Hatrack River Forum: What Greatest SF Novel?

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Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Well. This is the place for nominations for Greatest SF Novel (of all time).

Here's the rules for nomination. You nominate, someone else seconds it (and preferably not a second alias of yours), and then the novel will be put on the list.

The list will be compiled and I'll find a random way to scamble it (the slips of paper in a hat method works for me). Then we will vote in a poll, or series of polls, set up on Sakeriver.

Nominations?

Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :

Didn't we already do this?

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

We did author. Funny, I thought the same thing when I came across the Dune thread.

Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :

Sorry, what I meant to say is "Didn't we do this recently." Implying that, if we had done it recently, we'd be polling the same people and the result would be essentially the same.

Anyway, sorry to have irked you, Elaine.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

I was irked? Only as a palindrome....

[ August 11, 2004, 11:16 AM: Message edited by: Erik Slaine ]

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

Ender's Game [Smile]

Posted by St. Yogi (Member # 5974) on :

Speaker for the Dead

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Do you consider "Greatest SF Novel" to be synonymous with "my favorite SF novel"? I hadn't thought about it before, but I don't. China Mountain Zhang is my favorite SF novel, but I'd hesitate to classify it as the Greatest. That's funny. I'll have to think about that a little more. Seems like they should be synonymous.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

A line from China Mountain Zhang made it into the back of my planner. [Smile]

Good book.

[ August 10, 2004, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: katharina ]

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

What's the line?

Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :

You realize, of course, that you're going to get a slightly biased cross section of novels? Perhaps "The Collected Works Of OSC" should count as one book [Razz]

Anyway, I'm going to put in a plug for my good buddy William Gibson and call for Neuromancer to be added to the list.

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

quote:
Sunset used to depress me. But I learned in Baffin Island, you've just got to remember the light, keep it inside you, and wait. The sun comes back every morning.

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :

Robotech!

Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :

The Greatest SF Novel ever, will be mine--
"Fanticide"--due out, by the turn of the next century, but I am sure the movie will be following quickly.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Well, favorite and greatest are two different things to me. I might nominate 1984, but my favorite is still The Wild Shore by Kim Stanley Robinson--probably not even KSR's best.

There is a difference.

Posted by Amanecer (Member # 4068) on :

I second Ender's Game. [Big Grin]

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

I, Robot.

I want to nominated Bradbury, but all his great stuff is collected short fiction.

Can we nominate more than one?

How about The Lathe of Heaven?

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Good taste, Annie.

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

I have impeccable taste. [Smile]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Isn't I Robot a collection of Short Stories?

I'm gonna have to limit it to Novels only.

But feel free to nominate more than one, if you wish. Someone else will have to second it.

So far we have Ender's Game by OSC.

Big surprise here....

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

quote:
Isn't I, Robot a collection of Short Stories?

heh... um, yeah, I meant.... I'M AWESOME.

(I still have impeccable taste)

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

I second the fact that Annie is awesome. [Big Grin]

Posted by newfoundlogic (Member # 3907) on :

How Few Remain can represent the alternative history nom, especially since its spawned three equally good trilogies.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

People were pretty disappointed with the Greatest SF Movie nominations.

Hope that doesn't happen here....

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

Are we only allowed one nomination? I have a handful that I cherish and choosing one would be tantamount to telling your brood that you loved one better than the others.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

quote:
But feel free to nominate more than one, if you wish. Someone else will have to second it.

Posted by Lupus (Member # 6516) on :

I also go with Enders Game.

I never was a huge scifi fan (I read it some, but not all that regularly)...I really enjoy fantasy more. But I picked up xenocide at my parents house one day when I was visiting. I liked it, so I decided to pick up Enders Game, and I was blown away.

[ August 10, 2004, 06:56 PM: Message edited by: Lupus ]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Look, I love that novel as well, but there must be some other novels that rate.

Okay, I'll just have to second Annie's Lathe of Heaven.

Any new nominations or seconds?

<--Feelin' Snarky too!

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

Do I have to say it?

Dune.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

But of course I will second that!

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

I nominate Earth Abides by George Stewart, The Mote In God's Eye by Niven and Pournelle, Ringworld by Larry Niven, and Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Thank you, punwit!

I've already seconded enough.

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

quote:
Ringworld by Larry Niven, and Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke.

I'll second these... haven't read the other two.

