What's your favourite sci-fi or fantasy novel? (Top Ten Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books)

Member Name: noodlesandwich

Product:	Top Ten Sci-Fi & Fantasy Books
Date:	21/04/09 (204 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great books

Disadvantages: couldn't condense all my favourites down to ten

TOP TEN SCI-FI AND FANTASY BOOKS

I have always read a lot and although I wouldn't class myself as a sci-fi or fantasy buff I will read in any genre so long as it's entertaining or/and thought provoking. As a result I've read plenty of great sci-fi and fantasy books and put together this list of what I consider to be ten of the best. I haven't numbered them as I feel there are so many differences between them that it is often impossible to say that one is clearly 'better' than another.

The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S Lewis (1950 - 1956)

An early foray into the world of fantasy books. I remember my best friend telling me excitedly about how good The Magicians Nephew was when we were in Junior school and we both soon read the rest of the Narnia books. 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe' stood out as the best in the series; I wanted to taste the delicious turkish delight that made Edmund into a slave, I cried for poor old Mr Tumnus and no doubt like many other hopeful children I had a go at pushing through the back of my parents wardrobe to no avail. Personally I don't think it stands up to re reading as an adult although I know many people would disagree. I know a lot of people are interested in the Christian theology behind the story, but that doesn't mean anything to me, I simply read it as a magical childrens adventure story.


Canopus in Argos: Archives - Doris Lessing (1979 - 1983)

I remember being intrigued to discover that Doris Lessing, the nobel prize winning author and a favourite of mine had written a sci-fi series. There are five books in the series but they can be read independantly of each other, although 'The Sirian Experiments' is best read after the first in the series 'Shikasta', as these two cover the same events seen from different perspectives. It's difficult to summarize what these books are about; a history of Earth told from the persective of Aliens - evolution, human nature, war, civilisations, spirituality... Lessing is impossible to summarize. Some would argue against these being sci-fi, Lessing herself called them 'space fiction', as they focus more on characters and social-cultural issues than scientific or technological details. Lessing is rarely an easy read but she is always thought provoking and explores ideas and fresh concepts like no-one else I have read. The books in the series are: Shikasta,(my favourite); The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five; The Sirian Experiments; The Making of the Representative for Planet 8; The Sentimental Agents in the Volyen Empire.


The Harry Potter Series - J K Rowling (1997 - 2007)

The Harry Potter series is massively popular, although I have found that many people are also quite snobbish about it, but I really like it and am quite happy to admit to appreciating great childrens books. It's encouraged lots of children to get into reading, which is great. I was well into adulthood when the first of these came out and I was intrigued by the story of how JK Rowling came to write it so I got hold of a copy of the first one which I enjoyed but must admit I didn't think was great. This was before the series had become the phenomenon it is now. I read the next book out of a mixture idle curiosity and the influence of hype and by the time the third in the series came out, (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), I became one of those people eagerly awaiting the next one. This is so well known I don't think I need to insult anyones intelligence by telling them what the story is about, but I will - a boy wizard and his friends versus an evil Lord, consider yourself insulted :p. The characters and alternative reality are so well imagined it's easy to believe in them and to imagine yourself in their world which is a neccessity of all good fantasy. The series has come under much criticism for both it's content and style of writing and while it may not be perfect, there is much to recommend it and I'm sure it will stand the test of time and be read by children for many years to come.


The Disposessed - Ursula K. Le Guin (1974)

This is a fantastic novel by Ursula K Le Guin. It is set in an anarchist world and tells the tale of a physicist called Shevek who is studying time. The story is told in different time frames. He becomes torn between his own idealistic planet and that of another much more earthlike society and the book becomes partly a debate on political systems. It won't be to everyones taste, if you like action packed page turners, move on, but if you're interested in exploring social and psychological issues this one could fascinate you. It has its flaws and is a little dated but the main character is sympathetic and the different cultures are brilliantly imagined.


