It's very much on the medical side "Just because we can, should we"...and a look also at "you don't know what you're missing until you've had it and it's gone".
Here’s my list. 10. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress 9. Ender’s Game 8. Stranger in a Strange Land 7. I, Robot 6. A Canticle for Leibovitz 5. The Dosadi Experiment 4. A Deepness in the Sky 3. Foundation 2. Nineteen Eighty-Four 1. Dune
Pham Nuwen fan club in the house. His backstory in the "A Fire upon the Deep" is the most jaw-dropping main protagonist shit I have ever read. Hope the Prequel will be just as good.
My list (without any order, I adore all of these books - some of these are parts of larger series): To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis Beggars in Spain - Nancy Kress Ubik - Philip K. Dick The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick The Long Earth - Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter Flashforward - Robert J. Sawyer The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams Childhood's End - Arthur C. Clark Brave New World - Aldous Huxley Dune - Frank Herbert
1984 is so engrained in culture (big brother...) that I thought I knew what was about to read (this was perhaps 10 years ago) and then blew my mind regardless. It left my mind spinning for a few weeks. I'd put it higher.
I appreciate that your list doesn't include all the usual standard choices. It doesn't mean those "standard" picks aren't worthy, or that yours aren't worthy of a top ten, just that it's enjoyable to get a list with a different perspective, and a reminder to go and either read some of these I've missed, or go back and read them again.
I think too many lists confuse “historically significant” or “influential” with great book. I just want to read a great book. When deciding a book to read, I don’t care if the book was ground-breaking.
@@MarkLeBay The Classics have an aura too them Which means for teh most part they are VASTLY over rated. For example Enders Games is considered a Classic, but Speaker for the dead is a far superior book. but which of the two ends up on Best of lists. and frankly as much as I love Card, Peter F Hamilton has 3 series that are superior in every aspect to Card, asimov, Herbert and all the "Classics" Just like Tolkien as great an auther as he is, doesn't hold a candle to the real greats of fantasy, but it's almost heretical to admit it. Should Tolkien be lauded? absolutely! Should you read LotR? Most certainly! Is he remotely as ghood a writer as teh people who stood on his shoulders? not even close.
Neuromancer: I recently read it. I found myself admiring it more than actually enjoying it. You can see pretty much in every page the influence in other work I've read (or watched in movies) before, and it is amazing how many ideas are on this book. I feel like my mind would have been blown had I read it in the, say, early 90s. But oh well, reading it now, I'm glad I read it, I can see it's high value, but I have quite a few books I'd put above it, in terms of enjoyment of the reading experience.
I read in older reviews that some people read it in Literary class when it came out, and most people at the time described it as" inconceivable". I mean, you can understand why: 15 Years later the Matrix dropped and people were still too uninformed enough to grasp the concept of "Data-Storage" as opposed to the "Humans-as-batterys" stick they ended up using.
I've read Neuromancer twice. I didn't care for it the first time so I gave it another go a few years later and still didn't care for it much then. I decided my issue with the book wasn't the story or the setting, but I did not like the way William Gibson writes. The book started a genre, there had to be something to it, but I'm with you. It can be hard to get through.
@SapperRJMorgan The first few chapters are amongst the best written SF I have read. The style is so distinctive, it brought to mind Chandler, because it is as sparse - even if the ideas are less familiar. As for impenetrable, I dread to think how Tarkvosky would be received. I find Tenet impenetrable - at least Gibson does not try to explain the inexplicable.
I have complete opposite opinion in regards to Hyperion vs Fall. Hyperion was great, don't get me wrong, loved each of the tales but man oh man The Fall was EVERYTHING for me. Tied everything together, the pilgrims, the war, EVERYTHING was just so much better haha. Great list though.
I often consider them one and the same book, just split in half for easier reading. But don't ask me which one i like most. It would be like picking a favorite child or something.
@@ilejovcevski79Simmons intended all 4 books to be one story. I loved all 4. I suspect books 3/4 are less well liked because SF writers are not fond of romance.
@@Scottlp2 i kind of agree, though notable changes and soft reboots are clearly present between the first 2 and the second 2. If i absolutely need to single out my least favorite, it would be Endymion, as it takes a while to pickup the pace. Also, good point on the SF writers, and for that point, readers. I would broadly classify them into technical manual fans, i.e. hard-science fiction fans and writers, and concept, aka big-idea school. The first commit to technical details of the setting so much, it actually stops being fiction, and the latter on outlandish concept and far out ideas so much, they lose the sight of the human condition. While i can and have enjoyed both, what i'm really most fond of is literary SF, that is, a well written piece of fiction, that works as literature as well as SF, will compelling characters, and empathy and understanding as much as ideas and concept. Simmons, at least for me, fills this niche quite well. At least from Hyperion/Endymion, Ilion/Olympos and Terror novels that i've read.
Love the list. Unabashedly original. I love some of these entries (Wolfe, PKD and Ishiguro) and cant wait to tuck into the ones I haven’t read. Keep up the great work.
Love the original Foundation trilogy. And I would definitely include a Heinlein novel. If I had to choose just one it would likely be The Door into Summer.
Loved this list! I’ve not read half, going to try to hit them this year. Also totally agree with you on Neuromancer. I was blown away quite how influential it was and am in awe but also struggled, took a few attempts to finish it
It's nice to see Klara and the Sun get some love. Criminally underrated. Neuromancer is my #1, and I completely understand people who don't like it. I like to think of the writing style as chaos. It changed the way I thought books could be written.
@@camcolt3530 - well, as I said, I completely understand. I can't even adequately explain why I like it, but I do. I know Gibson is a big fan of Delany's "Dhalgren" - and I had to quit that book before 100 pages in. The prose there was a fever dream. I might try it again in the future, but not sure.
@@camcolt3530 It's not an exceptional plot, but there were some great ideas in it. Mostly, I honestly loved it because of its style and atmosphere. Never read a book like it. But I recognized that its extreme prose could definitely be a nightmare for some people. Personally, I hated "Hail Mary" because of the attempts at humor that fell flat with me. I've never wanted to hurt a book until I picked that one up. Each of us has our cup of tea, I suppose.
@@antistition I love it but it drove my family mad hearing me suddenly announce, "Wait! What? What the f is going on", Every night when I was reading it.
Im enjoying your channel. Im a hard Heinleiner and by extension Varley, but your veiws are refreshing. If you look at lists others have placed here, you see most people tend to love variations on a theme. That is how it should be. Keep it up, perhaps when i finish mine, it will make your reading list.
I would say Ender's Game is definitely a favorite of mine in the sci-fi genre. Another great sci-fi series I reread every few years is the Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell. That series has some of the best space battles of all time. Foundation is also a fun series for how different the storytelling is and how retro some of the elements in the books feel.
Because nobody asked for it, this is my list. In no particular order. Blindsight / Echopraxia - Peter Watts Lord of Light -Roger Zelazny This Immortal - Roger Zelazny Shadow of the Torturer - Gene Wolfe Nightside the Long Sun - Gene Wolfe The Dragon Never Sleeps - Glen Cook Gorgon Child - Steven Barnes The Last Dancer - Daniel Keys Moran The Warrior's Apprentice - Lois Bujold The Tea Master and the Detective - Alliette do Bodard Consider Phlebas / The Algebraist - Ian Banks Deathstalker - Simon R Green Heroes Die / Blades of Tyshall - Matthew Stover
Echopraxia was nowhere near the level of Blindsight. However, I'm still waiting for the 3rd book. I read Boyung Kim's On the Origin of Species and the stories in the latter half of that book was amazing.