And how about Rendezvous with Rama by Clarke?

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

P.S. - that's all, I swear.

P.P.S. - Except for maybe There are Doors by Gene Wolfe. (thank you Saxy!)

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

I'll second Rendevous With Rama , although I liked Ringworld better. I'm not sure why I correlate those works, maybe I read them in the same time period.

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

I have to nominate RAMA II by Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee...thought it was much better than Rendezvous, and that was a great book in itself.

I don't know if it counts as Sci-fi, but I'm nominating 1984 by George Orwell. Technically it was science fiction when it was written...we can argue all day if it is now, hehe.

And lastly, The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Blew me away.

(edit 'cause I don't know how to spell Clarke's first name [Roll Eyes]

)

[ August 10, 2004, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: Javert ]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

I did not like Rama II nearly as much as the first one.

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

Annie, I can bring Earth Abides with me to KamaCon if you want to borrow it...

FG

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

Porter: Boo, hiss! [Wink]

But seriously, I liked RAMA II better because I was able to care about the characters. Redezvous is a great story, and it portrays an incredible event, but I just don't give a fig what happens to the people in it.

(Technically, I should probably nominate Garden of Rama and Rama Revealed since they're part of the same story as II.)

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

Farmgirl, If you have a copy you must have liked it. How about a second?

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

[Blushing]

I'm trying real hard to remember the story line -- it's been quite a long time since I read it.. [Blushing]

*runs to get it*

Farmgirl

edit: okay I got it and scanned it. Yep, I remember it well now. I'll give you a "second" on it as a very good Sci-Fi, but there is no way it compares to Ender's Game. Earth Abides is just a little...heavier...harder to reach into emotionally.

[ August 10, 2004, 08:31 PM: Message edited by: Farmgirl ]

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

I guess I also question whether Earth Abides is Sci-Fi.

I went through quite a stage where I was reading everyting that was....what do they call it?.... post-apocalyptic? End of the world type stories. Like Last Ship and On the Beach and my personal all-time favorite: Alas, Babylon,

However, does those really count as Sci-Fi?

Farmgirl

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

If they do FG, I second On the Beach.

Even though the stupid book made me cry! [Mad]

Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :

I wholeheartedly second 1984.

It's not my favourite SF novel by a long shot (favourites change constantly), but there is no doubt in my mind that it is the greatest novel ever written.

Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :

This isn't me nominating another book.

This is someone else who insists that we don't forget about The War of the Worlds.

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

I nominate Cat's Cradle and Foundation and I second Speaker for the Dead.

-Bok

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Has anyone nominated Battlefield Earth yet?

Posted by Fitz (Member # 4803) on :

I'll second Rama II, and nominate Titan, by John Varley. Because Varley belongs on any list that has the words "great" and "sci-fi" in it. Unless that list is "Not so great sci-fi."

Posted by HollowEarth (Member # 2586) on :

Fail Safe

Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :

I'll second Foundation.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Annie already seconded Ringworld, so I guess I won't. [Wink]

But I will second Mote in God's Eye.

I nominate Legacy of Heorot, by Niven, Pournelle, and Barnes; Octavia Butler's Dawn (first of the Xenogenesis trilogy); and l'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time.

Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :

riv,

I woulda figured you for a LeGuin fan.

fallow

PS. kinda shocked.

Posted by imogen (Member # 5485) on :

I second Dawn and A Wrinkle in Time.

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

I've read some LeGuin, and enjoyed them. A bit too surreal for my taste, though. I like books that make me think; but not (as much) books that I can't figure out what the heck to think. And some of her books just move so slowly. *shrug* To each his/her own.

Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :

too surreal? I've always found her to be one of the more calm and sensible authors in the Sci-Fi genre. populated with the socially malleable, sure, but hardly surreal!

*shrugs*

fallow

PS. I'm talking #$%*!. I still crave anything the Thieve's World folks might care to put forth.

[ August 11, 2004, 02:00 AM: Message edited by: fallow ]

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

I'll second the Titan nomination.

Edit to add that I have to agree with rivka that some of Le Guins works make me feel like I'm wading.

[ August 11, 2004, 03:23 AM: Message edited by: punwit ]

Posted by Audeo (Member # 5130) on :

I nominate The Giver by Lois Lowry (even though it's YA, it's still Sci-fi), and A Brave New World which I never read, but I listened to it on tape and it was an absolutely awesome book. I'll third The Mote in God's Eye for what it's worth. I love that book too. Will we get to vote on these or will it just be a long list when we're done?

