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Cordwainer Smith did indeed love cats. "The Game of Rat and Dragon" reveals just how familiar he was with cat personalities.

You really should also read N.K. Jemisin's "The Ones Who Stay and Fight," which is an "answer story" to "Omelas." Sometimes walking away isn't enough. And if you ever want to see an extremely silly use of a time machine, read "Full Chicken Richness" by Avram Davidson (a great author in many genres).

Hard to hear this part ... 8:08 ... But, then, again, this is some time ago, and you've gotten much, much better since these days. And, happy to see DARK IS THE SUN on the Spinner Wheel. When I read it, it was really enjoyable. I don't remember that much, but it was a thick puppy. Yet, it was classic Farmer and quite enjoyable. I don't remember if I read Riverworlds before or after, and I do remember waiting for FREAKING EVER for PJF to fucking finally finish his 5th Riverworld for me to go out and buy a copy. Yeah, I had to wait. And, I got a friend to read Riverworld and he stuck through all through 4 books, then we debated on & on about what 5th would be about. I only wish PJF did more in Riverworld, because 5th was so-so. But, maybe, I was just disappointed because I knew it was over, because he said it would be over in book 5. And, I sure didn't like PJF telling people that, because RW could have went on forever.

Always love your Reviews and Thoughts on the books. I think I read this one, not sure. It was years ago in High School when I got stood-up by my best friend. We were supposed to go out early in night (say 7 or 7:30pm), but knowing my Buddy of that Day, he was always late. So, thankfully, I just picked up this book and started reading it, and that Shit never showed up. Because he asked a girl out, early that day -- in the afternoon, and she UNEXPECTEDLY said yes. So, I got dumped and he went out with her, but he was always like that. So, I read this book (or another of Simak's in one setting) -- from 7:30pm until 1 or 2am. It was so engaging that I couldn't put it down. I remember it was about 130 or 135 pages. And, at the end, I think that I either cried or shed a few tears, because it was so heartfelt and gut-wrenching what I read. And, I think that I also read Special Deliverance, and I don't even remember a thing about it now -- other than it was a Journey with different characters. And, I remember some good laughs. But, again, it was in late 1980's, so that's why I don't remember it much now. Yet, I do remember that they were pastoral, lot of dialogue, and conversation between characters. But, I plan to read more. I am thinking about reading CITY now.

Excellent list! Some I've read and agree with your placement in the top 10 and others that I need to check out.

Great list Robin, I really need to read Cordwainer Smith soon.

I'm a big fan of The Jaunt! Really stuck with me decades after reading it. Longer than you think!

Excellent list. Thanks for doing this. I also enjoyed the original short version of Blood Music, before Bear expanded it to the full-length novel.

This is a fabulous video Robin! You made me want to read quite a few of these short stories. 🙌 Sounds like I have to pick up Cordwainer Smith; and I still haven’t read The Jaunt; got to address that soon.

“The Very Slow Time Machine” sounds fascinating! Kind of like the movie, Tenet. Great video!

In a year's time I bet you could pick 10 more stories (or the end of this month). I've read about 1/2 of the stories and have noted the other stories I've yet to read. Glad to see you include "The Jaunt". It is an obvious tribute to Alfred Bester's 'The Stars, My Destination' (Tyger, Tyger) but so scarily good. "Nine Billion Names of God" is a story that shouldn't work but does. Somehow it touches the reader at a very deep level. Enjoy Short Story September!

I approve of Hamilton on your bookshelf. Reynolds & Hamilton had stories in the tv series Love Death + Robots.

I really want to read Cordwainer Smith, really intriguing author. Great list!

So, I guess these are stories -- instead of books. Okay, I'll try to watch now, but if not, I'll watch in full as soon as I can. I've got to get ready for work, but wanted to say hi & let you know that your content is enjoyed & appreciated.

Really enjoyed this! Wishing you all the best with reading.

I love your choice of Hyperion as #1. I read it every decade. IMHO, it is simply The Canterbury Tales, set in a sci-fi genre. The Shrike references the ambivalence and threat of an ambivalent God, again, my opinion. 33:03 I like that you omitted Ender’s Game, a somewhat ludicrous YA novel. Ender’s Shadow showed much more imagination, for my 2 cents! Thanks for sharing your personal choices!

I’m curious about Time Migration, but from the 4 choices given Żelazny’s stands out. Enjoy your September reads!

Great idea to read more short stories, Robin. I've always been intrigued by the John Wyndham collection, Jizzle. Good luck with your challenge!

Looks a good idea. I hope you enjoy them.

Awesome. Well done. Al is the best!

Tempted to vote for that Farmer collection just for the cover art alone

Martian chronicles is built up by several good stories.

I have not read Them Bones, but I have read the other two. The Man Who Folded Himself is a 4 star read for me. As for Up the Line, it is one of my Top 10 Favourite SF novels, and my second-favourite time-travel novel, just behind Memories by Mike McQuay, and just ahead of Time and Again by Jack Finney. The sheer inventiveness and exuberance of Up the Line holds more sway with me than any faults, or didn’t-age-well problems inherent in the 1969 approach. I do think a re-read after so many decades might make me a little more uncomfortable than carefree 18-20 year old me was, way back when I read it…but I like to think the novel’s tricks and everlasting energy would leave my rating unchanged. And I love that ending. It IS unforgotten.

