You review fairly well, you edit well too. You seem intelligent, and you make pleasant to watch videos. My issue is your content. You don't seem very well read for what your channel is. That these are your favorites, which makes me think you read under your intelligence level. Also, you read scifi as a boomer would, and I'm 52 saying this. That you just learned about Banks is a great example of what I mean. All of your books and writers except Stephenson are ancient or dead. You picked amazing books, most I truly enjoy. But there are many, many more scifi books that are better. Only 2 are still actually relevant, socially, and more importantly intellectually. Try Dan Simmons Ilium and Olympos, Alistair Reynolds, Peter F Hamilton, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Becky Chambers, Liu Cixin, NK Jemison, Peter Watts, Martha Wells, Ann Leckie, Andy Weir, James Corey, TC McCarthy's Germline series, I could keep going for a while... And how is Margaret Atwood not on this list? As I posted, you make videos very well that don't keep my attention intellectually. All of those books have been reviewed to death by a million youtubers because they are as mainstream as they come.
That’s a great list. I’m so glad you included A Canticle For Leibowitz. It was a huge influence on my game Fallout, and I’m always encouraging people to read it.
@@_jared I am happy to hear that. The other designers and I always tried to include some philosophical and social commentary among the radiation, monsters, and plasma guns.
Sparrow by mary doria russel, under the pendulum sun bu jeannete ng, and the book of strange new things and hyperion canticle all are great companion read to canticle
@@TheWarmLettuce Sci fi novels influenced Fallout and fantasy novels influenced Arcanum, but The Outer Worlds was mostly influenced by movies and TV shows. I would list shows like Firefly, Deadwood, Futurama, and The Good Place as TV influences, and movies like Brazil or anything by the Coen brothers as movie influences.
I'm in the middle of my annual re-read of Anathem. I've been reading scifi for 60 years and it's in my top 3 of all time. Every time I read it I'm absolutely amazed at what Stephenson was able to do with this book, it boggles my mind that anyone could write so well with such creativity. I did start it and quit the first time after reading about 50 pages, I couldn't stand it. My daughter said "stick with it for 100 pages", I did and was hooked.
I don't know how often I reread it, but it drives me nuts that there isn't more of it...if it were three times as long, I think I'd still read it over and over.
@@doctor1alex Dennis E Taylor, the bobaverse. The Bobs. We are Legion We are Bob. We are Legion We are Bob. All these worlds heaven‘s River. And not till we are lost. Fantastic series.
Your videos have inspired into reading Le Guin for the first time. Both Left Hand and Dispossessed were exceptionally good. She's now counted among my favourite authors.
Those two, with _Four Ways to Forgiveness,_ (or Five, if _Old Music and the Slave Weomen_ is included) are her best, IMO. Don't miss her shorter works (not only _The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas_ )
Glad to see you mention Wolfe. Book of the New Sun was life changing literature, my best literary discovery of the past 10 years of life as a reader. I’m soon to jump into his Book of the Long Sun series.
As a nearly 60 year reader of SF I greatly enjoyed your list.(I've read 8 of the 10 you've listed) Like several other comments have mentioned, I'm surprised you did not include The Hyperion series by Dan Simmons. A couple of lesser known great reads that you might want to consider: 'City' and 'Way Station's by Clifford Simak. 'City' is a very simple book consisting of ten separate stories that are all linked together. It touched my heart unlike no other SF book has ever done. If you like Robert Heinlein, 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' is my runaway favorite by him. So worth reading. Ben Bova is another excellent SF author that has written many fantastic books. The 'Red Mars' series is perhaps his best.
Simak rules!! City should always be displayed on a shelf by itself. Also, the book "Slan," by A.E. von Vogt (1946) is a great one of the Oldies ... could make another great movie or series.
You’re probably the first booktuber I’ve watched that places Dispossessed above Left Hand of Darkness. I’ve never read Le Guin, but recently bought The Dispossessed and am very excited to read it! Cheers!
I've only read LHoD from LeGuin and I found it an absolute slog. It's one of the few books I've contemplated abandoning midway. Nothing happens. In researching whether it'd be worth finishing, I found many of LeGuin's online fans saying 1) it gets better at the end, and 2) LHoD is not her best work. I stuck it out and indeed in the final 2 chapters the story finally started to move. It wasn't worth the journey but based on the experienced fans' sentiment I will give another of her books a try.
The Dispossessed is the place to start, for the Hainish Cycle. It was written sixth, but goes first, chronologically. The Word for World is Forest is the other Hainish book that I gave full marks to (might be my favorite) in addition to The Left Hand of Darkness. It's odd that Le Guin got two spots on the list, not because they aren't both great, but because they are from the same series, and all other series were combined for this list.
I absolutely love the Remembrance of Earth's Past series, which is why I was shocked when I saw it placed only at the 9th spot. I am very excited to read some of your recommendations!
As soon as you started talking I subscribed, and I looooved that you mentioned Cixin Liu's trilogy. Geez, those books blew my mind! Also, I'm definitely reading all the other books you mention. Thank you so much for sharing, I'll be checking out your other videos 😸🛸
A Fire Upon the Deep is also a strong recommendation, the concept is extremely interesting. For some reason it lives in my head next to Use Of Weapons, keep thinking that it's a Banks book :)
As soon as you started talking I subscribed, and I looooved that you mentioned Cixin Liu's trilogy. Geez, those books blew my mind! Also, I'm definitely reading all the other books you mention. Thank you so much for sharing, I'll be checking out your other videos
I had the opportunity to meet him in the last few years of his life, but I kept putting off going to Chambanacon...then he died, and last year, the convention died. The Book of the New Sun woke me up as a teenager--until I read it, I thought my vocabulary was impressive. I've heard that many people told him that sort of thing...
I'm surprised you didn't include the 4 book Hyperion Cantos series by Dan Simmons. I just finished the series and it left me spellbound and enthralled like very few works of literature have. I would put it up there with Lord of the Rings in originality, scope and vision. I absolutely agree with your assessment on Remembrance of Earth's past, however. I LOVED that series and wonder if it could ever be made into a movie
Hey, is it really great?? I was thinking of buying it but someone said it was more of an Alien type monster sci fi book and I am more into philosophical and idea driven sci fi.
@rishabhaniket1952 yes! It's like a Canterbury tales book. Each character tells their own story for the main story and how they got to where they are. 100% recommend
Hyperion is better than the Culture series imo. A bit different and while I thought the first book was better than the later ones, the concepts, story and world were much more intriguing than what Consider Phlebas or Player of Games were offering, both being disappointments for me.
@@Sviorr Interesting point. What made me love the series so much is how the buildup in the first book was given in drops, but it all added up to a waterfall in the end. I'm still amazed at the ending of the first book.
I read Anathem because of your suggestion. Although it took me three weeks and wasn't the easiest read, I really enjoyed and got a whole lot out of it. Currently reading The Dispossessed and it's already one of my favorites. Your recommendations seem to be particularly useful to me and I'm grateful for them.
Fully agree about The Dark Forest, it inexorably changed how I view all other science fiction, especially first contact type stories, and even more wildly the series impacted my worldview generally. Maybe it’s time for a reread!
I lost interest at some point with the dude's imaginary woman sidestory. Also the aliens seemed to get less and less plausible as the book progressed. But maybe those are just red herrings and it all makes sense in the end? Right now people think they're from literally the next star system and want to settle ours, because of the earth. Doesn't make sense to me why they would need a planet if they can make interstellar craft.
@@MrCmon113 Very fair. Liu plays with ideas that appeals to many, hence the high score of Dark Forest. But in terms of character... I think many of us had major problems with Luo Ji and just wanted to get to the ending. The prose works for some, I personally agree that the quality dipped in Dark Forest dramatically.
