@@nomadr1349 Many Thanks, Good Human! It is quite astonishing for me to hear Douglas Adams described as "stale". But Sheckley is astonishing in his way. I will have to check this out.
@@nomadr1349 Yes, it's fine for writers to borrow from each other, but Adams "borrowed" so much from Sheckley and the results were so much more cartoonish. (The number "42' was "19" in the Sheckley story, wasn't it?)
You should check out the future history series by Heinlein. Very comparable, and a fun read, in my opinion Heinlein was the better wordsmith. Also, if you haven't read the entire Asimov future history series starting with I robot and going to the galactic empire series you are missing out
@@SuperSushidog you would appreciate this. I can't stand Apple as a company, their active attempts at trying to kill right to repair has potentially taken jobs away from me as an electronics technician. But I gained a little respect for Steve Jobs when he used grok correctly in a quote once. Yes, you are right it should be included, but stranger and starship troopers are kind of low hanging fruit when it comes to suggestions for Heinlein and my reply was to a comment about the foundation series specifically so I countered with a series. But I mean Heinlein; the Green hills of earth, podkayne of Mars, starship troopers, stranger in a strange land, I don't think I ever read a Heinlein and thought 'this is not his best work' because he just had this way with wording that made them fun to read, allegory, the complete package. There is a reason Heinlein was asked to help commentate the Apollo 11 landing, a well earned reason.
I was so glad you included Hyperion in your list. Felt all that you mentioned although you described it much more eloquently. It also brought me to tears and the aha moments kept piling on as all the plots came to close and the trilogy culminated. This book made me a bookworm. Now I have to read it again… thank you!
Great video! As a father the scholars tale from Hyperion had me breaking down crying. And the Priests tale was 🤯 That book stayed with me for a long while.
@@rvantong it’s such a great book and I love all the science fiction but it was the heartbreaking human element of the scholars tale that really made me fall in love with it.
It’s one of my favorites. Probably why I was so disappointed with the tv adaptation I caught several years ago. If you’re going to have the audacity to film a book like Childhood’s End, then do the damn book!
I love Edgar Rice Burroughs. Princess of Mars and Tarzan. Favorite classic writer. I agree that i thought he was ahead of his time and his adventures and writing style holds up well today
Dune Messiah was embarrassingly bad. Herbert's lack of education really shows and it's unfortunate considering the first Dune was decent. Taking a basic 101 philosophy course could've spared him from so many of these embarrassing texts where he pretends he's saying something enlightening but instead sounds like a high school student who's had their first "complex," thought. Worse, is people really eating that shit up, really shows where we are as a society.
Our top three are the same, albeit in a different order. But we have the same thoughts on Childhood's End. Although it didn't make my list, it's one that I think about A LOT. Great video, Mike!
I'm Australian and retired years ago so I'm from a different place and time from you. Your review of Ender's Game put me in mind of so much stuff from way back. In the 1970s I was an early manager for a US company that was moving into the Aussie market. My management training was Australian but suddenly we had a strongly American world view being presented. So in Ender's Game where you saw things like teamwork, overcome the odds, working hard, busting ass, getting to a higher goal, the world needs you, sacrifice yourself for the greater good, I remembered these themes being upheld in corporate management. When I read Ender's Game I saw manipulation and control, child abuse, narcissistic nationalism, using people up no matter the cost, xenophobia, more child abuse, and leaving people to rebuild themselves after their controllers have done their damage. So, age difference (I'm from the 40s) and opposite sides of the planet sure do make a difference. And if you are a recent SciFi reader, wait until you discover Hannu Rajaniemi.
My Top 10 personal favorite science fiction novels (in no particular order): Greg Bear: Blood Music Robert Charles Wilson: Spin Poul Anderson: Brain Wave Larry Niven: Ringworld Dan Simmons: Hyperion Robert Heinlein: Double Star Arkady and Boris Strugatsky: Roadside Picnic Michael Crichton: The Andromeda Strain Cixin Liu: The Three Body Problem David Brin: Startide Rising
Even if you're not into the cyberpunk genre, I'd still HIGHLY recommend William Gibson's “Neuromancer.” Gibson wrote a LOT of great Sci-Fi, but Neuromancer has become iconic in the genre.
All of Red Rising, Dune, Hyperion and Empire of Silence are up there for me. Ender's Game waa nice but I had some struggles with it. Childhoods End sounds like a top addition to my TBR Great list Mike!
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Heinlein The Weapon Shops of Isher, Van Vogt March Upcountry, Weber & Ringo Ender's Game, Card On Basilisk Station, Weber Trading in Danger, Moon Pandora's Planet, Anvil The Warrior's Apprentice, Bujold Flowers for Algernon, Keyes Honorable Mentions Dune, Herbert Star Guard, Norton Beastmaster, Norton Podkayne of Mars, Heinlein Grey Lensman, Smith - Not a book I would recommend now, but it hit me at exactly the right age.
I have been a sci-fi addict for more than 60 years, and after reading dozens of comments to your video I was VERY surprised that no one mentioned "The Mote in God's Eye" by Niven and Pournelle -- definitely one of my all time favorites. Also, for those who keep bringing up "Ender's Game", you might want to read "A Planet Called Treason" which was written about 6 years before "Ender's Game" by Card. .
Recently finished this book, top 5 of all time, regardless of genre. I think what Mike misses in his (glowing) review is that while it is super sci-fi, it's also incredibly human - the stories evoke basic, yet deep emotions that everyone can relate to. Fantastic read.
My Grandpa read Dune back in 1965 and it became his favorite book. He got me to read it when I was young and it became an all time favorite for me as well! Very special book for me and my family!
Great list. Read Childhood's End around '74 for a college class - blew me away. Dune I read before that and have read it more than 13 times. It feels fresh every time I read it. Thanks for a great video. Also, if you haven't, read Macroscope. Amazing story with some humor and a cool concept for traveling across time.
My top 10: 1. The Book of the New Sun (It's one book split into 4). My favorite book of all time. 2. Too Like the Lightning. The most philosophical scifi I've ever read. 3. Hyperion. 4. Dune. 5. Demon in White. Although Disquiet Gods might unseat it. Reading the ARC now and it's amazing so far. 6. Dark Age. Still the best, somewhat diminished by Light Bringer but still great. 7. Left Hand of Darkness. 8. The Dispossessed. 9. Eisenhorn Omnibus. I know, cheating but I read it as such. 10. Anathem. Things may change of course except with New Sun(nothing comes close to it for me), but for now this is it.
Yeah I always think of Gene Wolfe immediately when I hear a Best Of list for sci-fi. His prose is amazing. Like embarassingly amazing😂 Neil Gaiman said once that Gene “was a much better novelist than he,” and I didnt feel quite so bad lol
That's a good list! 📚 So nice to see someone mentioning 'Too Like the Lighting' (or the whole series). 🤘 I'm going to start reading Book of the New Sun after finishing Disquiet Gods and Anathem at some point later in the year.
My number one is Book of the New Sun as well. I’ve read it four or five times now and always get something else out of it. Never read a book series with such great re-readability. Gonna check out more from your list. Reading Hyperion now.
The thought that always springs to mind for me when I reference Book of the New Sun is dark poetry. It’s not what I would consider an easy read but it’s so rewarding.
Not only that, but following Beans story back to earth was amazing!! Enders shadow is basically just Enders game again from Beans perspective.. but I followed both Enders story and Beans, and loved them both!
I will stan Speaker for the Dead until I myself am dead. Liked it more than Ender's Game, which I already loved. Damn book had me weeping in the end, it was so good.
