This list is an answer to lists like the Hidden Gems of Science Fiction which purports to list a few of science fiction's best and most tragically overlooked titles. This list definitely only contains those that are overlooked, though probably not in all cases tragically.

Looking for SF books with between 100 and 999 ratings on goodreads.

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

Science Fiction By Year:
2023, 2022, 2021, 2020
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010
2009

Can't Wait Sci-Fi/Fantasy By Year:
2021, 2020
2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

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
1

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3.64 avg rating — 444 ratings
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4.27 avg rating — 945 ratings
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3.97 avg rating — 511 ratings
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4.16 avg rating — 348 ratings
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5

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3.73 avg rating — 859 ratings
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6

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3.72 avg rating — 264 ratings
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7

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3.55 avg rating — 214 ratings
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8

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3.45 avg rating — 786 ratings
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9

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3.75 avg rating — 308 ratings
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10

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3.66 avg rating — 520 ratings
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11

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3.70 avg rating — 630 ratings
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12

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3.76 avg rating — 727 ratings
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13

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3.71 avg rating — 655 ratings
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14

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4.20 avg rating — 728 ratings
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15

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3.59 avg rating — 160 ratings
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16

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3.90 avg rating — 861 ratings
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17

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3.57 avg rating — 644 ratings
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18

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3.88 avg rating — 465 ratings
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19

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3.90 avg rating — 500 ratings
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20

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3.34 avg rating — 435 ratings
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21

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3.65 avg rating — 289 ratings
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21

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4.27 avg rating — 503 ratings
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23

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4.07 avg rating — 467 ratings
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24

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4.07 avg rating — 855 ratings
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25

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4.07 avg rating — 981 ratings
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26

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4.14 avg rating — 490 ratings
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27

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3.32 avg rating — 229 ratings
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28

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3.33 avg rating — 516 ratings
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28

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3.65 avg rating — 203 ratings
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30

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4.09 avg rating — 578 ratings
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31

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3.82 avg rating — 539 ratings
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32

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3.43 avg rating — 446 ratings
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33

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3.96 avg rating — 380 ratings
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34

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3.46 avg rating — 438 ratings
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35

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4.01 avg rating — 409 ratings
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36

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3.56 avg rating — 575 ratings
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37

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4.07 avg rating — 631 ratings
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38

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3.74 avg rating — 565 ratings
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38

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4.02 avg rating — 325 ratings
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40

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3.86 avg rating — 550 ratings
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41

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3.41 avg rating — 570 ratings
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42

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3.50 avg rating — 282 ratings
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43

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3.69 avg rating — 361 ratings
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44

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3.98 avg rating — 871 ratings
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44

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4.07 avg rating — 944 ratings
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46

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3.52 avg rating — 259 ratings
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46

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3.73 avg rating — 495 ratings
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48

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3.97 avg rating — 830 ratings
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48

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4.12 avg rating — 138 ratings
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50

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3.84 avg rating — 180 ratings
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51

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3.44 avg rating — 431 ratings
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52

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3.67 avg rating — 608 ratings
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53

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4.56 avg rating — 792 ratings
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54

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3.38 avg rating — 360 ratings
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55

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3.84 avg rating — 238 ratings
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56

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3.63 avg rating — 645 ratings
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57

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3.77 avg rating — 723 ratings
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58

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3.75 avg rating — 518 ratings
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59

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3.72 avg rating — 472 ratings
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59

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3.71 avg rating — 850 ratings
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59

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3.98 avg rating — 165 ratings
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62

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3.69 avg rating — 771 ratings
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63

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3.39 avg rating — 125 ratings
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64

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3.51 avg rating — 228 ratings
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65

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3.97 avg rating — 922 ratings
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66

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3.81 avg rating — 396 ratings
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67

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3.82 avg rating — 484 ratings
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68

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3.37 avg rating — 593 ratings
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68

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3.58 avg rating — 319 ratings
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68

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3.53 avg rating — 782 ratings
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71

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3.34 avg rating — 188 ratings
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72

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3.82 avg rating — 443 ratings
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73

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3.51 avg rating — 117 ratings
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73

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3.09 avg rating — 951 ratings
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75

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3.71 avg rating — 618 ratings
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75

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3.85 avg rating — 598 ratings
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77

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3.70 avg rating — 149 ratings
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78

