Author Topic: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)  (Read 2152 times)

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Howard Alan Treesong

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http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/topscifi/lists_books_rank1.html

How many have you read??

I've read:
47 of the top 50 :punch
70 of the top 100 :S

However, of the 30 I haven't read, 6 of those are shitty Heinlein and 2 are shitty Niven...so I'm counting that as a wash.

Was happy to see some Banks there, though they should be much higher. Like, ideally Use of Weapons at #1.

I was reminded of how awesome Simak's City was. THE DOGS SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH :bow :bow

Since it's novels, not short stories, some genre contributors like Ellison are woefully underrepresented.

Sad to see fanboy favorite shit like Ender's Game, Niven and Heinlein shitting up the list. I'd like to see a list that's "Top 50 SF books that are actually good, and maybe even written after 1980." Does that list even exist?
« Last Edit: August 20, 2007, 06:12:47 PM by Synthesizer Patel »
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Howard Alan Treesong

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2007, 05:55:18 PM »
Oh, also, Lord of Light at 30?! What the fuck.

Amongst more recent books I've read, I'd put The Chronoliths and Light in any top 100 list.

I'd also rank Pattern Recognition fairly highly, though Gibson is only barely sci-fi, at this point. I mean, Pattern Recognition is GAF solves ilovebees as a worldwide thriller.
« Last Edit: August 20, 2007, 05:58:41 PM by Synthesizer Patel »
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TVC15

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2007, 05:58:52 PM »
How was this assembled?  Who the fuck thinks Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is the best PKD book?

Wait, Ender's Game is #2?  List is a joke, confirmed.
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Howard Alan Treesong

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2007, 06:00:23 PM »
R-tards. Note Ender's Game at #2.

Seriously, it's a collective wisdom of the Internet type thing. Fanboys will be fanboys. And fanboys like Electric Sheep cause of BRADE RUNNER. Which is neither here nor there.

That's why I'm using the list to FOSTER DISCUSSION and also hopefully find better lists.

Actually, I found a first edition Japanese translation of The Forever War while I was in Japan, and in the back was a list of the 50 "Sci-Fi classics" that had been translated into Japanese by this publisher circa mid-70s. It's a really interesting look in what was considered state-of-the-art at a then semi-fledgling genre. No Ender's Game, for starters!
« Last Edit: August 20, 2007, 06:02:09 PM by Synthesizer Patel »
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Fragamemnon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2007, 06:08:09 PM »
39 of the top 50
68 of the top 100

I blame too much gaming.

Niven and Heinlein are definitely too represented on the list.

Omitting Alas, Babylon in the top 100 is sorta a huge slight to us apocalypse fans. Also, it would have been nice to see something from Stephen Baxter, but I do admit that it would have to be pretty low on the list.

I feel that Pohl deserves more than just a nod for Gateway if possible, but maybe that's just the inner fan talking.
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Howard Alan Treesong

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2007, 06:10:28 PM »
Yeah, the TV show Jericho is just Alas, Babylon fanfic. I think they even have an episode where they go to the salt mines. ::)

What Baxter would you recommend? I am not familiar. Also, what Pohl do you like? I've read and enjoyed a lot by him, but I reread Gateway recently and it did seem far and away above his other work (or most others' work, for that matter).
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Fragamemnon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2007, 06:25:14 PM »
What Baxter would you recommend?

I'm partial to recommending Vacuum Diagrams, of all things. Baxter is only so-so at characterization, so that collection of linked short stories really IMO plays to his strengths. It's also an easy read.

Quote
Also, what Pohl do you like? I've read and enjoyed a lot by him, but I reread Gateway recently and it did seem far and away above his other work (or most others' work, for that matter).

Either Man Plus or Jem (I read them both way back when so, caveat emptor!) were decent reads. One or the other deserves at least second page (101-200) treatment.

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TakingBackSunday

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2007, 06:26:43 PM »
Farenheit 451 :bow
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Van Cruncheon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2007, 06:27:39 PM »
i liked lord of light. :'(
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TVC15

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #9 on: August 20, 2007, 06:29:10 PM »
I see The Man in the High Castle is the number 2 Dick.  That should probably be his first represented book on the list.  It's an undeniable classic that most Dick fans can find common ground on.
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Howard Alan Treesong

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #10 on: August 20, 2007, 06:29:21 PM »
Prole: the "what the fuck" was Lord of Light is a top 10 book for sure.