I'm actually a little surprised you have Frankenstein in your honorable mentions, I wasn't aware before that you had read it! Absolutely love that book, and I'm really glad you at least got it mentioned on here!
I was also surprised! Frankenstein is actually my favorite book period, so it hurt just a little bit to see it in the honorable mentions. I'm also not an avid science-fiction reader, but gothic fiction is some of my favorite writing.
Hay Mike, thanks so much for including John Carter of Mars, I love those books! For me they stand the test of time in that i only read them in this millennium! I also loved the movie, I laughed and laughed and enjoyed the action, romance and companion beast/dog ❤❤❤
Hey, just wanted to say thank you for this list! These are some really interesting and unique suggestions. I often find the usual suspects repeated over and over in people’s top 10, and at least most of your 10-4 ranked books gave me some great options that I havent yet read!
I was born in 1950 and discovered Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke early on. I understand why some younger readers don’t see their appeal but they were the giants of their time. Other than the ones written before 1960, I read most of the books on this list shortly after original publication and I think that explains some of my tastes. I discovered Burroughs and HG Wells in my later teens, enjoyed both. Never liked Lovecraft. Douglas Adams is in a class by himself. I’ve read all the Ender books, including the Bean spin-offs several times. Love love love it. Loved Dune, but rapid downhill slide in the sequels. Another fave: Pretty much anything by John Scalzi. It’s a guilty pleasure. I like space opera and he has a wild sense of humor.
I was also born in 1950. Absolutely agree about Heinlein, Asimov, and Clark. Also, Ray Bradbury, Theodor Sturgeon, Pohl Anderson, E.E. “Doc” Smith, A.E. Van Vogt, Murray Leinster, Andre Norton, Phillip K. Dick, Lester Del Rey, etc. We truly grew up in the golden age of Science Fiction.
Burroughs' Mar series was my SF gateway drug, back when I was in high school in the 1970s. SF&F wasn't as big a thing back then. I think my dad must have read the Mars books when he was young, so he bought me one. I gobbled it up in an afternoon. I didn't have money to buy my own (and they didn't have them in the library), so I had to wait for my dad to dole them out to me, one at a time, over many weeks. I remember they had "temple step bouncer" (T&A) covers that would have stopped present me from ever cracking the cover.
I love hearing people talk about their favorite book, fills my bookish heart with joy. If you like a little humor with your scifi, and don't mind silliness, I recommend John Scalzi.
I was literally reading all the comments and shocked no one’s mentioned Scalzi! I love old man’s war! Such a fun series.. not as serious at times as say Dune.. but he’s got hitch hikers guide on here which is totally silly!
Mike I think you should check out the novel series Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It's a legendary novel series from Japan that is completely ignored by the USA. It's one of the greatest stories you'll ever experience. So much political intrigue and bromance inspired by the European wars of the 19th century. One of the most fair and unbiased depictions of a Civil War on both sides I've ever experienced.
I read Childhood’s End in 1959. It was my first science fiction book and I still regard it as life changing in that I never stopped reading science fiction after that. I am turning 78 this year. This literature has been a blessing to me. With love.
So glad you're a fellow Pierce Brown fan. Good list. Here are some others: Bobiverse Series by Dennis E Taylor - laugh out loud funny if you like nerd humour Extracted Series by R R Hayward (also DELIO) - very funny characters and dialogue The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein - a completely different style from Starship Troopers
Found your channel recently, I dig your content. Seems like you're heavier into fantasy than sci-fi, so I can understand some of the omissions from your list. You still managed to put together a really great list though, we've got lots of overlap. Mine would be: Dune, Herbert (ofc) Neuromancer, Gibson Hyperion, Simmons Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow and Speaker for the Dead, Scott Card Player of Games, Iain M Banks The Diamond Age, Stephenson (Snow Crash is great too) Way Station, Simak Lord of Light, Zelazny Three-Body Problem, Liu Starship Troopers, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, or Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein (hard to pick between these) Honorable mentions: Ben Bova in general, for getting me into space stories/space opera Rendezvous with Rama, Clarke Old Man's War, Scalzi and (since you dropped a SW novel too) Darksabre, Anderson
I found this comment by searching Neuromancer, and was going to do a follow up search for Lord of Light. Two of my favorite SF novels of all time. I'd add the Foundation series by Asimov as candidates for any top 10 list.
I started Dune recently and have thoroughly enjoyed it. The first is something special, but my personal favorite was God Emperor of Dune. Leto II's story, coupled with his journal entries, ruminating on his loss of humanity in his quest to preserve it via The Golden Path, was just incredibly compelling and thought-provoking for me. I could see why it would be divisive as it's more of a character study, but what a character indeed. I'm almost hesitant to finish the Frank Herbert original six because of how GEoD left me. That said, great list!
Gotta check out Book of the New Sun. I don’t exactly know how to explain it, but it feels similar to Sun Eater. Not really the same character depth from the POV or supporting cast but the themes/world kind of feel the same.
Just off the top of my head and in no particular order, A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge Use Of Weapons by Iain M Banks Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams Startide Rising by David Brin Madness Season by CS Friedman The Rift by Walter Jon Williams Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh Footfall by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle The Vang by Christopher Rowley In The Company Of Others by Julie E Czerneda
Nice list! Mine are: (honorable mentions last and in no order) 1: Fire Upon the Deep (Vernor Vinge) 2: Windup Girl (Paolo Bacigalupi) 3: Dune (Frank Herbert) 4: The Road (Cormac McCarthy) 5: Three Body Problem (Liu Cixin) 6: Fifth Season (N.K. Jemison) 7: Children Of Time (Adrian Tchaikovsky) 8: Spin: (Robert Charles Wilson) 9: Animal Farm (George Orwell) 10: Murderbot series (Martha Wells) I know, a bunch of novellas plus one novel, but much fun!) honorable mentions: forever war (Joe Haldeman), Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood), Parable of the Sower (Octavia Butler), Flowers for Algernon (Daniel Keyes), Lord of Light (Roger Zelazny), 1984 (Orwell again), I Robot (Asimov), and the time Machine (HG Wells)
I know this series isn’t for everyone, but the first 4 books in the Horus Heresy series are top notch! Galaxy in Flames (3) and Flight of the Eisenstein (4) were tied as my favorites. Give them a try
@@vicdelta31415, start with the first 4 when you’re ready. I know that’s not a small commitment, but those 4 books are the full road map of what the series is about, and a complete introduction to the world of the series as a whole.
Ender's Game is #2 for me too. Instead of continuing the series, just read Ender's Shadow. It's Ender's Game timeline from a different view. I was blown away that something like that could be done and live up to the original. Ender's Shadow, just read it :)
@@jacobbear8841definitely agree with you. The Bean books are a lot better than the Ender books I thought. That's not to say the Ender books are bad; it's saying the Bean books are just that good.
You’ve got to read “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir, author of The Martian. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. Movie release is 2025, and it’s going to be huge so I recommend reading it beforehand.
I recently read Red Dwarf : Infinity Welcomes careful drivers/ Better Than Life, and I thought it was so funny, up there with Hitchiker's Guide. It was an old show on the BBC.
Great list! I’d go with; Martian Chronicles Contact Nemesis Games Stranger In a Strange Land Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep Frankenstein The Callahan Chronicals Dune Lord of Light
@@7king8debs79 Agreed. It is one of my favorite books in SF. Zelazny's prose is a bit chummy sometimes, but his "big picture" and world building are second to none. A classic.