@@MrCmon113 it struck me the same, too. I'm under the impression that it "writes to its audience well" -- by holding back its thesis until the second book and otherwise being written like high quality scifi schlock it selects for readers who are fine with reading schlock and it becomes what they expect. This is why it's so highly reviewed; these people are delightfully surprised when it turns out to be fairly coherent and has something interesting to say, even if most of it is kind of bunk.
I love lists like this and yours in particular. I’m 73 and have been reading/listening to sci-fi since I was around 10. I particularly like that you included the CS Lewis Space Trilogy.
You should consider Stanislaw Lem; his philosophical ideas are fascinating (in particular his thoughts about the impossibility of human communication with alien species); my favourites are Solaris, The Invincible and Golem XIV
Excited for Player of Games, which I'm starting really soon! What a fantastic list, and always love the Leibowitz praise! More than a little heartbroken that Dark Forest was a hard to digest work. But there's always more sci-fi, and always something better!
Anathem is my absolute favorite, go back to time and again, novel. It opens like a flower. First you just see the bud of an idea, then it opens further and further, goes from cloistered to urban to global and further, from monastic to near-future urban, and see how linguistics and social structures can develop. Fantastic read if you can get past those first daunting pages.
I loved "The Faded Sun Trilogy" by C. J. Cherryh. It was the first science fiction I ever read. I was totally immersed in a fascinating alien culture. I read it about 40 years ago and have never forgotten it.
Usually I don't read this genre of books, but from the beginning of the video I realized that I will find here the book with which I start my way into the world of science fiction
If you're coming at this more from literature, the Butler and LeGuin books would be a great entry point for the genre. Doesn't go ham with the space-brain / hard physical sciences nerd stuff, but lots of lush well-crafted prose and puts a lot of IRL issues and character work up front.
My favourite SciFi book is "The Voyage of The Space Beagle" (1950) by A. E. van Vogt. The great diversity of alien contacts and alien life forms written as a thrilling story is very entertaining. Maybe you find it worth mentioning in a future list.
Fantastic video. These are many of my favourites as well. If I were to suggest another author along these lines, if you haven't read them already - Ada Palmer is well worth checking out. It's a wonderful blend of Wolfe, Banks and Le Guin, and her series is full of subtle literary and philosophical references.
Agree that Jared would like Ada Palmer, but there is nothing subtle about her philosophical and literary references. She names the philosophers and describes their main contributions to human discourse in long asides, in Too Like the Lightning. I don't mean for this to sound negative, I loved that book, and can't wait to read the next. :D
@@apeculiarproject3501 oh I agree that there are non-subtle references too, of course, but there are without a doubt many works of both fiction and non-fiction that are not directly alluded to as well. I hope you enjoy the other books when you get to them!
Neal Stephenson is definitely one of my favourite writers, and until a few years ago, Anathem was his best SF novel. Then came Amalthea, and I found this book really mind-blowing. It's the kind of hard SF style that also characterizes Remembrance of Earth's Past. Absolutely fantastic!
Loved your list! Many of yours are on my top 10 as well. If you haven't read them yet, I highly recommend these: Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Gateway by Frederik Pohl, House of Suns by Alistair Reynolds, The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven, Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and the other classic dystopian masterpieces: 1984, Brave New World, and The Road by Cormac McCarthy,
I love Hyperion and the first two Ender books (haven't read past that). I also really enjoyed Children of Time. 1984, Brave New World, and The Road could all be considered for a bigger list (maybe a top 25)!
Jared, I enjoyed your list of top ten but being 82 years old and a life time of loving and reading sy-fy, I'm amazed that some of my (not just mine) greats are not in your listing. Some authors I'm listing may seem simplistic but considering when they were written, I think they were great. E.E. "Doc" Smith, Issac Asimov and Gordon Dickson. But each to his own. Jerry
Hi Jared. I actually just finished "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. Le Guin yesterday. I enjoyed your take on it. I do have some book suggestions for Sci-Fi: "A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought, #1)" by Vernor Vinge - amazing world building, excellent character development, very memorable story, a masterpiece; "Blood Music" by Greg Bear - really fun story that carries you away, has some funny moments, a pleasant read; "We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse, #1)" by Dennis E. Taylor - there are four books in this series and the first three stand really well, I laughed to much reading these, a very fun and wild ride, especially if enjoy nerd pop culture references. If you want a really pensive book that leaves you lingering about the story "Solaris" by Stanisław Lem is excellent, really a thinker. Have a good one! Love the channel.
Really glad you made another science fiction video because that's how i learned about your channel. I'm also glad because there seems to be a distinction between literature and science fiction(or just fiction) and I feel many people miss out on some incredible writing,ideas and concepts that fall under the umbrella of sci-fi. So it makes me happy to see a channel like yours which doesn't focus on a specific genre talk about sf
Great List. I too disliked Consider Phlebas, but may give Player of Games a shot. As for recommendations for great SciFi, my top 10 would include the Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons, Speaker for the Dead by Card, and Great North Road by Peter Hamilton. The last is a mixture of a high tech police procedural/mystery and a first contact story - I was enthralled by the former despite how skeptical I was going into it.
This is a really great list, I'm definitely adding some of these books to my reading list. As a hard Le Guin fan I'm also delighted that two of her novels made it into this list! I too love "The Left hand of Darkness" but I'd say my favourite one is "The Telling". It is a novel that I really learned to love as I grew older and as my love for books grew stronger.
I'm not sure if you read anything by Alastair Reynolds, but I'd highly recommend House of Suns. He's more known for his Revelation Space novels (which are amazing) but House of Suns is an excellent standalone if you want to sample his writing. I also just finished the Children of Time trilogy by Adrian Tchaikovsky and thought it was brilliant.
It is interesting to see the Space Trilogy on this list. I am currently rereading the books after having read them more the 40 years ago. I was surprised that I don't like them nearly as much as I did when I first read them. I found the long descriptions and the pages and pages of nothing happening to be boring. I feel that way about "The Left Hand of Darkness" as well. I felt both writers padded their work A LOT. Loved "Dune" and "A Canticle for Liebowitz." I will have to check out the books on your list that I haven't read. The challenge I face with your channel is the my TBR list keeps getting longer and longer!!!
As you read more of the Culture series you begin to realise that Banks often set himself an author's challenge. Thus one book is mainly an 'epistolary novel', another has a barely literate protagonist and so on. It can be a bit of a challenge because Banks' 'author's voice' changes almost with every book.
I think you are lumping in some non-culture novels with the Culture series. Which one do you call epistolary and which one has a barely literate protagonist?
@@kid5Media The Epistolary novel would have been 'Inversions' and the one with the not very literate protagonist is, of course, 'Feersum Endjinn'. Both are Culture novels where the work of the Culture in shaping 'pre-contact' Worlds is shown. It's been 5 or 6 years since I read any of the novels so I apologise if I'm not going to be able to get into a detailed debate with you. I seem to recall at least one where a lot of the story is told from the perspective of a less-than-pleasant race who have just come into contact with the Culture and so on. He constantly shifts the view of the action to different perspectives; it's rarely a first-person narrative by one of the main protagonists. I think he liked to set himself little challenges when telling a story.
@@derekfancett8218 It has been a long time since I read Banks' culture novels, but my recollection aligns with yours about the multiplicity of voices and styles.
Lord of Light (Roger Zelazny). The Day of the Triffids (John Wyndham). Voyage of the Space Beagle (A.E. Van Vogt). Bedlam Planet (John Brunner). Earthman, Come Home (James Blish, part of his "Cities in Flight" series). Et al.
I just finished reading The Dispossessed the other day, having picked it up on your recommendation. I completely felt the same as you on finishing it and wanted to start it again. I love the way Le Guin writes, and her Earthsea Trilogy was a huge influence on me as a child. In this book I felt like it would have been so easy for her to score some kind of political points but she is too interested in pursuing the real dilemmas faced by the characters.
So glad you began with The Space Trilogy, even if #10. I've been reading on BART past week That hideous strength. I'd like to keep going to Berkeley as now riveting; must get off in Oakland. Very prescient his observation on prenatal education as aim of one group. I was quite amazed at visionary foresight, yet had to debark then!