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :

Nominations:

Philip K. Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

Greg Bear - Eternity

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Audeo, the voting will be at sakeriver, which allows for polling.

And I second The Giver.

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

I would "third" The Giver and A Wrinkle in Time.

I can't bring myself to really like Brave New World anymore since we had to debate it in a Western Civ class at KU, endlessly, until it stripped all enjoyment of the book for me.

Farmgirl

Posted by Lost Ashes (Member # 6745) on :

My nominations: Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Niven/Pournelles Legacy of Heorot .

And someday, maybe, Deacon's Beacon.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Here's the List: (* if seconded)

Ender's Game*
Speaker for the Dead*
Nueromancer
The Lathe of Heaven*
How Few Remain
Dune*
Earth Abides*
The Mote in God's Eye*
Ringworld*
Childhood's End*
Rendevous With Rama*
Rama II*
1984*
There are Doors
On the Beach*
The War of the Worlds
Titan*
Fail Safe
Foundation*
Cat's Cradle
Dawn
A Wrinkle in Time*
The Giver*
Brave New World
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*
Eternity
Starship Troopers
Legacy of Heorot

Thanks for all the nominations. Let's keep this open until tomorrow. The poll will be announced when ready (prob'ly this weekend). Please let me know if there is anything I missed.

And I must second Androids! [Big Grin]

[ August 11, 2004, 01:09 PM: Message edited by: Erik Slaine ]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

I've been thinking about this since yesterday.

I cannot come up with any single book that should be the best science fiction book of all time.

If were were making a top-10 list, I would be all over that action.

But I cannot in good conscience nominate nor second any book as the best one of all time.

Posted by Lost Ashes (Member # 6745) on :

Please count my Nomination of Legacy of Heorot instead as a second for Rivka's nomination.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

No worries mph.

It's just a popularity contest. [Wink]

Posted by skillery (Member # 6209) on :

Frederik Pohl's Gateway

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

Okay ES -- now go back and put that list in alphabetical order, like a good librarian....

FG

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

It's in order of nomination. [Razz]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Yeah, I know what this really means, but I also know what it says, and that is keeping me from participating.

I get hung up on little things that that sometimes.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Feel free to kibbitz, then. [Cool]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Ouch!

*skulks away*

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Hey, I used a cool smiley.... [Dont Know]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

No worries. I didn't even know that word, and when I looked it up, I got

quote:
make unwanted and intrusive comments

I've decided that I'm going to pretend that this is a list of the top 10 science fiction novels of all time.

So I nominate Double Star and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and 2001.

[ August 11, 2004, 12:22 PM: Message edited by: mr_porteiro_head ]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Kibbitzing is also used as friendly banter in gaming. Would be a pretty dead game without it!

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

Childhood's End was seconded by Annie, and Farmgirl sorta seconded Earth Abides.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Updated, thanks!

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

imogen said

quote:
I second Dawn and A Wrinkle in Time.

So Dawn should have a star. As should Legacy of Heorot.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

quote:
So I nominate Double Star and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and 2001.

*ahem*

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Ooop.

Let's try this again....

Here's the List: (* if seconded)

Ender's Game*
Speaker for the Dead*
Nueromancer
The Lathe of Heaven*
How Few Remain
Dune*
Earth Abides*
The Mote in God's Eye*
Ringworld*
Childhood's End*
Rendevous With Rama*
Rama II*
1984*
There are Doors
On the Beach*
The War of the Worlds
Titan*
Fail Safe
Foundation*
Cat's Cradle
Dawn*
A Wrinkle in Time*
The Giver*
Brave New World
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*
Eternity
Starship Troopers
Legacy of Heorot*
Gateway
Double Star
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress*

Sorry mph!

*seconds Harsh Mistress*

[ August 11, 2004, 03:11 PM: Message edited by: Erik Slaine ]

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

[Eek!]

