A few years ago, my friend James (aware of my interest in science fiction) sent me this flowchart based on the NPR’s Top 100 Sci-Fi and Fantasy books.
For a few months I used it to select new books and I found that almost every book I read was a good one. I decided that I was going to read every single book on this list. At the time of writing this post, I have read just under 40 of these books, and I feel it’s a good time to do a bit of reflecting.
- As embarrassing as this is to admit, I’ve never read the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I enjoyed the movies, but historically I have been more of a science fiction reader. It is ranked number 1 on the list, so I’ll save the best for last.
- The one series that has stuck in my mind more than any other is The Culture Series by Ian M. Banks. The Player of Games is the second book in the series and probably my favorite so far. I love strategy games, and feel very jealous that one of the characters is able to devote his life to playing games.
- If you have not read a lot of science fiction, the place to start is Ender’s Game. My wife has never watched an episode of Star Trek, but she enjoyed reading this not-so-distant future story about aliens and child soldiers. It’s exciting and it doesn’t require the same level of dedication as many of the other books or series on this list.
- Fantasy is an awesome genre. The Crystal Cave tells the Arthurian legend from Merlin’s point of view. Wicked tells the Wizard of Oz story from the witch’s point of view. My favorite so far has been The Way of Kings, with it’s deep and complex characters, exciting storyline, and awesome world created by Sanderson.
I am currently reading Neuromancer but will need a new one soon. I am open to recommendations but I think this list is put together so well, I will enjoy whatever the next adventure is.
The Physics Boss 