books sound stupider than they actually are and that destroys the magic a little.

[herongale]

Yeah, I can't really complain about clunky prose if I like Stephenson, can I?

ALTHOUGH WITH STEPHENSON I PREFER TO CHALK IT UP TO OVEREXUBERANT SELF INDULGENCE IN HIS OWN AWESOMENESS. Kind of like what David Foster Wallace does, although not quite on that epic a level.

And you've convinced me. I am going to try Dune. XD

[mikkeneko]

The ones of note that I checked: Barry Hughart's "Bridge of Birds" because it's too obscure and needs all the votes it can get; the the Temeraire books by Naomi Novik, similarly, and Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn" series because he's a recent author who is a rising star in the fantasy community. I had a moment's struggle to decide between Mistborn and Way of Kings, but eventually went with the former because it's a finished series and WoK is only part one of a to-be-determined saga.

I admit that some of them I checked for personal favorites over ultimate greatness. For instance, The Stars My Destination was probably a more influential work than Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga, but oh well.

[herongale]

You got me "Bridge of Birds!" It's on my huge pile of books to read. (ahhh this is why I suck btw). I can see it from where I'm sitting right now so it didn't get buried! I did give it a go at one point and read a few chapters and was really into it, so... why haven't I finished it? IT'S A MYSTERY.

I also own Mistborn! I also have not read it! I bought it because Sanderson is doing the continuation work on my precious Robert Jordan books and has been doing such a kickass job. OKAY THIS GOES ON MY PILE OF BOOKS TO READ, TOO.

There's nothing wrong with picking personal faves over ultimate greatness, imho. THAT IS, AFTER ALL, EXACTLY WHAT I DID. FOR ALL OF THEM.

[silverthunder]

There was a lot on that list that I've never read. I feel like a failure as a nerd, in some weird way. Oh well.

I also voted for books that I don't necessarily consider to be the best-written but which I liked based on the pure enjoyment factor.

The Belgariad, David Eddings. Probably my most obvious choice. But really, if all of David Eddings' books were on there, I would've voted for all of them (except for The Dreamers, which I didn't care for). I always feel like the characters in his books are real friends of mine, somehow. I love them all so much.

The Coldfire Trilogy, C.S. Friedman. I just really liked these books. They were quick reads, and, well, Gerald Tarrant was a very interesting character to me. I can't explain what it was about him that I found so fascinating, but that was the biggest part of what drew me into the story.

The Last Herlad-Mage Trilogy, Mercedes Lackey. My first ever experience with a gay main character. I blame my love of slash on the fact that I read these books when I was about thirteen and thought

[herongale]

Hey, there was a lot on that list that I've never read, too. Most of it is stuff I never intend to even try reading. It's not like I'm averse to reading the classics but something has to spark my interest first

[silverthunder]

Oh, I'll freely admit that David Eddings is not as skilled a writer as - say - George R.R. Martin. But he is 100% more enjoyable, in my opinion. I can't even count how many times I've re-read his books, and the Belgariad is the one I've read the most. Mainly because it was the first, but also because I love the characters in it more than any other series of his

[herongale]

MAT'S PROPHESIED BRIDE IS TOTALLY AWESOME. I love her to pieces. SHE HAS A LOT OF FLAWS BUT SHE CALLS MAT "TOY" AND JOKES ABOUT MAKING HIM HER CUPBEARER (a kind of sexy slave).

I WILL SAY NO MORE BECAUSE THAT GETS US INTO SPOILER TERRITORY.

P.S. you should see the ebook versions of the Robert Jordan books. THE COVERS ARE SO PRETTY. It's startling since I just got used to how craptastic the hard-copy covers are. It is my hope that when the series is complete that the republish the books all as hardcovers and softcovers with the NEW art, which is 1000000 times better.

[1010nabulation]

OH BOOKS. I LOVE BOOKS. Totally going to read your number 1 and 2 at some point; you have convinced me!

As for the list, I’m a little iffy about scifi and fantasy being grouped together like this, because they have very different feels to them and there are classics and influential books in each of these genres. I think my list is a bit biased toward fantasy, and I also chose books that I personally enjoyed most, regardless of other merits they may have. ;) Also, it’s been rather a while since I’ve read most of these. Anyway, on to my list!

1) The Dark Tower series, by Stephen King

Mmm, this is SUCH a rich and interesting western/fantasy quest/time travel/other dimensions/horror series! I remember the first book being a bit slow-going and difficult to get through, but the rest… oh, man. The gunslinger, Roland. The kid, Jake! T_T <3 EDDIE. (Heh, Susannah could have been left out and I’d have been happy. ^.^; But then a lot of the plot wouldn’t work, so, eh.) AND THE ENDING. I know a lot of people were not happy with it, but

[herongale]

There was a time in my life when I swore I would never, ever, ever read Stephen King. But I keep hearing great things about him and every time I read a review by him I'm impressed by how smart and yet unpretentious he is. So damn. I think I'll have to try that series out.

