Wastrel Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 As discussed in the other recent 'top 100' thread, I'm running a vote on the forum to determine a list of (the best? the most popular? the most worth reading?) 100 genre works. The twist is that I'll be using an unusual electoral system to determine the results, which I hope will be fairer and more representative than that of most such polls.The really short version of the counting system: you vote for books, but the list works on the basis of allocating slots to the authors with the most cumulative votes. This should avoid the problem of authors with many popular books having their votes split between their works.What is eligible: this is for genre (SF, fantasy) works, not general fiction. However, "genre work" means anything you think ought to be considered "genre", for whatever reason, whether this is based on content, style, the author's usual concerns, anything you like. What you should do:Write out a ballot with up to twenty works on it. These works should be arranged in three tiers: a group of four, a group of eight, and a second group of eight. Within these tiers, the precise ordering does not matter: sixth place and tenth place are both in the same tier, and will be counted the same way. You don't have to give twenty works if you can't think of enough. For my convenience, please put a blank line between the three tiers (ie, after the fourth and twelfth works).If you think that some of your choices are not only good books but GREAT books, life-changing books that would be great in any genre, you can signify this by putting UP TO TWO of the books in BOLD. This is optional - don't automatically give it to your two favourite books unless you think they deserve it.For my convenience, please adopt a single format: write the name of the book, underlined, followed by the name of the author. If there's any helpful information you think I should know (date of publication, alternative publication title, alternative name of author, that sort of thing), please put it in brackets. Please give the English title somewhere if it's a translation (if there IS an English title). No individual short stories. Short story collections are fine. Graphic novels are fine, but must have a single author - a run in a comic book is fine, but not the whole of a magazine, or the whole of a character's corpus.If you want to nominate a work from a sequence, give either the name of the sequence or the name of the individual book. Votes for individual books will be compiled into votes for overall series, but the most popular installment will be specifically mentioned. Do not nominate multiple books from the same series.You may relay the votes of friends and family who are not board members. Please be honest about this and do not cheat. Please give these in the same post if possible. Otherwise, state clearly that this is what you are doing, so that I don't think you're ammending your first ballot.If you want to amend your ballot, please say so clearly. Also, in order that I don't have to search through for your original ballot, please state your original ballot along with the revised version (or specify the changes you have made).This poll will run for an unspecified length of time - until people stop voting, or, if that never happens, until I give up waiting.I hope that covers everything that needs covering. If there are any question, feel free to post them in your replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wastrel Posted January 21, 2010 Author Share Posted January 21, 2010 At risk of mockery, and without having thought about it as much as I probably should have done, I may as well kick things off with a list of my own:One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia MarquezBlindness - Jose SaramagoThe Silmarillion - JRR TolkienThe Book of the New Sun - Gene WolfeThe Urth of the New Sun - Gene WolfeThe Lord of the Rings - JRR TolkienA Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter M Miller, JrWatership Down - Richard AdamsAsh: A Secret History - Mary GentleThe Sirens of Titan - Kurt VonnegutA Storm of Swords - George RR MartinThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay - Michael ChabonCollected Stories - Gabriel Garcia MarquezAsh: A Secret History - Mary GentleWatchmen - Alan MooreUnfinished Tales - JRR TolkienShardik - Richard AdamsThe Liveship Traders - Robin HobbMen at Arms - Terry PratchettThe One Tree - Stephen DonaldsonThe Ill-Made Knight - TH WhiteThe Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula Le Guin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wastrel Posted January 21, 2010 Author