I would def. add the Foundation trilogy and the Neuromancer trilogy. Not only are they probably the most influential sci-fi books of the last century but they are awesome aswell.
Foundation was one of the first sci-fi books I read. While I begrudgingly admit Asimov was not a great writer, he sure was a great inventor of alternate worlds. That alone is enough to keep Foundation in the list of my favorite sci-fi books/series. So many that were writing in that period were light on characterization but heavy on their what-if scenarios that kept me reading way past my bedtime.
This was a great video. My own top ten is quite different, but I love seeing different views of what other people like. Thanks for your views on these books and giving me some ideas to add to my own TBR list. 😁
Thank you for sharing your list of favorites! I’m obviously an OG, & I appreciate some of your ‘vintage’ choices. I must disagree with your choice of Canticle. I tried *very* hard to get through it, bust just couldn’t handle the slow pace. An anthem: fantastic! I haven’t read that Ian Banks title- just placed it on hold!
I haven't read too much Sci fi, but "The Wanderer" by Fritz Leiber, which won a Hugo Award in 1965, made a huge impression on me. I liked it as much as "Solaris", which I also love. "The Big Time" is another great Leiber book.
You should also read: Doris Lessing "Canopus in Argos", Stanislaw Lem "Solaris", Orson Scott Card "Ender's Game", Mary Doria Russell "The Sparrow", Alfred Doblin "Mountains Seas and Giants", Philip K Dick "Ubik".
You got me! Yes your list happened to be the perfect mix of books I have read and really liked and books that I have always wondered about. I need to read the rest of the Gene Wolfe series. The way you described it was what I always thought as well. It was one of those books that I had to be patient with the prose style. But about 100 pages in I really started to enjoy it and it just got better and better from there. Thanks! Liked and subscribed.
Dispossessed is also my #1. Ran me right through. For fantasy my favorite living author is Naomi Novik whose Spinning Silver and Uprooted are unique masterpieces
Dan Simmons books are the best by far. I have read thousands of Sci Fi books and short stories (the best form of writing). Poul Anderson has also written some of the best ever. But hard to pick just 10. I could pick 100 easily.
I'd not seen The Three Body Problem trilogy referred to as RoEP before but I rank it very highly. Some of the others I'd not heard of before. So pleased to see Iain M Banks get a mention - I think the culture series is outstanding, also the standalone, Feersum Endjin. I still rate Dune/Dune Messiah as the pinnacle, not overburdened with science, which I think is responsible for its longevity. I'll check out some of the other books. Thanks.
I think Childhoods End is probably my favourite Sci Fi book I've ever read. But theres a lot on your list I havent checked out yet so Im excited to try those ones.
This is one of the best lists I've seen so far... as it is concerned in science fiction. I should add that if you continue to read the Culture novels you will probably make some changes in your future lists. It is without any doubt the best science fiction series I've read in my life. "Look to Windward", "Use of Weapons" and "Hydrogen Sonanta" are my favourites, although all the others are pretty close.
@@hughcaldwell1034 Surface Detail is so underated, it's such a good novel, full of ideas and amazing descriptions. I also had an incredible experience with "Inversions".
My absolutely favourite book of all times is Imajica by Clive Barker. This book made me say "This is how fantasy genre should be". Relentless and unstopable, its big size stones you about how many things can be said in so many pages. Amazing book, would love to hear what you think about it
Two of your books are unknown to me. With that proviso, your list is very well thought out, excellently explained, and contains books I have much enjoyed. My English master at prep introduced his class to CS Lewis's series during Year 7 (age 12), so my foundation in science fiction is well bedded. My own tastes would put the Dune series first, with Anathem a good single volume runner up. My only disagreement with you would be Cixin's series, which I found a very hard read. In over 70 years, almost never have I not finished a book once started. Cixin's second volume is among that very small pile of unfinished works.
Modessit’s Forever Hero is a really good read. So is the merchanter series by CJ Cherryh. If you start this series, I’d begin with Merchanters Luck. Downbelow station gets the creds, but I found it a bit of a drag. But Cyteen and Regenesis are marvellous.
I'm a fan of Poul Anderson myself. "The Boat of a Million Years" is a favorite, his Maurai series does a great job of post-apocalyptic world-building IMO, and he ties it into an otherwise unrelated time-travel book with "There will be Time." I agree with you that Book of the New Sun was a great read, and I felt a great concept overall to explore.
I totally agree. Many sci-fi authors fail to adequately establish the "frame/state of mind" or the internal lives as you say of the protagonists when the plot moves along. A few authors that do this well are Greg Bear, Frank Herbert and Kim Stanley Robinson. I look forward to reading Butler's novels. Thanks Also, I am a huge fan of the Blackwell/Popular Culture and Philosophy series of books! All philosophy fans should check them out.
Jared, thanks for this video, I've read most of them and agree with your assessment. Consider Phlebas is indeed a rough one. I recommend you look at Alastair Reynolds, specifically his book 'House of Suns', I think he really knocked it out of the park with that one. His 'Revelation Space' books are also good, but the first one is a little rough and they quickly get better. They are based on hard sci-fi rules and a bit of Dark Forest shenanigans.
I don't know why Consider Phlebas is getting such a rough ride. I enjoy a lot of Iain M Banks novels and Consider Phlebas is one I've re-read several times. I've even enjoyed his non-SF novels that he has authored as Iain Banks , 'The Wasp Factory' has to be one of the most astonishing debut novels I've ever read. If you are struggling with the morality of one of the main characters in Consider Phlebas you won't handle The Wasp Factory at all.
Excellent list. I had all of these on my Top 210 video. I especially ranked high Death's End and The Dark Forest. Really amazing Science Fiction. I also love seeing a lot of Butler and LeGuin in your Top 10. If your up for it, since you love Left Hand, Dispossessed, and BOTNS, if its not too goofy for you, I have parody/tribute songs made with popular music, for those book reviews...you might enjoy it..
Loved this list. Halfway through the Dispossessed atm, and have enjoyed all of the others you mention that I've read - which is great, as now I know I have a few awesome recommendations to add to my TBR.
Great list, tough to argue with any of these novels. You would probably enjoy blindsight by peter watts. I agree with other commenters that have mentioned china mieville (especially embassytown) and samuel delany. Anything by the strugatsky brothers, stanislaw lem is worth a read in my experience
I have read three of the books in your selection and I enjoy your reviews of each. I love the cover art of the older novels. Sci-fi stories are morality plays for each new generation. How we deal with conflicts and governance and cultural change, race, religion. Liked and subscribed
Very nice list. A lot of solid choices - may I also recommend a few other hard scifi/ space operas: Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space, Jason Russell's 224-Verse and of course Dan Simmons' Hyperion.
Good list. Regarding David Lynch: his biggest issue with Dune was that he didn’t have final cut in the contract. It is actually a tragedy that HOURS of that film were discarded on the cutting room floor by editors he had no control over. That said, the producer who butchered it was none of the Dino DeLaurentis. Because of the fall out, DeLaurentis promised Lynch he would have total control for the next film. That next film was: Blue Velvet.
True. It's always a bad idea to not give a director final cut. The prime example being Orson Welles's lost masterpiece, The Magnificent Ambersons, which by all accounts was butchered by RKO. The Welles cut was destroyed and no print still exists. Some who saw the test screening said it was the greatest American film ever made (read the novel to understand the power). Eyes Wide Shut is another example. What was in Kubrick's 20 - 40 minutes the studio chopped out, deeming it too shocking?
