S.E. Sasaki's Blog, page 3
August 11, 2015
Favorite Science Fiction Authors
I was asked recently to recommend a list of my favourite science fiction books that I felt were the best of the genre - the 'must read' SF books. This person had never read science fiction before, but was interested in exploring the genre.
It got me thinking about science fiction and whether I should recommend specific books or authors. For me, I think the authors are more important. The ideas each author wants to express may not all be found in one book by that author. Getting to know the body of work by a brilliant SF author, is to me more important than singling out individual books. But, depending on why one reads science fiction - what one wants to get out of the SF reading - the 'must read' SF list could be very different. For example:
If one is a reader who loves the accurate science presented in a SF book - with realistic extrapolations - one might want to read books by Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Joe Haldeman, Kim Stanley Robinson, Stephen Baxter, Alistair Reynolds. One would be looking for hard SF writers.
If one wants vividly created, wholly imaginary worlds then authors such as Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Anne McCaffrey, Ursula K. LeGuin, Frank Herbert, Gene Wolfe, Ian McDonald, Paolo Bacigalupi, Sherry Tepper, David Wingrove would all be worth investigating.
If one desires a good romp in space, Lois McMaster Bujold, Neal Asher, Richard K. Morgan, David Weber, Elizabeth Moon have all written excellent series.
If one wants cutting edge/new ideas/ the 'next big thing', I would reach for books by William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Neal Stephenson, Kim Stanley Robinson, Cory Doctorow.
If one wants to read beautiful prose and exceptional story-telling then I would pick up a book by Roger Zelazny, Gene Wolfe, Dan Simmons, Kate Wilhelm, Connie Willis, Maria Doria Russell.
If one is interested in moral and ethical issues than works by Ray Bradbury, Orson Scott Card, William Gibson, Margaret Atwood, James Morrow, Robert Sawyer, Kazuo Ishiguro may interest you.
If one likes humorous satire then one need look no further than Terry Pratchett and James Morrow as well as Kurt Vonnegut. Treasures, all.
If one is looking for terror, then John Wyndam comes to mind.
This list is far from comprehensive and far from complete. It is merely a start and I know there are so many good writers I have not yet mentioned. I will get to them! Science Fiction encompasses so many ideas on so many fronts. It is our conscience and our cautionary tales; our Christopher Columbus and our Cassandra. As a genre, it stretches the imagination and asks, 'What if'?
I salute all the brilliant writers in this creative field.
So many books, so little time! And so much fun!
I look forward to perusing everyone else's lists!
It got me thinking about science fiction and whether I should recommend specific books or authors. For me, I think the authors are more important. The ideas each author wants to express may not all be found in one book by that author. Getting to know the body of work by a brilliant SF author, is to me more important than singling out individual books. But, depending on why one reads science fiction - what one wants to get out of the SF reading - the 'must read' SF list could be very different. For example:
If one is a reader who loves the accurate science presented in a SF book - with realistic extrapolations - one might want to read books by Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Joe Haldeman, Kim Stanley Robinson, Stephen Baxter, Alistair Reynolds. One would be looking for hard SF writers.
If one wants vividly created, wholly imaginary worlds then authors such as Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, Anne McCaffrey, Ursula K. LeGuin, Frank Herbert, Gene Wolfe, Ian McDonald, Paolo Bacigalupi, Sherry Tepper, David Wingrove would all be worth investigating.
If one desires a good romp in space, Lois McMaster Bujold, Neal Asher, Richard K. Morgan, David Weber, Elizabeth Moon have all written excellent series.
If one wants cutting edge/new ideas/ the 'next big thing', I would reach for books by William Gibson, Bruce Sterling, Neal Stephenson, Kim Stanley Robinson, Cory Doctorow.
If one wants to read beautiful prose and exceptional story-telling then I would pick up a book by Roger Zelazny, Gene Wolfe, Dan Simmons, Kate Wilhelm, Connie Willis, Maria Doria Russell.
If one is interested in moral and ethical issues than works by Ray Bradbury, Orson Scott Card, William Gibson, Margaret Atwood, James Morrow, Robert Sawyer, Kazuo Ishiguro may interest you.
If one likes humorous satire then one need look no further than Terry Pratchett and James Morrow as well as Kurt Vonnegut. Treasures, all.
If one is looking for terror, then John Wyndam comes to mind.
This list is far from comprehensive and far from complete. It is merely a start and I know there are so many good writers I have not yet mentioned. I will get to them! Science Fiction encompasses so many ideas on so many fronts. It is our conscience and our cautionary tales; our Christopher Columbus and our Cassandra. As a genre, it stretches the imagination and asks, 'What if'?
I salute all the brilliant writers in this creative field.
So many books, so little time! And so much fun!
I look forward to perusing everyone else's lists!