I don't know how you've done it -- but Fallow has posted some very understandable, intelligent posts in this thread..... is this a new trend? [Wink]

Farmgirl

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

quote:
Kibbitzing is also used as friendly banter in gaming

And here I thought it meant living on a communal farm in Israel! [Wink]

I actually feel the same way porter does--it's why I haven't nominated anything until now. I want to play too, though, so I'll nominate a couple that should be on the list:

Ursula K. Leguin's Left Hand of Darkness
David Brin's Kiln People
Theodore Sturgeon's More than Human

...and oh, what the hell, Maureen McHugh's China Mountain Zhang

Elaine, after this is all finished, would you have any interest in doing one for best short SF?

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

It's the influence of the fair rivka, I tell you!

I usually make fallow more random... [Dont Know]

Edit: That sounds fun Noemon!

[ August 11, 2004, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: Erik Slaine ]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

I know it's not a novel, but I second I, Robot anyway.

Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :

Since I see that Eric has already seconded Androids, I would like to nominate The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick and I will second The Left Hand of Darkness.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

I'll second Man in a High Castle. I thought about nominating it myself, actually.

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

I second 2001: A Space Odyssey

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

thrak: a newbie w/taste.

mph: Save individual stories in I Robot for the short story polls.

Noemon and thrak: A freind of mine had the idea to work on a High Castle screenplay. He wanted to represent the old man that the protagonist meets in Aspen with Adolph Hitler as a very ancient man. Subtle. It could work....

Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :

Erik, I think that would work for a High Castle screenplay. I nominated High Castle because I feel it is one of Dick's best, but my personal favorites are Eye in the Sky and A Scanner Darkly.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

A Scanner Darkly is in production right now.

*bounces*

Posted by thrak (Member # 5499) on :

I have heard about a Linklater movie that will be filmed like Waking Life. That would be a very cool adaptation.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

quote:
mph: Save individual stories in I Robot for the short story polls.

That just won't work for me. I don't remember very many specific robot stories. They have melded into one world in my mind.

*seconds I, Robot again* [Razz]

[ August 11, 2004, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: mr_porteiro_head ]

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :

That means I'll have to hurry and read it. Really, I've read a lot of Ph. K. Dick but they never published A Scanner Darkly in Romania... [Grumble]

Edit: Erik, I think we have a malfunctioning one here ! Get me the tools so I can deactivate him... errr... it ! [Razz]

[ August 11, 2004, 04:06 PM: Message edited by: Corwin ]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

I'm enjoying all of these stories of Dick's being brought to the screen today. I always knew that they would make good movies. Some attempts at this are better than others, however.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

mph is cool.

I would have to say that I enjoy short story collections myself, but prefer Dick's short stories almost above all others. The man knew good quick fiction!

But they aren't novels.

Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :

I'd like to nominate The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers and The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe

[ August 11, 2004, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: solo ]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

They aren't novels, is true. But they are so good that they are better novels than many novels, even though they aren't novels. [Razz]

*seconds I, Robot out of pure bull-headedness*

[ August 11, 2004, 04:18 PM: Message edited by: mr_porteiro_head ]

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :

Deactivate !

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Quick-post for pages

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Here's the List: (* if seconded)

Ender's Game*
Speaker for the Dead*
Nueromancer
The Lathe of Heaven*
How Few Remain
Dune*
Earth Abides*
The Mote in God's Eye*
Ringworld*
Childhood's End*
Rendevous With Rama*
Rama II*
1984*
There are Doors
On the Beach*
The War of the Worlds
Titan*
Fail Safe
Foundation*
Cat's Cradle
Dawn*
A Wrinkle in Time*
The Giver*
Brave New World*
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?*
Eternity
Starship Troopers
Legacy of Heorot*
Gateway*
Double Star
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress*
Left Hand of Darkness*
Kiln People
More Than Human
The Man in the High Castle*
2001 a Space Odyssey*
The Anubis Gates
The Book of the New Sun
Flowers for Algernon*
A Boy and His Dog
Stranger in a Strange Land
Slaughterhouse Five
A Clockwork Orange
The Stars My Destination*
A Canticle for Leibowitz
Where the Late Sweet Birds Sang
Red Mars

Newly, really newly updated.

