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Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels: an English-language selection, 1949-1984
From one of the best editors in science fiction, this lively and authoritative guide will appeal to both newcomers and connoisseurs of the genre. Informative and readable, Pringle's choices focus on landmarks by Ray Bradbury, Alfred Bester, and J. G. Ballard, unearth such lesser-known talents as Ian Watson, Octavia Butler, and Joanna Russ, and highlight breakthrough novels by William Gibson and Philip K. Dick.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1985
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August 18, 2018
This book was such a great guide for me growing up in Hawaii. Without any real SF fan community, conventions, or the Internet, there really weren’t many places to get good SF reading tips. Of course I knew every bookstore in town, both new and used. So I didn’t have trouble finding the big names like Clarke, Heinlein, Asimov, etc. And then I found a list of all the Hugo and Nebula winners for Best Novel, and made it my mission to track down every one of these books in the used stacks. But I didn’t really have a good way to choose lesser-known older titles until I discovered Science Fiction: 100 Best Novels, in which David Pringle, the Scottish SF editor of Interzone magazine, selected his favorite 100 SF novels published in English between 1949-1985.
David Pringle had a clear mission: he wanted to introduce a lot of relatively obscure SF novels, with a healthy weighting of UK writers, that many American SF fans may have never heard of. He also choose a very wide range of book types, ranging from the dystopian classic 1984, Golden Age space operas from the 1950s, post-apocalytic stories like A Canticle for Leibowitz, New Wave writers from the 60s and 70s like Samuel L. Delany, Roger Zelazny, Phillip K Dick, J.G. Ballard, Thomas M. Disch, Michael Moorcock, Norman Spinrad, Ursula K. LeGuin, Robert Silverberg, and ending with William Gibson’s cyberpunk classic Neuromancer. He also highlights books that many fans might not consider crowd-favorites, but really underscore the incredible variety of stories and settings that only the SF field can deliver. I guarantee that you will encounter dozens of books you will love, but almost as many that you’ve not heard of, and quite a few that will have you asking, “What was Pringle thinking? That was terrible!” Instead of just choosing popular titles, he delved deeper into the genre than many others would have. There are many unusual choices, like William S. Burroughs, Barry N. Malzberg, Angela Carter, Kingsley Amis, Joanna Russ, and Marge Piercy, literary writers at the fringe of the genre, but that’s what makes his selections unique and daring.
Each entry is two pages long – they are written succinctly and give the all-important historical and literary context for each book, along with a basic outline of the plot. Occasionally he will include some spoilers, so be careful! But his reviews are surprisingly entertaining to read. He is also very honest is describing what type of books they are, so you can immediately eliminate books that don’t fit your taste. I really took away a better understanding of the history and evolution of the genre, something that informs my reviews and reading today. It’s amazing how broadly and deeply he’s read in the genre.
For many years I used this book as a guide to track down the more obscure titles in various used bookstores. I managed to get most of them, but even 30 years later I’ve only read around half of them! It may never come true, but I really want to read all of them someday. Here is the list in chronological order – how many of them have you read already? I’ve put an asterisk next to those I’ve read.
1. Nineteen Eighty-Four* by George Orwell
2. Earth Abides* by George R. Stewart
3. The Martian Chronicles* by Ray Bradbury
4. The Puppet Masters* by Robert A. Heinlein
5. The Day of the Triffids* by John Wyndham
6. Limbo by Bernard Wolfe
7. The Demolished Man* by Alfred Bester
8. Fahrenheit 451* by Ray Bradbury
9. Childhood's End* by Arthur C. Clarke
10. The Paradox Men by Charles L. Harnes
11. Bring the Jubilee* by Ward Moore
12. The Space Merchants* by Frederik Pohl & C.M. Kornbluth
13. Ring Around the Sun by Clifford D. Simak
14. More than Human* by Theodore Sturgeon
15. Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement
16. A Mirror for Observers* by Edgar Pangborn
17. The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov
18. The Long Tomorrow by Leigh Brackett
19. The Inheritors by William Golding
20. The Stars My Destination* by Alfred Bester
21. The Death of Grass by John Christopher
22. The City and the Stars* by Arthur C. Clarke
23. The Door Into Summer* by Robert A. Heinlein
24. The Midwich Cuckoos* by John Wyndham
25. Non-Stop* by Brian W. Aldiss
26. A Case of Conscience* by James Blish
27. Have Space-Suit -- Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein
28. Time Out of Joint* by Philip K. Dick
29. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
30. A Canticle for Leibowitz* by Walter M. Miller
31. The Sirens of Titan* by Kurt Vonnegut
32. Rogue Moon by Algis Budrys
33. Venus Plus X by Theodore Sturgeon
34. Hothouse* by Brian W. Aldiss
35. The Drowned World* by J.G. Ballard
36. A Clockwork Orange* by Anthony Burgess
37. The Man in the High Castle* by Philip K. Dick
38. Journey Beyond Tomorrow by Robert Sheckley
39. Way Station* by Clifford D. Simak
40. Cat's Cradle* by Kurt Vonnegut
41. Greybeard by Brian W. Aldiss
42. Nova Express by William S. Burroughs
43. Martian Time-Slip* by Philip K. Dick
44. The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch* by Philip K. Dick
45. The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
46. Nostrilia* by Cordwainer Smith
47. Dr Bloodmoney* by Philip K. Dick
48. Dune* by Frank Herbert
49. The Crystal World* by J.G. Ballard
50. Make Room! Make Room! By Harry Harrison
51. Flowers for Algernon* by Daniel Keyes
52. The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny
53. Stand on Zanzibar* by John Brunner
54. Nova* by Samuel L. Delany
55. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? * by Philip K. Dick
56. Camp Concentration by Thomas M. Disch
57. The Final Programme by Michael Moorcock
58. Pavane* by Keith Roberts
59. Heroes and Villains by Angela Carter
60. The Left Hand of Darkness* by Ursula K. LeGuin
61. The Palace of Eternity by Bob Shaw
62. Bug Jack Barron by Norman Spinrad
63. Tau Zero by Poul Anderson
64. Downward to the Earth* by Robert Silverberg
65. The Year of the Quiet Sun by Wilson Tucker
66. 334 by Thomas M. Disch
67. The Fifth Head of Cerberus* by Gene Wolfe
68. The Dancers at the End of Time by Michael Moorcock
69. Crash by J.G. Ballard
70. Looking Backward from the Year 2000 by Mack Reynolds
71. The Embedding by Ian Watson
72. Walk to the End of the World by Suzy McKee Charnas
73. The Centauri Device by M. John Harrison
74. The Dispossessed* by Ursula K. LeGuin
75. Inverted World by Christopher Priest
76. High-Rise* by J.G. Ballard
77. Galaxies by Barry N. Malzberg
78. The Female Man by Joanna Russ
79. Orbitsville by Bob Shaw
80. The Alteration by Kingsley Amis
81. Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy
82. Man Plus by Frederik Pohl
83. Michaelmas by Algis Budrys
84. The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley
85. Miracle Visitors by Ian Watson
86. Engine Summer by John Crowley
87. On Wings of Song by Thomas M. Disch
88. The Walking Shadow by Brian Stableford
89. Juniper Time by Kate Wilhelm
90. Timescape* by Gregory Benford
91. The Dreaming Dragons by Damien Broderick
92. Wild Seed* by Octavia Butler
93. Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban
94. Roderick and Roderick at Random by John Sladek
95. The Book of the New Sun* by Gene Wolfe
96. The Unreasoning Mask by Philip Jose Farmer
97. Oath of Fealty* by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
98. No Enemy but Time* by Michael Bishop
99. The Birth of the People's Republic of Antarctica by John Calvin Batchelor
100. Neuromancer* by William Gibson
David Pringle had a clear mission: he wanted to introduce a lot of relatively obscure SF novels, with a healthy weighting of UK writers, that many American SF fans may have never heard of. He also choose a very wide range of book types, ranging from the dystopian classic 1984, Golden Age space operas from the 1950s, post-apocalytic stories like A Canticle for Leibowitz, New Wave writers from the 60s and 70s like Samuel L. Delany, Roger Zelazny, Phillip K Dick, J.G. Ballard, Thomas M. Disch, Michael Moorcock, Norman Spinrad, Ursula K. LeGuin, Robert Silverberg, and ending with William Gibson’s cyberpunk classic Neuromancer. He also highlights books that many fans might not consider crowd-favorites, but really underscore the incredible variety of stories and settings that only the SF field can deliver. I guarantee that you will encounter dozens of books you will love, but almost as many that you’ve not heard of, and quite a few that will have you asking, “What was Pringle thinking? That was terrible!” Instead of just choosing popular titles, he delved deeper into the genre than many others would have. There are many unusual choices, like William S. Burroughs, Barry N. Malzberg, Angela Carter, Kingsley Amis, Joanna Russ, and Marge Piercy, literary writers at the fringe of the genre, but that’s what makes his selections unique and daring.
