SF
Science Fiction, Spaceships, Alternative Worlds,
Aliens, Conspiracy, Cyberpunk, Supernatural, Futures, Alternative history,
‘Weird’, Horror…
BANKS, Iain M.
Use of Weapons (Culture series) 1990
Brilliant style, mood, climax: stinging best of an excellent series
CARD, Orson Scott
Ender’s Game (Book 1 of the Ender saga) 1985
Classic, clever taut plot, powerful convincing brutal narrative
ADAMS, Douglas
The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (A Trilogy in Four Parts) 1979, 1980, 1982, 1984 Humour/SF
A must read/listen to
Life, The Universe and Everything (The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 3) 1982
Clever, funny, original,
post-modern themes
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency 1987 Humour/SF
P.G. Wodehouse meets Dr. Who: a complete pleasure
My Object All Sublime 1961 Short Story/SF
In ‘The Giant Book of Science Fiction Stories’
Killer twist
CLARKE, Arthur C.
Childhood's End 1953
Wow
LEWIS, C.S.
Voyage to Venus (or Perelandra) 1943
Christian insights in imagined dialogue with contemporary unfallen Eve
ASIMOV, Isaac
Second Foundation 1964
Dramatically the best of the series
BANKS, Iain (Iain M. for SF)
The Algebraist 2004
Banks is very good
The Year's Best Science Fiction, Ninth Annual Collection 1991 SF/Short Stories
Best of 1991. Consistently good
HARRISON, Harry
A Stainless Steel Rat is Born 1985
Excellent prequel to the consistent humorous series
LE GUIN, Ursula K.
Semley's Necklace (in ‘The Wind’s Twelve Quarters’) 1964 Short Story/Fantasy/SF
Wonderful evocation of a fantasy legend somehow
effectively incorporating SF elements
The Left Hand of Darkness 1969
Manages a rare gravity and dignity
ROBINSON, Kim Stanley
Red Mars 1992
Impressive epic of colonisation of Mars – depth in characters, setting and plot
Gray Lensman 1951 SF
Politically/socially juvenile, but fantastic scope and originality
ADAMS, Douglas
The Long Dark Tea-time of the Soul 1988
Somewhat surreal second ‘Dirk Gently’ novel
Mostly Harmless 1992 Humour/SF
Enjoyable hotchpotch of action, humour, SF satire and post-modern philosophy
ASIMOV, Isaac
Foundation (Book 1 of the Foundation trilogy) 1951
A decent idea competently realised, if a bit repetitive
BANKS, Iain M.
The Player of Games (Culture series) 1989
Typically sophisticated and striking ‘Culture’ novel
Feersum Endjinn (Culture series-ish) 1994
Potentially great book (ride, ideas, characters) reduced to very good by plot
BEAR, Greg
Blood Music 1985
Genetic thriller apocalypse odyssey
Richer moods than the usual SF single idea short stories
CARD, Orson Scott
The Speaker for the Dead (Book 2 of the Ender saga) 1986
Flawed overpopulated sequel, but some great lines given to the Speaker
Seventh Son (The Tales of Alvin Maker 1) 1987
Messianic child magic in US pioneering alternative history
Prentice Alvin (The Tales of Alvin Maker 3) 1989
Magical/messianic Alvin moves into manhood. Series back on track
The Memory of Earth (Volume 1 of Homecoming) 1992 SF
Intriguing deep future saturated in Old Testament flavour, characters and dilemmas
CHERRYH, C.J.
Gate of Ivrel (Book 1 of The Chronicles of Morgaine) 1976
1st of the dark, compelling, morally tortured ‘Morgaine’ series
Well of Ishiuan (Book 2 of The Chronicles of Morgaine) 1978
2nd of the dark, compelling, morally tortured ‘Morgaine’ series
Fires of Azeroth (Book 3 of The Chronicles of Morgaine) 1979
3rd of the dark, compelling, morally tortured ‘Morgaine’ series
Cukoo’s Egg 1985
Unusually tight (for Cherryh) story of a human raised in a demanding alien discipline
DOYLE, Arthur Conan
The Lost World 1912
The unforgettable Professor Challenger finds living dinosaurs!
The Poison Belt 1913
Classic
SF model – a short story based around a daunting ‘what if’
The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next, Book 1) 2001 SF/Humour/Crime
As good as, worse and better than
Adams or Pratchett
The Big Over Easy 2005 SF/Humour/Crime
Another enjoyable excursion
GIBSON, William
Neuromancer 1984
Groundbreaking cyberpunk, wild ride, ultimately shallow characters
HARRISON, Harry
Classic likeable master-thief in comic but workable SF environment
The Stainless Steel Rat’s Revenge 1970
Enjoyable James Bond/Pimpernel farce in space ships
The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World 1972
Enjoyable James Bond/Pimpernel farce in space ships
Stainless Steel Visions 1994
Ranging between action, humour, comment – pretty consistent
Galactic Dreams 1994
Ranging between action, humour, comment – pretty consistent
HERBERT, Frank
Dune 1965
Original. Grand
Wool 2013 SF/Action
Unapologetically formulaic, but cohesive and engaging
HUXLEY, Aldous
Brave New World 1932
Disturbingly relevant extrapolation to a dystopic ultimately permissive society
Crossfire 2003 SF
Old school SF without the wafer
thin characters
LEWIS, C.S.
