Comments on: The Greatest Science Fiction Novels of the 20th Century http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/ Things I want to remember - James Wallace Harris Sat, 19 Jul 2008 10:30:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU By: Some good reads « Melancholygeek http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-997 Some good reads « Melancholygeek Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:11:29 +0000 http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-997 [...] a more general SciFi note, James Wallace Harris does a nice rundown on the greatest Science Fiction novels of the 20th century over at Auxiliary [...] [...] a more general SciFi note, James Wallace Harris does a nice rundown on the greatest Science Fiction novels of the 20th century over at Auxiliary [...]

]]> By: jameswharris http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-837 jameswharris Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:54:32 +0000 http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-837 For the Classics of Science Fiction I don't decide what's on the list. That was the whole purpose of creating the list. The Classics of Science Fiction was created from cross tabulating 28 lists of best science fiction books. These lists included fan polls covering four decades, lists made by critical authorities, award listings, etc. Any book on 6 of the 28 lists was included in the Classics of Science Fiction. The Left Hand of Darkness is a major classic - it was on 24 of the 28 lists. By the way, I read The Lathe of Heaven years ago and liked it a lot. There was even a TV version - that helps promote a book towards being a classic. And staying in print, like your new edition is another good sign. If I do an update for the future maybe Lathe will have gotten on more lists. Jim For the Classics of Science Fiction I don’t decide what’s on the list. That was the whole purpose of creating the list. The Classics of Science Fiction was created from cross tabulating 28 lists of best science fiction books. These lists included fan polls covering four decades, lists made by critical authorities, award listings, etc. Any book on 6 of the 28 lists was included in the Classics of Science Fiction.

The Left Hand of Darkness is a major classic - it was on 24 of the 28 lists.

By the way, I read The Lathe of Heaven years ago and liked it a lot. There was even a TV version - that helps promote a book towards being a classic. And staying in print, like your new edition is another good sign.

If I do an update for the future maybe Lathe will have gotten on more lists.

Jim

]]> By: Anna http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-836 Anna Thu, 27 Mar 2008 21:42:48 +0000 http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-836 Hi - I notice you list Ursula Le Guin's "Left Hand of Darkness". Now, I'm biased, but I think you've left out her great novel, "The Lathe of Heaven". It just so happens that I'm in charge of reissuing it next month with a brand-spankin' new cover and interior. I'll be happy to send you a copy for persuasion purposes. Feel free to email me your contact info and one will be in the mail asap. -Anna Hi - I notice you list Ursula Le Guin’s “Left Hand of Darkness”. Now, I’m biased, but I think you’ve left out her great novel, “The Lathe of Heaven”. It just so happens that I’m in charge of reissuing it next month with a brand-spankin’ new cover and interior.
I’ll be happy to send you a copy for persuasion purposes. Feel free to email me your contact info and one will be in the mail asap.
-Anna

]]> By: Carl V. http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-832 Carl V. Wed, 26 Mar 2008 05:20:47 +0000 http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-832 I think it is a legitimate concern because there are so many amazing classic and contemporary science fiction and fantasy novels out there that the general public will not read simply because of ignorance in regards to the genre. And I think science fiction films actually hurt the market for the books among non-sci fi fans because most sci fi films can be broadly categorized as being cut from the same cloth that readers won't necessarily make the leap to see that not all sf literature is Star Wars and Star Trek. That is why I would like to see a more comprehensive list that doesn't just include the books most people have heard of, like The Lord of the Rings or Dune. While I hold both up as classics in their genre I tend to wonder if those voting on 'best of' lists pick books like that solely based on name recognition and not on their merits as literary works. I think it is a legitimate concern because there are so many amazing classic and contemporary science fiction and fantasy novels out there that the general public will not read simply because of ignorance in regards to the genre. And I think science fiction films actually hurt the market for the books among non-sci fi fans because most sci fi films can be broadly categorized as being cut from the same cloth that readers won’t necessarily make the leap to see that not all sf literature is Star Wars and Star Trek.

