Have you read this yet?

A lot of people come to science fiction and fantasy today and get confused sometimes because so much of the literature is built upon what has been written before. To help catch up, here’s a ramble-ordered list, some classic, some not so-classic, broken down by author first of books that I think are important or are just fun to read in both science fiction and fantasy.

I will be slowly updating this list (else I won’t get any work done), so check back from time to time.

When reading older books, please first look at the original copyright date and recall what sort of world the book was written in. For some of these older books you have to increase your “willing disbelief” more than you would for books today because the world has changed that much.

• Books by Robert A. Heinlein

  Pretty much everything by Heinlein is worth a read but these are particularly recommended:

  • The Moon is a Harsh Mistress

    I consider this to be better than the oft-recommended Stranger in a Strange Land

  • Time for the Stars

    This is probably the first book to read when considering star travel. Dated, but worth it.

• Books by Isaac Asimov

  Isaac wrote amazing stuff that has, sadly, become slightly dated. But he can sling a noun against a verb and make ’em kiss, which is rare enough in most writing. Check some of his non-fiction (such as Worlds of Carbon) to see how textbooks really should be written!

  • The Foundation Trilogy

    This is a thought-provoking must-read. You may only read it once but you’ll remember it.

  • I, Robot

    Not the verkakte movie! Read the book. Be amazed!

• Books by Alexei Panshin

  Alexei Panshin is unknown to many people but his first book won a Nebula Award.

  • Rite of Passsage

    This is a great book which well-deserved its Nebula Award.

• Books by Roger Zelazny

  Roger Zelazny was one science-fiction’s most brilliant stars.

  • Lord of Light

    This award-winning book is a classic that hasn’t been topped, ever.

  • Nine Princes in Amber

    Zelazny is probably most famous for his semi-fantasy Amber series of which this is the first. Definitely worth a read.

• Books by James Blish

  Jim Blish wrote many, many marvelous books and was one of the first to write novelizations for Star Trek.

  • Cities in Flight

    This is four books in one and hard to find nowadays but a must-read for anyone who wants to think about star travel or claim to understand science fiction. A true blockbuster.

• Books by Frank Herbert

  Frank Herbert has a wide range of books but there is only one Dune. It’s a seminal work, a must-read.

  • Dune

    This is the classic. A definite must-read. And re-read!

• Books by Keith Laumer

  Keith Laumer had a truly interesting take on things, being a member of the US diplomatic corps.

  • Bolo

    This is a marvelous collection of short stories built around the concept of robotic (AI) tanks. One of my favorites is classic short story, The Night of the Trolls.

  • Retief

    Keith wrote a whole series of books about Jame Retief, a low-ranking official in the Terran Diplomatic Corps. Retief solves many interstellar problems whiel also dealing with the bureaucracy of the Diplomatic Corps.

• Books by David Weber

  David Weber is a newer writer. He writes what is often called mil-sf (military science fiction) or sometimes space opera (a disparaging term for stories that take place in space). His Honor Harrington series is an expanding collection of New York Times bestselling books and recommended reading for those applying to the Naval Academy at Annapolis. The books are not only a lot of fun but reflect his interest in the workings of different types of governments. Thought-provoking and fun.

  • On Basilisk Station

    This is the first in the Honor Harrington series. Start here, keep going, first star on the right. (Hint: Buy a lot of ’em at once, you’ll be reading them all anyway.)

• Books by Lois McMaster Bujold

  Lois is a Nebula- and Hugo- award winning author, most famous for her Miles Vorkosigan series. Where David Weber tends to write mil-sf that is sociological in nature, Lois’ works are more psychological. The two are such complements that for a long while I thought there were writing in cahoots with each other!

  • Shards of Honor
    Cordelia’s Honor

    The first book in the original series was Shards of Honor but nowadays you’ll find the various books in omnibus volumes, so the new book to start with is Cordelia’s Honor. A lot of people started with the third book, The Warrior’s Apprentice, and worked back – I believe that book is now in the omnibus Young Miles.