Product Description

"A reliable guide to what science fiction is" Christopher Priest, award-winning science fiction author "A really good introduction to the genre" SFX Magazine "Perceptive and glorious" Ian Watson, author of the screenplay for Steve Spielberg's A.I. Want to become a science fiction buff? Want to expand your reading in your favourite genre? This is a good place to start! From the publishers of the popular Good Reading Guide comes a rich selection of some of the finest SF novels ever published. With 100 of the best titles fully reviewed and a further 500 recommended, you'll quickly become an expert in the world of science fiction. The book is arranged by author and includes some thematic entries and special categories such as SF film adaptations, SF in rock music and Philip K. Dick in the mass media . It also includes a history of SF and a new definition of the genre, plus lists of award winners and book club recommendations. Foreword by Christopher Priest, the multiple award-winning SF author.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #109212 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
"This neatly designed, pocket sized volume really is a good introduction to the genre." SFX Magazine (January 2007)

From the Author
Because of our extensive experience as Booksellers and
bibliophiles, Nick Rennison and
I have encountered thousands of readers and enjoyed numerous books in all
genres over
the decades. Consequently we utilised our long familiarity with the culture
of reading to
help us reach decisions on which books to include in 100 Must-Read Science
Fiction Novels.

Our book is not intended to be a `Best of' as we decided it would be
impossible to
produce a definitive list of the greatest SF novels while limiting
ourselves to only 100
titles without making unacceptably subjective choices. Given the fecundity
of the genre
in the last century alone, too many major books would have to be excluded
for lack of
space. We therefore decided that our title should steer us: we have
selected instead 100
books that we feel one should read to gain an overview of SF writing in
general.

More information about the book can be found at my website
stepheneandrews.info

About the Author
Steve Andrews has been a bookseller for Waterstones for more then fifteen years and has a particular knowledge of the genre. He was co-editor of the Waterstones Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Books. Nick Rennison is a bookseller, editor and freelance writer. He is author of the Bloomsbury Good Reading Guide.

Customer Reviews

Must Read More Science Fiction
This is an excellent book. I've read 28 of the titles covered and was delighted to find that there is so much more out there to be discovered.
I don't normally like 'list' books, but this is book is more of a map than a menu - there's literally a lifetime's worth of material covered when you include all the 'Read-On' material.
Great value, too.

A must-read in itself
This is great book. And such a joy to flick through. It somehow manages to give brilliant reviews of the 100 novels you should read to give yourself a decent grounding in the world of science fiction literature. It is listed by author and along side the usual familiar names, and many gems here, there are long-forgotten (by me that is) classics as well as many novels I'd never heard of. I look forward to reading K. W Jeter's Dr Adder & Barry N. Malzburg's Guernica Night.
This book also lists a further 500 recommendations and you will need to believe there is a very long future just to get through them all.
The great thing about a list like this is that there's always stuff you can disagree with. I mean why isn't Stranger in a Strange Land there or Cyrano de Bergerac's two space travel books? But that's the fun of this - you can debate the inclusions and the exceptions. But these guys certainly know their stuff and unless you've read them all you can't really have a say.
There is a also a glossary to help the novice, a list of award winners and some really cool "Read On a Theme" lists such as top female authors, black authors, books that became films and my favourite, Science Fiction Rock and Roll - which is music I know, but it's still cool.
There is also a marvellous introduction as well and one of the best definitions of sci-fi (oops, sorry) SF I have ever read. It makes me want to drag all those old PKD novels out of the cupboard and blow off the dust.
This book should be a must-read itself. For all current science fiction fans. And those aspiring to be.

A must have for any SF fan
or anyone developing an interest in the field.

Extensive, well researched and with the right amount of leftfield entries not to patronise anyone who already classes as an SF expert while simultaneously being accessible enough to encourage anyone with an interest in reading more widely than the bestsellers in the genre.

Superbly put together by people who cleary know and love their stuff - the passion comes through and really makes you want to go and raid the library or bookshop.

I'm going to be busy for years!