Given the existence of other lists, curious to see a science fiction list with even more stringent requirements.

So - 25,000 ratings, first book in a series only, and an average rating of 4.0 or above

This list is in reaction to the blog entry top 50 science fiction books on goodreads from Hayley Igarashi on July 29, 2017.

It is an attempt to turn an arbitrary definition into a precise definition.

===

The difference between Science Fiction and Fantasy is arbitrary but it should be clear enough for this list.

Other SF Lists of Note:
Best Science Fiction
Best Science Fiction of the 21st Century
Best Science Fiction of the 20th Century
Best Forgotten Science Fiction of the 20th Century
Popular Highly Rated Science Fiction
Best Science Fiction Fantasy Books

SF Subgenres:
Alternate History
Dystopian and Post Apocalyptic Fiction
Space Opera
Steampunk

Locus Recommended Science Fiction:
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015,
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
2009, 2001, 2000

Sci Fi Award Nominees
2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
2009, 2008, 2007, 2006

Science Fiction By Decade:
1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s,
1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s

New Speculative Writers by Decade:
2000s, 2010s

Science Fiction By Ratings:
100,000 and more, 50000 to 99999, 25000 to 49999, 10000 to 24999
1000 to 9999, 100 to 999, Less than 100

See also:
Best Books of the 20th Century
Best Fantasy of the 20th Century
Best Forgotten Fantasy of the 20th Century
Books With a Goodreads Average Rating of 4 and Above and at least 30,000 ratings
1

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4.29 avg rating — 1,639,165 ratings
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2

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4.22 avg rating — 2,025,810 ratings
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3

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4.20 avg rating — 5,514,589 ratings
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4

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4.16 avg rating — 37,285 ratings
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5

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4.42 avg rating — 1,299,040 ratings
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6

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4.31 avg rating — 1,478,533 ratings
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7

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4.18 avg rating — 34,259 ratings
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8

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4.17 avg rating — 599,576 ratings
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9

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4.12 avg rating — 375,822 ratings
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10

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4.23 avg rating — 1,307,553 ratings
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11

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4.50 avg rating — 1,200,424 ratings
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12

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4.27 avg rating — 301,723 ratings
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13

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4.09 avg rating — 516,282 ratings
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14

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4.35 avg rating — 9,974,636 ratings
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15

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4.24 avg rating — 802,345 ratings
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16

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4.35 avg rating — 839,664 ratings
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17

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4.16 avg rating — 287,178 ratings
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18

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4.12 avg rating — 185,209 ratings
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19

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4.15 avg rating — 2,447,186 ratings
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20

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4.17 avg rating — 186,962 ratings
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21

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4.15 avg rating — 139,381 ratings
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22

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4.10 avg rating — 223,374 ratings
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23

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4.14 avg rating — 181,214 ratings
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24

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4.13 avg rating — 66,983 ratings
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25

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4.31 avg rating — 322,080 ratings
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26

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4.23 avg rating — 226,036 ratings
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27

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4.12 avg rating — 2,823,774 ratings
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28

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4.01 avg rating — 247,309 ratings
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29

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4.18 avg rating — 337,475 ratings
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30

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4.39 avg rating — 596,366 ratings
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31

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4.08 avg rating — 500,655 ratings
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32

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4.10 avg rating — 1,490,187 ratings
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33

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4.07 avg rating — 619,314 ratings
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34

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4.21 avg rating — 380,932 ratings
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35

by
4.12 avg rating — 174,357 ratings
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35

by
4.10 avg rating — 993,112 ratings
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37

by
4.03 avg rating — 65,058 ratings
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38

by
4.01 avg rating — 298,792 ratings
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39

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4.13 avg rating — 736,026 ratings
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40

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4.02 avg rating — 569,380 ratings
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40

by
4.01 avg rating — 269,173 ratings
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42

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4.23 avg rating — 278,675 ratings
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43

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4.07 avg rating — 73,198 ratings
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44

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4.13 avg rating — 1,067,194 ratings
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45

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4.15 avg rating — 153,084 ratings
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46

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3.56 avg rating — 12,117 ratings
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47

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4.05 avg rating — 19,706 ratings
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48

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4.04 avg rating — 20,210 ratings
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49

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4.28 avg rating — 17,014 ratings
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50

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4.16 avg rating — 93,404 ratings
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51

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4.23 avg rating — 117,170 ratings
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52

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4.27 avg rating — 805,488 ratings
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53

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4.03 avg rating — 115,560 ratings
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54

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4.19 avg rating — 112,616 ratings
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55

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4.08 avg rating — 144,123 ratings
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56

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4.30 avg rating — 76,421 ratings
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57

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3.57 avg rating — 5,520 ratings
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58