Good content. Familiar with all the books you brought along. As a long, long time scifi fan I am just reading Empire of Silence. It is a good, but disturbing mix of Dune and Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. Not bad, at times great, but standing on the shoulder of Farseers or yore. All puns intended. ( I started my scifi journey in the seventies with Bradbury and Clarke as translations to my native Finnish, but my ultimate fave in the genre are Le Guin's The left Hand of Darkness and Wolfe's Sun Cycle.)
Former avid reader that just stopped a year or so ago and have made many attempts to get the ball rolling again, and thought I'd check out some sci fi book reviews to get inspired and hope something might stick. Had never heard of Ruocchio before and just started Empire of Silence because of this video and at 42 have the same excitement going into a series as I did at 15 with Lotr. Seriously, it's so good. And looking at Goodreads and just seeing the review rating going up and up and up as the series progresses has added a delightful sense of wonder to an otherwise wonder-less life.
Really great video Mike! Thank you! Was a great introduction to the stories without going into spoilers. Really appreciate it! Some fab new ones for my tbr!
Interesting list. I haven't read any of the Red Rising, John Carter, or Hadrian Marlowe books yet and now I want to try them. My top ten would also include Hyperion, Ender's Game, and Childhood's End. I'm not sure about the rest of my list. The Road, The Handmaid's Tale, 1984, Brave New World, and Kindred made a big impact on me, but I don't want to reread them any time soon.
I loved Speaker For the Dead. It hit hard in a way that still sticks with me. The two Orson Scott Card books after that? Not so much. At some point I do plan to read the books he put out after that, though (Ender's Shadow, following Bean's POV).
I agree that beyond the Ender quadrilogy there isn’t much that compares to Enders Game, BUT please give Speaker for the Dead a try. It was so different that at first I didn’t know how I felt about it. But now , after a re-read, Speaker surpasses Enders Game for me, and like you, it’s one of my all-time favorites.
Love most of these books. Not sure why, but Hyperion didn’t click with me. Might try it again. Currently loving the Murderbot books…. Also read Old Man’s War last year and loved it. Funny my bookstore had Skyward in the adult sci-fi section and so I bought it (it’s YA)… liked it a lot. Will read at least the next book in the series.
I have to agree regarding "Princess of Mars" still one of my favourite books. Where are The Moon is a harsh Mistress, The Foundation Trilogy, Stranger in a Strange Land, Ring World, Nine Princes in Amber etc. Your list is a little modern heavy for an all time list, just saying.
Similarly, I also started Dune at 15. Blew me away. Unlike many, my favorites in the series were 4, 5, and 6. My school librarian (that's where I borrowed the books from), said, "what's next, Lorna Doone?" Flew right over my head at the time. I tried rereading it at around age 40, and just couldn't get into it, so yeah, I agree it has to hit you at the right time.
red rising was the first sci fi series i ever read and they’re really the books that got me to start reading again when i was younger, golden son absolutely blew me away i was floored for the entire book. Great to see it included herez
several of these i hadn't heard of but seem like i would like to read, thanks ! I'm suprissed you didn't mention anything by Isaak asimov. I've read the Robots trilogy recentrly and i loved it, especially The caves of steel.
Had to smile...Tim Zahn used to go to our SF meetings years ago. Nice man. And yes, those Star Wars books were really good. I made my own list - I really love Larry Niven's "World of Ptavvs."
Man, I tried reading Dune twice before I was ready. That third time...blew me away! Have since then read Messiah with ease and looking forward to Children when I get round to it. It was so immersive I could almost taste the spice.
You’re the reason I picked up Heir to the Empire because I always thought the Star Wars EU was “less than” to the movies, but boy was I wrong! Can’t wait to continue the series
Recommended Science Fiction SINGLE volume novels: Hellspark & Mirable by Janet Kagan; The Byworlder & The Boat of a Million Years by Poul Anderson; Jack of Eagles by James Blish; Cuckoo's Egg by C.J.Cherryh; The Whole Man & The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner; Shockwave by Walt Richmond; The Power by Frank M. Robinson; Waystation by Clifford D. Simak; The Humanoids by Jack Williamson; Lord of Light, Doorways in the Sand, Creatures of Light and Darkness, & The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny; The Loafers of Refuge by Joseph L.Green; The Galaxy Primes by Edward E. "Doc" Smith; Syzygy by Michael G. Coney; Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein; Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe by George Takai;
My top 10: Hyperion - Simmons The 3 Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch - Dick Dune - Herbert Rendevous with Rama - Clarke Foundation (Trilogy) - Asimov Ender's Game (+Speaker of the Dead) - Card Red/Green/Blue Mars - Robinson The Left Hand of Darkness - Leguin Gateway - Pohl Dying of the Light - Martin
My favorite book of all time is the Foundation trilogy. I'm amazed every time I read it. Yeah, I know it's technically 3 books, but I bought a volume of the trilogy as a teenager and always consider them in one fell swoop. Big fan of John Carter, as well as the Thrawn trilogy. I've seen a few people recommend Hyperion lately and it sounds fascinating, so that's on my to read list now. However, I'm one of those people who can't agree with you on Dune. My wife loves it, so I gave it a try last year. I found it to be incredibly tedious. I had a hard time getting through it. Good video, though. Thoughtful comments. Thanks.
I had a hard time with Dune. took me maybe 3 decades to read it! I tried in college a long time ago. I always got to around page 90 and realized, I don't remember a dang thing! apparently I was staring at the words. Put it down for a year, tried again, same result. Saw the Lynch movie and then tried. nope. Not until the new dune movie came out in 2021 by Denis Villeneuve, watched it, then tried again and bing bing bing, I got it! holy crap was it a great book! not sure why it took 30+ years to get it, but for me, it took that long...
Here's a top 10 of my faves, off the top of my head, in no particular order. 1 per author, so we're not here all night: War of the Worlds - Wells Solaris - Lem Foundation - Asimov The Martian Chronicles - Bradbury Rendezvous with Rama - Clarke Slaughterhouse Five - Vonnegut Recursion - Crouch Gateway - Pohl At the Mountains of Madness - Lovecraft The World Jones Made - Dick Tales of Known Space - Niven Future History - Heinlein Dune - Herbert The Lathe of Heaven - LeGuin The Dying Earth - Vance A Boy & His Dog - Ellison Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Adams Ender's Game - Card Who Goes There? - Campbell Icehenge - Robinson The Ophiuchi Hotline - Varley Sphere - Crichton 🪐
Well, seems like I have some reading to do because I've only read two of these Couldn't agree more on everything you said about Red Rising though, I am so nervously excited for that finale soonish!! Amazing list, hope you find many more new faves as you continue your sci-fi adventure ;)
Favorite Star Wars books, just edging out Heir of the Empire for me, is the Darth Bane trilogy. Read several times...will read again. Thanks for all your Booktubing work Mike!
Couldn't agree more! Those books are awesome. I've read several times as well and I can't put them down when I start. I honestly didn't enjoy Heir and abandoned the Thrawn trilogy because of it.
For me, top few in no particular order: Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, Dune by Frank Herbert, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, The Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks. Heck, Use of Weapons is probably the number one sci fi i've read. It always surprises me when people overlook Iain M Banks. The interwoven structure of the core narratives seem odd at first, but by the end you get one heck of a meditation on the ethics of warfare, at both macro and micro levels.
As a teen in the 50s some of my favourite early scifi books include SLAN by A.E VanVogt, The Wailing Asrteroid by Murray Leinster and The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. Ty for your lists.