[ August 12, 2004, 11:20 AM: Message edited by: Erik Slaine ]

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :

Erik, I suggest that from now on you update the list at the beginning of this page and just post that it's updated. It's easier to fallow... [Wink]

[ August 11, 2004, 05:00 PM: Message edited by: Corwin ]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

But fallow hasn't expressed any preferences.... [Confused]

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :

fallow, follow... And I put a [Wink]

smiley ! I've lost my funny... [Cry]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

It happens. And just when you least expect, it comes back. [Big Grin]

Posted by Javert (Member # 3076) on :

I'll second Gateway. Even though when I read it I was way too young for the sexual content.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Erik, I could easily be misunderstanding your conversation with porter there, but it *seemed* like you were suggesting that novels were superior to short stories. Were you saying that, or did I misread. If you were saying it, I have to say that I disagree pretty strongly; in fact, most of my favorite pieces of fiction are short stories or novellas. I had kind of a hard time coming up with novels I felt comfortable listing in the "best" list, but my only problem with short stories will be narrowing the list down to a managable level.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Not at all. Novels are not better or more significant than short stories, Or posts for that matter.

But they are two separate things, and, following your suggestion, I intend to do the same for short stories once this mess is over with.

I love several short stories as much as any novel.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

That makes more sense. I thought that I must have misread you.

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

Oooh, ooh, I forgot a favorite one. How about Flowers For Algernon. Not hard Sci-Fi I know but what else would it be classified as?

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

I still refer to that Novel when talking about Alzheimers.

A great novel. [Big Grin]

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

Obviously I'm a Sci-fi whore. I spread my affection indiscriminately but I just thought of another classic, Harlan Ellison's A Boy and His Dog

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

And one of my favorite movies.

"She had good taste." [Big Grin]

Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :

Well, Speakder for the Dead is my favorite book in the world. But, for argument sake, I throw these four books into the ring:

1. Stranger in a Strange Land
2. Slaughterhouse Five
3. A Clockwork Orange
4. The Stand

If I can only nominate one, I'll go with Stranger, since it has the most "science" out of the bunch. [Smile]

[ August 11, 2004, 06:59 PM: Message edited by: Beren One Hand ]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Can we anti-nominate a book?

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

I don't see why not. Not that it will affect anything at all, but it's a free country.

Posted by ssywak (Member # 807) on :

All wrong:

"The Stars My Destination", by Alfred Bester

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Alfred Bester -- wasn't he the Psi-Cop on B5?

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

I'll second The Stars My Destination.

You know, I don't think I've ever gone to more trouble to aquire a book than I did that one. I searched for an affordable copy of it for years, back before the Internet made it easy to do something like that. Honestly I was more than a little disappointed when I finally got to read it, but it wasn't because of any failing of the book itself--I'd just built it up past any possible level of achievable greatness in the years I spent searching for it.

Posted by Cashew (Member # 6023) on :

"A Canticle for Leibowitz"

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

*seconds Flowers for Algernon*

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

quote:

quote:

Kibitzing is also used as friendly banter in gaming
And here I thought it meant living on a communal farm in Israel!

*laughs* No, that would be kibbutzing. [Wink]

To kibitz is to heckle or chide, and can be used both to indicate snide or bantering tone.

quote:
It's the influence of the fair rivka, I tell you!

What did I do now?

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

I second "A Canticle for Leibowitz" and "I, Robot".

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

[ROFL]

Yeah, that's why I put the winking smiley--I was afraid that someone would take me seriously.

I was also worried that someone would actually think that I liked Battlefield Earth, but happily that comment seems to have been either overlooked or taken in the spirit in which it was intended.

[ August 11, 2004, 11:55 PM: Message edited by: Noemon ]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

I actually thought you were serious about the book. But everyone is allowed to be totally wrong on occasion. [Wink]

Posted by graywolfe (Member # 3852) on :

Speaker for the Dead.

Non-Orson material: Not sure if it counts but I LOVED "Darwin's Radio," (hated the sequel) and I loved Dan Simmons' "Hyperion" series.

Posted by Ryan Hart (Member # 5513) on :

I second Flowers for Algernon and Brave New World.

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

Really rivka? Just for the record, I think that Battlefield Earth may be the *very* worst SF novel I've ever had the unfortunate expereince of reading. It is horribly, horribly bad.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

quote:
Alfred Bester -- wasn't he the Psi-Cop on B5?

I just figured it out! Alfred Bester was a Psi-Cop on Babylon 5. But first, a more different Alfred Bester wrote The Demolished Man, a book which was obviously the template for Babylon5's telepaths.

I'm not going to nominate it for best novel, but I highly recommend The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester, written in 1953.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Also, I nominate Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm.

Oh -- also Red Mars.