Eclectic list! Book of the New Sun & Blindsight are definitely on there for me. Alliette do Bodard & Lois Bujold I did not like. Zelazny and Banks I still need to read.
I just started reading PDK this year and I love that shirt man!! Ubik was phenomenal. I read DADoES two months ago and I'm currently reading Scanner Darkly now. I'll have to give Stigmata a shot soon cause a few people have now suggested that one to me. Awesome video man. Oh and I'm currently reading Book of the New Sun.
So thankful for your channel! I did a "Dune June" this year where I read the first two books, and they essentially changed my brain chemistry. So I'm currently inhaling everything Dune related, but am searching for other lesser known science fiction stuff. Sci Fi is quickly becoming my favorite genre. Awesome to see Ubik as your top pick! I haven't tried any PKD yet, but I do have Man in the High Castle on my shelf, hopefully that one is a good place to start with his work.
@MissModeler I would say The man in the high castle is a good place to start. It's an excellent book, and it reigns in some of PKD's tendencies to go full on crazy out there with his ideas. Also, it's the only book he wrote that won the hugo award.
I loved the books on your list. It's great to see some different books than every other top 10 list and I enjoyed your explications of why you included each book. 👍
I trust this guy's recommendation because Ubik is my favorite. I never thought it would be mentioned, let alone as the top pick-wow. I just started Neuromancer and have high hopes.
Your channel is a breath of fresh air, it’s almost impossible to find book recommendations without garbage takes or lists with the most basic recommendations. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen “The Martian” or “hunger games” recommended or just these surface level books, you always have good takes and recommendations that don’t come from a Barnes and Noble new hire
I worked at a Border’s (RIP) 15 years ago as a stocker to broaden my knowledge on books. We had two booksellers who were retired and just loved to talk about books. I got many great recommendations from them. I always sent customers their way. So if you are ever in a B&N, just ask for their oldest bookseller :)
I’m with you. If I get recommended one more 20 year old telling me about the top ten fantasy or sci-fi books of the year!! It’s good to have someone who cares about books and isn’t just trying to make it as a RUclipsr. The breaking point for me on most of those young channels is when they start posting one piece reviews ! And you can tell they are just chasing the algorithm.
A couple good series you might like. Red rising by pierce brown. One of my all time favorites. Still not complete but amazing stuff. Another is hell divers by Nicholas sandsbury smith is amazing stuff too. Probably my all time favorite is the sun eater by Christopher ruocchio. It’s an excellent series. That isn’t finished either. The writing style isn’t everyone’s thing. Some scenes are vary long and drawn out. His descriptive writing is just my type of writing. It’s just written so well. I love it.
I remember reading Ubik in Valley Forge Park, near Philadelphia, while I was spending a few years in the United States at the beginning of my career. It’s a wonderful memory that I cherish, and indeed, I think it’s probably one of the best science fiction books I’ve ever read.
Interesting list! My list would have Fire Upon the Deep, Solaris, Hyperion, House of Suns, maybe Children of Time. Ubik is a great choice for the top spot. 🙌
Just off the top of my head and in no particular order, A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge Use Of Weapons by Iain M Banks Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams Startide Rising by David Brin Madness Season by CS Friedman The Rift by Walter Jon Williams Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh Black Milk by Robert Reed The Vang by Christopher Rowley In The Company Of Others by Julie E Czerneda
You put 3 of my favourite sci -fi books ever: Ubik, Neuromancer and Flower for Algernon. The first two I have read both translated in Italian and in English. They were both challenging, but they did blow my mind and influenced me sooo much. I keep looking for the same "feeling" when I read a novel of the genre.
I have just had this come up on my feed. Thank you, algorithm! I love Klara and the Sun, everything by PKD and, of course, 1984. Oh, and Dune! Everything else is new to me, and all sound fabulous. I have subscribed.😊
Actually the Book of the New Sun was written as a trilogy by Wolfe himself. But like Tolkien he wrote it all together as a single work, did two drafts and then proceeded to do additional drafts for each as he published them one per year. The original third book ("The Sword of the Autarch") was split into the third and fourth book due to its length. My source is the Castle of the Otter book where Wolfe explains how he wrote it.
OMIGODS, you have gene wolfe on your list! he's one of my top five favorite authors, period ... and when i bring him up, what i usually hear is, "gene who?" thank you, thank you, and thank YOU, too, gene wolfe, for the power and scope of your vision, and the worlds you created.
Flowers for Algernon is my most gifted book ever, I must have bought this for five or six friends. It was also Isaac Asimov's favourite sci-fi book. An aspect you didn't mention was how it's written in an epistolary style (yes I did just google that) where the story's protagonist is writing letters, and the change in his intelligence is mirrored in his grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and understanding of the world etc. Kudos throughout for not giving too much away, but sharing enough information to show the essence of the books you list. Interestingly there was no Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Jeff Noon, Margaret Atwood or Robert Heinlein in your top ten. A great list, and thanks for the couple of books I've not read, I have some more to go at now :D
I'm a little late but here are my top scifi books. 1. Dune 2. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy 3. Clockwork Orange 4. The Kingsman Saga by Ben Bova. This leans toward hard scifi and intrigue. 4. The Helmsman by Bill Baldwin...amazing space opera, really fun! 5. Armour by John Steakly. It was a fun fast read. 6. Serpents Reach by C.J. Cheryl 7. Heir To The Empire (the original 1st printed series) by Timothy Zahn 8. Bill, The Galatic Hero on the planet of Tasteless Pleasure (among the others in the series) 9. X-Wing: Rouge Squadron 10. ....I'm still looking...
Here's my list: 10. Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard 9. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card 8. Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein 7. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov 6. Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill 5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy" by Douglas Adams 4. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein 3. Old Man's War by John Scalzi 2. Foundation/Foundation and Empire/Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov 1. The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury Ray Bradbury's books read more like poetry than prose. This collection of sci-fi short stories are very accessible-they are more about people and situations than technobabble. My two favorite stories are No Particular Night or Morning and Kaleidoscope. I also like his books Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles. Flowers for Algernon is next up on my Kindle, so this list is subject to change!
I recently stumbled across your channel and WOW, how do you not have 10 million subscribers? Great content, and this top 10 list sent me looking for the third of these authors I've never heard of. I'm a Philip K Dick fan, but for some reason I never read Ubik! I'll be correcting that oversight immediately.
My honorable mentions: Roger Zelazny, Roadworks. Takes place on a road rust has exits to different times and places. Alternates between Terri chapters. One is a linear story. The other skips around in time, place and characters. Roger Zelazny, Eye of Cat. Starts as a story of a bounty hunter searching for a dangerous shapeshifter assassin. Ends up as something very different. Stephen King, The Dark Tower. Wildly inventive. Very long. You may find the ending disappointing, but the journey is a RIDE. Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire. Not actually sci-fi, but if you like PK Dick's games with reality you might like it. Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth. Milo goes on a fantasy-adventure. If you have kids or grandkids, read it with them. Features a "watch" dog named Tock, who ticks. Anthony Burgess, The End of the World News. Weaves together three totally different stories, but are they?
maybe it’s recency bias but Tiamat’s Wrath was one of the most exciting reads and listens (paper twice, audio once) in my life, it also helped that The Expanse series pretty much got me through the dredges and fallout of COVID-19 but yeah, i love this book / series way too much by the way thanks for the recs, The Book if the New Sun looks so fascinating, it’s added to my shopping cart!