Each entry is two pages long – they are written succinctly and give the all-important historical and literary context for each book, along with a basic outline of the plot. Occasionally he will include some spoilers, so be careful! But his reviews are surprisingly entertaining to read. He is also very honest is describing what type of books they are, so you can immediately eliminate books that don’t fit your taste. I really took away a better understanding of the history and evolution of the genre, something that informs my reviews and reading today. It’s amazing how broadly and deeply he’s read in the genre.
For many years I used this book as a guide to track down the more obscure titles in various used bookstores. I managed to get most of them, but even 30 years later I’ve only read around half of them! It may never come true, but I really want to read all of them someday. Here is the list in chronological order – how many of them have you read already? I’ve put an asterisk next to those I’ve read.
1. Nineteen Eighty-Four* by George Orwell
2. Earth Abides* by George R. Stewart
3. The Martian Chronicles* by Ray Bradbury
4. The Puppet Masters* by Robert A. Heinlein
5. The Day of the Triffids* by John Wyndham
6. Limbo by Bernard Wolfe
7. The Demolished Man* by Alfred Bester
8. Fahrenheit 451* by Ray Bradbury
9. Childhood's End* by Arthur C. Clarke
10. The Paradox Men by Charles L. Harnes
11. Bring the Jubilee* by Ward Moore
12. The Space Merchants* by Frederik Pohl & C.M. Kornbluth
13. Ring Around the Sun by Clifford D. Simak
14. More than Human* by Theodore Sturgeon
15. Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement
16. A Mirror for Observers* by Edgar Pangborn
17. The End of Eternity by Isaac Asimov
18. The Long Tomorrow by Leigh Brackett
19. The Inheritors by William Golding
20. The Stars My Destination* by Alfred Bester
21. The Death of Grass by John Christopher
22. The City and the Stars* by Arthur C. Clarke
23. The Door Into Summer* by Robert A. Heinlein
24. The Midwich Cuckoos* by John Wyndham
25. Non-Stop* by Brian W. Aldiss
26. A Case of Conscience* by James Blish
27. Have Space-Suit -- Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein
28. Time Out of Joint* by Philip K. Dick
29. Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank
30. A Canticle for Leibowitz* by Walter M. Miller
31. The Sirens of Titan* by Kurt Vonnegut
32. Rogue Moon by Algis Budrys
33. Venus Plus X by Theodore Sturgeon
34. Hothouse* by Brian W. Aldiss
35. The Drowned World* by J.G. Ballard
36. A Clockwork Orange* by Anthony Burgess
37. The Man in the High Castle* by Philip K. Dick
38. Journey Beyond Tomorrow by Robert Sheckley
39. Way Station* by Clifford D. Simak
40. Cat's Cradle* by Kurt Vonnegut
41. Greybeard by Brian W. Aldiss
42. Nova Express by William S. Burroughs
43. Martian Time-Slip* by Philip K. Dick
44. The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch* by Philip K. Dick
45. The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
46. Nostrilia* by Cordwainer Smith
47. Dr Bloodmoney* by Philip K. Dick
48. Dune* by Frank Herbert
49. The Crystal World* by J.G. Ballard
50. Make Room! Make Room! By Harry Harrison
51. Flowers for Algernon* by Daniel Keyes
52. The Dream Master by Roger Zelazny
53. Stand on Zanzibar* by John Brunner
54. Nova* by Samuel L. Delany
55. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? * by Philip K. Dick
56. Camp Concentration by Thomas M. Disch
57. The Final Programme by Michael Moorcock
58. Pavane* by Keith Roberts
59. Heroes and Villains by Angela Carter
60. The Left Hand of Darkness* by Ursula K. LeGuin
61. The Palace of Eternity by Bob Shaw
62. Bug Jack Barron by Norman Spinrad
63. Tau Zero by Poul Anderson
64. Downward to the Earth* by Robert Silverberg
65. The Year of the Quiet Sun by Wilson Tucker
66. 334 by Thomas M. Disch
67. The Fifth Head of Cerberus* by Gene Wolfe
68. The Dancers at the End of Time by Michael Moorcock
69. Crash by J.G. Ballard
70. Looking Backward from the Year 2000 by Mack Reynolds
71. The Embedding by Ian Watson
72. Walk to the End of the World by Suzy McKee Charnas
73. The Centauri Device by M. John Harrison
74. The Dispossessed* by Ursula K. LeGuin
75. Inverted World by Christopher Priest
76. High-Rise* by J.G. Ballard
77. Galaxies by Barry N. Malzberg
78. The Female Man by Joanna Russ
79. Orbitsville by Bob Shaw
80. The Alteration by Kingsley Amis
81. Woman on the Edge of Time by Marge Piercy
82. Man Plus by Frederik Pohl
83. Michaelmas by Algis Budrys
84. The Ophiuchi Hotline by John Varley
85. Miracle Visitors by Ian Watson
86. Engine Summer by John Crowley
87. On Wings of Song by Thomas M. Disch
88. The Walking Shadow by Brian Stableford
89. Juniper Time by Kate Wilhelm
90. Timescape* by Gregory Benford
91. The Dreaming Dragons by Damien Broderick
92. Wild Seed* by Octavia Butler
93. Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban
94. Roderick and Roderick at Random by John Sladek
95. The Book of the New Sun* by Gene Wolfe
96. The Unreasoning Mask by Philip Jose Farmer
97. Oath of Fealty* by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
98. No Enemy but Time* by Michael Bishop
99. The Birth of the People's Republic of Antarctica by John Calvin Batchelor
100. Neuromancer* by William Gibson
November 7, 2021
So, as of not too long ago, I have read ALL one hundred books listed in this recommended-reading guide...David Pringle's notion of what the best was, in SF, as of 1984. I've knocked off every book on the list, if we include a catch: I have read the original, shorter version of Flowers for Algernon (which I have heard is better, anyway). It's a pity that that last book I needed to conquer off this list was a 1-star read for me - Nova Express - but that's the way the cookie slides into entropy.