Share Posted January 21, 2010 - whoops, double post -To make the most of the error, a small note: I don't mind "reactions" in this thread, but I don't want "discussion".That is, I don't want a age of people discussing the merits of a book, because it gets in the way, but I don't mind if there's a bit of banter, either in its own post or accompanying a ballot -"that's a surprise", "I think X is better than Y", "I though I was the only one who liked X", etc.I think a bit of banter enlivens the thread and adds character - but if it turns into actual discussion, it makes it harder to go through and pick out the actual ballots, so please exercise some restraint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuroishi Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 A Song of Ice and Fire - George RR MartinTigana - Guy Gavriel KayLittle, Big - John CrowleyThe Lord of the Rings - JRR TolkienA Song for Arbonne - Guy Gavriel KayTitus Groan - Mervyn PeakeOne Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia MarquezSongmaster - Orson Scott CardHis Dark Materials - Philip PullmanNight Watch - Terry PratchettGloriana - Michael MoorcockNine Princes in Amber - Roger Zelazny Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser - Fritz LeiberElric - Michael MoorcockEnder's Game - Orson Scott CardThe Silmarillion - JRR TolkienThe Messiah of Dune - Franck HerbertAegypt - John CrowleyPlanetes - Yukimura MakotoNausicaa - Hayao MiyazakiYeah, well... Putting not one, but two manga series in there might seem too much, but I'll stand by my choice, as these are two of the best genre pieces I've ever read. (as graphic novels are ok, I assumed other forms of sequential art would be ok too)As my memory is far from perfect and I don't have my whole book collection with me, maybe I'll change some of my vote later if other voters remind me of great reads.Also, I voted sometimes for individual books in sequences and sometimes for whole series. Is it ok ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratatoskr Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Watership Down - Richard AdamsRiddlemaster trilogy - Patricia McKillipHyperion - Dan SimmonsThe Silmarillion - J.R.R. TolkienThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas AdamsUse of Weapons- Iain M. BanksThe Book of Knights - Yves MeynardSnow Crash - Neal StephensonLord of the Rings - J.R.R. TolkienA Fire Upon The Deep - Vernor VingeA Deepness in the Sky - Vernor VingeLord of Light - Roger ZelaznyPrince of Nothing trilogy - R. Scott BakkerThe Stars My Destination - Alfred BesterMalazan Book of the Fallen - Steven EriksonThe Princess Bride - William GoldmanThe Reality Dysfunction - Peter F. HamiltonThe Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz - Russell HobanA Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. MartinThe Road - Cormac McCarthyIt is done. Phew. This was hard. Harder maybe than a straight ranking would've been. The toughest part was to decide which of the top five would have to go to tier II. In the end it had to be "A Deepness in the Sky". I should like to note, for the record, that I do consider it the better of two very strong Vernor Vinge novels, a notion which I was unable to quite convey under the current system.This is fun. I'm really looking forward to the finished list. I might make it a priority of mine to read any unread works thereupon. Which, I dare to predict, should force me to finally tackle my first novel-lenght Wolfe *shivers in fear and anticipation*. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratatoskr Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 BTW: I think it's a bad idea to sticky the thread at this point. Regulars tend to disregard the stickied threads (I know I do), and so the thread might get overlooked by many.I'd strongly advise that the thread be un-stickied while voting is in progress. Should it slip onto page 2, it can be bumped. It can (and should, then) be re-stickied once voting is closed and the tabluation is done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellis Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Lord of the Rings - JRR TolkeinBook of the New Sun - Gene WolfeThe Last Unicorn - Peter S BeagleA Clockwork Orange - Anthony BurgessMan in the High Castle - Philip K Dick (hard to limit 1 PKD; want to put 5 here!)A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter Miller JrGormenghast trilogy - Mervyn PeakeMidnight's Children - Salman RushdieThe Scar (or Bas-Lag) - China MievilleA Song of Ice and Fire - George RR MartinThe Dispossessed - Ursula K Le GuinJonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - Susanna ClarkeTigana - Guy Gavriel KayEarth Abides - George StewertThe Affirmation - Christopher PriestA Fine and Private Place - Peter S BeagleBook of Skulls - Robert SilverbergHer Smoke Rose Up Forever - James Tiptree Jr (Alice Sheldon, too few women on this list)Ambergris cycle - Jeff Vandermeer (sorry Stego!)Fifth Head of Cerberus - Gene WolfeOK. Promise not to return and edit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wastrel Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 Good point there, Bellis.I've decided it'll be easiest to compile the votes as they are cast.To that end, I'd be grateful if people didn't edit theit ballots once first posted, but rather posted a second time giving both the original and the new version.I know this may be inconvenient for people, but I think it makes it a lot easier at my end (it's easier to avoid making mistakes when I'm entering things one-by-one, rather than when I'm trying to enter dozens of ballots in a single long session).------Ratatoskr: I don't really know about that. I can see your point. Perhaps have it stickied for a while so that people think "what's the new sticky?" and then take it down? I don't know, I'm open to advice from others. I'll leave it as it is for now, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myshkin Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Blindness - Jose SaramagoMagister Ludi - Hermann HesseThe Satanic Verses - Salman RushdieThe Tin Drum - Gunter GrassOne Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia MarquezMidnight's Children - Salman RushdieCat's Cradle - Kurt VonnegutThe Autumn of the Patriarch - Gabriel Garcia MarquezThe Stone Raft - Jose SaramagoThe Moor's Last Sigh - Salman RushdieGalapagos - Kurt VonnegutFahrenheit 451 - Ray BradburyThunderer/Gears of the City - Felix GilmanA Clockwork Orange - Anthony BurgessThe Chronicles of Thomas Covenant - Stephen DonaldsonA Song of Ice and Fire - GRRMSlaughterhouse 5 - Kurt VonnegutThe Long Price Quartet - Daniel AbrahamThe Prince of Nothing - R. Scott BakkerStranger in a Strange Land - Robert HeinleinNote: More than two of these deserved to be bolded, but I'll stick to the rules.ETA, question: I know we're not supposed to nominate more than one book from a series, but it is ok to nominate more than one book from an author isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wastrel Posted January 22, 2010 Author Share Posted January 22, 2010 Yeah, two or more from the same author is fine. The 'not two from the same series' rule is because I'm going to count series as single works, and if you can count for every part of it that would give sequential works an advantage.I realise that it's not always clear when something is or is not a series. I suggest erring on the side of not if you're unsure, and then if I decide they are I can ask you for an alternative vote. Better than assuming they'll be joined, because I've no way of telling who WOULD have voted for something.Oh, and Kuroishi: it's OK if it's a) printed, B) all by the same author (which can include multiple simultaneous authors, just not different parts by different people), and c) is at least partly in words (if you find a comic/manga with no words at all, only pictures, I don't think it should qualify).EDIT: OK, well done Myshkin. Not only does he launch a putsch to put Vonnegut on the list single-handedly, but in the process he reminds me of a novel I forgot about and forces me to edit my own ballot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaesterLuwin Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Well, I might go back and submit an edited list later, but for the purpose of getting my own brain working, here is my initial twenty. This was harder than I thought it would be.The Silmarillion, J.R.R. TolkienGravity's Rainbow, Thomas PynchonThe Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. TolkienDer Ring Des Nibelung, Richard WagnerThe Blind Assassin, Margaret AtwoodSpeaker for the Dead, Orson Scott CardDon Quixote, Miguel de CervantesDune, Frank HerbertThe Iliad, HomerThe Wheel of Time, Robert Jordan (& Brandon Sanderson)Kafka on the Shore, Haruki MurakamiA Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. MartinFoundation and Empire, Isaac AsimovA Clockwork Orange, Anthony BurgessThe Phantom Tollbooth, Norton JusterThe Gunslinger (Original Version), Stephen KingHard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, Haruki MurakamiV., Thomas PynchonThe Eyes of the Overworld, Jack VanceThe Once and Future King, T.H. WhiteA few notes:-I hope the Wagner vote is eligible, according to the "as long as it has text" rules. Graphic novels are text put to images, so I felt that text put to music would also be acceptable. If it's not, I will change up my vote.