Man Plus is really good, though the "gotcha!" ending was kind of goofy. The core themes were really excellent, however. They were going to make it into a big-budget movie a few years back but all the shitty Mars movies about that time killed it.
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Van Cruncheon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #11 on: August 20, 2007, 06:31:17 PM »
wow, i've actually read a LOT of those; at least, most of the earlier ones.

also, the uplift war sucked. fuck david brin.

greg bear's eon :bow :bow :bow

also, and i know this is nerd heresy, but i don't really like hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy now that i'm out of college. :punch

duc

Van Cruncheon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #12 on: August 20, 2007, 06:32:24 PM »
i am glad you respect zelazny, patel, and i forgive you your previous slights against AMERICA'S BEST MAINSTREAM FILM DIRECTOR, CHRISTOPHER NOLAN.
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FatalT

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #13 on: August 20, 2007, 06:34:07 PM »
I've only read 10 of those.

I'm SOOOOO glad that Ubik and Snow Crash are on there though. Best books I've ever read.

Van Cruncheon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #14 on: August 20, 2007, 06:36:53 PM »
lastly, i hate it when these stupid lists confuse "best" and "most influential". heinlein's influential, yeah, but his books are shallow, patriarchal crap. remember when your lesbian lit prof used to inanely rail on dickens for being too white and male? she probably meant heinlein, because there are no novels that are more overtly white and male than heinlein's, right down to the smug, sneering dialogue.
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Van Cruncheon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2007, 06:43:59 PM »
OMG WHAT THE FUCK IS CRICHTON DOING ON THERE, AND ABOVE BURGESS NO LESS

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Smooth Groove

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #16 on: August 20, 2007, 06:48:38 PM »
Halo made #13?  Cool. 

Smooth Groove

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #17 on: August 20, 2007, 06:51:06 PM »
Crichton is icky

His creativity is okay but his engrish is teh terrible. 

etiolate

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2007, 06:51:22 PM »
There's more than one Herbert book, the dude did not just write Dune only.

Van Cruncheon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #19 on: August 20, 2007, 06:52:57 PM »
Dune was his best, though, although as a CS geek I totally HEART Destination: Void.
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Smooth Groove

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #20 on: August 20, 2007, 06:53:57 PM »
Why don't you guys discuss #1?  Was it deserved? 

Van Cruncheon

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #21 on: August 20, 2007, 06:56:03 PM »
*shrug* it's a very safe #1. Me? It's not my #1, for sure, but it's hard to point to another sci-fi novel that fires on all the individual cylinders that drive the appeal of the genre. It's my wife's favorite novel of all time, for the record.
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Gay Boy

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #22 on: August 20, 2007, 07:07:40 PM »
There top 100 sci-fi movies is also rather wtf:
http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/topscifi/lists_film.html
Men and Black and Stargate in the top 50?

The star wars prequels in the top 25?
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FatalT

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #23 on: August 20, 2007, 07:10:59 PM »
There top 100 sci-fi movies is also rather wtf:
http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/topscifi/lists_film.html
Men and Black and Stargate in the top 50?

The star wars prequels in the top 25?

You see this? Huh?! N-Y-P-D! Means I will knock your punkass DOWN!

It just be raining black people in New York.

Howard Alan Treesong

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #24 on: August 20, 2007, 07:24:17 PM »
You know what sucked more than The Uplift War? Startide Rising. Jesus.

I think the worst SF book I've ever read was The Integral Trees by Larry Niven.

Speaking of, has anyone ever done some textual analysis of "golden age" SF authors and the number of pages they devoted to creepy sex scenes as they get older? My vote is for y = x^2.
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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #25 on: August 20, 2007, 07:53:14 PM »
There top 100 sci-fi movies is also rather wtf:
http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/topscifi/lists_film.html
Men and Black and Stargate in the top 50?

The star wars prequels in the top 25?

They really stretched the sci-fi genre definition toward the end there.  And wtf Matrix > Planet of the Apes?

terrible list is terrible
haa

CajoleJuice

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Re: Top 100 Sci-Fi Books discussion thread (P.S. Ender's Game blows goats)
« Reply #26 on: August 20, 2007, 08:34:33 PM »
4 and 1/2  :-[
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