Stego Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 I love the book. This isn't a list of the best SFF ever written, just the ones I recommend you read. And I don't much recommend Pynchon. You can handle Pynchon. Martha and Doug can handle it. Julie and Ness and Fee. But most of these yokels? Come on. Bronn reads this forum, for fucks sake. Doc Smith is hard to read these days. And sorry, Mike, Burroughs was never my thing. Try not to hate me too much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walpurgisborn Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 So where is Robert E Howard on the list? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beniowa Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Stego, I downloaded your original list from the last time. A lot of good stuff on there. I've been adding to it. :leaving: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Yeah, he's absent. I'm sorry. :( He made it to 105 or something. Thing about Howard is, though he can write just about the most rousing combat sequences ever, he can get incredibly boring between them. And his lack of message hurt him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arlingzen Bill Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 [u]Anubis Gate[/u] by Tim Powers was ok. I think that my expectations were built too high for the book. I then found it entirely too predictable. I don't believe any of the twists caught me by surprise. But I will say it was better than [u]Expiration Date[/u]. Is Ward Moore anywhere on your other lists? I applaud your choice of [u]legend[/u], I have reread that book several times. It is a good epic fantasy. I thought the novel [u]Footfall[/u] by Niven and Pournelle is worth mentioning. There is a meeting between government scientists and science fiction writers that is presentient. Two years ago SF writers were brought in to discuss their thoughts on terrorism. I am not sure if I like [u]City[/u] or [u]Waystation[/u] better by Simak. I ask for your 100 favorite authors and their single best work, in your opinion. Edit: clerical error Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Beni, can you email it to me? I lost it in a reformat. williamlexner at gmail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoN Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Think its worth remembering that this is a list of recommendations, not some sort of definitive ranking. So don't be offended if your favourite book/author isn't on there. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zach H Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Love the inclusion of [i]The Wizard Knight[/i]. It's one of the Wolfe works that doesn't seem to get the attention of some of his other stuff, but for me it's right up there with the best pieces of fiction I've ever read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 [quote name='Zach H' post='1697908' date='Feb 24 2009, 10.15']Love the inclusion of [i]The Wizard Knight[/i]. It's one of the Wolfe works that doesn't seem to get the attention of some of his other stuff, but for me it's right up there with the best pieces of fiction I've ever read.[/quote] ^ What He said. The Wizard Knight was one of the most captivating experiences I have ever experienced between the covers of a book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arlingzen Bill Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 [quote name='Ghost of Nymeria' post='1697904' date='Feb 24 2009, 10.14']Think its worth remembering that this is a list of recommendations, not some sort of definitive ranking. So don't be offended if your favourite book/author isn't on there. :)[/quote] Don't we always reserve the right to hijack threads and be affronted by minor issues? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaxom 1974 Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 [quote name='Arlington Bill' post='1697938' date='Feb 24 2009, 10.34']Don't we always reserve the right to hijack threads and be affronted by minor issues?[/quote] Yeah! Especially when Stego leaves off our favorite authors! ;) (Otherwise the list is great in that it helps me remember some of the books I want to go back and read that I haven't yet...) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walpurgisborn Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Oh and also, where's Michael Moorcock? How could you have crypto fascists like Asimov and Heinlein and plainly terrible writers like Tolkien in this list and not include anything by Moorcock? :tantrum: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonja Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 [quote name='scrahan' post='1697946' date='Feb 24 2009, 15.41']Oh and also, where's Michael Moorcock? How could you have crypto fascists like Asimov and Heinlein and plainly terrible writers like Tolkien in this list and not include anything by Moorcock? :tantrum:[/quote] What makes you say Heinlein is a Crypto fascist, please? I've heard this a few times, but have never understood it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaqen the FatManderly Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Looks like a good list, as far as I can figure. Everyone from the top of my sig is represented aside from McCaffrey, and I'm certainly not going to argue for her works (the [i]Harper Hall [/i]trilogy, primarily) based on literary merit. One omission is [b][i]The Hobbit[/i][/b], which would be my top SFF recommendation. I think it's better than LOTR -- but I know a lot of other people see it as kiddie lit. Speaking of kiddie lit - [i]Le Petit Prince [/i]deserves mention, though it's hard for something that short to stand on its own. And then there's Lewis Carroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom the Merciful Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Lies of Locke Lamora are in, and there's no Abercrombie? Shame on you Stego. I'll start thinking Joe may be right in some of his assumptions! :D Now seriously - No Stephen King? Earthsea? Overall, not much fantasy on the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaesterLuwin Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 No love for the [i]Silmarillion[/i]? That's a better book then half the stuff on this list, including anything ever written by Arthur C. Clarke. I would argue against the inclusion of [i]Snow Crash[/i] as well, though I suppose it is significant. The book has just never clicked with me, for whatever reason. In what sense is Pynchon a science-fiction writer? The SF elements in [i]Gravity's Rainbow[/i] are few and far-between, and those in [i]Against the Day[/i] are mere satire. In both cases, they are secondary to the work; I think that in true SF/F, the work couldn't succeed without those elements. Does [i]The Best of Isaac Asimov[/i] include any of his [i]Foundation[/i] works? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWHamel Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 I guess A. E. Van Vogt, H. Beam Piper, Jerry Pournelle, L. Sprague De Camp, Andre Norton, among others didn't make the cut. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Who? No, I've never heard of those people. Van Gogh? WTF? Did he write fantasy? So, Martha sent me my old list. I'm editing it as we speak. You'll find lots more works on it. But who besides Needle and I will ever read this much? I dunno. Maybe it will shut some of you up. :P Arlington Bill, fascinating question about my 100 personally favorite authors and works. That's a completely new list. RWHamel, Andre Norton? Top 100? Come on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Moorcock gets the same respect from me that he shows Tolkien. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWHamel Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 What? You mean you never read [i]Slan[/i], or [i]The Weapon Shops of Isher[/i]? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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