I had that moment that you were talking about when I was reading Howling Dark. Just realized that I was reading something very special and potentially the best of its kind
Hyperion changed everything for me in so many ways. It hadn’t touched Sci Fi until then and I was mesmerized from the get-go. It also led to reading Enders Game and I was off from there. BDalton books used to have these cards, If you like Dan Simmons try these authors and they were so spot on. I kind of miss those days of so much discovery.
Dammit Mike! My TBR list is getting longer and longer and longer and longer... You really knocked it out of the park with your Bound and Broken recommendation.
Have you read any Asimov? It’s not all great, but Foundation is definitely worth a read. I just finished the three Empire books and I feel like the best was The Stars like Dust, which explains some things that happen later in the Foundation series
My top ten Science Fiction books are: 10: Slaughter-House Five 9. Princess of Mars 8. iRobot 7. Fahrenheit 451 6.1984 5. Heir to the Empire (trilogy) 4. Ringwolrd 3. Ender’s Game 2. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 1. Dune
Dune is one of the best books I have read as well. I think my favorites would probably be: 1. Dune 2. Morning Star 3. A Princess of Mars 4. Shadow of the Torturer 5. The Martian 6. The Death Cure 7. Ender’s Game 8. All Systems Red 9. Foundation 10. The Three Body Problem
Great list. My number 1 favorite of all is Jurassic Park. I have read it 4 times and am about to make it 5. 2nd and 3rd would have to be Dark Matter and Project Hail Mary. Two other book that just blew me away. 4th and 5th would be 2001 and Rendezvous with Rama. Unbelievably great books. My only grip with those is they are written in that old style writing that makes me nod off at time. As far as Jurassic Park I quote Louis L'Amour "Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you."
Interesting list. My introduction to Sci Fi books was Ursula K Le Guin's Hainish Cycle books like The Left Hand of Darkness. Later on many books in the Star Wars EU starting of course with Heir to the Empire series and Shadows of the Empire
Well, seems like I have some reading to do because I've only read two of these 🥲 Couldn't agree more on everything you said about Red Rising though, I am so nervously excited for that finale soonish!! Amazing list, hope you find many more new faves as you continue your sci-fi adventure ;)
I burned through Leviathan Wakes (Thank you). Extremely enjoyable. You mentioned John Carter of Mars. I was always afraid it would be dated but I really would like to go for it. I finished 2 books in the Red Rising series and while they are obviously good I am not as excited as I am for continuing the Expanse series. With that in mind maybe you have another recommendation that stands out.
@@mikesbookreviews Thanks. That will keep me busy for at least a year. The first book lets me explore a plausible future in space. While I loved Hail Mary, the realism of Leviathan is what I love.
Great list, but very sad to not see... 1. A Fire Upon the Deep, by Vernor Vinge 2. The Stars my Destination, by Alfred Bester 3. Any Philip K. Dick book! (Ubik...?) Have you read any of these...?
Really happy to see The Martian Chronicles get a nod from you! I read for the first time last year and was blown away. Definitely an underrated SF classic!
I just started Dune a week ago, and I have trouble putting it down to do basic things like eat a meal, lol. I'm loving it so far! I'm with you on Jurassic Park though. That was my first "adult" book that I read, when I was about 11. And I loved it. I particularly like how the creative choices in the book vary so wildly from the movie, in terms of characters, their deaths and which ones make it to the final pages. Really good stuff. And I am certainly adding a lot of yours to my reading list. Great suggestions, thank you!! But I have a question for you, and possibly an idea for another video: What is your top 5 (or 10) books that were spinoffs of an existing tv, movie or book franchise? I've been meaning to sink my teeth into something to start the gears turning for Battlestar, Babylon V or Stargate ... But I wouldn't even know where to start.
DUNE. Easy. Same experience, I read it about 13, started it, and didn't get past the first few chapters. A year later, at age 14, I made myself sit down and READ the book, and finished and loved it! Childhood's End might be second, and Songs of Distant Earth enthralled me when I read it. I need to read more...been a while! Great list! Enjoyed the video!
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller / Cold Storage by David Koepp/How High We Go In the Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu /Cixin Liu: The Three Body Problem and EVERYTHING by Emily St John Mandel.
The thing with Douglas Adams is that he manages to put more ideas into a paragraph than many authors manage in a trilogy.
It is good, yes, and yet, it is much more stale that the original he plagiarized from.
@@nomadr1349 And that original would be.....? Title? Author? Century?
@@BrainWeevil Robert Sheckley "Dimension of Miracles".
You are welcome.
@@nomadr1349 Many Thanks, Good Human! It is quite astonishing for me to hear Douglas Adams described as "stale". But Sheckley is astonishing in his way. I will have to check this out.
@@nomadr1349 Yes, it's fine for writers to borrow from each other, but Adams "borrowed" so much from Sheckley and the results were so much more cartoonish. (The number "42' was "19" in the Sheckley story, wasn't it?)
I love the SciFi classics. My all time favorite is the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov. Highly recommended.
You should check out the future history series by Heinlein. Very comparable, and a fun read, in my opinion Heinlein was the better wordsmith. Also, if you haven't read the entire Asimov future history series starting with I robot and going to the galactic empire series you are missing out
@@jonathonschott Speaking of Heinlein, "Stranger in a Strange Land" shouldn't be left off the list either. Do you grok me?
@@SuperSushidog you would appreciate this. I can't stand Apple as a company, their active attempts at trying to kill right to repair has potentially taken jobs away from me as an electronics technician. But I gained a little respect for Steve Jobs when he used grok correctly in a quote once. Yes, you are right it should be included, but stranger and starship troopers are kind of low hanging fruit when it comes to suggestions for Heinlein and my reply was to a comment about the foundation series specifically so I countered with a series. But I mean Heinlein; the Green hills of earth, podkayne of Mars, starship troopers, stranger in a strange land, I don't think I ever read a Heinlein and thought 'this is not his best work' because he just had this way with wording that made them fun to read, allegory, the complete package. There is a reason Heinlein was asked to help commentate the Apollo 11 landing, a well earned reason.
Caves of Steel is one of my favorite asimov's
I remember pleading with you to read Hyperion, was so excited finding out you loved it as much as I did. Great list Mike
It was incredible and I knew it immediately.
I was so glad you included Hyperion in your list. Felt all that you mentioned although you described it much more eloquently. It also brought me to tears and the aha moments kept piling on as all the plots came to close and the trilogy culminated. This book made me a bookworm. Now I have to read it again… thank you!
I read a childhoods end from your recommendation and I agree, it’s the one book that continues to come back to mind!! It was mind blowing
Great video! As a father the scholars tale from Hyperion had me breaking down crying. And the Priests tale was 🤯 That book stayed with me for a long while.
I just read the Scholars tale this morning. Truly a heartbreaking story.
@@rvantong it’s such a great book and I love all the science fiction but it was the heartbreaking human element of the scholars tale that really made me fall in love with it.
I’m glad you enjoyed Childhood’s End. It’s also in my top 10 and I recently purchased the Folio edition, which will be a prized possession!
It's such a great book!
It’s one of my favorites. Probably why I was so disappointed with the tv adaptation I caught several years ago. If you’re going to have the audacity to film a book like Childhood’s End, then do the damn book!
I love Edgar Rice Burroughs. Princess of Mars and Tarzan. Favorite classic writer. I agree that i thought he was ahead of his time and his adventures and writing style holds up well today
👍 👍
I just read Dune last December because of those damn good dune 2 trailers and I love it the first book I finished after 1 year plus of reading slump
Dune Messiah is so different. You must read Children of Dune for it to come full circle. Excellent trilogy.