I bought this when I spotted it on the front counter of a local SF/Fantasy bookstore, back in 1985. I was then the same age as I am now: 17. It was not an instant sell; I didn't just grab it up and add it to my purchases. I thought to myself "If Orbitsville is on the list, I will be dazzled enough to buy this book...". Then, I perused the innards of Pringle's publication, saw what I was not really expecting to see, truth be told, and bought the book. I think I pursued titles off the list almost immediately - sometimes reading the 2-page essays on the books in question, but mostly saving that for after reading a certain 'Best' novel (or short story collection), so that I would not have to deal with spoilers.
This book got me to read Bug Jack Barron, The Dancers at the End of Time, Wild Seed, Ring Around the Sun, No Enemy But Time, Rogue Moon, The Female Man, Woman on the Edge of Time, Man Plus, Dr. Bloodmoney, and on and on and on. Truth be told, I of course did not love all the books - Michaelmas by Budrys did not do for me what Rogue Moon did; The Inheritors by Golding could never come near topping the non-SF Lord of the Flies; Malzberg's Galaxies would always be replaced by Beyond Apollo on my own 'Best' List if I had one - but my goodness did I read a lot of great SF thanks to this old guide. Now it is totally out of date, in terms of a so-called '100 Best SF Books', and that's a good thing as less white men would be represented. It serves these days as a terrific roster of 'classic' or 'hidden gem' SF.
I bought this when I spotted it on the front counter of a local SF/Fantasy bookstore, back in 1985. I was then the same age as I am now: 17. It was not an instant sell; I didn't just grab it up and add it to my purchases. I thought to myself "If Orbitsville is on the list, I will be dazzled enough to buy this book...". Then, I perused the innards of Pringle's publication, saw what I was not really expecting to see, truth be told, and bought the book. I think I pursued titles off the list almost immediately - sometimes reading the 2-page essays on the books in question, but mostly saving that for after reading a certain 'Best' novel (or short story collection), so that I would not have to deal with spoilers.
This book got me to read Bug Jack Barron, The Dancers at the End of Time, Wild Seed, Ring Around the Sun, No Enemy But Time, Rogue Moon, The Female Man, Woman on the Edge of Time, Man Plus, Dr. Bloodmoney, and on and on and on. Truth be told, I of course did not love all the books - Michaelmas by Budrys did not do for me what Rogue Moon did; The Inheritors by Golding could never come near topping the non-SF Lord of the Flies; Malzberg's Galaxies would always be replaced by Beyond Apollo on my own 'Best' List if I had one - but my goodness did I read a lot of great SF thanks to this old guide. Now it is totally out of date, in terms of a so-called '100 Best SF Books', and that's a good thing as less white men would be represented. It serves these days as a terrific roster of 'classic' or 'hidden gem' SF.
September 7, 2024
Provided exactly what I wanted from it: Some great book recommendations both more and less well known with a good variety of styles and topics. The books discussed were published between 1949 and the 80's.
It was also interesting to read the authors discriptions and opinions on the books I've already read.
There are some repeat authors and for the most part that wasn't a bad thing, since the books discribed were different enough, but there is so much Philip K. Dick that surely some page time could have gone to some other author. Also, there sometimes are spoilers, which I don't mind, but might turn people away from books they otherwise would have wanted to read because of this.
It was also interesting to read the authors discriptions and opinions on the books I've already read.
There are some repeat authors and for the most part that wasn't a bad thing, since the books discribed were different enough, but there is so much Philip K. Dick that surely some page time could have gone to some other author. Also, there sometimes are spoilers, which I don't mind, but might turn people away from books they otherwise would have wanted to read because of this.
June 21, 2018
A strong collection of essays on various genre classics, but there are a couple of issues here. First, the absence of short story collections and anthologies makes this feel incomplete. Their inclusion may have also ameliorated another issue, the varying tone: there are a fair few books discussed here that the author, frankly, dislikes. As such, some of the entries are, at best, begrudging. On the whole, though, Pringle is an engaging, enthusiastic guide through the best of the genre.
Science fiction often ages worse than most genres, either because of breakthroughs irl or often juvenile prose. SF fans and writers often argued that it was a parallel literature, not subject to the same stylistic expectations as other writings because it served ideas, not aesthetics. This argument, and much of the fiction represented by it, has not stood the test of time. Pringle wrote this book as that argument was dying, and was aware of it. He does include many of the "ideas over style" works, with little enthusiasm, because that was, for a long time, the best the genre had to offer.
In the end, this works better as a history than a reading list. There are many books here to appeal, no doubt, but many are now more important than enjoyable, better read about than actually read. And this book serves that purpose admirably.
Science fiction often ages worse than most genres, either because of breakthroughs irl or often juvenile prose. SF fans and writers often argued that it was a parallel literature, not subject to the same stylistic expectations as other writings because it served ideas, not aesthetics. This argument, and much of the fiction represented by it, has not stood the test of time. Pringle wrote this book as that argument was dying, and was aware of it. He does include many of the "ideas over style" works, with little enthusiasm, because that was, for a long time, the best the genre had to offer.
In the end, this works better as a history than a reading list. There are many books here to appeal, no doubt, but many are now more important than enjoyable, better read about than actually read. And this book serves that purpose admirably.
February 15, 2020
El libro está bastante desactualizado, llega sólo hasta 1984 y la novela Neuromancer- pero muchos de los libros recomendados son algo ignotos y deja de lado libros que a mi juicio son más relevantes (aunque algunos no sean de mi gusto personal). Mayormente lo que hace es dedicar 2 o 3 páginas a cada novela, hablar un poquito del autor, explicar porqué cree que es importante y a continuación contar toda la historia. Sí, incluyendo varios finales que hubiera sido mejor leerlos en vez de que me los contase.
En resumidas cuentas, no me aportó mucho, y me arruinó varios libros antes de leerlos; después de leer varias veces el mismo tipo de explicación se me mezclan todas las tramas de los libros que no leí. Siento que perdí mi tiempo.