Great list! PKD is one of my all time favs, along with Murakami. Here are some sci-fi books that top my lists and they all blew my mind in one way or another: Babel-17 by Samuel R Delaney (the way the story unfolded... rocked my world!) Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke (Legendary) The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle (The most brilliant first contact story I've ever read barring Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu) "-And He Built a Crooked House" - story by Robert A Heinlein - still sticks out to me Eon by Greg Bear (It's bigger on the inside ... and the book that lead me to studying physics) Ringworld by Larry Niven (Dyson rings - utterly fascinating - I was enthralled) Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (Author had cojones to name the MC Hiro Protagonist!)
Great presentation of a great list. Inspiring. If you haven't read "Ender's Game", do that. About Ubik: Ford just patented a system that makes your car call the cops if you drive too fast. I'm not going to stand in line for one of those.
Dude! Neuromancer is not a hard read. It’s not weirdly styled. It’s a noir detective novel in sci fi form. I guess you shouldn’t read Raymond Chandler or George Alec Effinger. That being said, I would recommend listening to the Neuromancer audio books read by Jonathan Davis. He nails the noir tone! Absolutely fantastic! The second book has one of my favorite openings of any book ever. Davis delivers it so perfectly, I literally get goosebumps. Effinger’s “When Gravity Fails” is another amazing sci fi book that I would recommend to anyone that likes Neuromancer. Marid Audran Trilogy is one of my top ten sci fi books of all time. Also, expertly narrated by Jonathan Davis. Weirdly missing from this list of great sci fi is anything by Peter F. Hamilton, but I suppose if Neuromancer is too hard to read, you’ll be 1000% lost with anything Hamilton writes.
I see that everywhere and I agree that it isn't difficult and I have trouble understanding why people think it is. Is it the lingo? But that doesn't make sense because that's a common trope of science fiction. Also it's really easy to understand what things are supposed to mean. Of course I read Neuromancer when I was in a rut to find something to read after finishing Blood Meridian.
@@Nobody7720 How was Blood Meridian? It’s on my list, but everything I’ve read by Cormac McCarthy was good, but intense and depressing, so I keep putting it off. Should I bump it up the list? Also have you read When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger?
Enjoyed your video and list. Have you read any Ursula Le Guin? I highly recommend The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, and The Lathe of Heaven.
Really like your list here! Flowers for Algernon and Klara and the Sun are two of my favourite books and they don’t tend to make it onto lists like this. Really refreshing top ten.
Shadow of the Torturer/BOTNS is my #1 of all time. Respect to you for putting Ubik at the top!!! That one is a great pick and maybe the PKD that blew my mind the most.
Just found your channel. Absolutely blown away with the quality of the videos. The content, the lighting, the sound. Well done, man. Best videos I’ve seen on a smaller channel. Do you mind doing a video about your filming setup?
Thank you. For better or worse, I put an absolutely massive amount of effort into the production quality of my videos. Probably more than is necessary for book content. I just did a library tour, and a gear/setup tour could be fun too.
Always like to hear different recommendations for books to try. I did try Necromancer recently and unfortunately I fell into the latter camp that found it incomprehensible. The ideas and theme of the book I found interesting but reading it felt like trying to listen to a radio channel in your car that was playing mostly static for hours. After a while it gets so grating that I had to switch channels to a different book. The author's ideas are probably better represented visually than in writing.
You can say that again! To me it was like I was zapping tv channels randomly. That book didn't make any sense to me so far. I really struggled finishing it.
@@buffybot635 I love the ideas but the way the books are written is a bit of a turn off. It may be a translation thing but they read a bit like a historical non-fiction account which makes the characters quite flat for such a long and considered story. They are also unrelentingly depressing. I kind of want to re-read them but can't actually face it.
1Q84 is absolutely incredible. As huge as it is, I recently set aside all my other listening time to go through the audiobook (which is incredibly well done) for the second time.
Here's the list: 10. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell 9. Dr. Bloodmoney or How We Got Along After the Bomb by Philip K. Dick 8. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes 7. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro 6. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami 5. 1984 by George Orwell 4. Neuromancer by William Gibson 3. The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe 2. Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert 1. Ubik by Philip K. Dick
I just started reading Dune. This is my first venture into the literature science fiction genre. I’ve always been intrigued by the genre though. I was told that it is a hard read. But I absolutely love it! I have fallen in love with the universe and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. This video has me super excited for Dune: Messiah!
My favorite is the Three Body trilogy, with the third volume.....Death's End.....being the best individual sci-fi book I've ever read. I've been reading the genre for 50 years.
Wow! My sensibilities seem very similar. Cool you mentioned Cloud Atlas - I was hooked on David Mitchell’s style from the first page and it was my first book of his. Big fan of Alistair Reynolds and glad you mentioned ‘House of Suns’ the one I recommend to introduce him to new readers. Have you read Delany’s ‘Nova’? It has been presented as foreshadowing steam-punk. Haldeman’s ‘The Forever War’ is high on my list too.
I loved the moon is a harsh mistress so much, you saying it should’ve lost to Flowers for Algernon makes me want to read it so badly. I’ve read 3 of your top 5 (DM, neuro, 1984) and am adding the rest of your list to my reading list. I’ll probably start with PKD as I devoured all his short stories and am excited to read his novels. Great choice of shirt (staring us in the face the whole time lol) and great list!
Thanks for citing Dr. Bloodmoney. It’s one of PKD’s best books. The notion of geopolitical disasters being rooted in mental illness is well explored along with PKD’s deep love of human beings in all their frailty and failings.
I was surprised that Ubik was your number 1. I loved that book, but didn't think anyone else would like it as much as me. I'm new to your channel, so when you listed 2 PKD books in your top 10 list, I looked to see if you had done a PKD top 10. Close I see you did a top 5. Looking forward to watching it. Great reviews by the way.
I totally agree with Ubik. It's probably my favorite sci-fi book. One of the most thought provoking books I've read: "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell. Humans reach a planet inhabited with a dominating species and their "pet slaves". But these pets are more intelligent than dogs, even more intelligent than monkeys. Another great one is "Legacy" by Greg Bear. Humans discover a planet dominated by continents, each one having their own unique ecology. But they soon realize that each continent might be sentient. I won't spoil it, but things go very wrong.
No particular order and the list may change day to day. Caves of Steel - Asimov Bridge Trilogy - Gibson Rendezvous with Rama - Clarke The Demolished Man - Bester Jurassic Park - Crichton before he went crazy Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain (Yes I consider that science fiction) The Forever War - Haldeman The Man in the High Castle - Dick The Mars Trilogy - Kim Stanley Robinson Foundation - Asimov, the only book which never changes it is always #1
I don't read a lot (and haven't read a lot of books in general), but I've read some of the books that usually make "top sci-fi lists", like Neuromancer, Dune and Messiah. Neuromancer was a weird one, because it was really intriguing and the characters and world kept me reading, but it was a really difficult book for me. Dune of course was great, but Messiah is probably my favourite book that I've read. The setup in the opening chapter hooked me in, and the way the story unfolded with Paul's visions driving his choices was just genius. I can kind of understand why people might not be fond of it, but I was truly satisfied with what Herbert wrote to continue the world and characters of Dune.
My reaction whilst watching the list. Flowers for Algernon. Yes. Neuromancer. Yesssss. Book of the New Sun. YESSSSSSSS. Dune Messiah over Dune is also the correct choice. Great list btw.
Ubik and Dune both great; I also recommend Culture Series from Iain M Banks (1, 2, 3, 8, 9), most books from Robert A. Heinlein. I would also put Hyperion in top 5 at least. Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny is also definitely top 5.
