Science fiction and fantasy titles don’t often win literary awards, but many of the best-selling and most influential books of all time fall within this broad category: Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, Dune, Twilight, Game of Thrones, 1984, etc.
My favorite sci-fi/fantasy book is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I have read this book multiple times and taught it at the high school level as well. It has all the things I love- 80s references, quirky characters, an underdog turned hero and a strong female character all set against the backdrop of virtual reality.
The Wheel of Time series is the best fantasy series I've ever read.
It's fantastic - lots of storylines and characters to follow. Robert Jordan was a master of leaving you dangling on a cliffhanger before you become engrossed in another characters story.
I could not pick one as just so many good ones.. As you’re a classics fan worth reading H.G Wells the Time Machine, The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dracula by Bram Stoker all Victorian authors. More recent ones Hugo and Nebula award winner and finalists are good starting point. Series wise probably Asimov’s Robots, as had short stories and novels that follow the 3 laws of robotics.
Last year I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and really enjoyed it. It's about a woman who made a deal with the devil 400 years ago to get out of marrying someone she didn't love.
It's begging for a sequel but the author has no plans to write it!
Epic series: The OG is of course The Hobbit + The Lord of the Rings. My favorite is The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I am currently reading The expanse by James Corey and finding it exceptional as well.
Standalone books: My favorite sci-fi author is Ben Bova. You can read his books in a long arc series but they can all be read by themselves as well.
I've not heard of Ben Bova — I'll check him out. And I definitely agree on LOTR and The Expanse. I'll have to tackle WOT at some point. Thanks Matthew!
I love Peter Hamilton in general, but Pandora's Star is one of my all-time favorites. They are DENSE, but by about half way I was left in awe of the world and everything comes together in the end.
WOT, on the fantasy side, is an all-time favorite. I reread it for the 4th time this last year.
Do Androids dream about Electric Sheep? by Philip Dick; Forever War by Joe Haldeman; Andromeda Strain by John Crichton; The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski; Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. To name just a few…
And the film Blade Runner by Ridley Scott, with Harrison Ford, Ruther Hauer and Darryl Hannah is marvelous. Especially this scene in rainy darkness with the Chinese cyclists… remember?
There are parts of it that are good. Everyone puts in an amazing performance, and the effects along with the cinematography make for a movie I should like. But it always feels flat and bores me to tears. I thought it was an age thing since I first watched it as a young teen. But, nope. I still don't like it. The book, on the other hand, was amazing.
Thank you! Always good to hear the other side. To me however this film remains one of the top cinematic works ever. Perhaps thanks to late Rutger Hauer - also one of my favourite anglophone actors; he was kinda iconic in his android performance. No to mention the soundtrack… memories, memories… Cheers mate 🥃🥃
I read every comment but didnt see Brandon Sanderson's name the ones I looked over. A few good ones from him: Mistborn series, Tress of the Emerald see, and The Stormlight archive. Anything by him is a pretty good read. He also finished Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time.
Edit to add the Bobiverse by Dennis E Taylor for sci-fi. Pretty entertaining.
Sanderson is the current favorite of my son and his friends. A prolific writer who has a large following. I went to place a hold on one of his books there was 70 people waiting for 10 or so copies. He raised 41 million on Kickstarter for a 4 book series.
I think my favorite “realistic” sci-fi is “The Martian” but I also love the farther out stuff like The Expanse series and, because I’m an unabashed nerd who likes popcorn reading, I enjoy Star Wars novels
I could give a long list but I’m just going with one, because it’s The One for me. If a book can change a person’s life, this was mine.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin.
Love love this book. I'm excited to finally read The Dispossessed later this year.
How did change your life, I always love to hear :)
I’ve posted about it (and her) here: https://open.substack.com/pub/theshatteredmoon/p/only-in-silence-the-word?r=jh5v5&utm_medium=ios
pay wall, can't read it :)
It's free now. Posts default to paid and I must have missed making it free.
sweet thx!
My favorite sci-fi/fantasy book is Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. I have read this book multiple times and taught it at the high school level as well. It has all the things I love- 80s references, quirky characters, an underdog turned hero and a strong female character all set against the backdrop of virtual reality.
Great, great book. Totally agree.
Anything by Robin Hobb, Christopher Ruocchio or Liu Cixin. Plus The Wheel of Time for the magic side.
Noted! Thanks Christine!
I'll second Robin Hobb. Love the Realm of the Elderlings.
I’ll second Ruocchio. I couldn’t put that series down.
The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski, every Bradbury, Terramar by Ursula K Le Guin, Dune, Hail Mary by Andy Weir and above all Ted Chiang.
Great recs — I've read a couple and will add the others to my TBR.
Anything by Ray Bradbury. The Illustrated Man gave me inspiration for a script I'm writing about an enchanted castle near Glasgow.
I've read some Bradbury, but not nearly as much as I'd like to.