Vinge - A Fire Upon The Deep, Douglas Adams - The Hitch-hikers Guide To The Galaxy series, Zelazny - Lord Of Light, Bob Shaw - Other Days, Other Eyes and Haldeman - The Forever War - just a couple that I owuld put up there with the best of the best, but WMMV
Thank you, Jared, for your top ten, I would love to see top 10 fantasy and classic as well. Some of those are in my top 10 for sure, but some are still unread, which I really would love to change. Your channel brings me so much joy and peace. Especially when you talk of Dostoevsky and Russian culture. I plan to re-read some of classics because of your videos. And special thanks goes to your essay on Zamyatin's We
An interesting list, thank you for sharing. I would like to suggest to you one of my my all time favorite authors, one of the grandfathers of American Science Fiction, EE "Doc" Smith. He was one of the more prolific writers of the 30s and 40s, continuing into the 50s, and right on until his death in the early 60s. Two of his most notable works are the Skylark series and the Lensmen series. I most heartily recommend both series.
Asimov wrote (and Clarke concurred) that E.E. "Doc" Smith was the first of three novas in 20th century science fiction writing (the other two being Stanley G. Weinbaum and Robert A. Heinlein). I think that you'd have to accept that you were reading an older style of writing, similar to viewing movies from the 1920s, in order to appreciate it. I accidentally read the final book in the Lensman series ("Children of the Lens") and enjoyed it enough to read the rest of the books in the proper order. A name I haven't seen here yet is Roger Zelazny. I especially enjoyed the first five-book Amber series. Maybe it's more of a Fantasy series....
Wow ! Glad you mentioned the space trilogy. Perelandra in particular has beautiful descriptions. I think Parable of the Sower should be required reading. Too close to reality. I am going through a Remembrance of Earth's Past phrase now-mindblowing !
My parents used to read those C.S. Lewis books to us for bedtime, very interesting stories. He had indeed some odd ideas about religion, and he didn't quite understand how inertia and gravity work in space craft. A great list of books, the only book I would have wanted in there was "The Mote in God's Eye" by Niven/Pournelle
So glad you included The Dispossessed on your list. I read it for the first time in my 20s and absolutely fell in love. When I reread it I always find something new. What is disappointing is how many male sci-fi fans who have not read her work. Glad you are not one of them!
Great video! So many of your opinions lined up exactly with mine (including calling LeGuin a top 3 author). You've inspired me to try Player of Games (I didn't like Consider Phlebas, either, but I love the general tropes of the Culture, so I always felt disappointed that I didn't get past the first book). And I might even pick Dark Forest back up (I never made it to whatever this epic turning point is, so it just felt like it was going nowhere with worse prose than the first book...). Thanks for making these videos. Best wishes.
When Dune came in at number 6, I wondered what could possibly outrank it. Three out of your top five ranking are completely new to me. Looks like I have some reading to do, to see what could possibly outrank Dune. 😊 I'm surprised there's no Heinlein, Clarke, Asimov, Anderson or Sturgeon, but I guess you have to draw the line somewhere. Maybe one picks the top ten favorites from recent readings? Thanks!
Dune is classic, but many moders scifi novels that stand on Herberts shoulders are better books. Most early scifi books are just not very good because character writing is… well does not exist. They did build the foundation of scifi, but are not so great as a novels. Dune is one of those classics that still is a good novel even with todays standards, so it defininitely deserves its place in top 10 lists!
I'm so glad you had Iain M. Banks on your list. I think it's a shame that a lot of people want to begin reading his culture books in the order they are published since Consider Phlebas isn't the best. They are all stand-alone, though there are a few references to events in others and I think just one character that appears in multiple books but is only central to one. Each book has it's own way of telling the story and its own feel. I started when my mom bought me 'Excession' which remains one of my favorites. It is told much more from the point of view of the culture's minds and drones and has a more galactic scale and more action than the others. I also highly recommend the audiobooks as Peter Kenny does an amazing job.
Of all the science fiction I've ever read Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga is top of my list. Just a joy to read and reread. p.s. I had a collection of 5000 or so sci-fi paperbacks that did not survive a leaking garage roof.
Many thanks for the video and list. Some of the best science fiction novels in my opinion include 'Dune' ,'The Left Hand of Darkness', and the 'Helliconia' novels by Brian Aldiss.
A very engaging video, thanks, I will be checking out what I don't know. I agree that LeGuin must be ranked at or near the top. I would have included something by Greg Bear as well, but luckily, we don't have to settle with just ten books. cheers from sunny Vienna, Scott
Great list. I really liked how you describe them and level of depth you put in to your research and descriptions. I am very curious about the Dispossessed, may have become top on my To Read list. I am happy that you have started to like the Culture novels. you will love Use of Weapons, it is my favourite book. As for one reccomendation: Adrian Tchaikovsky Cage of Souls. Children of Time is also a great read but I thought Cage of Souls is more focused on human behaviour and not like space fiction.
Neal Stephenson, of course, is the author of Anathem, not Neal Stepson. Let’s just say that proofreading has never been my strength.
No worries, we knew who you meant.
@@jamezkpal2361 yup, he definitely meant Neal Dickinson
No, no-it was Phillip K Svenson. That’s it.
I really enjoy Stephenson's work. I would suggest the Baroque Cycle is by far his best work
You review fairly well, you edit well too. You seem intelligent, and you make pleasant to watch videos.
My issue is your content. You don't seem very well read for what your channel is. That these are your favorites, which makes me think you read under your intelligence level. Also, you read scifi as a boomer would, and I'm 52 saying this.
That you just learned about Banks is a great example of what I mean. All of your books and writers except Stephenson are ancient or dead.
You picked amazing books, most I truly enjoy. But there are many, many more scifi books that are better. Only 2 are still actually relevant, socially, and more importantly intellectually.
Try Dan Simmons Ilium and Olympos, Alistair Reynolds, Peter F Hamilton, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Becky Chambers, Liu Cixin, NK Jemison, Peter Watts, Martha Wells, Ann Leckie, Andy Weir, James Corey, TC McCarthy's Germline series, I could keep going for a while...
And how is Margaret Atwood not on this list?
As I posted, you make videos very well that don't keep my attention intellectually. All of those books have been reviewed to death by a million youtubers because they are as mainstream as they come.
That’s a great list. I’m so glad you included A Canticle For Leibowitz. It was a huge influence on my game Fallout, and I’m always encouraging people to read it.
It’s no surprise that Fallout is one my favorite video game worlds.
@@_jared I am happy to hear that. The other designers and I always tried to include some philosophical and social commentary among the radiation, monsters, and plasma guns.
@@CainOnGames what books/influences did you and/or your team bring into Outer Worlds?
Sparrow by mary doria russel, under the pendulum sun bu jeannete ng, and the book of strange new things and hyperion canticle all are great companion read to canticle
@@TheWarmLettuce Sci fi novels influenced Fallout and fantasy novels influenced Arcanum, but The Outer Worlds was mostly influenced by movies and TV shows. I would list shows like Firefly, Deadwood, Futurama, and The Good Place as TV influences, and movies like Brazil or anything by the Coen brothers as movie influences.
I'm in the middle of my annual re-read of Anathem. I've been reading scifi for 60 years and it's in my top 3 of all time. Every time I read it I'm absolutely amazed at what Stephenson was able to do with this book, it boggles my mind that anyone could write so well with such creativity. I did start it and quit the first time after reading about 50 pages, I couldn't stand it. My daughter said "stick with it for 100 pages", I did and was hooked.
Man it's so long, impressive you read it every year 😅. I have a copy but have not gotten to it yet.
What else would you recommend to a newcomer? I recently started with Dune.
What are the other two books in your top 3?
I don't know how often I reread it, but it drives me nuts that there isn't more of it...if it were three times as long, I think I'd still read it over and over.
@@doctor1alex Dennis E Taylor, the bobaverse. The Bobs. We are Legion We are Bob. We are Legion We are Bob. All these worlds heaven‘s River. And not till we are lost. Fantastic series.
Your videos have inspired into reading Le Guin for the first time. Both Left Hand and Dispossessed were exceptionally good. She's now counted among my favourite authors.
The Lathe of Heaven.