Earth Abides - George R Stewart (1949)

A mysterious plague wipes out most of humankind and we follow the story of one survivor. This might not sound like an original proposition, but it was more so in 1949 when this book was first published and it has inspired many post apocalyptic novels since, Stephen King's The Stand being one of them to which King has admitted. This one was recommended to me by a friend when I was about 20. I had never heard of it and did not know that it is considered to be one of the great American sci-fi novels. It's not perfect, the protagonist, Ish, is perhaps not the most likeable character and there are moral and patriarchal assumptions made within the story which perhaps are due in large part to how the story has dated. Morals and group dynamics form a large part of the storyline as Ish meets other survivors and they create a new society, although it is hardly a utopian one. There is a strong ecological theme, which again is something before it's time and the mark of good sci-fi. The final words after history has gone almost full circle echo this theme; "men go and come, but earth abides." I recently lent this to someone who absolutely raved about it and have decided I am going to have to give it a long overdue re reading.


2001: A Space Odyssey - Arthur C. Clarke (1968)

I hadn't realised until just now that this book was written concurrently with the Stanley Kubrick movie and actually published after it's release. Nonetheless it differs from the film somewhat and as is usual with books has much more substance. I found the film a bit slow, overlong and boring to be honest, but the book is well worth a read. The story begins with primates on earth being given a push towards developing intelligence via a monolith placed on our planet by another race. We then move forward to the year 1999 and another monolith is found on the moon from which a signal is tracked to a distant moon of Saturn and another space mission to investigate this is launched. A major theme of this novel is evolution and an exploration of what future humans may be like. There is also the theme of uncontrollable technology including an an anti-nuclear message which isn't as clear in the film. This is a hugely influential book and the accompanying movie is seen by many as one of the greatest ever made.


Lord of the Rings trilogy - J.R.R Tolkien (1954-55)

I read this one in my teens and then re read it a couple of times in later years. Most people will know the story and characters because of the hugely successful films. I realise some people will consider me a heretic but I think they were more entertaining than the books, Peter Jackson did such a brilliant job it's hard to see how he could have made them much better. The books did a great job of bringing to life a brilliantly imagined Middle Earth, but in my opinion there was just too much detail to make it a solidly good read and I did find it difficult not to skip some bits. However, I realise lots of people love this about the books and I still got a lot of enjoyment from this fantasy adventure, more than my moneys worth. It is a fantastic and hugely influential story and could not possibly be left off this list.


Parable of the Sower - Octavia Butler (1993)

The western world is falling apart due to environmental and economic crises - no this is a novel. An American teenager finds herself alone in a frightening future and eventually helps to start a community and a new religion called Earthseed which has inspired a real life social movement - Solseed, I think it has much in common with Buddhism although the connection is not made in the text. This may sound airy fairy but it's a violent and disturbing book, frightening, original but also, importantly, hopeful. There is a second book called Parable of the Talents which won the nebula award, but a planned third 'Parable of the Trickster', was not finished at the time of Butler's death in 2006. I loved this story and have to read more of Butler's work.


The Handmaids Tale - Margaret Atwood (1985)

Another dystopian novel, this one focuses on reproduction and the scarcity of healthy foetuses in the future, something also written about very well in P.D James' Children of Men and a realistic possibilty for the human race. In the fascist state of Gilead, fertile women are placed in the homes of the rich as concubines who bear children. This doesn't actually sound that far fetched does it? The book is a heartfelt social critique which resonates strongly with me, everyone has their role and must stay in their allotted place in society. The secret police of Gilead use a winged eye as a symbol of their dominance which made me think of the TV show Big Brother and wonder if this novel is where their logo idea came from. Atwood called this speculative fiction rather than sci-fi saying to the Guardian; "Science fiction has monsters and spaceships; speculative fiction could really happen". This didn't stop it winning the very first Arthur C. Clarke Award in 1987.


1984 - George Orwell (1949)

This is one of the best known sci-fi novels ever written. I originally studied it at school and thought it was good then, but it was only on re reading it as an adult that I came to appreciate how perfect this novel is. A grim dystopia, much of which has already come to pass. Winston Smith has few pleasures in a life controlled by The Party and their leader Big Brother. When he meets Julia, a seemingly vociferous member of the anti-sex league they begin a secret affair. It's really more about politics than sci-fi and is also a touching love story. One of my favourite quotes from the book - 'If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - for ever.' It's unfortunate that this is so true to life.


Okay that's my final list, although if anyone's interested I could also have fitted any of these into it; PhilipPullmans 'His Dark Materials', 'Fools' by Pat Cadigan and 'The Sparrow' by Mary Doria Russel.

Summary: 'If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - for ever.'