My top 10 The 4 Hyperion Canto books (Dan Simmons) The 3 Foundation books (Issac Asimov) The 3 Rifters Trilogy books (Peter Watt) Reamde (Neal Stephenson) OK…that’s 11. Honorable mention: flowers for Algernon (was made into a pretty good movie called Dominic & Eugene), The Inhibitor Trilogy by Alastair Reynolds, 2001 Space Odyssey by Arthur C Clarke, and maybe my favorite short story ever, “the Last Question” by Issac Asimov
Dang, i do love these top 10 sci-fi lists….. but if you’re starting out with “Endymion shits the bed”, it’s hard to take anything else seriously. To each their own, keep at it man!
I highly recommend you read the sun eater series by Christopher Ruocchio. It’s my all time favorite scfi space opera series ever. It’s written so well. It’s not finished yet. I can’t wait for the next entry. Now some find in long and to drawn out. I just happen to love long drawn out internal dialogue and conversations. Which isn’t all action packed. Which some prefer. I like conversation and internal thoughts of someone.
My list ( I didn’t read Algernon nor Dune) Let’ start: 10) The Martian Chronicles 9) Solaris 8) Cloud Atlas 7) Three stigmata of Palmer Eldritch 6) IQ84 5) Never let me go 4) Slaughterhouse 5 3) Ender’s game 2) The three body problem trilogy 1) Shared: Ubik + 1984 Special mención: The City and the City by China Melville Metro Christmas from Argentina!!!
Hey nice rankin! I was wondering if you had ever read anything by Ursula k le Guin and if so what are your thoughts on her? I read The Dispossessed a couple of months ago and it really blew me away with its prose and ways of explaining and making realistic the world le Guin creates. I'm going to read Earthsea next (not Sci-FI) and then The Left Hand of Darkness, which may be the most influential sci-fi novel in terms of creating a paradigm shift.
@spotmotion7452 I have not read the disposessed. I have read the left hand of darkness. It is excellent and was actually on the short list to be in this video, but it just didn't quite make it.
I recall Flowers for Algeron as being a thoughtful bit easy read. Now I want to go back to it, in case I missed something. and I'll get a copy of Ubik.
Really interesting. Hyperion, is probably my favourite sci-fi book. Neuromancer is a tough read, Kind of reminds me of reading Kafka, I know it's amazing but not entirely sure what's going on. I don't think 1984 is sci-fi, but I understand why it is difficult to find a genre for it. Dune Messiah, that's a brave choice from the series but I think all the books are amazing. Will give Ubik a try.
Jeremy Robinson’s Infinite timeline books are peak SciFi. Check out NPC Also, Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force series. Honorable mentions: Bobiverse, hell divers, and Nullform.
Remembering 1984 makes me feel so much anguish and sorrow, the ending is heartbreaking and yet this book should be mandatory on every school all over the world. Btw interesting selection, will try some of them this summer 😊
You boomers don't know how power works. There's a reason the regime doesn't care if you read 1984, it's not a threat. Camp of the Saints should be required reading.
Ubik is 100% an underrated philip k dick book. So many people call stories mind bending but ubiks plot literally breaks your brain. So many ground breaking and unique concepts blended into a detective story that unravels the world built around it. Every list has do androids dream of electric sheep which is more than valid but ubik and a scanner darkly stand above the rest IMO. If you've never read a scanner darkly you should give it a try.
Dr Bloodmoney was a great read. I had never heard of it until i saw it one day and bought it. A great surprise and packed with ideas, as usual. It had the framework of a great limited TV series, i thought. Ubik was excellent, too, highly memorable.
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I’m a retired teacher. No matter how many times I read Flowers for Algernon it makes me cry.
It's very much on the medical side "Just because we can, should we"...and a look also at "you don't know what you're missing until you've had it and it's gone".
Me too …
Ya that's a great one.
hhmm interesting, saw the movie once and that was as enough for me 😂
I much prefer the shorter version which did win a Hugo. I find the novel adds nothing and has less emotional effect, because there is padding.
Here’s my list.
10. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
9. Ender’s Game
8. Stranger in a Strange Land
7. I, Robot
6. A Canticle for Leibovitz
5. The Dosadi Experiment
4. A Deepness in the Sky
3. Foundation
2. Nineteen Eighty-Four
1. Dune
Pham Nuwen fan club in the house. His backstory in the "A Fire upon the Deep" is the most jaw-dropping main protagonist shit I have ever read. Hope the Prequel will be just as good.
I like Enders shadow series for myself.
Number 6…really interesting book only read twice but liked it!
Yes. Yes. I fault no list that has at least one book by Isaac Asimov on it.
Would leave out Dune. It’s just medieval drivel.
Canticle is great. Not enough ppl read it.
My list (without any order, I adore all of these books - some of these are parts of larger series):
To Say Nothing of the Dog - Connie Willis
Beggars in Spain - Nancy Kress
Ubik - Philip K. Dick
The Man in the High Castle - Philip K. Dick
The Long Earth - Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
Flashforward - Robert J. Sawyer
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
Childhood's End - Arthur C. Clark
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
Dune - Frank Herbert
Hitchhikers is laugh-out-loud hilarious!
1984 is so engrained in culture (big brother...) that I thought I knew what was about to read (this was perhaps 10 years ago) and then blew my mind regardless. It left my mind spinning for a few weeks. I'd put it higher.
Unfortunately 1984 wasn’t fiction.
Just finished Ubik at your recommendation and Wow! It's definitely near the top of the list for me. It's just so well done.
@@nissassagame awesome! I'm glad you liked it.
I agree. It's probably my favorite Dick novel, which is saying something.
The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton, [anything] by Iain M. Banks
Iain
I appreciate that your list doesn't include all the usual standard choices. It doesn't mean those "standard" picks aren't worthy, or that yours aren't worthy of a top ten, just that it's enjoyable to get a list with a different perspective, and a reminder to go and either read some of these I've missed, or go back and read them again.
I think too many lists confuse “historically significant” or “influential” with great book.
I just want to read a great book. When deciding a book to read, I don’t care if the book was ground-breaking.
@@MarkLeBay The Classics have an aura too them
Which means for teh most part they are VASTLY over rated.
For example Enders Games is considered a Classic, but Speaker for the dead is a far superior book. but which of the two ends up on Best of lists.
and frankly as much as I love Card, Peter F Hamilton has 3 series that are superior in every aspect to Card, asimov, Herbert and all the "Classics"
Just like Tolkien as great an auther as he is, doesn't hold a candle to the real greats of fantasy, but it's almost heretical to admit it. Should Tolkien be lauded? absolutely! Should you read LotR? Most certainly! Is he remotely as ghood a writer as teh people who stood on his shoulders? not even close.
I think it should take into account different genres of sci-fi and with no hard sci-fi, I pass. But, that is my opinion.
Neuromancer: I recently read it. I found myself admiring it more than actually enjoying it. You can see pretty much in every page the influence in other work I've read (or watched in movies) before, and it is amazing how many ideas are on this book. I feel like my mind would have been blown had I read it in the, say, early 90s. But oh well, reading it now, I'm glad I read it, I can see it's high value, but I have quite a few books I'd put above it, in terms of enjoyment of the reading experience.
I read in older reviews that some people read it in Literary class when it came out, and most people at the time described it as" inconceivable". I mean, you can understand why: 15 Years later the Matrix dropped and people were still too uninformed enough to grasp the concept of "Data-Storage" as opposed to the "Humans-as-batterys" stick they ended up using.
I read it years ago, loved it. I might have to go back
No Ian M Banks?
I'm not much of a sci-fi reader, but I subbed because it's nice to find another book bro with top notch video production and presentation.