Dune Messiah was embarrassingly bad. Herbert's lack of education really shows and it's unfortunate considering the first Dune was decent. Taking a basic 101 philosophy course could've spared him from so many of these embarrassing texts where he pretends he's saying something enlightening but instead sounds like a high school student who's had their first "complex," thought. Worse, is people really eating that shit up, really shows where we are as a society.
@@alb0zfinestWhat’s worse is all your rogue commas.
@@alb0zfinest Twas hard to follow at times, but it was still an alright read.
@@benmorgan9748 Idk, seems to me like not knowing elementary philosophy (esp at the age he wrote the books) is worse than a few misplaced commas.
Our top three are the same, albeit in a different order. But we have the same thoughts on Childhood's End. Although it didn't make my list, it's one that I think about A LOT. Great video, Mike!
Great minds, amigo.
I'm Australian and retired years ago so I'm from a different place and time from you. Your review of Ender's Game put me in mind of so much stuff from way back. In the 1970s I was an early manager for a US company that was moving into the Aussie market. My management training was Australian but suddenly we had a strongly American world view being presented. So in Ender's Game where you saw things like teamwork, overcome the odds, working hard, busting ass, getting to a higher goal, the world needs you, sacrifice yourself for the greater good, I remembered these themes being upheld in corporate management. When I read Ender's Game I saw manipulation and control, child abuse, narcissistic nationalism, using people up no matter the cost, xenophobia, more child abuse, and leaving people to rebuild themselves after their controllers have done their damage. So, age difference (I'm from the 40s) and opposite sides of the planet sure do make a difference.
And if you are a recent SciFi reader, wait until you discover Hannu Rajaniemi.
Interesting.
My Top 10 personal favorite science fiction novels (in no particular order):
Greg Bear: Blood Music
Robert Charles Wilson: Spin
Poul Anderson: Brain Wave
Larry Niven: Ringworld
Dan Simmons: Hyperion
Robert Heinlein: Double Star
Arkady and Boris Strugatsky: Roadside Picnic
Michael Crichton: The Andromeda Strain
Cixin Liu: The Three Body Problem
David Brin: Startide Rising
If you haven’t read Sun Eater, do so.
Even if you're not into the cyberpunk genre, I'd still HIGHLY recommend William Gibson's “Neuromancer.” Gibson wrote a LOT of great Sci-Fi, but Neuromancer has become iconic in the genre.
Yeah that's definitely on my list
All of Red Rising, Dune, Hyperion and Empire of Silence are up there for me. Ender's Game waa nice but I had some struggles with it.
Childhoods End sounds like a top addition to my TBR
Great list Mike!
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Heinlein
The Weapon Shops of Isher, Van Vogt
March Upcountry, Weber & Ringo
Ender's Game, Card
On Basilisk Station, Weber
Trading in Danger, Moon
Pandora's Planet, Anvil
The Warrior's Apprentice, Bujold
Flowers for Algernon, Keyes
Honorable Mentions
Dune, Herbert
Star Guard, Norton
Beastmaster, Norton
Podkayne of Mars, Heinlein
Grey Lensman, Smith - Not a book I would recommend now, but it hit me at exactly the right age.
Better list. Especially since it doesn't mention Foundation. I don't get the praise for that.
Flowers for Algernon destroyed me in the best way. Hardest cry ever reading a book.
Know what you mean with regards to Lensman E E Doc Smith.
I have been a sci-fi addict for more than 60 years, and after reading dozens of comments to your video I was VERY surprised that no one mentioned "The Mote in God's Eye" by Niven and Pournelle -- definitely one of my all time favorites. Also, for those who keep bringing up "Ender's Game", you might want to read "A Planet Called Treason" which was written about 6 years before "Ender's Game" by Card.
.
Great list!! I really love Asimov's Foundation series. Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth being my two favorites.
I read Hyperion a long time ago, and the father's tale still moves me.
See you later Alligator.... 💔
Recently finished this book, top 5 of all time, regardless of genre. I think what Mike misses in his (glowing) review is that while it is super sci-fi, it's also incredibly human - the stories evoke basic, yet deep emotions that everyone can relate to. Fantastic read.
Project Hail Mary and The Martian wouod be up there for me, and I read The Kaiju Preservation Society at the perfect time for me and loved it.
Thanks for throwing some love to John Carter. A greatly under-appreciated book by an underapprevuated author.
No doubt!
My Grandpa read Dune back in 1965 and it became his favorite book. He got me to read it when I was young and it became an all time favorite for me as well! Very special book for me and my family!
Great list. Read Childhood's End around '74 for a college class - blew me away. Dune I read before that and have read it more than 13 times. It feels fresh every time I read it. Thanks for a great video. Also, if you haven't, read Macroscope. Amazing story with some humor and a cool concept for traveling across time.
My top 10:
1. The Book of the New Sun (It's one book split into 4). My favorite book of all time.
2. Too Like the Lightning. The most philosophical scifi I've ever read.
3. Hyperion.
4. Dune.
5. Demon in White. Although Disquiet Gods might unseat it. Reading the ARC now and it's amazing so far.
6. Dark Age. Still the best, somewhat diminished by Light Bringer but still great.
7. Left Hand of Darkness.
8. The Dispossessed.
9. Eisenhorn Omnibus. I know, cheating but I read it as such.
10. Anathem.
Things may change of course except with New Sun(nothing comes close to it for me), but for now this is it.
Yeah I always think of Gene Wolfe immediately when I hear a Best Of list for sci-fi. His prose is amazing. Like embarassingly amazing😂 Neil Gaiman said once that Gene “was a much better novelist than he,” and I didnt feel quite so bad lol
That's a good list! 📚
So nice to see someone mentioning 'Too Like the Lighting' (or the whole series). 🤘
I'm going to start reading Book of the New Sun after finishing Disquiet Gods and Anathem at some point later in the year.
My number one is Book of the New Sun as well. I’ve read it four or five times now and always get something else out of it. Never read a book series with such great re-readability.
Gonna check out more from your list. Reading Hyperion now.
The thought that always springs to mind for me when I reference Book of the New Sun is dark poetry. It’s not what I would consider an easy read but it’s so rewarding.
Is Hyperion hard to read?
Saw a Stargate shirt, and needed to check out your video!
Speaker for the Dead is incredible. I highly recommend you read one book further in the Ender series.
agreed! thats like one of my favorite books all time. I can't believe he couldn't have read on given that he loves Ender's game so much.
This is one of the mind forming books of my lifetime.
Speaker for the dead was such an amazing, unique take on a very different alien species. One of the most alien in all of sci fi.
Not only that, but following Beans story back to earth was amazing!! Enders shadow is basically just Enders game again from Beans perspective.. but I followed both Enders story and Beans, and loved them both!
I will stan Speaker for the Dead until I myself am dead. Liked it more than Ender's Game, which I already loved. Damn book had me weeping in the end, it was so good.
I'm actually a little surprised you have Frankenstein in your honorable mentions, I wasn't aware before that you had read it!
Absolutely love that book, and I'm really glad you at least got it mentioned on here!
The most important book to this genre.
I was also surprised! Frankenstein is actually my favorite book period, so it hurt just a little bit to see it in the honorable mentions. I'm also not an avid science-fiction reader, but gothic fiction is some of my favorite writing.
I feel like Frankenstein is barely scifi. Frankenstein monster could have been created with magic and the story doesn’t change
Glad to see Hyperion near the top - what a great book ! The one book I would add to any top 10 list is "Fire Upon the Deep" by Vernor Vinge.
Fire upon the Deep is so good.