Watership Down is one of those books I love to pieces but read it at the wrong time of my life... I read it when I was like 13-14 and I just wasn't ready for all that anguish. I CRIED LIKE, FOR YEARS, FOR THOSE DAMN BUNNIES. I still get a little teary eyed thinking about them.

I enjoyed American Gods too! But I was determined to only give Neal Gaiman one slot on my list and the Sandman series will always be closest to my heart. SO TAKE THAT, AMERICAN GODS. I still love youHave not read Ender's Game. For some reason that whole experience passed me by

[mikkeneko]

"Also I think you'd just love Randy Waterhouse and his Lord of the Rings-based classification scheme of human beings. "

Actually, as amusing as I found that allegory, that whole scene irritated me immensely. Because while the people at the party were acting like douches, they were still right about the problems of internet accessibility for the poorer classes.

[1010nabulation]

But early Stephen King and all the Dark Tower series is GOOD. :O It's the later Stephen King novels that got not-so-good. And yesss, he is lovely and smart and not pretentious about it. :) I like him a lot.

LOL WATERSHIP DOWN. I think I saw the movie when I was young and it kinda traumatized me, but then I read the novel when I was in my early teens and into creepy things (lol, I was a strange little girl) and it was still traumatizing, but deliciously so. XD

ENDER'S GAME. OKAY, READ THAT ONE FIRST. BEFORE DARK TOWER. Because AUGH WHAT WHY HAVEN'T YOU READ IT YET?! I think if you liked Hunger Games then you'd like Ender's Game. I think.

Ehehehe, Cryptonomicon sounds good! Will read!

I HAVE READ THE HUNGER GAMES AND LOVED IT, YES. One of my good friends loved it so much she got me the whole series for Christmas so I read them all at once. ^__^ GOOD TIMES. ALSO THERE IS A MOVIE COMING OUT NEXT YEAR. I GOT A FREE POSTER AT THE MOVIE THEATER. YYYAAAAAAYYYYY!

And the rest, because word limit, lol...

[1010nabulation]

And the rest I chose, with smaller comments:

6) The Once and Future King, by T.H. White

Hnngh, more legends made more human and real!

7) Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury is one of my most favorite authors ever; his prose is just so poetic and evocative. And this book is no exception. Gorgeous dystopian scifi but with a fantasy feel, and I love the resolution too.

8) A Clockwork Orange, by Anthony Burgess

This one was pure linguistic porn for me. *__*

9) The Princess Bride, by William Goldman

Who doesn’t love The Princess Bride? Come on, who?

10) Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville

So disturbing and dark and gritty. The descriptions of the city are so real it made me feel like I was THERE.

Re: And the rest, because word limit, lol...

[herongale]

I ADMIRE YOU FOR MAKING COMMENTS FOR ALL OF YOUR TEN CHOICES.

Haven't read The Once and Future King (but I saw the cartoon based on it!) or Perdido Street Station. The others I have read. I had a hard time with A Clockwork Orange since again, I read that too early in life (high school) and I was a Haruna-like innocent back then who was shocked by all that scoundrel activity! I should read it again now that I'm more Akimaru-esque in my outlook... I think I'd enjoy it now. XD

Re: And the rest, because word limit, lol...

[1010nabulation]

XD It was not hard, really.

AHAA WHAT, A CARTOON OF ONCE AND FUTURE KING?! XDDD WHAAAT. But it's so deliciously LITERARY. That there is a cartoon version boggles my mind.

Ooh, Perdido Street Station... if you read that one, be prepared for dark and gritty and not such a happy ending. But it WAS really good!

Hehehe, Haruna-like innocence. ♥ I was like that too, even though I was a creepy child who liked to read Goosebumps books and scary stories... And even when I was in high school I was still all innocent and naive except I never really was disturbed by scoundrel activity. XD; I don't know!

Re: And the rest, because word limit, lol...

[herongale]

Well, I am pretty sure the Disney version was loosely based (VERY loosely based) on The Once and Future King. I'd read that somewhere, anyway! I might be wrong!

Well, me in high school= totally like Haruna in a lot of ways. I went to an all girls school, so I spent the vast majority of my time surrounded by people of my own gender. I was also stupidly hard working and driven: I went to a school that was about an hour's drive away from where I lived, so every day I was waking up before 5am so I could leave by 6am (I carpooled) and arrive by 7am. And then every day after school I'd get home and do my PAPER ROUTE (since I needed to make money, yo!) and then my homework and then I'd stay up until midnight reading LotR. I HAD NO TIME TO GET JADED AND WAS SO IMPRESSED BY MY OWN HIGHLY ETHICAL AND VIRTUOUS LIFE THAT I WAS KIND OF JUDGEY AND TENDED TO GET THE VAPORS OVER THE STUPIDEST STUFF.

Obviously I got over it but I think one reason I love Haruna so much is that I feel like I can relate to him, to some stupidly scary degree.