Those two, with _Four Ways to Forgiveness,_ (or Five, if _Old Music and the Slave Weomen_ is included) are her best, IMO. Don't miss her shorter works (not only _The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas_ )
@@DocZom I put that into her second tier, along with, for example, _The Word for World is Forest._
Glad to see you mention Wolfe. Book of the New Sun was life changing literature, my best literary discovery of the past 10 years of life as a reader. I’m soon to jump into his Book of the Long Sun series.
That's great. I also love the Latro books and wizard/knight.
@@gregorde I’m very keen to read both. Which one would you recommend I read first?
@@feanor7080 Latro. But I love Greek mythology, so ymmv.
I got Gene Wolfe's autograph one time in the 80s.. The line for Larry Niven was too long..
As a nearly 60 year reader of SF I greatly enjoyed your list.(I've read 8 of the 10 you've listed) Like several other comments have mentioned, I'm surprised you did not include The Hyperion series by Dan Simmons.
A couple of lesser known great reads that you might want to consider: 'City' and 'Way Station's by Clifford Simak. 'City' is a very simple book consisting of ten separate stories that are all linked together. It touched my heart unlike no other SF book has ever done.
If you like Robert Heinlein, 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress' is my runaway favorite by him. So worth reading.
Ben Bova is another excellent SF author that has written many fantastic books. The 'Red Mars' series is perhaps his best.
Thank you for the recommendations!
Hyperion series is top notch indeed. Always loved the dying earth stuff by Vance as well.
Simak rules!! City should always be displayed on a shelf by itself. Also, the book "Slan," by A.E. von Vogt (1946) is a great one of the Oldies ... could make another great movie or series.
You’re probably the first booktuber I’ve watched that places Dispossessed above Left Hand of Darkness. I’ve never read Le Guin, but recently bought The Dispossessed and am very excited to read it! Cheers!
I've only read LHoD from LeGuin and I found it an absolute slog. It's one of the few books I've contemplated abandoning midway. Nothing happens. In researching whether it'd be worth finishing, I found many of LeGuin's online fans saying 1) it gets better at the end, and 2) LHoD is not her best work. I stuck it out and indeed in the final 2 chapters the story finally started to move. It wasn't worth the journey but based on the experienced fans' sentiment I will give another of her books a try.
The Dispossessed is the place to start, for the Hainish Cycle. It was written sixth, but goes first, chronologically. The Word for World is Forest is the other Hainish book that I gave full marks to (might be my favorite) in addition to The Left Hand of Darkness. It's odd that Le Guin got two spots on the list, not because they aren't both great, but because they are from the same series, and all other series were combined for this list.
I absolutely love the Remembrance of Earth's Past series, which is why I was shocked when I saw it placed only at the 9th spot. I am very excited to read some of your recommendations!
As soon as you started talking I subscribed, and I looooved that you mentioned Cixin Liu's trilogy. Geez, those books blew my mind! Also, I'm definitely reading all the other books you mention. Thank you so much for sharing, I'll be checking out your other videos 😸🛸
A Fire Upon the Deep is also a strong recommendation, the concept is extremely interesting. For some reason it lives in my head next to Use Of Weapons, keep thinking that it's a Banks book :)
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by R.A.Heinlein is my favorite. I read it back in the 80's the first time and just recently re-read it.
Recommend Vernor Vinge's 'A deepness in the sky' and 'A fire upon the deep'. Fantastic reads full of imaginative ideas and surprises.
As soon as you started talking I subscribed, and I looooved that you mentioned Cixin Liu's trilogy. Geez, those books blew my mind! Also, I'm definitely reading all the other books you mention. Thank you so much for sharing, I'll be checking out your other videos
SO GREAT to see Gene Wolfe in this Top 10 list. He deserves it. And the 5th book (Urth) is quite possibly the very best one of them.
I had the opportunity to meet him in the last few years of his life, but I kept putting off going to Chambanacon...then he died, and last year, the convention died. The Book of the New Sun woke me up as a teenager--until I read it, I thought my vocabulary was impressive. I've heard that many people told him that sort of thing...
I'm surprised you didn't include the 4 book Hyperion Cantos series by Dan Simmons. I just finished the series and it left me spellbound and enthralled like very few works of literature have. I would put it up there with Lord of the Rings in originality, scope and vision. I absolutely agree with your assessment on Remembrance of Earth's past, however. I LOVED that series and wonder if it could ever be made into a movie
Hyperion is great! I finished the fall of hyperion last year but haven't started endymion yet
Hey, is it really great?? I was thinking of buying it but someone said it was more of an Alien type monster sci fi book and I am more into philosophical and idea driven sci fi.
@rishabhaniket1952 yes! It's like a Canterbury tales book. Each character tells their own story for the main story and how they got to where they are. 100% recommend
More than 30 years have passed and Hyperion still no.1 SF book for me.
I have read countless science fiction books over the last 60 years. These are all great, but my favorite is "Hyperion" by Dan Simmons.
I'm so happy to find I'm not the only one) Hyperion is so good it changed the way I think and look on life)
Hyperion is better than the Culture series imo. A bit different and while I thought the first book was better than the later ones, the concepts, story and world were much more intriguing than what Consider Phlebas or Player of Games were offering, both being disappointments for me.
@@preppen78 I don't think that later books in Hyperion series are weaker. The first two make you a believer and the last two make you an atheist)))
Me too.
@@Sviorr Interesting point. What made me love the series so much is how the buildup in the first book was given in drops, but it all added up to a waterfall in the end. I'm still amazed at the ending of the first book.
I read Anathem because of your suggestion. Although it took me three weeks and wasn't the easiest read, I really enjoyed and got a whole lot out of it. Currently reading The Dispossessed and it's already one of my favorites.
Your recommendations seem to be particularly useful to me and I'm grateful for them.
I’m so glad!
The dispossessed is awesome
Fully agree about The Dark Forest, it inexorably changed how I view all other science fiction, especially first contact type stories, and even more wildly the series impacted my worldview generally. Maybe it’s time for a reread!
I read it for the first time this year and I see myself revisiting it.
I lost interest at some point with the dude's imaginary woman sidestory.
Also the aliens seemed to get less and less plausible as the book progressed.
But maybe those are just red herrings and it all makes sense in the end?
Right now people think they're from literally the next star system and want to settle ours, because of the earth. Doesn't make sense to me why they would need a planet if they can make interstellar craft.
@@MrCmon113 Very fair. Liu plays with ideas that appeals to many, hence the high score of Dark Forest. But in terms of character... I think many of us had major problems with Luo Ji and just wanted to get to the ending. The prose works for some, I personally agree that the quality dipped in Dark Forest dramatically.
I did reread the whole series and enjoyed it even more! Quite probable in the future I will again reread it
@@MrCmon113 it struck me the same, too. I'm under the impression that it "writes to its audience well" -- by holding back its thesis until the second book and otherwise being written like high quality scifi schlock it selects for readers who are fine with reading schlock and it becomes what they expect. This is why it's so highly reviewed; these people are delightfully surprised when it turns out to be fairly coherent and has something interesting to say, even if most of it is kind of bunk.
Clarke's Rendezvous with Rama is a good read, too.
All good picks,
I'd put the Caves of Steel, Naked Sun, Robots of Dawn above a couple of those you've picked.
I love lists like this and yours in particular. I’m 73 and have been reading/listening to sci-fi since I was around 10. I particularly like that you included the CS Lewis Space Trilogy.
You should consider Stanislaw Lem; his philosophical ideas are fascinating (in particular his thoughts about the impossibility of human communication with alien species); my favourites are Solaris, The Invincible and Golem XIV
Exactly!
I think his best novel is the Return from the Stars.
I agree. Based on this video, I think Lem would be a good recommendation.
golem xiv would be in my top 10
I also enjoyed Memoirs Found in a Bathtub, has a great opening.
Excited for Player of Games, which I'm starting really soon!