-My King vote goes for the original 1980s Gunslinger, not the atrociously revised 2003 edition, in case that makes any sort of difference.-My vote for The Phantom Tollbooth might seem a bit silly, but I feel it's one of the best children's books out there, and was certainly an influence on me during my formative years of reading. All nostalgia aside, I reread it last year, and it's still damn clever. -I know honorable mentions won't count for anything, but I feel I have to at least bring up Against the Day, Slaughterhouse-Five, The Prince of Nothing, A Canticle for Leibowitz, and The Road, all of which almost made the cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookWyrm Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Le Morte d'Arthur - Sir Thomas MaloryThe Hobbit- J.R.R. TolkienThe Book of the New Sun- Gene WolfeFicciones - Jorge Luis BorgesThe Lyonesse Trilogy - Jack VanceA Song of Ice & Fire - George R.R. MartinPrince of Nothing - R. Scott BakkerLittle, Big - John CrowleyThe Star Rover - Jack LondonAt the Mountains of Madness - H.P. LovecraftLost Worlds - Clark Ashton SmithIt - Stephen KingThe Odyssey - HomerWizard Knight - Gene WolfeThe Once & Future King - T.H. WhitePhantastes - George MacDonaldThe Mabinogion Tetralogy - Evangaline WaltonThe Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. TolkienThe Hour of the Dragon- Robert E. HowardThe Last Unicorn - Peter S. Beagle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sologdin Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 le morte d'arthur, t. maloryparadise lost, j. miltondoctor faustus, c. marlowedivine comedy, dantegulliver's travels, j. swiftfrankenstein, m. shelleyshadow over innsmouth, h. lovecraftsilmarillion, j. tolkienportrait of dorian grey, o. wildeutopia, t. moreat the edge of the world, dunsanygrendel, j. gardineri am legend, r. mathesonbook of the new sun, g. wolfedo androids dream of electric sheep?, p. dickdune, f. herbertfoundation, i. asimovperdido street station, c. mievilledhalgren, s. delanysong of ice and fire, g. martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stilgar Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Year's Best Science Fiction anthology series, Gardner DozoisA Song of Ice and Fire, George R.R. MartinDune, Frank HerbertImmodest Proposals, William TennRoderick, John SladekThe Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robert HeinleinDoomsday Book, Connie WillisA Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter MillerGateway, Frederick PohlNight Watch, Terry PratchettThe Stars My Destination, Alfred BesterThe Forever War, Joe HaldemanRainbows End, Vernor VingeThe Fifth Head of Cerberus, Gene WolfeStories of Your Life and Others, Ted ChiangBroken Angels, Richard K. MorganPattern Recognition, William GibsonPerdido Street Station, China MievilleThe Sparrow, Mary Doria RussellArmor, John Steakley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zach H Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 The Wizard Knight - Gene WolfeBlade of Tyshalle - Matthew StoverGormenghast - Mervyn PeakeCloud Atlas - David Mitchell Book of the Long Sun - Gene WolfeBook of the New Sun - Gene WolfeA Storm of Swords - George R.R. MartinMidnight Tides - Steven EriksonShriek: An Afterword - Jeff VanderMeerPerdido Street Station - China MievilleThe Fortress of Solitude - Jonathan LethemThe One Tree - Stephen R. DonaldsonThe New York Trilogy - Paul AusterA Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark TwainMagic for Beginners - Kelly LinkBehold the Man - Michael MoorcockLord of Chaos - Robert JordanThe Sandman - Neil GaimanLord of the Rings - J.R.R. TolkienWizard and Glass - Stephen King Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookWyrm Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 le morte d'arthur, t. malory*High Five*I thought I would be the only one, I love seeing other Malory fans show their love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caligula_K Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 The Book of the New Sun- Gene WolfeA Song of Ice and Fire- George RR MartinA Clockwork Orange- Anthony BurgessThe Foundation Trilogy- Isaac AsimovThe Sarantine Mosaic- Guy Gavriel KayThe Darkness That Comes Before- R. Scott BakkerThe Book of the Short Sun- Gene WolfeLord of the Rings- JRR TolkienThe Last Argument of Kings- Joe AbercrombieTitus Groan- Mervyn PeakeSoldier of the Mist- Gene WolfeHyperion- Dan SimmonsMidnight Tides- Steven EriksonThe Gap- Stephen R. DonaldsonThe Scar- China MievilleCity of Saints and Madmen- Jeff VandermeerIt- Stephen King1984- George OrwellFicciones- Jorge Luis BorgesThe Waste Lands- Stephen KingI guess only one thing to point out about my list: I don't consider ancient and medieval epic poetry to be fantasy and so I don't include stuff like The Iliad or Aeneid on it, even though the Iliad for example would be extremely high. I think that calling these poems "fantasy" is extremely anachronistic and pretty much is a complete misunderstanding of what these works are. But that's just my two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Robert of Dobolina Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 The Gospel According to Jesus Christ - Jose Saramago.Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie.The Iliad & The Odyssey - Homer.The Mahabharata - Anonymous.Soldier of the Mist - Gene Wolfe.China Mountain Zhang - Maureen F. McHugh.The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin.A Canticle for Leibowitz - Walter Miller.My Name Is Red - Orhan Pamuk.A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess.Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell.Gojiro - Mark Jacobson.The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood.Dune - Frank Herbert.Vast - Linda Nagata.White Queen - Gwyneth Jones.The Last Dancer - Daniel Keys Moran.The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien.The Eden Trilogy - Harry Harrison.The Culture Series - Iain M. Banks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bastard of Godsgrace Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Master and Margarita - Mikhail BulgakovThe Silmarillion J. R. R. TolkienThe Lord of the Rings - J. R. R TolkienSolaris - Stanislaw LemStar Maker - Olaf StapledonCyberiad - Stanislaw LemThe Invincible - Stanislaw LemRoadside Picnic - Arkady and Boris StrugatskiThe Earthsea Trilogy - Ursula Le GuinBrave New World - Aldous HuxleyThe Book of the New Sun - Gene WolfeFicciones - Jorge Luis BorgesThe Return from the Stars - Stanislaw LemTales of Pirx the Pilot - Stanislaw LemFahrenheit 451 - Ray BradburyPrince of Nothing - R. Scott BakkerGlass Bead Game (Magister Ludi) - Hermann HesseThe Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula Le GuinInne pieśni (The Other Songs) - Jacek DukajLód (Ice) - Jacek DukajI don't consider anything written before !9th century fantasy, so no clasic epics etc. in my list. I also don't think magic realism, allegorical fiction or old style children's book (as opposed to post-Harry Potter YA) should be considered fantasy, so no Marquez, Kafka or Alice in Wonderland appear in my list as well.Weren't we supposed to do a separate new century list as well? If so, I would move all my 21th century titles to it (all three of them), to make place for some older stuff. (You know, only 20 titles is very restrictive) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stego Posted January 22, 2010 Share Posted January 22, 2010 Sologdin vouched for you, Wastrel, and that's good enough for me. (I am deeply unhappy with your view on comic books, however, and I think it unfair of you to have your opinions on Watchmen without any point of reference. But you can make a cogent point, if a trifle wordy, so in that you're more capable than, say, me or Yagathai.)Like I was going to miss a chance to make a list. You may as well ask a District 9 alien to fore go some 9 Lives.I'm digressing. I feel the need to put comics in here. I sort of want to populate the entire list with them after reading Wastrel's blog.And I sort of want to put things in here to counteract what others have posted.Furthermore, I'm upset I can't have a list of 100. For fuck sake.ASoIaF by GRRMThe Forever War by Joe HaldemanDune by Frank HerbertDavy by Edgar PangbornReplay by Ken GrimwoodEnder's Game by Orson Scott CardStarship Troopers by Robert A. HeinleinSnow Crash by Neal StephensonThe Anubis Gates by Tim PowersThe Rediscovery of Man by Cordwainer SmithThe Book of The New Sun by Gene WolfeA Canticle For Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.Little, Big by John CrowleyCat's Cradle by Kurt VonnegutThe Road by Cormac McCarthyThe Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael ChabonHer Smoke Rose Up Forever by James Tiptree Jr.Anno-Dracula by Kim NewmanThe Book of Knights by Yves MeynardThe Lord of Light by Roger ZelaznyFUCK, being so limited is hard. I left off 50 books. I left off Henderson and Brackett and LeGuin and Russ and now I'm obviously a misogynist. DAMMIT.Post Script: My list is better than your lists.Post Post Script: I forgot to add any comics. Damn you, Wastrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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