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3.69 avg rating — 12,508 ratings
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59

by
4.28 avg rating — 337,146 ratings
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60

by
4.15 avg rating — 439,033 ratings
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61

by
4.21 avg rating — 188,765 ratings
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62

by
4.14 avg rating — 1,083 ratings
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63

by
3.66 avg rating — 9,837 ratings
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64

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4.05 avg rating — 17,365 ratings
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65

by
4.13 avg rating — 89,484 ratings
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66

by
4.31 avg rating — 275,173 ratings
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67

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3.88 avg rating — 4,001 ratings
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68

by
4.13 avg rating — 5,613 ratings
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69

by
4.05 avg rating — 154,181 ratings
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70

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4.30 avg rating — 177,659 ratings
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71

by
4.35 avg rating — 662,683 ratings
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72

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4.17 avg rating — 185,613 ratings
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72

by
4.13 avg rating — 108,308 ratings
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72

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4.13 avg rating — 4,398,369 ratings
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75

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4.05 avg rating — 42,868 ratings
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76

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4.19 avg rating — 268,648 ratings
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77

by
4.05 avg rating — 47,684 ratings
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78

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4.04 avg rating — 44,678 ratings
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78

by
4.13 avg rating — 82,349 ratings
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80

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4.03 avg rating — 110,846 ratings
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81

by
4.18 avg rating — 9,836 ratings
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82

by
3.74 avg rating — 2,477 ratings
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83

by
4.09 avg rating — 8,830 ratings
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84

by
4.07 avg rating — 40,492 ratings
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85

by
4.23 avg rating — 54,059 ratings
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86

by
4.09 avg rating — 48,686 ratings
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87

by
4.05 avg rating — 223,791 ratings
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88

by
4.07 avg rating — 160,777 ratings
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89

by
4.05 avg rating — 55,688 ratings
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90

by
4.11 avg rating — 123,876 ratings
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91

by
4.17 avg rating — 75,830 ratings
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92

by
4.01 avg rating — 117,988 ratings
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93

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4.08 avg rating — 69,087 ratings
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94

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4.19 avg rating — 57,446 ratings
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95

by
4.27 avg rating — 113,940 ratings
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96

by
4.18 avg rating — 341,745 ratings
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97

by
4.17 avg rating — 96,949 ratings
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98

by
4.14 avg rating — 49,002 ratings
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99

by
4.24 avg rating — 62,905 ratings
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100

by
4.14 avg rating — 1,530 ratings
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225 books · 141 voters · list created July 31st, 2017 by Mitchell Friedman (votes) .
40 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Mitchell 11600 books
172 friends
James 2460 books
11 friends
Len 57070 books
1350 friends
Dave 1256 books
22 friends
ARA 167 books
10 friends
Caroline 5784 books
15 friends
Phillip 5212 books
138 friends
Ron 727 books
24 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-12 of 12 (12 new)

dateUp arrow    newest »

message 1: by Mitchell (last edited Aug 20, 2018 09:22PM) (new)

Mitchell Friedman removing Shatter Me and Deliriumfor having an average rating less than 4.0


message 2: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman For the 2018 version of the blog entry - see https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/1...


message 3: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman removed More Than This for having an average rating less than 4.0


message 4: by Mitchell (last edited Jul 25, 2020 11:03PM) (new)

Mitchell Friedman Shadowjac wrote: "Removing Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 for having less than a 4.0, shame though they are great books!

Edit: Seems I was hasty in my comment, after looking further ..."


Thanks for noticing and acting. And this encourage me to add more to this list (20 more so far). And remove Dark Force Rising for being a book#2.


message 5: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Removed A Wrinkle in Time and Gravity's Rainbow and Under the Never Sky and MaddAddam and House Harkonnen and for having an average rating less than 4.0

Also removed some books for not being standalones or #1's
Judas Unchained, To Say Nothing of the Dog, The Stone Sky, The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, The Last Command, The Mysterious Island


message 6: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Removed Fahrenheit 451 and Animal Farm and Brave New World and The Road and The Windup Girl and The Andromeda Strain for having an average rating less than 4.0

Removed for not being standalones or #1's
MaddAddam


message 7: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Add 29 books to this list, come take a look


message 8: by Steve (new)

Steve LaForest Prelude to Foundation should not be on the list - we already have one of Asimov's foundation books (and not - it doesn't matter that it's a prequel).

The Martian Chronicles still isn't a novel


message 9: by Steve (new)

Steve LaForest Likewise, The Illustrated Man still isn't a novel.


message 10: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Steve wrote: "Likewise, The Illustrated Man still isn't a novel."

There is no requirement for books on this list to be novels.


message 11: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Removed for falling below 4.0
Downbelow Station, Binti

Added back for again being 4.0 or above
Gravity’s Rainbow, Animal Farm, The Road


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