Characters personify philosophical viewpoints in a classically Wellsian setting
That Hideous Strength 1945
Lewis incorporates his love of Christianity, renaissance angelic conceits and Merlin in SF conspiracy novel
The Lurker at the Threshold 1968 Short Stories/Horror/SF
Original. Not ‘boo!’ horror, but creeping suspicion that there’s something much bigger than humanity out there
MARTIN, George R. R.
Tuf Voyaging 1978-1985 SF/Short Stories
Some flaws, but one good thriller and a couple of fascinating themes
The Many Coloured Land (Book 1 of the Saga of the Exiles) 1981
Wonderfully original and potent opener to ultimately disappointing series
McINTYRE, Vonda N.
The Moon and the Sun 1997 Historical Fiction/SF
Cleverly evoked ‘What If’ SF/French court romance
hybrid. Condescending historical revisionism
A Song For A New Day 2019 SF/Novel/Music
Very impressive realisation of idea, lots of great craft
but narration and dialogue don’t soar
Eyewall 1991 SF/Short Story
(in The Giant Book of Fantastic SF; Ed. Gardner Dozios)
Able development of a scientific idea into a story
Hyperion 1989
Space Opera Canterbury Tales
Ilium 2003 SF
Starts pretentious, but becomes potent, epic and thrilling
The Dreaming Jewels 1950 SF/Novella
Mixed treasure: sometimes soars, but climax descends into cliché
VINGE, Vernor
A Fire Upon the Deep 1992
Very impressive ideas. Much of the ‘ride’ a bit dark/frustrating
WELLS, H.G.
The First Men in the Moon 1901
Ripping yarn, good characters, robust alien culture, integrated thought-provoking issues
Prayers on the Wind 1991
(in The Giant Book of Fantastic SF; Ed. Gardner Dozios)
Capable dramatic yarn in a largely Hindu syncretic future
Doomsday Book 1992 SF / Historical Fiction
Two
concurrent storylines: one mired in triviality and stereotype; the other
powerful and affecting
To Say Nothing of the Dog 1997 SF / Humour
Light comic SF. Usable Wodehouse characters and settings around passable Dr Who premise
The Day of the Triffids 1951 SF
Nothing like the monster/horror ride I was expecting: intelligent, thought-provoking post-apocalyptic issues
Consider Her Ways and Other Stories 1956 SF (Weird)/Short Stories
Able ‘weird’ tales around slips in time or parallel universe
A Night in the Lonesome October 1993 Fantasy/SF/Juvenile (and adult)
Charming, able – ‘light’ horror?
ALDISS, Brian
Helliconia Spring (Part 1 of the Helliconia trilogy) 1983
Two sentient pre-industrial species wax and wane with eon long seasons
Helliconia Summer (Part 2 of the Helliconia trilogy) 1985
Two sentient pre-industrial species wax and wane with eon long seasons
Helliconia Winter (Part 3 of the Helliconia trilogy) 1989
Conclusion to epic series: odd slide into technologically advanced human interference
ALDRIDGE, Alan
The Gnole 1991
Inconsistent Pastoral/Supernatural/Conspiracy fantasy
ASIMOV, Isaac
The Early Asimov, Volume 2 1940s
Definitive magazine SF, individual stories around a novel idea
I, Robot 1950
Average characters and dialogue flesh out novel dilemmas from the ‘three laws’ of his anthropomorphic robots
Foundation and Empire 1962
More episodes in the galactic history of peoples guided by a statistical seer
AUEL, Jean M.
The Clan of the Cave Bear 1980
Epic around a Homo sapiens heroine raised by Neanderthals
BANKS, Iain M.
Consider Phlebas (Culture series) 1987
Great start, impressive mythos,
laboured & silly final third
Inversions (Culture series) 1998
Clever structure but less compelling than usual
BEAR, Greg
War Dogs 2014
Dispatches style ground-view narration of Space Marine on old-school SF Mars battlefield only about a century ahead
CARD, Orson Scott
Red Prophet (The Tales of Alvin Maker 2) 1988
Fairly surreal US magical alternative history
The Folk of the Fringe 1990
Post nuclear WWIII US Mormons survive like early settlers
Pathfinder (Book 1) 2005
Promising opening premise and characters, but descends into silliness and transcriptions of discussions of draft ideas
CHERRYH, C.J.
Hunter of Worlds 1976
Moral dilemmas involving aliens and action
The Faded Sun: Shon’jir 1978
Human interaction with the last of a proud, ruthless species
The Pride of Chanur 1981
A spaceship captain discovers a new species during an uneasy peace
Serpent’s Reach 1981
A surviving noble seeks revenge through alliance with an intelligent ant-like race
CLARKE, Arthur C.
2001 A Space Odyssey 1968
An interesting foil to the movie (it’s based on the screenplay)
Imperial Earth 1977
I don’t recall much but I must have liked it enough to keep it
DICK, Phillip K.