Yes!!! Thank you Mike for the ERB love. A Princess of Mars was to me what Harry Potter was to my kids. I was so in love with Dejah Thoras!!!!!
Yup to all these. Can also get behind some PKD, Orwell, Atwood, Le Guin, Vonnegut, Murakami, and Huxley.
Hay Mike, thanks so much for including John Carter of Mars, I love those books! For me they stand the test of time in that i only read them in this millennium! I also loved the movie, I laughed and laughed and enjoyed the action, romance and companion beast/dog ❤❤❤
I'm reading Pandora's Star from Peter F. Hamilton and I'm sure that it would click with you Mike, it is so good!
Hey, just wanted to say thank you for this list! These are some really interesting and unique suggestions. I often find the usual suspects repeated over and over in people’s top 10, and at least most of your 10-4 ranked books gave me some great options that I havent yet read!
I was born in 1950 and discovered Asimov, Heinlein, and Clarke early on. I understand why some younger readers don’t see their appeal but they were the giants of their time. Other than the ones written before 1960, I read most of the books on this list shortly after original publication and I think that explains some of my tastes.
I discovered Burroughs and HG Wells in my later teens, enjoyed both.
Never liked Lovecraft.
Douglas Adams is in a class by himself.
I’ve read all the Ender books, including the Bean spin-offs several times. Love love love it.
Loved Dune, but rapid downhill slide in the sequels.
Another fave: Pretty much anything by John Scalzi. It’s a guilty pleasure. I like space opera and he has a wild sense of humor.
I was also born in 1950. Absolutely agree about Heinlein, Asimov, and Clark. Also, Ray Bradbury, Theodor Sturgeon, Pohl Anderson, E.E. “Doc” Smith, A.E. Van Vogt, Murray Leinster, Andre Norton, Phillip K. Dick, Lester Del Rey, etc. We truly grew up in the golden age of Science Fiction.
@@JBass33 Oh my yes! All of those.
Burroughs' Mar series was my SF gateway drug, back when I was in high school in the 1970s. SF&F wasn't as big a thing back then. I think my dad must have read the Mars books when he was young, so he bought me one. I gobbled it up in an afternoon. I didn't have money to buy my own (and they didn't have them in the library), so I had to wait for my dad to dole them out to me, one at a time, over many weeks. I remember they had "temple step bouncer" (T&A) covers that would have stopped present me from ever cracking the cover.
I picked up the first back in high school because I saw the cover and thought it was a Conan book. Read it anyways and fell in love.
I love hearing people talk about their favorite book, fills my bookish heart with joy. If you like a little humor with your scifi, and don't mind silliness, I recommend John Scalzi.
I was literally reading all the comments and shocked no one’s mentioned Scalzi! I love old man’s war! Such a fun series.. not as serious at times as say Dune.. but he’s got hitch hikers guide on here which is totally silly!
Mike I think you should check out the novel series Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It's a legendary novel series from Japan that is completely ignored by the USA. It's one of the greatest stories you'll ever experience. So much political intrigue and bromance inspired by the European wars of the 19th century. One of the most fair and unbiased depictions of a Civil War on both sides I've ever experienced.
I read Childhood’s End in 1959. It was my first science fiction book and I still regard it as life changing in that I never stopped reading science fiction after that. I am turning 78 this year. This literature has been a blessing to me. With love.
So glad you're a fellow Pierce Brown fan.
Good list. Here are some others:
Bobiverse Series by Dennis E Taylor - laugh out loud funny if you like nerd humour
Extracted Series by R R Hayward (also DELIO) - very funny characters and dialogue
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein - a completely different style from Starship Troopers
Found your channel recently, I dig your content. Seems like you're heavier into fantasy than sci-fi, so I can understand some of the omissions from your list. You still managed to put together a really great list though, we've got lots of overlap.
Mine would be:
Dune, Herbert (ofc)
Neuromancer, Gibson
Hyperion, Simmons
Ender's Game, Ender's Shadow and Speaker for the Dead, Scott Card
Player of Games, Iain M Banks
The Diamond Age, Stephenson (Snow Crash is great too)
Way Station, Simak
Lord of Light, Zelazny
Three-Body Problem, Liu
Starship Troopers, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, or Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein (hard to pick between these)
Honorable mentions:
Ben Bova in general, for getting me into space stories/space opera
Rendezvous with Rama, Clarke
Old Man's War, Scalzi
and (since you dropped a SW novel too) Darksabre, Anderson
I found this comment by searching Neuromancer, and was going to do a follow up search for Lord of Light.
Two of my favorite SF novels of all time.
I'd add the Foundation series by Asimov as candidates for any top 10 list.
I started Dune recently and have thoroughly enjoyed it. The first is something special, but my personal favorite was God Emperor of Dune. Leto II's story, coupled with his journal entries, ruminating on his loss of humanity in his quest to preserve it via The Golden Path, was just incredibly compelling and thought-provoking for me. I could see why it would be divisive as it's more of a character study, but what a character indeed. I'm almost hesitant to finish the Frank Herbert original six because of how GEoD left me.
That said, great list!
Gotta check out Book of the New Sun. I don’t exactly know how to explain it, but it feels similar to Sun Eater. Not really the same character depth from the POV or supporting cast but the themes/world kind of feel the same.
Christopher (Ruocchio) has been in my ear about it for 3 years ha ha, Wolfe is a huge influence on him.
“Book of the New Sun” is a must. Also Gene Wolfe’s “The fifth head of Cerberus”.
Just off the top of my head and in no particular order,
A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge
Use Of Weapons by Iain M Banks
Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams
Startide Rising by David Brin
Madness Season by CS Friedman
The Rift by Walter Jon Williams
Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh
Footfall by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
The Vang by Christopher Rowley
In The Company Of Others by Julie E Czerneda
Nice list! Mine are: (honorable mentions last and in no order)
1: Fire Upon the Deep (Vernor Vinge)
2: Windup Girl (Paolo Bacigalupi)
3: Dune (Frank Herbert)
4: The Road (Cormac McCarthy)
5: Three Body Problem (Liu Cixin)
6: Fifth Season (N.K. Jemison)
7: Children Of Time (Adrian Tchaikovsky)
8: Spin: (Robert Charles Wilson)
9: Animal Farm (George Orwell)
10: Murderbot series (Martha Wells) I know, a bunch of novellas plus one novel, but much fun!)
honorable mentions: forever war (Joe Haldeman), Handmaid's Tale (Margaret Atwood), Parable of the Sower (Octavia Butler), Flowers for Algernon (Daniel Keyes), Lord of Light (Roger Zelazny), 1984 (Orwell again), I Robot (Asimov), and the time Machine (HG Wells)
I know this series isn’t for everyone, but the first 4 books in the Horus Heresy series are top notch! Galaxy in Flames (3) and Flight of the Eisenstein (4) were tied as my favorites. Give them a try
If you want to try them I can loan you the ebooks. This series is out of print at the moment…
I collected at least 58 ebooks in the series, but haven't started reading it yet though.
@@vicdelta31415, start with the first 4 when you’re ready. I know that’s not a small commitment, but those 4 books are the full road map of what the series is about, and a complete introduction to the world of the series as a whole.
@@richosburn I’ve been wanting to get into the 40k universe and got the first few Horus Heresy books. Definitely excited to start hopefully this year!
I've heard great things!
Ender's Game is #2 for me too. Instead of continuing the series, just read Ender's Shadow. It's Ender's Game timeline from a different view. I was blown away that something like that could be done and live up to the original. Ender's Shadow, just read it :)
I loved the Ender’s Shadow series.
For me speaker for the dead was soooo good.