I have read The Man that Folded Himself a few decades ago. From what I remember I thought it was good. Some ways it reminded me of Dark Matter (though I didn't enjoy that one as much). Some of The Man... Wasn't that good. I haven't read the other 2 novels. I did like Connie Willis The Oxford Time Travel series. They sound close to Up the Line where historians go back in time. The other one I really liked (again read decades ago) was the Proteus Operation by James P. Hogan. People travel back to WW2. I've enjoyed watching the video and might give Up the Line a read. Thanks for the video reviews.

Thanks for the reviews. I love time travel stories. Just want to mention if you like star trek books they have “the department of temporal investigations” that’s all time travel and the movie ‘Looper’ which was a great time travel movie. Thanks✌️enjoy

I just finished “The Man Who Folded Himself.” It was wiiiild. Didn’t see it going in the direction it did. 😳

unlogic if christianity wasn't existing , arabs never reach to islam or get out of arabia it's Cause and effect you can say china or japan reached to america not middle-east without islam/christianity

Haven't heard of the first two but they sound interesting, nice summaries. Time travel isn't one of my favourite tropes, although I do enjoy it if done well. You know how much I am loving my Silverberg reading so I will get this one on my list!

Thanks for the interview Robin and S.B. Divya! I plan on reading Machinehood soon, and I'll be adding Meru and Loka to my list.

Great cover for "The Death of Grass." I read it last year, but another edition. As for Silverberg, you must read "Dying Inside" usually considered as good as "The Book of Skulls." That religious SF anthology looks great! Lovely book haul!

Nice one Robin!

I'm not sure if these books are for me, but the conversation was interesting. Thanks

Spaceguns were a cool idea back then. Spaceguns are a cool idea now. 🚀

Your sound affects are way to loud when I have the volume high enough to hear your voice the sound affect is very loud. I still liked your content.

Great haul, Robin! I really like the cover of that edition of The Death of Grass.

The Cixin Liu books coming in both languages is cool to see. I need to read Hamilton as well. I’ve read plenty of Reynolds and love his work, but I haven’t tried Hamilton yet.

Nice haul Robin; The Death of Grass cover is stunning. Love the outdoor setting for this video. 👍

Nice copy of Death of Grass! I'm on the lookout for a copy (any copy) of that book, I'd like to read it.

Great video. I agree with you on Heinlein. I think he is a good story teller, but I often don't care for the story. I have read Asimov's Caves of Steel, and I remember it as being very enjoyable, if somewhat unexpected, at the time. A solid mystery, and good science fiction elements. The final book - Other Worlds, Other Gods - can hardly be bad at all. It has a powerhouse lineup of authors. Not a boring one in the group.

Nice one Robin, Silverberg is one of my favuourite authors, you'll enjoy that one. Asimov's caves of steel is pretty decent, I reviewed that a little while back. Always enjoy your videos mate.

I have never seen that edition of the Sliverberg, very nice. Night of Crabs looks like fun. It just picked up a SF religious anthology called "A Cross of Centuries: Twenty-five Imaginative Tales About the Christ", edited by Michael Bishop. I'm going to look for "Other Worlds Other Gods" now. Cheers Robin.

Good video Robin. I have had Pandora's Star sitting on my shelf for a while intimidating me. I did just finish Neal Stephenson's Seveneves which is 867 pages long and discussed it in my latest video so I feel less afraid to tackle those massive tomes now.

Read both ‘The Door into Summer’ and ‘The Death of Grass’. The Heinlein one is one of my favourites of his. Very different from ‘Starship Troopers’, Stranger in a Strange Land’ and ‘The Moon is a Harsh Mistress’. Time travel story with mystery, revenge and a cat. Leans towards the whimsical. Christopher’s book is a dark classic. Darker than Wyndham but in the same vein. Both recommended!

all these cixin liu's stories published by english in hold up the sky book + wandaring earth book i read both and i read all these stories

Great Video!

Very interesting, another one to add to my TBR. Have you read Machinehood by the same author?

Such an interesting coincidence that you posted a video about Meru and I decided to search for a video about it the following day and came across yours. I discovered yesterday that I still had this book on my kindle even though I remember having deleted it. I never finished the book. As soon as I came across the neo-pronouns, I knew that this book was not for me. It's one thing for the characters in a book to use neo-pronouns within their world, but for the omniscient narrator to use them...yikes! The first time they are used, it's to describe a bovine-looking alloy. If an alloy looks like a cow, why does it need pronouns? Why couldn't the pronous just be "it/its"? Depending on the context, I wouldn't mind these types of pronouns. However, they come off as condescending in this book. "This story takes place in the future, where everyone is more sophisticated like me, that's why we use neo-pronouns here". The cringe was too much for me to give this book a chance. It felt like someone's tumblr/twitter fanfiction. It's a shame because the story could've been quite good, but the author made it so off-putting from the start. Oh well. It's not like there's a shortage of books available to read.

When you got to speak about neo-pronouns and how they appear in the books of Becky Chambers. It put me in mind of Urule K LeGuin's The Left Hand of Darkness where the main character struggles to understand beings who do not conform to his normative understanding of male and female. I think as more authors like Chambers and Bibya write from their own non-binary experience we'll see more literature, and probably SciFi in particular as it allows scope for vastly different beings, appear on our TBRs. Also, "the Alloys have wings and tails to facilitate travel through space". Wings and tails to use in airless space? I'm not even going to ask how that works. 😀

Sounds interesting; I'm looking forward to your author interview.