This is a great article, on the top 10 science fiction novels to read. So if you are a scifi fan, or just want to have a look at what is considered classic scifi reading list – this is the article for you. Enjoy 🙂
10 Science Fiction Novels You Pretend to Have Read (And Why You Should Actually Read Them)
That’s a good list. Quite a few books I’ve started and never finished. 🙂
The ones I have finished are Gravity’s Rainbow and Dhalgren.
I’m always a bit ambivalent when people go on and on about Gravity’s Rainbow. It’s nine-tenths of a great book, but I’ve always found the ending (which many people love) to be stupid. My standard advice for Pynchon newbies is this: If you want to see if you’ll like him, try Inherent Vice, which is wonderful (and which has a magnificent ending), but if you want to start at the top, try Mason & Dixon, which is a masterpiece.
Dhalgren is just great. I first read it when it came out, and it, well, I don’t want to say that it blew my mind (as we used to say back then), but it blew open my idea of what a “science fiction” novel could be. It’s one of the biggest influences on everything I’ve written for the last 40+ years. I came close to meeting Delany once (we have mutual friends), but he didn’t show up. I was sort of relieved — I might well have made a fool of myself. At least I don’t have to worry about that with Pynchon. 🙂
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I will have to give Dhalgren a go now that you have given it such a good rating 🙂 I have read pretty much everything by Asimov, and Dune is one of my all time favourite SciFi. I actually like the film version of Dune as well which is quite unusual.
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I need to see Dune again. I’m more of a David Lynch fan not than I was back then — I might see it differently.
I wrote about Dhalgren a while ago:
http://u-town.com/collins/?p=2696
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Nice article 🙂
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I was rather surprised to realize I’ve read only two of these top ten. I hadn’t even heard of half of these. I must get out from under my rock more.
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I have read 3, which doesn’t sound very impressive either! I have just bought one on a recommendation, so it is in my kindle queue 😉 Which ones have you read, and would you recommend them?
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1984 and Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I am guilty of pretending to have the Dune experience as I watched the miniseries and movie. 1984 was one of those eye-opening experiences and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone. I think Jonathan Strange is more of an acquired taste. Beautifully written, but the actual story can get lost in the prose. I feel you have to be already a fan of period pieces or steampunk to really enjoy it.
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Oki dokie, the ‘strange’ one is added to the queue too :). I have read 1984, but it’s a little on the heavy side depressing for me. Read Dune before the movie, and I read the 2nd book (maybe the third too) it’s a little while ago so after book 2 it’s a bit fuzzy 😉
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Reblogged this on Mary Blowers, Author and commented:
There are a few here I need to pick up! I have read Dune, though.
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Thanks for the reblog Mary 🙂
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Reblogged this on Jeanne Owens, author and commented:
An interesting list. I’ve read a couple of them, and a couple are going on my to-read list.
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Thanks for the reblog Jeanne 🙂
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You’re quite welcome 🙂 I enjoy sci-fi somewhat, so I had to share it 😀
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Interesting list! I’ve heard of all but two of them, but sadly have only read one (1984, one of my favorite classics!). I have tried and failed to finish Dune several times. Jonathan Strange is sitting on my bookshelf right now, and I have wanted to read Infinite Jest for awhile.
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I have to admit I am a sic fi fan but there were a couple there I had never heard of. So it’s been sitting on your shelf for a while…time to dust it off maybe? 😉
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Reblogged this on The Little Blue Balloon.
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