[ August 12, 2004, 10:48 AM: Message edited by: mr_porteiro_head ]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

Noem, I haven't read it, but I've heard enough about it to be glad of the fact. [Wink]

But I do know at least a person or two who have affection for the book. [Dont Know]

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

I read the first 1/4 of the book, and it seemed OK...

But I got distracted and never got back to it, so it could have been that great...

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

I've always been a sucker for the whole "humanity pulling itself up from the ashes" subgenre, so I was really predisposed to like this book. It's been over a decade since I've read it, so the details are pretty fuzzy for me at this point, but I remember that among other problems, the book had the most poorly drawn aliens I've ever seen.

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

What do you mean? John Travolta is a decent-looking guy. [Dont Know]

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

[Laugh]

porter

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

Hey Beren, I'll second Slaughterhouse 5, if you second Cat's Cradle!

-Bok

[ August 12, 2004, 11:22 AM: Message edited by: Bokonon ]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Bumpdated.

Posted by Vera (Member # 2094) on :

Am I the only CJ Cherryh fan?
I'll nominate Cyteen.

[ August 12, 2004, 12:21 PM: Message edited by: Vera ]

Posted by blacwolve (Member # 2972) on :

I second Kiln People.

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

I read Battlefield Earth about a quarter century ago and don't remember many details other than the fact that it was gigantic. I don't think I would call it the worst I've ever read but I concur that it doesn't belong on a list of best Sci-fi novel ever.

[ August 12, 2004, 12:45 PM: Message edited by: punwit ]

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

What would you call the worst, punwit?

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

It's hard to say what the worst is -- bad books just don't stick in your brain the way good ones do.

I've read some stinkers in my day, but I cannot bring any to mind right now.

Posted by Space Opera (Member # 6504) on :

I'll second "Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang." I don't think it will win, but darn that was a good book.

space opera

Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :

The Martian Chronicles by Bradbury.

[Smile]

Posted by punwit (Member # 6388) on :

I've had books I just couldn't finish. Those are the ones I would slap "the worst" appellation on. While I don't remember much of the story simply the fact that I was able to digest the whole thing removes it from my "worst" list.

Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :

I read a book that was called Guerilla something, that was sooooo bad that I knew I'll never read anything (SF) worse than that. Up to now, it proved true...

Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :

Wasn't it though, SO? I love that book.

Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :

quote:
Hey Beren, I'll second Slaughterhouse 5, if you second Cat's Cradle!

Done my friend.

I Beren One Hand, hereby second Cat's Cradle... so on and so forth. [Smile]

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

I hereby nominate Kilgore Trout's Mouth Hungry.

Posted by odouls268 (Member # 2145) on :

The Worthing Saga

Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :

I second Slaughterhouse 5!

[Smile]

-Bok

Posted by Beren One Hand (Member # 3403) on :

[Big Grin]

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

It's funny though--it was a tough book to find. Somehow it was in the erotica section of a sleazy used bookstore.

Or...so I'm told. By...by the guy who sold it to me at the...uh...church booksale. Yeah, that's the ticket, the church booksale. All the proceeds went to, um, orphans. Or something. Yeah. Well,

::clears throat, cocks head, pretends to hear someone calling::

What? Oh! Okay, I'm coming!

Listen, gotta run. Anyway, you should see the cover on this thing. It's something else.

Bye!

Posted by fallow (Member # 6268) on :

Ali was the Greatest. We all know that. And, I can't pop a single memory of an SF novel about the guy (even loosely analogistic) out of my memory stacks...

If there were, that would get my vote.

fallow

Posted by the_Somalian (Member # 6688) on :

Dune.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Okay, one day and a weird virus later, the nominations are officially closed.

I will compile results and post them Here:

Sakeriver Nomination Results

Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :

[Frown]

Nobody seconded Mouth Hungry. Do none of you recognize good SF when you see it?

[Edited to say "Oh, the humanity"]

[ August 13, 2004, 11:40 AM: Message edited by: Noemon ]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Updated list now available on sakeriver. [Big Grin]

Thanks Hatrack!

Posted by TimeTim (Member # 2768) on :

If the nominations were still open I would nominate the entire War Against the Chtorr series by David Gerrold. Specifically, A Matter for Men and A Season for Slaughter.

And I really liked Battlefield Earth. Definitely not greatest of all time, but certainly up in the top 100.