I think following Beans story is the best part of the series! I read like 3 in total (I think) it’s been a while.
@@jacobbear8841definitely agree with you. The Bean books are a lot better than the Ender books I thought. That's not to say the Ender books are bad; it's saying the Bean books are just that good.
Great list. Have you ever read Ringworld? Rendezvous with Rama or my alll time favorite Sci Fi novel, Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny?
Yes, Ringworld & RW ENgineers ... awesome books.
You’ve got to read “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir, author of The Martian. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. Movie release is 2025, and it’s going to be huge so I recommend reading it beforehand.
Nice list! I read Ender's Game, the short story and the novel. For some reason, I enjoyed the short story more.
I recently read Red Dwarf : Infinity Welcomes careful drivers/ Better Than Life, and I thought it was so funny, up there with Hitchiker's Guide. It was an old show on the BBC.
Great list! I’d go with;
Martian Chronicles
Contact
Nemesis Games
Stranger In a Strange Land
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep
Frankenstein
The Callahan Chronicals
Dune
Lord of Light
Lord of Light is an incredible book. Up there with The Stars my Destination.
@@7king8debs79 Agreed. It is one of my favorite books in SF.
Zelazny's prose is a bit chummy sometimes, but his "big picture" and world building are second to none. A classic.
Good content. Familiar with all the books you brought along. As a long, long time scifi fan I am just reading Empire of Silence. It is a good, but disturbing mix of Dune and Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. Not bad, at times great, but standing on the shoulder of Farseers or yore. All puns intended. ( I started my scifi journey in the seventies with Bradbury and Clarke as translations to my native Finnish, but my ultimate fave in the genre are Le Guin's The left Hand of Darkness and Wolfe's Sun Cycle.)
Former avid reader that just stopped a year or so ago and have made many attempts to get the ball rolling again, and thought I'd check out some sci fi book reviews to get inspired and hope something might stick. Had never heard of Ruocchio before and just started Empire of Silence because of this video and at 42 have the same excitement going into a series as I did at 15 with Lotr. Seriously, it's so good. And looking at Goodreads and just seeing the review rating going up and up and up as the series progresses has added a delightful sense of wonder to an otherwise wonder-less life.
I'm so glad you're liking it!
Really great video Mike! Thank you! Was a great introduction to the stories without going into spoilers. Really appreciate it! Some fab new ones for my tbr!
Interesting list. I haven't read any of the Red Rising, John Carter, or Hadrian Marlowe books yet and now I want to try them. My top ten would also include Hyperion, Ender's Game, and Childhood's End. I'm not sure about the rest of my list. The Road, The Handmaid's Tale, 1984, Brave New World, and Kindred made a big impact on me, but I don't want to reread them any time soon.
I loved Speaker For the Dead. It hit hard in a way that still sticks with me. The two Orson Scott Card books after that? Not so much. At some point I do plan to read the books he put out after that, though (Ender's Shadow, following Bean's POV).
Don’t waste any time on the others it’s dribble spend the time on other books
I loved Enders shadow and Beans story!
I agree that beyond the Ender quadrilogy there isn’t much that compares to Enders Game, BUT please give Speaker for the Dead a try. It was so different that at first I didn’t know how I felt about it. But now , after a re-read, Speaker surpasses Enders Game for me, and like you, it’s one of my all-time favorites.
Love most of these books. Not sure why, but Hyperion didn’t click with me. Might try it again. Currently loving the Murderbot books…. Also read Old Man’s War last year and loved it. Funny my bookstore had Skyward in the adult sci-fi section and so I bought it (it’s YA)… liked it a lot. Will read at least the next book in the series.
I have to agree regarding "Princess of Mars" still one of my favourite books. Where are The Moon is a harsh Mistress, The Foundation Trilogy, Stranger in a Strange Land, Ring World, Nine Princes in Amber etc. Your list is a little modern heavy for an all time list, just saying.
Yes, Ringworld, I do agree.
Similarly, I also started Dune at 15. Blew me away. Unlike many, my favorites in the series were 4, 5, and 6. My school librarian (that's where I borrowed the books from), said, "what's next, Lorna Doone?" Flew right over my head at the time.
I tried rereading it at around age 40, and just couldn't get into it, so yeah, I agree it has to hit you at the right time.
red rising was the first sci fi series i ever read and they’re really the books that got me to start reading again when i was younger, golden son absolutely blew me away i was floored for the entire book. Great to see it included herez
Zahn and Thrawn ❤ My fav Star Wars is still Shadows of the Empire.
several of these i hadn't heard of but seem like i would like to read, thanks !
I'm suprissed you didn't mention anything by Isaak asimov. I've read the Robots trilogy recentrly and i loved it, especially The caves of steel.
A shout-out for the rest of Douglas Adams bibliography! Dirk Gently and Last chance to see are both absolutely phenomenal!
Great picks!! You had me at Jurassic Park. I will be checking out what I haven't already read here. Thanks, and great video!
Thanks for watching!
This list is going to change a LOT when you get to some of those books on your Sci-Fi TBR list. I envy you that experience.
I’m hoping so!
Had to smile...Tim Zahn used to go to our SF meetings years ago. Nice man. And yes, those Star Wars books were really good. I made my own list - I really love Larry Niven's "World of Ptavvs."
Man, I tried reading Dune twice before I was ready. That third time...blew me away! Have since then read Messiah with ease and looking forward to Children when I get round to it. It was so immersive I could almost taste the spice.
I’ve yet to read dune so my opinion my change but the “Children of time” series is my current favorite Sifi
Just finished Ender’s Game and it’s pretty much the best book I’ve ever read
Love to hear it!
You’re the reason I picked up Heir to the Empire because I always thought the Star Wars EU was “less than” to the movies, but boy was I wrong! Can’t wait to continue the series
Enjoy that ride!
Recommended Science Fiction SINGLE volume novels: Hellspark & Mirable by Janet Kagan; The Byworlder & The Boat of a Million Years by Poul Anderson; Jack of Eagles by James Blish; Cuckoo's Egg by C.J.Cherryh; The Whole Man & The Shockwave Rider by John Brunner; Shockwave by Walt Richmond; The Power by Frank M. Robinson; Waystation by Clifford D. Simak; The Humanoids by Jack Williamson; Lord of Light, Doorways in the Sand, Creatures of Light and Darkness, & The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny; The Loafers of Refuge by Joseph L.Green; The Galaxy Primes by Edward E. "Doc" Smith; Syzygy by Michael G. Coney; Tunnel in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein; Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe by George Takai;
My top 10:
Hyperion - Simmons
The 3 Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch - Dick
Dune - Herbert
Rendevous with Rama - Clarke
Foundation (Trilogy) - Asimov
Ender's Game (+Speaker of the Dead) - Card
Red/Green/Blue Mars - Robinson
The Left Hand of Darkness - Leguin
Gateway - Pohl
Dying of the Light - Martin
My favorite book of all time is the Foundation trilogy. I'm amazed every time I read it. Yeah, I know it's technically 3 books, but I bought a volume of the trilogy as a teenager and always consider them in one fell swoop. Big fan of John Carter, as well as the Thrawn trilogy. I've seen a few people recommend Hyperion lately and it sounds fascinating, so that's on my to read list now. However, I'm one of those people who can't agree with you on Dune. My wife loves it, so I gave it a try last year. I found it to be incredibly tedious. I had a hard time getting through it. Good video, though. Thoughtful comments. Thanks.