That is why I would like to see a more comprehensive list that doesn’t just include the books most people have heard of, like The Lord of the Rings or Dune. While I hold both up as classics in their genre I tend to wonder if those voting on ‘best of’ lists pick books like that solely based on name recognition and not on their merits as literary works.

]]> By: jameswharris http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-829 jameswharris Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:07:17 +0000 http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-829 I was inspired to write this blog entry because so often when I'm talking to my bookworm friends they don't have a clue about the famous books of science fiction. From my mental viewpoint I find it hard that everyone doesn't know who Robert A. Heinlein is, but time and again I meet people, young and old, and they draw a blank when I mention his name. Sure, we the science fiction fans know, but the general world of readers and non-readers evidently find the world of science fiction invisible. That is book SF. I'd say most Americans have heard the term science fiction, but they don't associate it with books, but television and movies. And as Steve Jobs has pointed out, half the country doesn't read for fun anyway. Maybe I'm expecting too much. I doubt I could name any of the classic writers of romance fiction. I know zip about the ballet. I guess I'm just feeling a little isolated in my sub-culture. Jim I was inspired to write this blog entry because so often when I’m talking to my bookworm friends they don’t have a clue about the famous books of science fiction. From my mental viewpoint I find it hard that everyone doesn’t know who Robert A. Heinlein is, but time and again I meet people, young and old, and they draw a blank when I mention his name.

Sure, we the science fiction fans know, but the general world of readers and non-readers evidently find the world of science fiction invisible. That is book SF. I’d say most Americans have heard the term science fiction, but they don’t associate it with books, but television and movies.

And as Steve Jobs has pointed out, half the country doesn’t read for fun anyway.

Maybe I’m expecting too much. I doubt I could name any of the classic writers of romance fiction. I know zip about the ballet. I guess I’m just feeling a little isolated in my sub-culture.

Jim

]]> By: Carl V. http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-827 Carl V. Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:56:19 +0000 http://jameswharris.wordpress.com/2008/03/25/the-greatest-science-fiction-novels-of-the-20th-century/#comment-827 Very interesting thoughts. Having recently read and fell in love with the Foundation trilogy I personally would consider them great science fiction classics. They certainly held up well in my opinion since the time they were written. What makes things like this hard to rate is the fact that by reducing it to the greatest in a century, say, or the greatest ever, people often tend to want to pass over earlier works that provided the foundation other authors built upon. I certainly see the works of H.G. Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs to be early precursors for later science fiction classic as well as being classics in their own right. A science fiction afficionado would certainly argue for works of the people considered giants in the genre: Asimov, Clarke, etc. to be considered. It is certainly hard to get a list everyone would agree on but I like the idea of cross referencing other lists. I'm not sure though that I always trust the lists of non sci fi readers as I wonder if they only put those books on the list because they have heard of them rather than because they have read them, compared them with other science fiction offerings, and felt they set a high standard. I like your list. I would of course add others, most especially The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester. Very interesting thoughts. Having recently read and fell in love with the Foundation trilogy I personally would consider them great science fiction classics. They certainly held up well in my opinion since the time they were written. What makes things like this hard to rate is the fact that by reducing it to the greatest in a century, say, or the greatest ever, people often tend to want to pass over earlier works that provided the foundation other authors built upon. I certainly see the works of H.G. Wells and Edgar Rice Burroughs to be early precursors for later science fiction classic as well as being classics in their own right. A science fiction afficionado would certainly argue for works of the people considered giants in the genre: Asimov, Clarke, etc. to be considered.

It is certainly hard to get a list everyone would agree on but I like the idea of cross referencing other lists. I’m not sure though that I always trust the lists of non sci fi readers as I wonder if they only put those books on the list because they have heard of them rather than because they have read them, compared them with other science fiction offerings, and felt they set a high standard.

I like your list. I would of course add others, most especially The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester.

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