What a fantastic list, and always love the Leibowitz praise! More than a little heartbroken that Dark Forest was a hard to digest work. But there's always more sci-fi, and always something better!
I uploaded a video just like this yesterday! We have a lot of overlap. Great to hear another viewpoint
Clarke's "Childhood's End" was masterful, as was the grandeur evinced in Niven's "Ringworld." Have you read either?
I have read "Childhood's End" because of your comment, and I have really enjoyed. Thank You :)
For me, it's one of the more overated sci fi book ...
Anathem is my absolute favorite, go back to time and again, novel. It opens like a flower. First you just see the bud of an idea, then it opens further and further, goes from cloistered to urban to global and further, from monastic to near-future urban, and see how linguistics and social structures can develop. Fantastic read if you can get past those first daunting pages.
I loved "The Faded Sun Trilogy" by C. J. Cherryh. It was the first science fiction I ever read. I was totally immersed in a fascinating alien culture. I read it about 40 years ago and have never forgotten it.
Usually I don't read this genre of books, but from the beginning of the video I realized that I will find here the book with which I start my way into the world of science fiction
If you're coming at this more from literature, the Butler and LeGuin books would be a great entry point for the genre. Doesn't go ham with the space-brain / hard physical sciences nerd stuff, but lots of lush well-crafted prose and puts a lot of IRL issues and character work up front.
This list is wonderful. I've read quite a few of them and I agree absolutely with your judgements! I'd love to read your fantasy and classics lists.😊
My favourite SciFi book is "The Voyage of The Space Beagle" (1950) by A. E. van Vogt. The great diversity of alien contacts and alien life forms written as a thrilling story is very entertaining. Maybe you find it worth mentioning in a future list.
Yes
I like aliens on ships and confinement.....
I’ve read “The illustrated Man” by Bradbury back in my teen years and boy, I was impressed.
Fantastic video. These are many of my favourites as well. If I were to suggest another author along these lines, if you haven't read them already - Ada Palmer is well worth checking out. It's a wonderful blend of Wolfe, Banks and Le Guin, and her series is full of subtle literary and philosophical references.
Agree that Jared would like Ada Palmer, but there is nothing subtle about her philosophical and literary references. She names the philosophers and describes their main contributions to human discourse in long asides, in Too Like the Lightning.
I don't mean for this to sound negative, I loved that book, and can't wait to read the next. :D
@@apeculiarproject3501 oh I agree that there are non-subtle references too, of course, but there are without a doubt many works of both fiction and non-fiction that are not directly alluded to as well.
I hope you enjoy the other books when you get to them!
She's on my wishlist, but I'm not sure exactly when I'll get around to reading her.
Neal Stephenson is definitely one of my favourite writers, and until a few years ago, Anathem was his best SF novel. Then came Amalthea, and I found this book really mind-blowing. It's the kind of hard SF style that also characterizes Remembrance of Earth's Past. Absolutely fantastic!
Loved your list! Many of yours are on my top 10 as well. If you haven't read them yet, I highly recommend these: Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Gateway by Frederik Pohl, House of Suns by Alistair Reynolds, The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven, Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky, and the other classic dystopian masterpieces: 1984, Brave New World, and The Road by Cormac McCarthy,
I second Hyperion. Just finished the last book of the series. It is so good. Dan Simmons is a fantastic writer.
I love Hyperion and the first two Ender books (haven't read past that). I also really enjoyed Children of Time. 1984, Brave New World, and The Road could all be considered for a bigger list (maybe a top 25)!
Speaker for the dead is the best Ender book 👌🏽
Jared, I enjoyed your list of top ten but being 82 years old and a life time of loving and reading sy-fy, I'm amazed that some of my (not just mine) greats are not in your listing.
Some authors I'm listing may seem simplistic but considering when they were written, I think they were great. E.E. "Doc" Smith, Issac Asimov and Gordon Dickson.
But each to his own. Jerry
I love to see lists like this that have literally none from my top 10. Great summaries and reasoning. Thanks!
Hi Jared. I actually just finished "The Dispossessed" by Ursula K. Le Guin yesterday. I enjoyed your take on it. I do have some book suggestions for Sci-Fi: "A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought, #1)" by Vernor Vinge - amazing world building, excellent character development, very memorable story, a masterpiece; "Blood Music" by Greg Bear - really fun story that carries you away, has some funny moments, a pleasant read; "We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse, #1)" by Dennis E. Taylor - there are four books in this series and the first three stand really well, I laughed to much reading these, a very fun and wild ride, especially if enjoy nerd pop culture references. If you want a really pensive book that leaves you lingering about the story "Solaris" by Stanisław Lem is excellent, really a thinker. Have a good one! Love the channel.
Really glad you made another science fiction video because that's how i learned about your channel. I'm also glad because there seems to be a distinction between literature and science fiction(or just fiction) and I feel many people miss out on some incredible writing,ideas and concepts that fall under the umbrella of sci-fi. So it makes me happy to see a channel like yours which doesn't focus on a specific genre talk about sf
Great List. I too disliked Consider Phlebas, but may give Player of Games a shot. As for recommendations for great SciFi, my top 10 would include the Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons, Speaker for the Dead by Card, and Great North Road by Peter Hamilton. The last is a mixture of a high tech police procedural/mystery and a first contact story - I was enthralled by the former despite how skeptical I was going into it.
I’m new to the channel so this may be old news, but as an old guy who’s read it all I was recently excited to discover “The body problem” series.
Frederik Pohl's Gateway has always been one of my favorites that I don't hear mentioned too often. Also Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke.
I love the whole Heechee saga.
Love Gateway
This is a really great list, I'm definitely adding some of these books to my reading list. As a hard Le Guin fan I'm also delighted that two of her novels made it into this list! I too love "The Left hand of Darkness" but I'd say my favourite one is "The Telling". It is a novel that I really learned to love as I grew older and as my love for books grew stronger.
I'm not sure if you read anything by Alastair Reynolds, but I'd highly recommend House of Suns. He's more known for his Revelation Space novels (which are amazing) but House of Suns is an excellent standalone if you want to sample his writing. I also just finished the Children of Time trilogy by Adrian Tchaikovsky and thought it was brilliant.
House of suns is my all time favorite sci-fi book. Highly recommended
The Book of the New Sun changed my life. It is a spiritual experience going through it.
Great recommendations. Looking forward to part 2
It is interesting to see the Space Trilogy on this list. I am currently rereading the books after having read them more the 40 years ago. I was surprised that I don't like them nearly as much as I did when I first read them. I found the long descriptions and the pages and pages of nothing happening to be boring. I feel that way about "The Left Hand of Darkness" as well. I felt both writers padded their work A LOT.
Loved "Dune" and "A Canticle for Liebowitz."
I will have to check out the books on your list that I haven't read. The challenge I face with your channel is the my TBR list keeps getting longer and longer!!!
Thank you Jared. Nice list. I suggest reading Ira Levin's much underrated, This Perfect Day.
As you read more of the Culture series you begin to realise that Banks often set himself an author's challenge. Thus one book is mainly an 'epistolary novel', another has a barely literate protagonist and so on. It can be a bit of a challenge because Banks' 'author's voice' changes almost with every book.
I think you are lumping in some non-culture novels with the Culture series. Which one do you call epistolary and which one has a barely literate protagonist?
@@kid5Media The Epistolary novel would have been 'Inversions' and the one with the not very literate protagonist is, of course, 'Feersum Endjinn'. Both are Culture novels where the work of the Culture in shaping 'pre-contact' Worlds is shown. It's been 5 or 6 years since I read any of the novels so I apologise if I'm not going to be able to get into a detailed debate with you. I seem to recall at least one where a lot of the story is told from the perspective of a less-than-pleasant race who have just come into contact with the Culture and so on. He constantly shifts the view of the action to different perspectives; it's rarely a first-person narrative by one of the main protagonists. I think he liked to set himself little challenges when telling a story.