En resumidas cuentas, no me aportó mucho, y me arruinó varios libros antes de leerlos; después de leer varias veces el mismo tipo de explicación se me mezclan todas las tramas de los libros que no leí. Siento que perdí mi tiempo.
July 1, 2020
First of all I will say that I am sure there is another set of my comments running around somewhere in Goodreads as I have owned and read this book before.
However here we go - this book was bought off the back of a similar (I cannot find reference it is a sister volume or a different project) book on the best 100 Fantasy novels. That book was an eye opener which helped me delve in to the world of fantasy novels.
So you imagine the eagerness I had to get and read this book about science fiction - ideally to see if it would open the same set doors. Well it sort of did.
You see I think I came to this book about 10 years too late - many of the books that are mentioned in this book are either already in my collection or are known to me. You see it appears I stumbled across (come on nothing is planned in my collection) these titles.
Now apparently there is a second volume out there with a second 100 titles since this book ends in the mid 80s but that too contains many titles I already own. However I will say that the entries it does contain are interesting and informative and I no doubt will be returning to this book again in the future.
However here we go - this book was bought off the back of a similar (I cannot find reference it is a sister volume or a different project) book on the best 100 Fantasy novels. That book was an eye opener which helped me delve in to the world of fantasy novels.
So you imagine the eagerness I had to get and read this book about science fiction - ideally to see if it would open the same set doors. Well it sort of did.
You see I think I came to this book about 10 years too late - many of the books that are mentioned in this book are either already in my collection or are known to me. You see it appears I stumbled across (come on nothing is planned in my collection) these titles.
Now apparently there is a second volume out there with a second 100 titles since this book ends in the mid 80s but that too contains many titles I already own. However I will say that the entries it does contain are interesting and informative and I no doubt will be returning to this book again in the future.
October 13, 2020
This book covers books - not stories – published between 1949 and 1984. Definitions of science fiction are subjective, but the one proposed and explained by the author sounds good to me. “Science fiction is a form of fantastic fiction which exploits the imaginative perspectives of modern science.” For me, the science in a work of science fiction must be plausible, and the author agrees; even if the science is manufactured or not correct, as long as it sounds plausible, it’s good.
The book has an excellent introduction and 100 two-page essays on each book. These would be difficult to just sit down and read through, so I read it in snatches. I have read a lot of science fiction over the years; I did a spreadsheet of the books listed here and listed noted which ones I’d read. I have read 25 of these 100, which I consider to be lot, since these were the early days of science fiction. Most of these I’d read many years ago.
The author admits that the basis for his selections in this book are his personal choice – but are impacted by his overall involvement in the science fiction “world”. He ignored Hugo or Nebula awards. A more apt title for the book would be “100 good to brilliant”; there simply aren’t 100 masterpieces out there. He includes books that he thinks are important, but for selected reasons. For example: “Mission of Gravity” by Hal Clement: hard SF, great world-building, but “wooden characters”.
The author with the most books on this list (seven) is Philip K. Dick – so, he’s a PDK fan. J.D. Ballard rates four picks, while Heinlein, Aldiss, and Disch have three each. He doesn’t like Asimov and admitted as much. He included only one Asimov book, one I’d never heard of.
This was a fun exercise. I noted eleven books from this list that I really would like to read. I have a similar book covering later years queued up to read, and my “to read” list will probably become even more impossibly long than it already is.
The book has an excellent introduction and 100 two-page essays on each book. These would be difficult to just sit down and read through, so I read it in snatches. I have read a lot of science fiction over the years; I did a spreadsheet of the books listed here and listed noted which ones I’d read. I have read 25 of these 100, which I consider to be lot, since these were the early days of science fiction. Most of these I’d read many years ago.
The author admits that the basis for his selections in this book are his personal choice – but are impacted by his overall involvement in the science fiction “world”. He ignored Hugo or Nebula awards. A more apt title for the book would be “100 good to brilliant”; there simply aren’t 100 masterpieces out there. He includes books that he thinks are important, but for selected reasons. For example: “Mission of Gravity” by Hal Clement: hard SF, great world-building, but “wooden characters”.
The author with the most books on this list (seven) is Philip K. Dick – so, he’s a PDK fan. J.D. Ballard rates four picks, while Heinlein, Aldiss, and Disch have three each. He doesn’t like Asimov and admitted as much. He included only one Asimov book, one I’d never heard of.
This was a fun exercise. I noted eleven books from this list that I really would like to read. I have a similar book covering later years queued up to read, and my “to read” list will probably become even more impossibly long than it already is.
August 24, 2020
I've always enjoyed books about books, more than books about themselves, to be honest, and I encountered this one at a propitious--or perhaps importune--time in my life. It has become a life-long on-again off-again concern for no reason I can discern except that it is so inadequate in my estimation, yet compulsively engagable.
The time frame is arbitrary, there are too few writers included, there are too many non-novels, there are too many non-sf works, it is limited to works in English, it excludes so many types of sf in favor of too much of a few types of sf, it includes too many male writers (though it has a better ratio than most other works of its time, sadly) and expresses what I would call genre shame, namely that few fan favorites are included.
Pringle's greatest sin is judging a genre of literature by imposing a standard on it, namely that it produce fine novels. Science fiction, until after this book appeared, was a short-fiction medium. All the production outlets were headed to churn out short stories, all the foundational texts and outstanding examples were novelets or shorter. So Pringle decides novels are more important and criticizes sf for not having more good novels. I mean, thanks for being a friend, Dave. Pull out all our memory chips whydoncha?
The importance of such a work is to provide an argument on the importance of the field it covers. I happen to regard sf as of supreme importance to modern humanity. I cannot conceive a technology-dependent species without a artform which mediates that relationship. Science fiction is that artform. Any book proposing to promulgate SF for the masses has a responsibility. I feel Pringle was too cynical and pessimistic a personality to deliver a proper introduction. All those post-apocalyptic books! Cheer up, David!
On the other hand, it induced me to read some novels I would not otherwise have read, some of which I am glad I read. Maybe that's all there is. Maybe I should express my gratitude and shut up.
Anyway. The precís herein are solid work, and Pringle brings brío and panache to the proceedings. I would read other books about sf first, or--to be honest--try the popular websites and 'blogs. In our sfnal world, the books about the sf of yore are fossils.
The time frame is arbitrary, there are too few writers included, there are too many non-novels, there are too many non-sf works, it is limited to works in English, it excludes so many types of sf in favor of too much of a few types of sf, it includes too many male writers (though it has a better ratio than most other works of its time, sadly) and expresses what I would call genre shame, namely that few fan favorites are included.
Pringle's greatest sin is judging a genre of literature by imposing a standard on it, namely that it produce fine novels. Science fiction, until after this book appeared, was a short-fiction medium. All the production outlets were headed to churn out short stories, all the foundational texts and outstanding examples were novelets or shorter. So Pringle decides novels are more important and criticizes sf for not having more good novels. I mean, thanks for being a friend, Dave. Pull out all our memory chips whydoncha?