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3.66 avg rating — 274 ratings
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78

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3.77 avg rating — 172 ratings
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80

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3.68 avg rating — 291 ratings
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80

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4.36 avg rating — 628 ratings
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80

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3.51 avg rating — 130 ratings
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83

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3.97 avg rating — 605 ratings
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84

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3.27 avg rating — 267 ratings
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84

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3.83 avg rating — 231 ratings
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86

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4.26 avg rating — 889 ratings
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86

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4.04 avg rating — 203 ratings
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88

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3.59 avg rating — 758 ratings
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88

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3.38 avg rating — 856 ratings
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90

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3.76 avg rating — 370 ratings
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91

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3.57 avg rating — 343 ratings
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91

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3.87 avg rating — 352 ratings
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93

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3.83 avg rating — 883 ratings
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93

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3.90 avg rating — 358 ratings
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93

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3.52 avg rating — 131 ratings
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93

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3.62 avg rating — 107 ratings
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93

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3.82 avg rating — 983 ratings
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98

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3.82 avg rating — 688 ratings
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99

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3.87 avg rating — 791 ratings
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99

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3.83 avg rating — 253 ratings
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936 books · 85 voters · list created September 1st, 2014 by Mitchell Friedman (votes) .
29 likes · 
Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.


Mitchell 11170 books
171 friends
CrimsonFlamez 9537 books
38 friends
Lou 7347 books
13 friends
Ron 1130 books
39 friends
Villain 6372 books
131 friends
Alan 1903 books
41 friends
Eliana 8750 books
0 friends
Julie 6659 books
158 friends

More voters…


Comments Showing 1-50 of 52 (52 new)


message 1: by Mitchell (new)


message 3: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Nova Swing graduated


message 5: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Afterparty graduated


message 7: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman The Escape graduated


message 8: by Maarit (new)

Maarit Synners, Violet Eyes and Hellfire graduated


message 9: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Bowl of Heaven graduated


message 10: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Keep looking for sf books for these lists. Go back and look at your tags and add sf book to the appropriate lists. Go back to your favorite authors and add their books to the appropriate lists. Or just vote for 100 books already on this list that have only 1 vote and I'll continue the hunt (and one person can only vote for 100 books which makes creating/maintaining a list like this one a group effort).


message 11: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Visitors graduated


message 14: by Maarit (new)

Maarit Tankborn and Yellow Blue Tibia graduated


message 15: by Mitchell (last edited May 22, 2015 12:30PM) (new)


message 16: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman The Last Firewall graduated


message 17: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Apex would be added if I only had more votes


message 18: by Maarit (new)

Maarit Jack Glass and Plague Ship graduated


message 20: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman There are lots of worthwhile science fiction books between 100 and 999 ratings to add to the list. Go out there and find them. Or just vote for books on this list that I've voted for (and therefore only have one vote) and I'll go out there and find more of them. This 100 vote limit is annoying.


message 21: by Mitchell (last edited Sep 09, 2015 11:01PM) (new)

Mitchell Friedman Quozl and Apex and The Clockwork Rocket and Starbound and Exo and Defenders graduated


message 22: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman A Darkling Sea graduated


message 23: by Maarit (new)

Maarit Jupiter War graduated


message 25: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman The Cat From Outer Space graduated to this list but I have only 100 votes.


message 31: by Mitchell (new)


message 33: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Wildside graduated


message 36: by Mitchell (new)


message 40: by Navi (new)

Navi Graduated:

America Pacifica


message 41: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Shipstar graduated


message 42: by Rachel (new)

Rachel I think Gideon the Ninth at 369 has probably graduated


message 43: by Mitchell (new)

Mitchell Friedman Rachel wrote: "I think Gideon the Ninth at 369 has probably graduated"

Thanks for the call out. I definitely agree that at over 25,000 ratings Gideon the Ninth should not be on this list. And I added it to the fantasy list.

But to maintain these lists requires a lot of help. And you don't need to be a librarian to do it. You just need to vote. Preferably for 100 books on each list that you know meet the criteria. Especially those books that are missing - but also those books that have only one voter.


message 46: by Rachel (new)

Rachel Defekt graduated

Not a librarian so I can't delete it. But I did add it to the next list.


message 47: by Rachel (new)

Rachel You can graduate Our Lady of Artilects. It has already been put on the appropriate rating list (1000-9999).


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