Thanks, I appreciate that.
I couldn't finish Neuromancer, got through half of it. "inaccessible" is the exact right word for it
Keep pushing. Don’t read it when you’re tired. Do it for Molly….She’s worth it
The first few chapters are amongst the best writing in SF. It fades to pedestrian after the stage is set - but still.
I've read Neuromancer twice. I didn't care for it the first time so I gave it another go a few years later and still didn't care for it much then. I decided my issue with the book wasn't the story or the setting, but I did not like the way William Gibson writes. The book started a genre, there had to be something to it, but I'm with you. It can be hard to get through.
I was a teenager and I finished Neuromancer. Is it one of my favorite books? No. Was is it good. Yes. Inaccessible doesn’t come to mind.
@SapperRJMorgan The first few chapters are amongst the best written SF I have read. The style is so distinctive, it brought to mind Chandler, because it is as sparse - even if the ideas are less familiar. As for impenetrable, I dread to think how Tarkvosky would be received. I find Tenet impenetrable - at least Gibson does not try to explain the inexplicable.
I have complete opposite opinion in regards to Hyperion vs Fall. Hyperion was great, don't get me wrong, loved each of the tales but man oh man The Fall was EVERYTHING for me. Tied everything together, the pilgrims, the war, EVERYTHING was just so much better haha. Great list though.
I’m right there with you; Fall made Hyperion feel like a protracted setup in my read
Agree 100%
I often consider them one and the same book, just split in half for easier reading. But don't ask me which one i like most. It would be like picking a favorite child or something.
@@ilejovcevski79Simmons intended all 4 books to be one story. I loved all 4. I suspect books 3/4 are less well liked because SF writers are not fond of romance.
@@Scottlp2 i kind of agree, though notable changes and soft reboots are clearly present between the first 2 and the second 2. If i absolutely need to single out my least favorite, it would be Endymion, as it takes a while to pickup the pace.
Also, good point on the SF writers, and for that point, readers. I would broadly classify them into technical manual fans, i.e. hard-science fiction fans and writers, and concept, aka big-idea school. The first commit to technical details of the setting so much, it actually stops being fiction, and the latter on outlandish concept and far out ideas so much, they lose the sight of the human condition.
While i can and have enjoyed both, what i'm really most fond of is literary SF, that is, a well written piece of fiction, that works as literature as well as SF, will compelling characters, and empathy and understanding as much as ideas and concept. Simmons, at least for me, fills this niche quite well. At least from Hyperion/Endymion, Ilion/Olympos and Terror novels that i've read.
Love the list. Unabashedly original. I love some of these entries (Wolfe, PKD and Ishiguro) and cant wait to tuck into the ones I haven’t read. Keep up the great work.
Loved the list... but also, those editions!! My word! I've never had so much envy, they all just popped so much lol
I can't help myself sometimes when it comes to the folio society lol. I try to buy at least one or two every year.
I think it’s time I finally pick up Ubik.
Great video as always. Glad to see the usual set again.
@CrimeFighterFrog yes it's definitely time to pick up Ubik 😁
Asimov's Foundation trilogy. And for a juvie (now called YA), Heinlein's Have Spacesuit Will Travel.
Love you for saying this - Have Spacesuit Will Travel got me into science fiction over 60 years ago.
Love the original Foundation trilogy. And I would definitely include a Heinlein novel. If I had to choose just one it would likely be The Door into Summer.
Loved this list! I’ve not read half, going to try to hit them this year. Also totally agree with you on Neuromancer. I was blown away quite how influential it was and am in awe but also struggled, took a few attempts to finish it
It's nice to see Klara and the Sun get some love. Criminally underrated.
Neuromancer is my #1, and I completely understand people who don't like it. I like to think of the writing style as chaos. It changed the way I thought books could be written.
The prose in Neuromancer is so criminally bad it makes me angry. Tried twice and gave up both times. How it got past the editing room is beyond me.
@@camcolt3530 - well, as I said, I completely understand.
I can't even adequately explain why I like it, but I do.
I know Gibson is a big fan of Delany's "Dhalgren" - and I had to quit that book before 100 pages in. The prose there was a fever dream. I might try it again in the future, but not sure.
@@antistition I know there is a good story burried in Neuromancer, but the prose is like a barrier from me enjoying it lol
@@camcolt3530 It's not an exceptional plot, but there were some great ideas in it. Mostly, I honestly loved it because of its style and atmosphere. Never read a book like it.
But I recognized that its extreme prose could definitely be a nightmare for some people. Personally, I hated "Hail Mary" because of the attempts at humor that fell flat with me. I've never wanted to hurt a book until I picked that one up.
Each of us has our cup of tea, I suppose.
@@antistition I love it but it drove my family mad hearing me suddenly announce, "Wait! What? What the f is going on", Every night when I was reading it.
Im enjoying your channel. Im a hard Heinleiner and by extension Varley, but your veiws are refreshing. If you look at lists others have placed here, you see most people tend to love variations on a theme. That is how it should be. Keep it up, perhaps when i finish mine, it will make your reading list.
I would say Ender's Game is definitely a favorite of mine in the sci-fi genre. Another great sci-fi series I reread every few years is the Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell. That series has some of the best space battles of all time. Foundation is also a fun series for how different the storytelling is and how retro some of the elements in the books feel.
Because nobody asked for it, this is my list. In no particular order.
Blindsight / Echopraxia - Peter Watts
Lord of Light -Roger Zelazny
This Immortal - Roger Zelazny
Shadow of the Torturer - Gene Wolfe
Nightside the Long Sun - Gene Wolfe
The Dragon Never Sleeps - Glen Cook
Gorgon Child - Steven Barnes
The Last Dancer - Daniel Keys Moran
The Warrior's Apprentice - Lois Bujold
The Tea Master and the Detective - Alliette do Bodard
Consider Phlebas / The Algebraist - Ian Banks
Deathstalker - Simon R Green
Heroes Die / Blades of Tyshall - Matthew Stover
Echopraxia was nowhere near the level of Blindsight. However, I'm still waiting for the 3rd book. I read Boyung Kim's On the Origin of Species and the stories in the latter half of that book was amazing.
Eclectic list! Book of the New Sun & Blindsight are definitely on there for me.
Alliette do Bodard & Lois Bujold I did not like.
Zelazny and Banks I still need to read.
Thank you for putting Gene Wolfe on you list. he is known as the best science fiction author you've never hear of.
I hated blindsight so much🤣
@@DTTaTa
Mileage varies, what can I say.
Anything you can recommend?
I just started reading PDK this year and I love that shirt man!! Ubik was phenomenal. I read DADoES two months ago and I'm currently reading Scanner Darkly now. I'll have to give Stigmata a shot soon cause a few people have now suggested that one to me. Awesome video man. Oh and I'm currently reading Book of the New Sun.
The “Flowers for Algernon” short story is a hard sci-fi story with the biggest emotional impact in the shortest span of pages of any book.
I cannot believe my English teacher had us read this in the eighth grade; it is such a mature book.
So thankful for your channel! I did a "Dune June" this year where I read the first two books, and they essentially changed my brain chemistry. So I'm currently inhaling everything Dune related, but am searching for other lesser known science fiction stuff. Sci Fi is quickly becoming my favorite genre. Awesome to see Ubik as your top pick! I haven't tried any PKD yet, but I do have Man in the High Castle on my shelf, hopefully that one is a good place to start with his work.
@MissModeler I would say The man in the high castle is a good place to start. It's an excellent book, and it reigns in some of PKD's tendencies to go full on crazy out there with his ideas. Also, it's the only book he wrote that won the hugo award.
if you like dune you'd probably like the suneater series.