The importance of such a work is to provide an argument on the importance of the field it covers. I happen to regard sf as of supreme importance to modern humanity. I cannot conceive a technology-dependent species without a artform which mediates that relationship. Science fiction is that artform. Any book proposing to promulgate SF for the masses has a responsibility. I feel Pringle was too cynical and pessimistic a personality to deliver a proper introduction. All those post-apocalyptic books! Cheer up, David!
On the other hand, it induced me to read some novels I would not otherwise have read, some of which I am glad I read. Maybe that's all there is. Maybe I should express my gratitude and shut up.
Anyway. The precís herein are solid work, and Pringle brings brío and panache to the proceedings. I would read other books about sf first, or--to be honest--try the popular websites and 'blogs. In our sfnal world, the books about the sf of yore are fossils.
April 1, 2013
Ok I am biased - now I am not agreeing with David Pringles comments completely ( he does come down with some damming comments on some of my longest loved Authors) but I love how this book is laid out and its content. Yes its FULL of SPOILERS - since it gives a couple of pages overview to the entire storyline of the books mentioned. I love that ok - I love to read a book even when I know the ending - for me its the ride not just the destination - so shoot me! But there are numerous books I had read that are listed here - so I get that smug feeling that my tastes are worthy - but there are also numerous titles here I have heard of but not read and more still I have never heard of but now want to read. All in all its a great source of information and I wish I had tracked it down years ago. Its a book you will find yourself going back to time and time again,
March 10, 2019
I've read several of these speculative fiction list guides and this is probably the best one and that's largely due to Pringle's passion for the genre.
The foreward and introduction are VERY important in giving you an idea of what is missed in this list of 100. A bunch of short fiction recommendations are given as a supplement along with some authors before the period that the list confines itself to, some other authors that nearly made the list are named and Pringle is up front that he doesn't have much love for planetary romance.
One glaring shortcoming of the introduction is that although he states that he is restricting himself to English language works, he hardly names any authors outside that language restriction. I wish Pringle hadn't put so many restrictions on and maybe even boosted the list to 150.
After you've read this you can track down...
David Pringle - Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels
Broderick & Di Filippo - Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels 1985-2010
Cawthorn & Moorcock - Fantasy: The 100 Best Books
Andrews & Rennison - 100 Must Read Science Fiction Novels
Andrews & Rennison - 100 Must Read Fantasy Novels
Jones & Newman - Horror: 100 Best Books
Jones & Newman - Horror: Another 100 Best Books
Each of these books has something important the others lack, but of course we still need more of them.
The foreward and introduction are VERY important in giving you an idea of what is missed in this list of 100. A bunch of short fiction recommendations are given as a supplement along with some authors before the period that the list confines itself to, some other authors that nearly made the list are named and Pringle is up front that he doesn't have much love for planetary romance.
One glaring shortcoming of the introduction is that although he states that he is restricting himself to English language works, he hardly names any authors outside that language restriction. I wish Pringle hadn't put so many restrictions on and maybe even boosted the list to 150.
After you've read this you can track down...
David Pringle - Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels
Broderick & Di Filippo - Science Fiction: The 101 Best Novels 1985-2010
Cawthorn & Moorcock - Fantasy: The 100 Best Books
Andrews & Rennison - 100 Must Read Science Fiction Novels
Andrews & Rennison - 100 Must Read Fantasy Novels
Jones & Newman - Horror: 100 Best Books
Jones & Newman - Horror: Another 100 Best Books
Each of these books has something important the others lack, but of course we still need more of them.
April 14, 2024
I thought this would inspire me to Read more science fiction, but to be honest I now feel the opposite. As most readers probably already know, science fiction is quite intellectually demanding, and I now realise that I'm not actually prepared for that journey; it all seems far too serious for a leisurely read.
February 28, 2019
The best book of its kind (perhaps the only one of its kind. Covers the classic era of SF. Belongs on every SF fans bookcase.
Currently reading
August 15, 2016The bulk of Pringle's book lists and describes 100 SF novels written between 1949 and 1984. The list is tremendously inspiring, and I have half a mind to use it as a reading guide and a goal-setting project. I have to admit, however, that I'm not a very disciplined reader and it's unlikely that I'll make it through all of the books.
That said, I've already read about one third of the books listed, so if I exclude those I might actually make it through! But some of those call for a re-read. For example, Orwell's 1984 (the first book on the list, which I read once, back in 1980 so I don't have a clear memory of it).
Aldiss defines SF as "a form of fantastic fiction which exploits the imaginative perspectives of modern science." He excludes two other forms of FF: supernatural horror and heroic fantasy. At that same time, Pringle admits that many sf writers are "eccentric individualists" whose work is sui generis and cannot be pigeonholed into a narrowly defined genre.
As best as I can tell, the authors who appear with most frequency herein are: 1. Philip K. Dick (6 books); 2. J.G. Ballard (4 books); 3. Brian Aldiss (3 books); and 4. Robert Heinlein (3 books). Pringle admits that his list is largely driven by personal preference and that he used the word "best" in the title only to advertise the book. "There cannot be a hundred 'best' of anything," he writes.
Nevertheless, the rising reputations of Dick and Ballard and the perennial love of Heinlein seem to validate Pringle's personal tastes. I'm mostly unfamiliar with Aldiss, so it's hard for me to question his frequency within the 100. (I've read one Aldiss novel and a few short stories.) Several well-loved authors are included twice, including Vonnegut, Simak, Bester, Clarke, Sturgeon, Wyndham, Shaw, Disch, and LeGuin.
In sum, this appears to be an excellent list of suggestions for the post-WW II era of sf novels. It stops at 1984 (the last book on the list is Neuromancer, by Gibson), so if you are looking for anything more current this book isn't for you. Di Filippo did a follow-up book, covering 1985-2010, to which Pringle offered an appreciative Foreward. Title: Science Fiction: the 101 Bet Novels, 1985-2010 (Damien Broderick and Paul Di Filippo). We'll need another update around 2040, at which point I'll either be on death's doorstep or won't be around anymore.
And so it goes.
That said, I've already read about one third of the books listed, so if I exclude those I might actually make it through! But some of those call for a re-read. For example, Orwell's 1984 (the first book on the list, which I read once, back in 1980 so I don't have a clear memory of it).
Aldiss defines SF as "a form of fantastic fiction which exploits the imaginative perspectives of modern science." He excludes two other forms of FF: supernatural horror and heroic fantasy. At that same time, Pringle admits that many sf writers are "eccentric individualists" whose work is sui generis and cannot be pigeonholed into a narrowly defined genre.
As best as I can tell, the authors who appear with most frequency herein are: 1. Philip K. Dick (6 books); 2. J.G. Ballard (4 books); 3. Brian Aldiss (3 books); and 4. Robert Heinlein (3 books). Pringle admits that his list is largely driven by personal preference and that he used the word "best" in the title only to advertise the book. "There cannot be a hundred 'best' of anything," he writes.