The Simulacra 1964
This guy had six impossible ideas before breakfast...,
DOYLE, Arthur Conan
When the World Screamed 1928
Professor Challenger in an oddly Gaia setting
The Disintegration Machine 1929
Striking spin on how far scientists are responsible for the application of their research
FFORDE, Jasper
Lost in a Good Book (Thursday Next, Book 2) 2006 SF/Humour
Funny, original, but poor plot and villains
GREENBERG, Martin H. (Ed.)
The Giant Book of Science Fiction Stories 1986 SF/Short Stories
101 1950s-70s magazine SF stories
HARRISON, Peter F.
The Evolutionary Void 2010 SF
Some great ideas better as short story 'what ifs'; juvenile dialogue and perspective
HARRISON, Harry and HOLM, John
King and Emperor (The Hammer and the Cross – Book 3) 1996
Alternative history set in 800s, plays with anachronistic technology and grail theories
LEE, Tanith
The Silver Metal Lover 1982
Teen romance in a Blade Runner-ish setting
LE GUIN, Ursula K.
April in Paris (in ‘The Wind’s Twelve Quarters’) 1962 Short Story/SF
Competent early Le Guin magazine time travel ‘what if’; understandably (and unusually) twee
Last Human (Red Dwarf series) 1995 Humour/SF
OK if you’re in the right (undemanding) mood
The Flight of the Horse 1974 SF/Fantasy/Short Stories
Pretty average pulp apart from the enjoyable ‘Glass Dagger’
Finders Keepers 1990 Juvenile/SF
OK theme, ideas, execution
Cloud Warrior (The Amtrak Wars: Book 1) 1983 SF
Boy’s own conflict between post apocalyptic pioneering/marine US, Amerindian and samurai Japan style cultures
First Family (The Amtrak Wars: Book 2) 1985 SF
Boy’s own conflict between post apocalyptic pioneering/marine US, Amerindian and samurai Japan style cultures
Iron Master (The Amtrak Wars: Book 3) 1987 SF
Boy’s own conflict between post apocalyptic pioneering/marine US, Amerindian and samurai Japan style cultures
The Dying Earth 1950 SF/Fantasy
Future magic more than spaceships
The Star King (Demon Princes, Book 1) 1964 SF
Too long ago, can’t remember
Araminta Station (The Cadwal Chronicles, Book 1) 1988 SF
Nice mythos, original (if arrogant) characters, some punch
WAHLOO, Per
Murder on the Thirty-first Floor Crime / SF - Dystopia
Unengagingly dry narration of bland urban dystopia within
standard crime framework
WEBER, David
On Basilisk Station 1993 SF (Military)
Right wing colonial future war story
ZELAZNY, Roger
Damnation Alley 1967 SF
Post nuclear WWIII US action movie road trip. Usable mood/action, romanticised bikie hero, ending inconsistent with imagined world
ZINDELL, David
The Broken God (Book 1 of A Requiem for Homo Sapiens) 1993
Impressively original and grand ideas but ultimately absurd hubris
Ensign Flandry 1966 SF
OK SF action, but a bit childish with a dodgy political subtext
Quicker than the Eye 1996 SF/Short Stories
Sentimental, indulgent, average
FFORDE, Jasper
The Well of Lost Plots (Thursday Next, Book 3) 2003 SF/Humour
Has Thursday Next jumped the
shark?
The Gunslinger 1982/2003(Revised) SF/Fantasy
Impressive façade
LAWHEAD, Stephen
Dream Thief 1983
Heavily influenced by Lewis’ Christian fiction and Asimov’s settings and cardboard characters
Blake’s 7 1977
Awful cashing-in novelisation of TV show (at times bad enough to be good)
Relatively shallow future utopia
Ports of Call 1998 SF
Pretentious expression, light comic prurience and violence
WOLFE, Gene
Soldier of the Mist 1986
Unusual, based around several interesting ideas but rarely gripping
ASIMOV, Isaac
Foundation and Earth 1986
Overlong self-indulgent immature money-spinner
Blind Faith 2007 SF/Novel
1984 template to hypocritically vilify facebook and religion
HERBERT, Frank
Dune Messiah 1969
Disappointing
sequel. Supposedly wise characters uninspiring. Random action, rambling
dialogue.
Frankenstein 1816 SF
Great concept, tedious, shallow execution
Phases of Gravity 1989
Promising much, ultimately delivering pap
and Baxter, Stephen
The Long Earth 2012
Very little Pratchett here. Moderately workable idea of parallel earths, but ill-disciplined pace – long, uninspired tangents
BOVA, Ben
Moonwar 1998
Immature sloppy gratuitous SF thriller
CHERRYH, C.J.
Rusalka 1989
Frustratingly boring (and finally just boring) novel of indecision
Tripoint 1994
Melodramatic bilge, characters we’re supposed to respect are pathetic
Armageddon the Musical 1991 Humour/SF
Poor, seedy, charmless Pratchett copy
Space Marine 1993 SF (Military)
Ultra SF violence with a veneer of philosophy
ELWOOD, Roger
Angelwalk 1988
Clumsy ignorant self-satisfied
middle-American nominal bigotry