Dune is such low tier trash lmao. Herbert's writing is atrocious, barely got through the third book before getting rid of them.
@@Digger-Nick what did you think of the ender's saga? Could you recommend a series?
Give The Dosadi Experiment a run.
I loved the books on your list. It's great to see some different books than every other top 10 list and I enjoyed your explications of why you included each book. 👍
I trust this guy's recommendation because Ubik is my favorite. I never thought it would be mentioned, let alone as the top pick-wow. I just started Neuromancer and have high hopes.
Kintaro Miura named one of his characters Ubik after this book. He’s the creator of the Berserk manga if you’re not familiar with.
@jasonklinedinst5246 I love Berserk. I didn’t know he took inspiration from it. Wow
@@jasonklinedinst5246 I love Berserk. I didn’t know he took inspiration from it. Wow
@@jasonklinedinst5246 I love Berserk but what got me into reading sci-fi was definitely Psycho-pass
Your channel is a breath of fresh air, it’s almost impossible to find book recommendations without garbage takes or lists with the most basic recommendations. I can’t count how many times I’ve seen “The Martian” or “hunger games” recommended or just these surface level books, you always have good takes and recommendations that don’t come from a Barnes and Noble new hire
@@SteveJobbed thank you!
I worked at a Border’s (RIP) 15 years ago as a stocker to broaden my knowledge on books. We had two booksellers who were retired and just loved to talk about books. I got many great recommendations from them. I always sent customers their way. So if you are ever in a B&N, just ask for their oldest bookseller :)
I’m with you. If I get recommended one more 20 year old telling me about the top ten fantasy or sci-fi books of the year!! It’s good to have someone who cares about books and isn’t just trying to make it as a RUclipsr. The breaking point for me on most of those young channels is when they start posting one piece reviews ! And you can tell they are just chasing the algorithm.
Don't diss the Hunger Games.
A couple good series you might like. Red rising by pierce brown. One of my all time favorites. Still not complete but amazing stuff. Another is hell divers by Nicholas sandsbury smith is amazing stuff too. Probably my all time favorite is the sun eater by Christopher ruocchio. It’s an excellent series. That isn’t finished either. The writing style isn’t everyone’s thing. Some scenes are vary long and drawn out. His descriptive writing is just my type of writing. It’s just written so well. I love it.
No Bradbury? No LeGuin? We need a 20-11 countdown!
Love the shirt. Philip K Dick is my fav author of all time. I love his short stories ❤
I remember reading Ubik in Valley Forge Park, near Philadelphia, while I was spending a few years in the United States at the beginning of my career. It’s a wonderful memory that I cherish, and indeed, I think it’s probably one of the best science fiction books I’ve ever read.
Murakami finally makes a list! His writing is so amazing.
Great list (especially because it's yours). Great review and insights into your experiences. Thanks RB!
Interesting list!
My list would have Fire Upon the Deep, Solaris, Hyperion, House of Suns, maybe Children of Time.
Ubik is a great choice for the top spot. 🙌
So glad I found your channel, you really do a great job, thank you for all this great information.
@DuanePortal No, thank you for the very nice comment.
Just off the top of my head and in no particular order,
A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge
Use Of Weapons by Iain M Banks
Hardwired by Walter Jon Williams
Startide Rising by David Brin
Madness Season by CS Friedman
The Rift by Walter Jon Williams
Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh
Black Milk by Robert Reed
The Vang by Christopher Rowley
In The Company Of Others by Julie E Czerneda
This is a solid list. Use of Weapons will sit at the top of my top 10.
You put 3 of my favourite sci -fi books ever: Ubik, Neuromancer and Flower for Algernon. The first two I have read both translated in Italian and in English. They were both challenging, but they did blow my mind and influenced me sooo much. I keep looking for the same "feeling" when I read a novel of the genre.
Clara and the Sun is definitely a great choice! Such a beautiful science fiction fairytale. Reminds me of Spielberg's AI
The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester and Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban, two of my favorites and very underrated.
Bester is fantastic!
Both great novels, the latter being a much more challenging read.
I have just had this come up on my feed. Thank you, algorithm! I love Klara and the Sun, everything by PKD and, of course, 1984. Oh, and Dune! Everything else is new to me, and all sound fabulous. I have subscribed.😊
Actually the Book of the New Sun was written as a trilogy by Wolfe himself. But like Tolkien he wrote it all together as a single work, did two drafts and then proceeded to do additional drafts for each as he published them one per year. The original third book ("The Sword of the Autarch") was split into the third and fourth book due to its length. My source is the Castle of the Otter book where Wolfe explains how he wrote it.
OMIGODS, you have gene wolfe on your list! he's one of my top five favorite authors, period ... and when i bring him up, what i usually hear is, "gene who?" thank you, thank you, and thank YOU, too, gene wolfe, for the power and scope of your vision, and the worlds you created.
Flowers for Algernon is my most gifted book ever, I must have bought this for five or six friends. It was also Isaac Asimov's favourite sci-fi book. An aspect you didn't mention was how it's written in an epistolary style (yes I did just google that) where the story's protagonist is writing letters, and the change in his intelligence is mirrored in his grammar, syntax, vocabulary, and understanding of the world etc.
Kudos throughout for not giving too much away, but sharing enough information to show the essence of the books you list.
Interestingly there was no Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Jeff Noon, Margaret Atwood or Robert Heinlein in your top ten.
A great list, and thanks for the couple of books I've not read, I have some more to go at now :D
PS I always preferred Brave New World to 1984, certainly as an experience. Similar in ways, but perhaps less bleak.
and then there's Fahrenheit 451 and Slaughterhouse-Five, but I guess they get put in many lists
So glad you chose to include 1984. It's so good, so relevant, and ultimately so heartbreaking. Thanks for giving me more recs to add to my TBR.
I'm a little late but here are my top scifi books.
1. Dune
2. Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
3. Clockwork Orange
4. The Kingsman Saga by Ben Bova. This leans toward hard scifi and intrigue.
4. The Helmsman by Bill Baldwin...amazing space opera, really fun!
5. Armour by John Steakly. It was a fun fast read.
6. Serpents Reach by C.J. Cheryl
7. Heir To The Empire (the original 1st printed series) by Timothy Zahn
8. Bill, The Galatic Hero on the planet of Tasteless Pleasure (among the others in the series)
9. X-Wing: Rouge Squadron
10. ....I'm still looking...
Stop looking: Iain M. Banks is all you need
Here's my list:
10. Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard
9. Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
8. Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein
7. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
6. Sea of Rust by C. Robert Cargill
5. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy "trilogy" by Douglas Adams
4. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein
3. Old Man's War by John Scalzi
2. Foundation/Foundation and Empire/Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov
1. The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury's books read more like poetry than prose. This collection of sci-fi short stories are very accessible-they are more about people and situations than technobabble. My two favorite stories are No Particular Night or Morning and Kaleidoscope. I also like his books Fahrenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles.
Flowers for Algernon is next up on my Kindle, so this list is subject to change!
Scalzi is a hack but if you think he's great, then he is to you.
@@Falconlibrary what, no comment about L. Ron Hubbard?!
I have read most of those but I love your number one pick.
I like the variety of books on this list. I have not heard of many of them and you caught my interest. Hopefully I can get some on my TBR.
I recently stumbled across your channel and WOW, how do you not have 10 million subscribers? Great content, and this top 10 list sent me looking for the third of these authors I've never heard of. I'm a Philip K Dick fan, but for some reason I never read Ubik! I'll be correcting that oversight immediately.