Nevertheless, the rising reputations of Dick and Ballard and the perennial love of Heinlein seem to validate Pringle's personal tastes. I'm mostly unfamiliar with Aldiss, so it's hard for me to question his frequency within the 100. (I've read one Aldiss novel and a few short stories.) Several well-loved authors are included twice, including Vonnegut, Simak, Bester, Clarke, Sturgeon, Wyndham, Shaw, Disch, and LeGuin.
In sum, this appears to be an excellent list of suggestions for the post-WW II era of sf novels. It stops at 1984 (the last book on the list is Neuromancer, by Gibson), so if you are looking for anything more current this book isn't for you. Di Filippo did a follow-up book, covering 1985-2010, to which Pringle offered an appreciative Foreward. Title: Science Fiction: the 101 Bet Novels, 1985-2010 (Damien Broderick and Paul Di Filippo). We'll need another update around 2040, at which point I'll either be on death's doorstep or won't be around anymore.
And so it goes.
January 31, 2013
This is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of literary SF. Pringle has selected 100 novels which, for one reason or another, are considered classics and provides an in depth review of each.
Of course, no one is ever going to choose the same 100 novels for such a purpose and there are bound to be eyebrows raised from some quarters at some of the choices. (I would have left out the Asimov selection for instance which Pringle admits in the review was only included out of respect for Asimov's status within the genre.)
Over the last thirty years or so I have ticked off around 96 of these books, many of which have become personal favourites and have broadened my horizons.
Like a fellow reviewer here I would gladly welcome an updated version perhaps selecting another 100 novels from 1985 to date.
One of my bookshelves here by the way (100 best novels) contains books listed in this volume.
Of course, no one is ever going to choose the same 100 novels for such a purpose and there are bound to be eyebrows raised from some quarters at some of the choices. (I would have left out the Asimov selection for instance which Pringle admits in the review was only included out of respect for Asimov's status within the genre.)
Over the last thirty years or so I have ticked off around 96 of these books, many of which have become personal favourites and have broadened my horizons.
Like a fellow reviewer here I would gladly welcome an updated version perhaps selecting another 100 novels from 1985 to date.
One of my bookshelves here by the way (100 best novels) contains books listed in this volume.
March 22, 2014
The writer was very obviously a British snob which was annoying the whole way through the book. Some stories he either sucked at explaining a summary of them, or they are just terrible stories with stupid plots.
He did open my eyes to some books I probably wouldn't have stumbled upon otherwise which is good.
I'm not going to lie, I definitely knew I was going to have a beef with many of the author's opinions when I read that he basically only included an Asimov story because he "had to". Ugh!
He did open my eyes to some books I probably wouldn't have stumbled upon otherwise which is good.
I'm not going to lie, I definitely knew I was going to have a beef with many of the author's opinions when I read that he basically only included an Asimov story because he "had to". Ugh!
March 30, 2015
SF Overview
I enjoyed reading about many high points in the realm of Science Fiction, with a British twist. Looking forward to readings some of the reviewed books.
I enjoyed reading about many high points in the realm of Science Fiction, with a British twist. Looking forward to readings some of the reviewed books.
August 5, 2024
Very highly recommended! How should you go about finding out what you "should" read. Why - let David Pringle tell you, of course!
I must admit that I am a great fan of books "about" science fiction. I have read so many of the general ones that it does become quite predictable, what will they say as they wander through the history of the genre.
Pringle avoids all of this predictable stuff. He jumps straight to the actual "best" books themselves, and dispenses with all of that historical analysis. He does limit himself to the years 1949 to 1984, which does make the whole approach somewhat more manageable. If you like an author, or have heard of a particular book you want to check out, this is the book for you.
If you enjoy this approach, and you like fantasy, you will want to check out his Fantasy: The best 100 novels.
And if you really really like David Pringle's analysis - look for The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction. Unfortunately, that book has not yet made the cut to be listed on this website. The Guide lists 3,000 books of SF, including both novels and collections, with a rating from zero stars to 4 stars. Hmm - zero stars - what a great idea for warning poor unsuspecting readers from unreadable schlock! I'm afraid I got a bit obsessed with the Guide, etc. and bought a lot of SF & F that I will probably never find time to read.
My rating system:
Since Goodreads only allows 1 to 5 stars (no half-stars), you have no option but to be ruthless. I reserve one star for a book that is a BOMB - or poor (equivalent to a letter grade of F, E, or at most D). Progressing upwards, 2 stars is equivalent to C (C -, C or C+), 3 stars (equals to B - or B), 4 stars (equals B+ or A -), and 5 stars (equals A or A+). As a result, I maximize my rating space for good books, and don't waste half or more of that rating space on books that are of marginal quality.
I must admit that I am a great fan of books "about" science fiction. I have read so many of the general ones that it does become quite predictable, what will they say as they wander through the history of the genre.
Pringle avoids all of this predictable stuff. He jumps straight to the actual "best" books themselves, and dispenses with all of that historical analysis. He does limit himself to the years 1949 to 1984, which does make the whole approach somewhat more manageable. If you like an author, or have heard of a particular book you want to check out, this is the book for you.
If you enjoy this approach, and you like fantasy, you will want to check out his Fantasy: The best 100 novels.
And if you really really like David Pringle's analysis - look for The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction. Unfortunately, that book has not yet made the cut to be listed on this website. The Guide lists 3,000 books of SF, including both novels and collections, with a rating from zero stars to 4 stars. Hmm - zero stars - what a great idea for warning poor unsuspecting readers from unreadable schlock! I'm afraid I got a bit obsessed with the Guide, etc. and bought a lot of SF & F that I will probably never find time to read.
My rating system:
Since Goodreads only allows 1 to 5 stars (no half-stars), you have no option but to be ruthless. I reserve one star for a book that is a BOMB - or poor (equivalent to a letter grade of F, E, or at most D). Progressing upwards, 2 stars is equivalent to C (C -, C or C+), 3 stars (equals to B - or B), 4 stars (equals B+ or A -), and 5 stars (equals A or A+). As a result, I maximize my rating space for good books, and don't waste half or more of that rating space on books that are of marginal quality.
April 3, 2020
It’s what it says it is, and hurrah for that. Short précis of 100 books, personally chosen (and notably so — there’s a true curatorial presence behind the scenes here, and not simply a replay of SF’s Recent Hits), half capsule summary and quarter intelligent personal opinion and quarter insightful analysis (he’s especially good, for sf critics, at discussing actual prose and Style [rather than devoting much at all to pedantic “this can’t work” asides or plot quibblings (the Budrys MICHAELMAS being the exception proving the rule)] and where these elements can elevate none-to-original narratives or leaden what would otherwise seem to be enthralling stuff [see all the Disch entries for the former, and Watson’s MIRACLE VISITORS for the latter, to take two examples]). These types of Lets-Talk-About-Stuff-We-Like books aren’t necessarily a dime a dozen (although I’d be okay with that), but they aren’t rare either. And if you’re gonna wade into these waters—flowing between straight encyclopedic cataloguing and more scholarly, concentrated criticism—you could do worse than starting here.