@@derekfancett8218 It has been a long time since I read Banks' culture novels, but my recollection aligns with yours about the multiplicity of voices and styles.
Lord of Light (Roger Zelazny). The Day of the Triffids (John Wyndham). Voyage of the Space Beagle (A.E. Van Vogt). Bedlam Planet (John Brunner). Earthman, Come Home (James Blish, part of his "Cities in Flight" series). Et al.
I just finished reading The Dispossessed the other day, having picked it up on your recommendation. I completely felt the same as you on finishing it and wanted to start it again. I love the way Le Guin writes, and her Earthsea Trilogy was a huge influence on me as a child. In this book I felt like it would have been so easy for her to score some kind of political points but she is too interested in pursuing the real dilemmas faced by the characters.
Well said. There's no obvious agenda in the writing even though there is so much potential to be one. She's a master
I have only picked up Earthesa as an adult and I am gutted I was not given these instead of Harry Potter. Still enjoyable though.
I did not like The Dispossessed at all -- it was a boring political commentary of the failings of mankind.
So glad you began with The Space Trilogy, even if #10. I've been reading on BART past week That hideous strength. I'd like to keep going to Berkeley as now riveting; must get off in Oakland. Very prescient his observation on prenatal education as aim of one group. I was quite amazed at visionary foresight, yet had to debark then!
I would def. add the Foundation trilogy and the Neuromancer trilogy. Not only are they probably the most influential sci-fi books of the last century but they are awesome aswell.
Foundation was one of the first sci-fi books I read. While I begrudgingly admit Asimov was not a great writer, he sure was a great inventor of alternate worlds. That alone is enough to keep Foundation in the list of my favorite sci-fi books/series. So many that were writing in that period were light on characterization but heavy on their what-if scenarios that kept me reading way past my bedtime.
I was going to suggest the Foundation series, definitely would be on a lot of lists and probably number one on many.
@@fidelogos7098What are your criticisms of Asimov as a writer?
This was a great video. My own top ten is quite different, but I love seeing different views of what other people like. Thanks for your views on these books and giving me some ideas to add to my own TBR list. 😁
Great video! I’d love both a top 10 fantasy and classics. Thanks for making compelling videos!
Great list. I’d be very interested in the classic and fantasy lists as well.
Thank you for sharing your list of favorites! I’m obviously an OG, & I appreciate some of your ‘vintage’ choices. I must disagree with your choice of Canticle. I tried *very* hard to get through it, bust just couldn’t handle the slow pace. An anthem: fantastic! I haven’t read that Ian Banks title- just placed it on hold!
I haven't read too much Sci fi, but "The Wanderer" by Fritz Leiber, which won a Hugo Award in 1965, made a huge impression on me. I liked it as much as "Solaris", which I also love.
"The Big Time" is another great Leiber book.
You should also read: Doris Lessing "Canopus in Argos", Stanislaw Lem "Solaris", Orson Scott Card "Ender's Game", Mary Doria Russell "The Sparrow", Alfred Doblin "Mountains Seas and Giants", Philip K Dick "Ubik".
You got me! Yes your list happened to be the perfect mix of books I have read and really liked and books that I have always wondered about. I need to read the rest of the Gene Wolfe series. The way you described it was what I always thought as well. It was one of those books that I had to be patient with the prose style. But about 100 pages in I really started to enjoy it and it just got better and better from there. Thanks! Liked and subscribed.
Dispossessed is also my #1. Ran me right through. For fantasy my favorite living author is Naomi Novik whose Spinning Silver and Uprooted are unique masterpieces
Dan Simmons books are the best by far. I have read thousands of Sci Fi books and short stories (the best form of writing). Poul Anderson has also written some of the best ever. But hard to pick just 10. I could pick 100 easily.
Endymion is terribly bad.
I've added a couple of these onto my to-read list, so thanks. Still, it's amazing how very different our personal lists are.
I'd not seen The Three Body Problem trilogy referred to as RoEP before but I rank it very highly. Some of the others I'd not heard of before. So pleased to see Iain M Banks get a mention - I think the culture series is outstanding, also the standalone, Feersum Endjin. I still rate Dune/Dune Messiah as the pinnacle, not overburdened with science, which I think is responsible for its longevity. I'll check out some of the other books. Thanks.
Interesting list. A number of these authors I have not read yet and I look forward to checking them out. Le Guin is the Queen. No Asimov? Hmmm...
I think Childhoods End is probably my favourite Sci Fi book I've ever read. But theres a lot on your list I havent checked out yet so Im excited to try those ones.
This is one of the best lists I've seen so far... as it is concerned in science fiction. I should add that if you continue to read the Culture novels you will probably make some changes in your future lists. It is without any doubt the best science fiction series I've read in my life. "Look to Windward", "Use of Weapons" and "Hydrogen Sonanta" are my favourites, although all the others are pretty close.
Big hell yes for Look To Windward. That, Player of Games, and Surface Detail are probably my top three Culture books.
@@hughcaldwell1034 Surface Detail is so underated, it's such a good novel, full of ideas and amazing descriptions. I also had an incredible experience with "Inversions".
I would like to see both your top ten of fantasy and classic novels. Thanks for the top ten list of sci-fi. I enjoyed it.
My absolutely favourite book of all times is Imajica by Clive Barker. This book made me say "This is how fantasy genre should be". Relentless and unstopable, its big size stones you about how many things can be said in so many pages. Amazing book, would love to hear what you think about it
Two of your books are unknown to me. With that proviso, your list is very well thought out, excellently explained, and contains books I have much enjoyed. My English master at prep introduced his class to CS Lewis's series during Year 7 (age 12), so my foundation in science fiction is well bedded. My own tastes would put the Dune series first, with Anathem a good single volume runner up. My only disagreement with you would be Cixin's series, which I found a very hard read. In over 70 years, almost never have I not finished a book once started. Cixin's second volume is among that very small pile of unfinished works.
I loved Three Body Problem and am struggling with The Dark Forest. I should resume otherwise I may never finish reading it or the trilogy.
Modessit’s Forever Hero is a really good read. So is the merchanter series by CJ Cherryh. If you start this series, I’d begin with Merchanters Luck. Downbelow station gets the creds, but I found it a bit of a drag. But Cyteen and Regenesis are marvellous.
I'm a fan of Poul Anderson myself. "The Boat of a Million Years" is a favorite, his Maurai series does a great job of post-apocalyptic world-building IMO, and he ties it into an otherwise unrelated time-travel book with "There will be Time." I agree with you that Book of the New Sun was a great read, and I felt a great concept overall to explore.
You should read Alastair Reynolds. 'Revelation Space' and 'House of Suns' are phenomenal books
Excellent monologue, thank you for describing your reactions to the themes and structures of the books without devolving into plot summaries.
I totally agree. Many sci-fi authors fail to adequately establish the "frame/state of mind" or the internal lives as you say of the protagonists when the plot moves along. A few authors that do this well are Greg Bear, Frank Herbert and Kim Stanley Robinson. I look forward to reading Butler's novels. Thanks
Also, I am a huge fan of the Blackwell/Popular Culture and Philosophy series of books! All philosophy fans should check them out.
Jared, thanks for this video, I've read most of them and agree with your assessment. Consider Phlebas is indeed a rough one. I recommend you look at Alastair Reynolds, specifically his book 'House of Suns', I think he really knocked it out of the park with that one. His 'Revelation Space' books are also good, but the first one is a little rough and they quickly get better. They are based on hard sci-fi rules and a bit of Dark Forest shenanigans.
House of Suns is probably my favorite Reynolds and I've read everything by him.
I don't know why Consider Phlebas is getting such a rough ride. I enjoy a lot of Iain M Banks novels and Consider Phlebas is one I've re-read several times. I've even enjoyed his non-SF novels that he has authored as Iain Banks , 'The Wasp Factory' has to be one of the most astonishing debut novels I've ever read. If you are struggling with the morality of one of the main characters in Consider Phlebas you won't handle The Wasp Factory at all.