My honorable mentions:
Roger Zelazny, Roadworks. Takes place on a road rust has exits to different times and places. Alternates between Terri chapters. One is a linear story. The other skips around in time, place and characters.
Roger Zelazny, Eye of Cat. Starts as a story of a bounty hunter searching for a dangerous shapeshifter assassin. Ends up as something very different.
Stephen King, The Dark Tower. Wildly inventive. Very long. You may find the ending disappointing, but the journey is a RIDE.
Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire. Not actually sci-fi, but if you like PK Dick's games with reality you might like it.
Norton Juster, The Phantom Tollbooth. Milo goes on a fantasy-adventure. If you have kids or grandkids, read it with them. Features a "watch" dog named Tock, who ticks.
Anthony Burgess, The End of the World News. Weaves together three totally different stories, but are they?
maybe it’s recency bias but Tiamat’s Wrath was one of the most exciting reads and listens (paper twice, audio once) in my life, it also helped that The Expanse series pretty much got me through the dredges and fallout of COVID-19 but yeah, i love this book / series way too much
by the way thanks for the recs, The Book if the New Sun looks so fascinating, it’s added to my shopping cart!
Great list! PKD is one of my all time favs, along with Murakami. Here are some sci-fi books that top my lists and they all blew my mind in one way or another:
Babel-17 by Samuel R Delaney (the way the story unfolded... rocked my world!)
Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C Clarke (Legendary)
The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle (The most brilliant first contact story I've ever read barring Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu)
"-And He Built a Crooked House" - story by Robert A Heinlein - still sticks out to me
Eon by Greg Bear (It's bigger on the inside ... and the book that lead me to studying physics)
Ringworld by Larry Niven (Dyson rings - utterly fascinating - I was enthralled)
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson (Author had cojones to name the MC Hiro Protagonist!)
Yes, Ringworld is a great book.
That is the best description of Ubik i have heard... i agree its in a class of its own and should be at the top of any SF list
Great presentation of a great list. Inspiring. If you haven't read "Ender's Game", do that. About Ubik: Ford just patented a system that makes your car call the cops if you drive too fast. I'm not going to stand in line for one of those.
Dude! Neuromancer is not a hard read. It’s not weirdly styled. It’s a noir detective novel in sci fi form. I guess you shouldn’t read Raymond Chandler or George Alec Effinger.
That being said, I would recommend listening to the Neuromancer audio books read by Jonathan Davis. He nails the noir tone! Absolutely fantastic! The second book has one of my favorite openings of any book ever. Davis delivers it so perfectly, I literally get goosebumps.
Effinger’s “When Gravity Fails” is another amazing sci fi book that I would recommend to anyone that likes Neuromancer. Marid Audran Trilogy is one of my top ten sci fi books of all time. Also, expertly narrated by Jonathan Davis.
Weirdly missing from this list of great sci fi is anything by Peter F. Hamilton, but I suppose if Neuromancer is too hard to read, you’ll be 1000% lost with anything Hamilton writes.
I see that everywhere and I agree that it isn't difficult and I have trouble understanding why people think it is. Is it the lingo? But that doesn't make sense because that's a common trope of science fiction. Also it's really easy to understand what things are supposed to mean.
Of course I read Neuromancer when I was in a rut to find something to read after finishing Blood Meridian.
@@Nobody7720 How was Blood Meridian? It’s on my list, but everything I’ve read by Cormac McCarthy was good, but intense and depressing, so I keep putting it off. Should I bump it up the list?
Also have you read When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger?
Jonathan Davis, lead singer of Korn? That would be amazing if it is him!
I’d say this is quite a fresh take on a top sci-fi books list. I appreciate it. Thanks for sharing and thanks for saying that “your mileage may vary “
Love your enthusiasm. I have read five on the list and I will give UBIK a go next.
I liked God Emperor of Dune the best out of the series. But I'm weird I guess.
Enjoyed your video and list. Have you read any Ursula Le Guin? I highly recommend The Left Hand of Darkness, The Dispossessed, and The Lathe of Heaven.
Plus, it would keep the list from being The Top 10 Sci-Fi Books by Men of All Time, and that is important.
@@michelelearner297 Why?
This is a small channel but he can't get around to responding to a direct question. What the actual?
Really like your list here! Flowers for Algernon and Klara and the Sun are two of my favourite books and they don’t tend to make it onto lists like this. Really refreshing top ten.
Shadow of the Torturer/BOTNS is my #1 of all time. Respect to you for putting Ubik at the top!!! That one is a great pick and maybe the PKD that blew my mind the most.
Just found your channel. Absolutely blown away with the quality of the videos.
The content, the lighting, the sound. Well done, man. Best videos I’ve seen on a smaller channel.
Do you mind doing a video about your filming setup?
Thank you. For better or worse, I put an absolutely massive amount of effort into the production quality of my videos. Probably more than is necessary for book content. I just did a library tour, and a gear/setup tour could be fun too.
Always like to hear different recommendations for books to try. I did try Necromancer recently and unfortunately I fell into the latter camp that found it incomprehensible. The ideas and theme of the book I found interesting but reading it felt like trying to listen to a radio channel in your car that was playing mostly static for hours. After a while it gets so grating that I had to switch channels to a different book.
The author's ideas are probably better represented visually than in writing.
@larkwyll7351 Yep, this is why I say I have a love-hate relationship with that book lol
You can say that again!
To me it was like I was zapping tv channels randomly. That book didn't make any sense to me so far. I really struggled finishing it.
Ubik is the right answer always - great list dude!
Dark Forest from the Three Body Problem Series is just unbelievable great.
YES! Easily my favorite of the three.
I still haven't read that stuff, what's going on? I will get it now.
@@buffybot635 I love the ideas but the way the books are written is a bit of a turn off. It may be a translation thing but they read a bit like a historical non-fiction account which makes the characters quite flat for such a long and considered story.
They are also unrelentingly depressing. I kind of want to re-read them but can't actually face it.
@@timmachin3830 I really enjoyed the audio books.
That's literally what it's meant to be. @@timmachin3830
1Q84 is absolutely incredible. As huge as it is, I recently set aside all my other listening time to go through the audiobook (which is incredibly well done) for the second time.
The Richard Burton, John Hurt movie is a very good adaptation.
Interesting list! I also have that fancy Folio edition of Ubik, haven't read it yet though! Now I feel compelled to do so.
For me this is like learning about the 10 ten albums of all time and never having heard of any of them. . . . And I’m here for it
I can’t believe how few of that top ten I’ve read. Thanks for the reading list!
Here's the list:
10. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
9. Dr. Bloodmoney or How We Got Along After the Bomb by Philip K. Dick
8. Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
7. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
6. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
5. 1984 by George Orwell
4. Neuromancer by William Gibson
3. The Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe
2. Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert
1. Ubik by Philip K. Dick
I just started reading Dune. This is my first venture into the literature science fiction genre. I’ve always been intrigued by the genre though. I was told that it is a hard read. But I absolutely love it! I have fallen in love with the universe and I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. This video has me super excited for Dune: Messiah!
My favorite is the Three Body trilogy, with the third volume.....Death's End.....being the best individual sci-fi book I've ever read. I've been reading the genre for 50 years.
Yeah, was surprised these didnt feature. Very very good, deep sci Fi concepts.
I loved the whole series from Gibson, Necromancer was amazing and the following books followed up well
Love the inclusion of Murakami on the list, I've been a fan for years now, and Wind-Up Bird Chronicle blew my mind just out of high school.