July 31, 2024
David Pringle's Science Fiction, The 100 Best Novels kicks off with a bang with George Orwell's 1984. Pringle spends a great deal of time covering new wave authors such as Philip K Dick, Samuel L. Delany, Ursula K LeGuin and the book ends with William Gibson's classic Neuromancer. The problem with an over emphasis on new wave writers is that the stories are depressing. Book's such as John Brunner's Stand on Zanibar covers dystopias with elements such as feminism (in its extreme form), overpopulation and nihilism. Many authors on this list if they talk about religion at all, it's often in a negative light where the male clergy is always oppressing someone. Pringle, seems to be in pain if there is not an author that carries a left-wing viewpoint. Authors such as Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Asimov and Heinlein are put down in the book. There are a few titles such as Crash by J.G. Ballard that I don't consider to be sci-fi. The list is flawed but it's a decent list.
October 9, 2020
Un libro interesante para conocer algunas novelas de ciencia ficción que se escapan un poco de las lecturas obligadas y clásicas de costumbre. Hay muchas novelas que en su día no estaban traducidas y es evidente que abarca un periodo determinado. Hubiera molado mucho que Pringle hubiese sido capaz de adelantarse a su tiempo y resumir novelas que ni siquiera estaban escritas cuando publicó su libro. Que hablara, por ejemplo, de Ready Player One o The Martian, y así me hubiera ahorrado perder el tiempo intentando leerlas en su día. Es alucinante cómo algunos resúmenes de algunas historias te quita por completo las ganas de leer según qué cosas. En pocas reseñas me han dado ganas de ir en busca del libro y empezar. En fin, que guay y tal.
December 27, 2017
Good introduction into some of the most significant writers and novels withing the genre. However, for me the essays on each particular chosen novel were compromised by too much retelling (and i even avoid reading blurbs as i feel i need to walk into a novel totally virginal). Still, when deciding where to start with your reading, and trying to figure out what it is exactly within the genre that would be most suitable for one's personal tastes, quite useful.
July 3, 2020
From one of the best editors in science fiction, this lively and authoritative guide will appeal to both newcomers and connoisseurs of the genre. Informative and readable, Pringle's choices focus on landmarks by Ray Bradbury, Alfred Bester, and J. G. Ballard, unearth such lesser-known talents as Ian Watson, Octavia Butler, and Joanna Russ, and highlight breakthrough novels by William Gibson and Philip K. Dick.
wasnt keen on the choices
wasnt keen on the choices
April 13, 2018
A pretty good sourcebook in a "what might good to read next?" kind of way. The selections are arranged chronologically. Whether one agrees with the choices is not the point. Some of these books I hadn't even heard of, and I'll give them a chance now.
July 10, 2020
Interesting selections. I didn't agree with all but found it useful anyway. Short synopsis of each selection. Still relevant. There was a sequel. Stay tuned.
July 18, 2019
First of all, to address the alleged "pro-British" slant which has been much commented on - let's get the facts straight. By my count 26 of the 100 selections here are by British-born authors; 1 is from an American-born writer (John Sladek) working in England when his selection was written; 2 are by a writer from Northern Ireland (Bob Shaw), so I suppose you can include him, and 1 is from an Australian (Damien Broderick). I may have missed somebody, but certainly the non-American percentage hovers around 30% any way you slice it. And Pringle is restricting himself to English-language writers to begin with. I'm an American, and certainly have read plenty of great American SF - but let's be realistic here, this isn't the only country producing worthwhile science fiction, and Pringle's book is still dominated by it.
The book starts with a forward by Michael Moorcock in which he comments a bit on what he feels was ignored - short-story collections in particular, which, again, Pringle chooses to leave out for reasons that he explains in his own thoughtfull 11-page introduction. Pringle is more interested in the literary end of the spectrum than the pulpy one, which may help to account for why he starts his survery in 1949, the year of "1984", rather than, say, 1939, the year of Asimov, Van Vogt and Heinlein's ascension. This "bias" it seems to me makes the book far more worthy decades on than it might otherwise have been - many of these works don't feel nearly as dated as some of the work more deliberately aimed at genre audiences (though to be fair, most of his selection certainly are from "genre" authors). He's interested primarily in books that work as much as novels about the human condition, as they do as explorations of science fictional concepts.
Rather than list every book included (which you can find out readily enough from a variety of places , including a review here - and which I think might spoil your fun in browsing the book, so please don't!) I'll just give a rundown of the most-named writers, which should give you some idea as to whether this book might be still interesting or not:
Philip K. Dick - 6 novels chosen
J.G. Ballard - 4
Brian R. Aldiss, Thomas M. Disch, Robert Heinlein - 3 each
Alfred Bester, Ray Bradbury, Algis Budrys, Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula K. LeGuin, Michael Moorcock, Frederick Pohl, Bob Shaw, Clifford D. Simak, Theodore Sturgeon, Kurt Vonnegut, Ian Watson, Gene Wolfe (1 of his selections is for the 4-volume series "The Book of the New Sun"), John Wyndham - 2 each
Few of the books selected will be completely obscure to the specialist, but few are world-famous outside of the genre either. A great rundown then, with all the caveats that come from being one man's personal choices - some of the famous books NOT listed include "Ringworld", "Stranger in a Strange Land", "The Gods Themselves", "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" (but do any of these really need more hype?) - but also few of the concessions to generic taste or the lowest common denominator that a more populist book might make. Obviously now quite dated - there are certainly books that would be contenders for most lists from the past 35 years, and the field has grown vastly more diverse - but still pretty worthwhile I think for those who loving poring over and arguing over lists, and want one that is well-argued and personal.
The book starts with a forward by Michael Moorcock in which he comments a bit on what he feels was ignored - short-story collections in particular, which, again, Pringle chooses to leave out for reasons that he explains in his own thoughtfull 11-page introduction. Pringle is more interested in the literary end of the spectrum than the pulpy one, which may help to account for why he starts his survery in 1949, the year of "1984", rather than, say, 1939, the year of Asimov, Van Vogt and Heinlein's ascension. This "bias" it seems to me makes the book far more worthy decades on than it might otherwise have been - many of these works don't feel nearly as dated as some of the work more deliberately aimed at genre audiences (though to be fair, most of his selection certainly are from "genre" authors). He's interested primarily in books that work as much as novels about the human condition, as they do as explorations of science fictional concepts.