I had a hard time with Dune. took me maybe 3 decades to read it! I tried in college a long time ago. I always got to around page 90 and realized, I don't remember a dang thing! apparently I was staring at the words. Put it down for a year, tried again, same result. Saw the Lynch movie and then tried. nope. Not until the new dune movie came out in 2021 by Denis Villeneuve, watched it, then tried again and bing bing bing, I got it! holy crap was it a great book! not sure why it took 30+ years to get it, but for me, it took that long...
Here's a top 10 of my faves,
off the top of my head,
in no particular order.
1 per author,
so we're not here all night:
War of the Worlds - Wells
Solaris - Lem
Foundation - Asimov
The Martian Chronicles - Bradbury
Rendezvous with Rama - Clarke
Slaughterhouse Five - Vonnegut
Recursion - Crouch
Gateway - Pohl
At the Mountains of Madness - Lovecraft
The World Jones Made - Dick
Tales of Known Space - Niven
Future History - Heinlein
Dune - Herbert
The Lathe of Heaven - LeGuin
The Dying Earth - Vance
A Boy & His Dog - Ellison
Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency - Adams
Ender's Game - Card
Who Goes There? - Campbell
Icehenge - Robinson
The Ophiuchi Hotline - Varley
Sphere - Crichton
🪐
“Gateway” is great!
Well, seems like I have some reading to do because I've only read two of these Couldn't agree more on everything you said about Red Rising though, I am so nervously excited for that finale soonish!! Amazing list, hope you find many more new faves as you continue your sci-fi adventure ;)
Favorite Star Wars books, just edging out Heir of the Empire for me, is the Darth Bane trilogy. Read several times...will read again. Thanks for all your Booktubing work Mike!
Couldn't agree more! Those books are awesome. I've read several times as well and I can't put them down when I start. I honestly didn't enjoy Heir and abandoned the Thrawn trilogy because of it.
For me, top few in no particular order: Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, Dune by Frank Herbert, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, The Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks. Heck, Use of Weapons is probably the number one sci fi i've read. It always surprises me when people overlook Iain M Banks. The interwoven structure of the core narratives seem odd at first, but by the end you get one heck of a meditation on the ethics of warfare, at both macro and micro levels.
And Player of Games. That is my favorite Banks book.
@@davidanderson491 Also very good !!
As a teen in the 50s some of my favourite early scifi books include SLAN by A.E VanVogt, The Wailing Asrteroid by Murray Leinster and The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham. Ty for your lists.
Ender's Game is the book I read when I was young that got me hooked on reading.
Great pick.
I had that moment that you were talking about when I was reading Howling Dark. Just realized that I was reading something very special and potentially the best of its kind
Hyperion changed everything for me in so many ways. It hadn’t touched Sci Fi until then and I was mesmerized from the get-go. It also led to reading Enders Game and I was off from there. BDalton books used to have these cards, If you like Dan Simmons try these authors and they were so spot on. I kind of miss those days of so much discovery.
Dammit Mike! My TBR list is getting longer and longer and longer and longer... You really knocked it out of the park with your Bound and Broken recommendation.
Happy to hear it!
Have you read any Asimov? It’s not all great, but Foundation is definitely worth a read. I just finished the three Empire books and I feel like the best was The Stars like Dust, which explains some things that happen later in the Foundation series
IMO,Asimov's Foundation and supporting novels is the top of sci-fi. Heinlein is next,The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is tops.
I gotta go back and re-read those foundation novels. I read them in high school oh so many decades ago... then check out the series!
My top ten Science Fiction books are:
10: Slaughter-House Five
9. Princess of Mars
8. iRobot
7. Fahrenheit 451
6.1984
5. Heir to the Empire (trilogy)
4. Ringwolrd
3. Ender’s Game
2. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
1. Dune
Great picks!
Good list.
Really liked the Ender's Shadow series.....
Dune is one of the best books I have read as well. I think my favorites would probably be:
1. Dune
2. Morning Star
3. A Princess of Mars
4. Shadow of the Torturer
5. The Martian
6. The Death Cure
7. Ender’s Game
8. All Systems Red
9. Foundation
10. The Three Body Problem
good choices, love the stargate tee too 😄
Great list. My number 1 favorite of all is Jurassic Park. I have read it 4 times and am about to make it 5. 2nd and 3rd would have to be Dark Matter and Project Hail Mary. Two other book that just blew me away. 4th and 5th would be 2001 and Rendezvous with Rama. Unbelievably great books. My only grip with those is they are written in that old style writing that makes me nod off at time. As far as Jurassic Park I quote Louis L'Amour "Once you have read a book you care about, some part of it is always with you."
Interesting list. My introduction to Sci Fi books was Ursula K Le Guin's Hainish Cycle books like The Left Hand of Darkness. Later on many books in the Star Wars EU starting of course with Heir to the Empire series and Shadows of the Empire
Great shirt Mike!!! Thanks for sharing your top 10 Sci Fi books.
Glad, and relieved, to se HHGTTG in this list. Can't help feeling it's getting forgotten these days.
I'll always champion it.
Great video :) always love the positive vibes on this channel.
Omg Mike!! Where did you get that Stargate shirt? It’s awesome!! And then you pick up a great Red Rising mug!! I am so jealous.
I think it was a Woot! 24 hour deal but not sure.
Just picked up Childhood’s End due to this video. I’m excited as it seems like a quick read
Well, seems like I have some reading to do because I've only read two of these 🥲 Couldn't agree more on everything you said about Red Rising though, I am so nervously excited for that finale soonish!! Amazing list, hope you find many more new faves as you continue your sci-fi adventure ;)
I burned through Leviathan Wakes (Thank you). Extremely enjoyable. You mentioned John Carter of Mars. I was always afraid it would be dated but I really would like to go for it. I finished 2 books in the Red Rising series and while they are obviously good I am not as excited as I am for continuing the Expanse series. With that in mind maybe you have another recommendation that stands out.
The Expanse is consistently great.
@@mikesbookreviews Thanks. That will keep me busy for at least a year. The first book lets me explore a plausible future in space. While I loved Hail Mary, the realism of Leviathan is what I love.
Great list, but very sad to not see...
1. A Fire Upon the Deep, by Vernor Vinge
2. The Stars my Destination, by Alfred Bester
3. Any Philip K. Dick book! (Ubik...?)
Have you read any of these...?
Really happy to see The Martian Chronicles get a nod from you! I read for the first time last year and was blown away. Definitely an underrated SF classic!
I just started Dune a week ago, and I have trouble putting it down to do basic things like eat a meal, lol. I'm loving it so far!
I'm with you on Jurassic Park though. That was my first "adult" book that I read, when I was about 11. And I loved it. I particularly like how the creative choices in the book vary so wildly from the movie, in terms of characters, their deaths and which ones make it to the final pages. Really good stuff.
And I am certainly adding a lot of yours to my reading list. Great suggestions, thank you!!
But I have a question for you, and possibly an idea for another video: What is your top 5 (or 10) books that were spinoffs of an existing tv, movie or book franchise? I've been meaning to sink my teeth into something to start the gears turning for Battlestar, Babylon V or Stargate ... But I wouldn't even know where to start.
DUNE. Easy. Same experience, I read it about 13, started it, and didn't get past the first few chapters. A year later, at age 14, I made myself sit down and READ the book, and finished and loved it! Childhood's End might be second, and Songs of Distant Earth enthralled me when I read it. I need to read more...been a while! Great list! Enjoyed the video!
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller / Cold Storage by David Koepp/How High We Go In the Dark by
Sequoia Nagamatsu /Cixin Liu: The Three Body Problem and EVERYTHING by Emily St John Mandel.