I respect your list. I'm surprised Neal Stephenson didn't make it. SevenEves, Cryptonomicon and The Diamond Age are all incredible IMO.
Wow! My sensibilities seem very similar. Cool you mentioned Cloud Atlas - I was hooked on David Mitchell’s style from the first page and it was my first book of his. Big fan of Alistair Reynolds and glad you mentioned ‘House of Suns’ the one I recommend to introduce him to new readers. Have you read Delany’s ‘Nova’? It has been presented as foreshadowing steam-punk. Haldeman’s ‘The Forever War’ is high on my list too.
I loved the moon is a harsh mistress so much, you saying it should’ve lost to Flowers for Algernon makes me want to read it so badly. I’ve read 3 of your top 5 (DM, neuro, 1984) and am adding the rest of your list to my reading list. I’ll probably start with PKD as I devoured all his short stories and am excited to read his novels. Great choice of shirt (staring us in the face the whole time lol) and great list!
Thanks for citing Dr. Bloodmoney. It’s one of PKD’s best books. The notion of geopolitical disasters being rooted in mental illness is well explored along with PKD’s deep love of human beings in all their frailty and failings.
I was surprised that Ubik was your number 1. I loved that book, but didn't think anyone else would like it as much as me. I'm new to your channel, so when you listed 2 PKD books in your top 10 list, I looked to see if you had done a PKD top 10. Close I see you did a top 5. Looking forward to watching it. Great reviews by the way.
I appreciated this novel top 10 list! Thank you!
I totally agree with Ubik. It's probably my favorite sci-fi book.
One of the most thought provoking books I've read: "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell. Humans reach a planet inhabited with a dominating species and their "pet slaves". But these pets are more intelligent than dogs, even more intelligent than monkeys.
Another great one is "Legacy" by Greg Bear. Humans discover a planet dominated by continents, each one having their own unique ecology. But they soon realize that each continent might be sentient. I won't spoil it, but things go very wrong.
No particular order and the list may change day to day.
Caves of Steel - Asimov
Bridge Trilogy - Gibson
Rendezvous with Rama - Clarke
The Demolished Man - Bester
Jurassic Park - Crichton before he went crazy
Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court - Mark Twain (Yes I consider that science fiction)
The Forever War - Haldeman
The Man in the High Castle - Dick
The Mars Trilogy - Kim Stanley Robinson
Foundation - Asimov, the only book which never changes it is always #1
I love Ishiguro. They are such slow burns that sink into you and stay there. I will have to read Klara and the Sun soon.
I don't read a lot (and haven't read a lot of books in general), but I've read some of the books that usually make "top sci-fi lists", like Neuromancer, Dune and Messiah. Neuromancer was a weird one, because it was really intriguing and the characters and world kept me reading, but it was a really difficult book for me. Dune of course was great, but Messiah is probably my favourite book that I've read. The setup in the opening chapter hooked me in, and the way the story unfolded with Paul's visions driving his choices was just genius. I can kind of understand why people might not be fond of it, but I was truly satisfied with what Herbert wrote to continue the world and characters of Dune.
I like your list. Placing Ubik at #1 is perfect.
My reaction whilst watching the list. Flowers for Algernon. Yes. Neuromancer. Yesssss. Book of the New Sun. YESSSSSSSS. Dune Messiah over Dune is also the correct choice. Great list btw.
my english teacher recommended flowers for algernon to me in 8th grade, it's been my favorite book ever since and i have read it countless times.
Ubik and Dune both great; I also recommend Culture Series from Iain M Banks (1, 2, 3, 8, 9), most books from Robert A. Heinlein. I would also put Hyperion in top 5 at least. Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny is also definitely top 5.
My top 10
The 4 Hyperion Canto books (Dan Simmons)
The 3 Foundation books (Issac Asimov)
The 3 Rifters Trilogy books (Peter Watt)
Reamde (Neal Stephenson)
OK…that’s 11. Honorable mention: flowers for Algernon (was made into a pretty good movie called Dominic & Eugene), The Inhibitor Trilogy by Alastair Reynolds, 2001 Space Odyssey by Arthur C Clarke, and maybe my favorite short story ever, “the Last Question” by Issac Asimov
Dang, i do love these top 10 sci-fi lists….. but if you’re starting out with “Endymion shits the bed”, it’s hard to take anything else seriously. To each their own, keep at it man!
I highly recommend you read the sun eater series by Christopher Ruocchio. It’s my all time favorite scfi space opera series ever. It’s written so well. It’s not finished yet. I can’t wait for the next entry. Now some find in long and to drawn out. I just happen to love long drawn out internal dialogue and conversations. Which isn’t all action packed. Which some prefer. I like conversation and internal thoughts of someone.
I don't think there will be as many people wondering why "Ubik" is number 1 so much as why "Frankenstein" didn't make the top ten.
My list ( I didn’t read Algernon nor Dune) Let’ start:
10) The Martian Chronicles
9) Solaris
8) Cloud Atlas
7) Three stigmata of Palmer Eldritch
6) IQ84
5) Never let me go
4) Slaughterhouse 5
3) Ender’s game
2) The three body problem trilogy
1) Shared: Ubik + 1984
Special mención: The City and the City by China Melville
Metro Christmas from Argentina!!!
Hey nice rankin! I was wondering if you had ever read anything by Ursula k le Guin and if so what are your thoughts on her? I read The Dispossessed a couple of months ago and it really blew me away with its prose and ways of explaining and making realistic the world le Guin creates. I'm going to read Earthsea next (not Sci-FI) and then The Left Hand of Darkness, which may be the most influential sci-fi novel in terms of creating a paradigm shift.
@spotmotion7452 I have not read the disposessed. I have read the left hand of darkness. It is excellent and was actually on the short list to be in this video, but it just didn't quite make it.
Just remembered an eleventh candidate, Footfall by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.
I recall Flowers for Algeron as being a thoughtful bit easy read.
Now I want to go back to it, in case I missed something.
and I'll get a copy of Ubik.
Really interesting. Hyperion, is probably my favourite sci-fi book. Neuromancer is a tough read, Kind of reminds me of reading Kafka, I know it's amazing but not entirely sure what's going on. I don't think 1984 is sci-fi, but I understand why it is difficult to find a genre for it.
Dune Messiah, that's a brave choice from the series but I think all the books are amazing.
Will give Ubik a try.
Jeremy Robinson’s Infinite timeline books are peak SciFi. Check out NPC
Also, Craig Alanson’s Expeditionary Force series.
Honorable mentions: Bobiverse, hell divers, and Nullform.
Remembering 1984 makes me feel so much anguish and sorrow, the ending is heartbreaking and yet this book should be mandatory on every school all over the world. Btw interesting selection, will try some of them this summer 😊
You boomers don't know how power works. There's a reason the regime doesn't care if you read 1984, it's not a threat. Camp of the Saints should be required reading.
Ubik is 100% an underrated philip k dick book. So many people call stories mind bending but ubiks plot literally breaks your brain. So many ground breaking and unique concepts blended into a detective story that unravels the world built around it. Every list has do androids dream of electric sheep which is more than valid but ubik and a scanner darkly stand above the rest IMO. If you've never read a scanner darkly you should give it a try.
Oh yes, I have read a scanner darkly. It's wonderful
The movie version of Scanner did an amazingly competent job.
Dr Bloodmoney was a great read. I had never heard of it until i saw it one day and bought it. A great surprise and packed with ideas, as usual. It had the framework of a great limited TV series, i thought. Ubik was excellent, too, highly memorable.
Enders Game, Meetings with Rama and Foundation and Empire would have been on my own list.