Here's an SF oldie that I remember reading voraciously when it came out: Bio of a Space Tyrant by Piers Anthony.
And my favorite low-fantasy classic: Little, Big by John Crowley.
I'll add these to my TBR!
I haven't thought of Piers Anthony in a while. On a Pale Horse was my favorite from him.
The Wheel of Time series is the best fantasy series I've ever read.
It's fantastic - lots of storylines and characters to follow. Robert Jordan was a master of leaving you dangling on a cliffhanger before you become engrossed in another characters story.
I've not read it, but it's been staring at me from the TBR for a long time!
I could not pick one as just so many good ones.. As you’re a classics fan worth reading H.G Wells the Time Machine, The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, Dracula by Bram Stoker all Victorian authors. More recent ones Hugo and Nebula award winner and finalists are good starting point. Series wise probably Asimov’s Robots, as had short stories and novels that follow the 3 laws of robotics.
I knew you'd have good picks for me, Jason! :) I've only read Dracula from that list (and I loved it).
Lots of great recommendations here.
For something slightly shorter, This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone is a great read.
It's on my shelf, but I've not read it yet. :)
Last year I read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue and really enjoyed it. It's about a woman who made a deal with the devil 400 years ago to get out of marrying someone she didn't love.
It's begging for a sequel but the author has no plans to write it!
That was a fun one! We did it for book club a couple years back. Very memorable, for sure.
So many directions to go here.
Epic series: The OG is of course The Hobbit + The Lord of the Rings. My favorite is The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. I am currently reading The expanse by James Corey and finding it exceptional as well.
Standalone books: My favorite sci-fi author is Ben Bova. You can read his books in a long arc series but they can all be read by themselves as well.
I've not heard of Ben Bova — I'll check him out. And I definitely agree on LOTR and The Expanse. I'll have to tackle WOT at some point. Thanks Matthew!
I love Peter Hamilton in general, but Pandora's Star is one of my all-time favorites. They are DENSE, but by about half way I was left in awe of the world and everything comes together in the end.
WOT, on the fantasy side, is an all-time favorite. I reread it for the 4th time this last year.
Re-read the whole WOT series?! Wow. High praise! I'll add Peter Hamilton to my list.
Do Androids dream about Electric Sheep? by Philip Dick; Forever War by Joe Haldeman; Andromeda Strain by John Crichton; The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski; Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. To name just a few…
Forever War is a good one.
Sure it is. As Forever Peace too, right? All trilogy is remarkable to me.
Pleasure! Let me know, please, having read it, will you?
I need to add to TBR. Thanks for the recommendation.
Do Androids Dream is such a good book. Seems kind of timely for our distraction driven age.
I'm starting it today!
And the film Blade Runner by Ridley Scott, with Harrison Ford, Ruther Hauer and Darryl Hannah is marvelous. Especially this scene in rainy darkness with the Chinese cyclists… remember?
I must be the only person who doesn't like Blade Runner... So slow.... Lol
That’s something, man! ;-) Would you elaborate a bit more, please?
There are parts of it that are good. Everyone puts in an amazing performance, and the effects along with the cinematography make for a movie I should like. But it always feels flat and bores me to tears. I thought it was an age thing since I first watched it as a young teen. But, nope. I still don't like it. The book, on the other hand, was amazing.
Thank you! Always good to hear the other side. To me however this film remains one of the top cinematic works ever. Perhaps thanks to late Rutger Hauer - also one of my favourite anglophone actors; he was kinda iconic in his android performance. No to mention the soundtrack… memories, memories… Cheers mate 🥃🥃
Exactly! 😎
I've only read Andromeda Strain from this list. :) Androids is next up, though! I should be starting it today.
Loved the movie made from Andromeda Strain
A Canticle for Liebowitz
Thud
Ubik
A Wrinkle in Time
Neuromancer
Soon I Will Be Invincible
Red Shirts
Restaurant at the End of the Universe
Declare
Winter’s Tale
Lord of the Rings
I've only read a couple of these - thanks for all the recs, Richard.
I read every comment but didnt see Brandon Sanderson's name the ones I looked over. A few good ones from him: Mistborn series, Tress of the Emerald see, and The Stormlight archive. Anything by him is a pretty good read. He also finished Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time.
Edit to add the Bobiverse by Dennis E Taylor for sci-fi. Pretty entertaining.
Sanderson is the current favorite of my son and his friends. A prolific writer who has a large following. I went to place a hold on one of his books there was 70 people waiting for 10 or so copies. He raised 41 million on Kickstarter for a 4 book series.
I've only read Elantris and enjoyed it! I was surprised it took so long for his name to show up here. :)
I think my favorite “realistic” sci-fi is “The Martian” but I also love the farther out stuff like The Expanse series and, because I’m an unabashed nerd who likes popcorn reading, I enjoy Star Wars novels
Gah, I still need to read your Star Wars book that I have. I keep forgetting about it.