Excellent list. I had all of these on my Top 210 video. I especially ranked high Death's End and The Dark Forest. Really amazing Science Fiction. I also love seeing a lot of Butler and LeGuin in your Top 10. If your up for it, since you love Left Hand, Dispossessed, and BOTNS, if its not too goofy for you, I have parody/tribute songs made with popular music, for those book reviews...you might enjoy it..
I'll check those out!
Loved this list. Halfway through the Dispossessed atm, and have enjoyed all of the others you mention that I've read - which is great, as now I know I have a few awesome recommendations to add to my TBR.
Great list, tough to argue with any of these novels. You would probably enjoy blindsight by peter watts. I agree with other commenters that have mentioned china mieville (especially embassytown) and samuel delany. Anything by the strugatsky brothers, stanislaw lem is worth a read in my experience
I am a young sci fi reader. My favorite is the frontline series by Marko kloos. The first book is called terms of enlistment. Definitely worth a try
I would like to see a video of your favorite Literary Novels. Thank you for a very thoughtful and articulate presentation.
I have read three of the books in your selection and I enjoy your reviews of each. I love the cover art of the older novels. Sci-fi stories are morality plays for each new generation. How we deal with conflicts and governance and cultural change, race, religion. Liked and subscribed
Book of the New Sun is incredible.
I highly recommend the "Legend of the Galactic Heroes" series as well!
Very nice list. A lot of solid choices - may I also recommend a few other hard scifi/ space operas: Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space, Jason Russell's 224-Verse and of course Dan Simmons' Hyperion.
Good list. Regarding David Lynch: his biggest issue with Dune was that he didn’t have final cut in the contract. It is actually a tragedy that HOURS of that film were discarded on the cutting room floor by editors he had no control over. That said, the producer who butchered it was none of the Dino DeLaurentis. Because of the fall out, DeLaurentis promised Lynch he would have total control for the next film. That next film was: Blue Velvet.
True. It's always a bad idea to not give a director final cut. The prime example being Orson Welles's lost masterpiece, The Magnificent Ambersons, which by all accounts was butchered by RKO. The Welles cut was destroyed and no print still exists. Some who saw the test screening said it was the greatest American film ever made (read the novel to understand the power). Eyes Wide Shut is another example. What was in Kubrick's 20 - 40 minutes the studio chopped out, deeming it too shocking?
Vinge - A Fire Upon The Deep, Douglas Adams - The Hitch-hikers Guide To The Galaxy series, Zelazny - Lord Of Light, Bob Shaw - Other Days, Other Eyes and Haldeman - The Forever War - just a couple that I owuld put up there with the best of the best, but WMMV
Great video! I'll buy anathem for my kindle and start it asap. And definitely tell us your top 10 fantasy and Classic books. Cheers!
Thank you, Jared, for your top ten, I would love to see top 10 fantasy and classic as well. Some of those are in my top 10 for sure, but some are still unread, which I really would love to change. Your channel brings me so much joy and peace. Especially when you talk of Dostoevsky and Russian culture. I plan to re-read some of classics because of your videos. And special thanks goes to your essay on Zamyatin's We
We appreciate your recommendations. We look forward to seeing more videos like this.
An interesting list, thank you for sharing. I would like to suggest to you one of my my all time favorite authors, one of the grandfathers of American Science Fiction, EE "Doc" Smith. He was one of the more prolific writers of the 30s and 40s, continuing into the 50s, and right on until his death in the early 60s. Two of his most notable works are the Skylark series and the Lensmen series. I most heartily recommend both series.
Asimov wrote (and Clarke concurred) that E.E. "Doc" Smith was the first of three novas in 20th century science fiction writing (the other two being Stanley G. Weinbaum and Robert A. Heinlein). I think that you'd have to accept that you were reading an older style of writing, similar to viewing movies from the 1920s, in order to appreciate it. I accidentally read the final book in the Lensman series ("Children of the Lens") and enjoyed it enough to read the rest of the books in the proper order. A name I haven't seen here yet is Roger Zelazny. I especially enjoyed the first five-book Amber series. Maybe it's more of a Fantasy series....
Wow ! Glad you mentioned the space trilogy. Perelandra in particular has beautiful descriptions. I think Parable of the Sower
should be required reading. Too close to reality. I am going through a Remembrance of Earth's Past phrase now-mindblowing !
My parents used to read those C.S. Lewis books to us for bedtime, very interesting stories. He had indeed some odd ideas about religion, and he didn't quite understand how inertia and gravity work in space craft. A great list of books, the only book I would have wanted in there was "The Mote in God's Eye" by Niven/Pournelle
The Mote in God's Eye was one of my favorites.
So glad you included The Dispossessed on your list. I read it for the first time in my 20s and absolutely fell in love. When I reread it I always find something new. What is disappointing is how many male sci-fi fans who have not read her work. Glad you are not one of them!
Great video! So many of your opinions lined up exactly with mine (including calling LeGuin a top 3 author). You've inspired me to try Player of Games (I didn't like Consider Phlebas, either, but I love the general tropes of the Culture, so I always felt disappointed that I didn't get past the first book). And I might even pick Dark Forest back up (I never made it to whatever this epic turning point is, so it just felt like it was going nowhere with worse prose than the first book...).
Thanks for making these videos. Best wishes.
When Dune came in at number 6, I wondered what could possibly outrank it. Three out of your top five ranking are completely new to me. Looks like I have some reading to do, to see what could possibly outrank Dune. 😊 I'm surprised there's no Heinlein, Clarke, Asimov, Anderson or Sturgeon, but I guess you have to draw the line somewhere. Maybe one picks the top ten favorites from recent readings? Thanks!
Dune is #1
Dune is classic, but many moders scifi novels that stand on Herberts shoulders are better books.
Most early scifi books are just not very good because character writing is… well does not exist. They did build the foundation of scifi, but are not so great as a novels.
Dune is one of those classics that still is a good novel even with todays standards, so it defininitely deserves its place in top 10 lists!
Dune is medieval nonsense. Duncan Idaho yet! Herbert was totally surprised by it’s popularity! Obscurantist, raving drivel.
@@johnstoddart5523 Obscurantist? Who's hiding something?
@@JGray1066 hyperion is way better
Great list pal! Try reading Hyperion written by Dan Simmons...considering your choises you'd absolutely love it.
I'm so glad you had Iain M. Banks on your list. I think it's a shame that a lot of people want to begin reading his culture books in the order they are published since Consider Phlebas isn't the best. They are all stand-alone, though there are a few references to events in others and I think just one character that appears in multiple books but is only central to one. Each book has it's own way of telling the story and its own feel. I started when my mom bought me 'Excession' which remains one of my favorites. It is told much more from the point of view of the culture's minds and drones and has a more galactic scale and more action than the others. I also highly recommend the audiobooks as Peter Kenny does an amazing job.
Of all the science fiction I've ever read Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan Saga is top of my list. Just a joy to read and reread. p.s. I had a collection of 5000 or so sci-fi paperbacks that did not survive a leaking garage roof.
Many thanks for the video and list.
Some of the best science fiction novels in my opinion include 'Dune' ,'The Left Hand of Darkness', and the 'Helliconia' novels by Brian Aldiss.
A very engaging video, thanks, I will be checking out what I don't know. I agree that LeGuin must be ranked at or near the top. I would have included something by Greg Bear as well, but luckily, we don't have to settle with just ten books.
cheers from sunny Vienna, Scott
Great list. I really liked how you describe them and level of depth you put in to your research and descriptions. I am very curious about the Dispossessed, may have become top on my To Read list.
I am happy that you have started to like the Culture novels. you will love Use of Weapons, it is my favourite book.
As for one reccomendation: Adrian Tchaikovsky Cage of Souls. Children of Time is also a great read but I thought Cage of Souls is more focused on human behaviour and not like space fiction.