Rather than list every book included (which you can find out readily enough from a variety of places , including a review here - and which I think might spoil your fun in browsing the book, so please don't!) I'll just give a rundown of the most-named writers, which should give you some idea as to whether this book might be still interesting or not:
Philip K. Dick - 6 novels chosen
J.G. Ballard - 4
Brian R. Aldiss, Thomas M. Disch, Robert Heinlein - 3 each
Alfred Bester, Ray Bradbury, Algis Budrys, Arthur C. Clarke, Ursula K. LeGuin, Michael Moorcock, Frederick Pohl, Bob Shaw, Clifford D. Simak, Theodore Sturgeon, Kurt Vonnegut, Ian Watson, Gene Wolfe (1 of his selections is for the 4-volume series "The Book of the New Sun"), John Wyndham - 2 each
Few of the books selected will be completely obscure to the specialist, but few are world-famous outside of the genre either. A great rundown then, with all the caveats that come from being one man's personal choices - some of the famous books NOT listed include "Ringworld", "Stranger in a Strange Land", "The Gods Themselves", "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" (but do any of these really need more hype?) - but also few of the concessions to generic taste or the lowest common denominator that a more populist book might make. Obviously now quite dated - there are certainly books that would be contenders for most lists from the past 35 years, and the field has grown vastly more diverse - but still pretty worthwhile I think for those who loving poring over and arguing over lists, and want one that is well-argued and personal.
May 27, 2016
This book is basically a list, with synopses and some criticism. As with most books of this sort, the selections are highly subjective and, sometimes, seemingly arbitrary. You will not always agree with this, especially if you are well-read in the genre, but that is as it should be.
As an introduction to sf, this book does have some flaws. The exclusion of short story collections and anthologies is a major one, as many significant authors of the period covered (1948-84) were best represented by short fiction, and several anthologies changed the genre (I'm thinking mostly of Dangerous Visions, but there were many others). Another possible fault is that there is little to no beginner's sf here. The author is well-versed in the field, and expects the reader to be as well.
It is as an overview that this book excels. Major themes, such as esp and time/space travel, are represented, as are major subgenres. There are a few books listed out of obligation more than personal regard (Dune), but the author is more likely to suggest an author's work he prefers over one more popular (hence the absence of Stranger in a Strange Land as opposed to Heinlein's earlier works). Whatever effect this has on, ahem, objectivity, this does help ensure a certain enthusiasm throughout.
Which is good, as Pringle tends to be a little dry. Yes, this is a reference book, and as such a certain detached air is to be expected, but the occasional occurrences of personal preference are certainly welcome, and the rare sarcasm regarding works listed despite his taste are cheering, as well.
If I'm only garnering this book with such measured praise, why five stars? For one, it is an incredibly useful overview of sf as a whole. More subjectively, it has pointed out many books and authors that may have escaped my notice otherwise. That is something to be celebrated.
As an introduction to sf, this book does have some flaws. The exclusion of short story collections and anthologies is a major one, as many significant authors of the period covered (1948-84) were best represented by short fiction, and several anthologies changed the genre (I'm thinking mostly of Dangerous Visions, but there were many others). Another possible fault is that there is little to no beginner's sf here. The author is well-versed in the field, and expects the reader to be as well.
It is as an overview that this book excels. Major themes, such as esp and time/space travel, are represented, as are major subgenres. There are a few books listed out of obligation more than personal regard (Dune), but the author is more likely to suggest an author's work he prefers over one more popular (hence the absence of Stranger in a Strange Land as opposed to Heinlein's earlier works). Whatever effect this has on, ahem, objectivity, this does help ensure a certain enthusiasm throughout.
Which is good, as Pringle tends to be a little dry. Yes, this is a reference book, and as such a certain detached air is to be expected, but the occasional occurrences of personal preference are certainly welcome, and the rare sarcasm regarding works listed despite his taste are cheering, as well.
If I'm only garnering this book with such measured praise, why five stars? For one, it is an incredibly useful overview of sf as a whole. More subjectively, it has pointed out many books and authors that may have escaped my notice otherwise. That is something to be celebrated.
June 6, 2014
I feel as if Pringle and i are kindred spirits. He created a list of the 100 BEST science fiction novels yet most of his discussions are quite negative nancyish. It reminds me of my review of SF Hall of Fame, vol 1 (a childhood fave), to which someone commented something like, "This is possibly the most negative 4-star review i've ever read." I laughed, i smiled, i saw myself through another's eyes. That's kinda what i look for and love most about SF and about talking about books, moments of insight, about oneself, about identity, about Humanity.
David Pringle does something similarly wonderful and dangerous for us: he puts his Self on every page.
I especially loved his grumblemumble assessment of the lone Isaac Asimov novel. Pringle did NOT wanna include even one book by this beloved American icon, but the star of his disdain wasn't quite massive enough to become a black hole of unmovable hatred, and so the nearly irresistible force of presumed outside editorial pressures pushed The End of Eternity past Pringle's not-quite event horizon and a supernova of literary awesomeness exploded onto pages 53-54. I basked in its unintentional humor.
How will you know whether you should override a particular novel's implicit recommendation (ie, being in Pringle's Top 100) by (a) your personal SF fancies and/or (b) Pringle's negatively slanted discussion? That's what makes this book/list such a delightful challenge. You'll have to read closely, not only the words on the page, but also your self.
Enjoy the quest.
David Pringle does something similarly wonderful and dangerous for us: he puts his Self on every page.
I especially loved his grumblemumble assessment of the lone Isaac Asimov novel. Pringle did NOT wanna include even one book by this beloved American icon, but the star of his disdain wasn't quite massive enough to become a black hole of unmovable hatred, and so the nearly irresistible force of presumed outside editorial pressures pushed The End of Eternity past Pringle's not-quite event horizon and a supernova of literary awesomeness exploded onto pages 53-54. I basked in its unintentional humor.
How will you know whether you should override a particular novel's implicit recommendation (ie, being in Pringle's Top 100) by (a) your personal SF fancies and/or (b) Pringle's negatively slanted discussion? That's what makes this book/list such a delightful challenge. You'll have to read closely, not only the words on the page, but also your self.
Enjoy the quest.
July 15, 2014
I wish this book had been titled, Science Fiction: MY favorite 100 novels. I can see what authors Mr. Pringle likes (Dick, Heinlein, Moorcock, to name a few) and what his taste in sci-fi is and can even probably determine his age, but objectively speaking (if I am in fact, being objective) I think a lot of novels that should have been in the top 100 were left off off his list. Of course we all have our opinions of what the best science fiction is, and if you like science fiction that usually means you love it and therefore probably have strong opinions, so if you find you share his tastes then this is the 100 for you.
December 30, 2007
This is an excellent overview of some classic science fiction novels. I appreciated the author's recommendation of some less well known authors and their work; for example, The Paradox Men by Charles Harness, which he compares favorably with comparable works by A. E. Van Vogt (one of my personal favorite science fiction authors). For every lesser known work their are several renowned classics listed. The result is a great source for recommendations of novels to read or reread and an excellent place for neophytes to begin to discover the genre.
December 14, 2013
I was very lucky to find this book on a second-hand shop 23 years ago! I like the economic way Pringle writes about noteworthy sf-novels, and I have no big complaints about his choices. It has also been interesting to check which ones have been translated into Finnish. It's naturally a bit outdated by now, ending on the year 1984...
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