List 2a: Science Fiction

Book Lust pg 213

Perhaps the largest problem with this list is that there is something about Science Fiction and Fantasy that lends itself to serialization. So in order to read one book of an author you find yourself obliged to read the sequel and the sequel's sequel which starts making for very large lists particularly when it's necessary to read 3 or 4 books in order to truly appreciate the story arc.

That being said...I don't much mind. In concept anyway. There's much on this list that I've read long ago and have been meaning to re-read and also that I've been meaning to read for quite some time. One of my favorite authors also appears on this list (Ursula K. LeGuin) although I'm not sure I would pick those particular books as her best science fiction...they are the most popular however.

Mary Doria Russell:
1. The Sparrow*
2. Children of God*

Orson Scott Card:
3. Ender's Game*
4. Speaker for the Dead*
5. Xenocide*
6. Children of the Mind*
7. Ender's Shadow*
8. Shadow of the Hegemon*
9. Shadow Puppets*

Isaac Asimov:
10. Foundation*
11. Foundation and Empire*
12. Second Foundation*
13. Prelude to Foundation*
14. Forward the Foundation*
15. Foundation's Edge*
16. Foundation and Earth*

Frederik Pohl:
17. Gateway*
18. Beyond the Blue Event Horizon*
19. Heechee Rendezvous*
20. The Annals of the Heechee*

Clifford Simak:
21. Shakespeare's Planet*
22. City*
23. Way Station*
24. Destiny Doll*

Roger Zelazny:
25. Nine Princes in Amber*
26. The Guns of Avalon
27. Sign of the Unicorn
28. The Hand of Oberon
29. The Courts of Chaos
30. Trumps of Doom
31. Blood of Amber
32. Sign of Chaos
33. Knight of Shadows
34. Prince of Chaos

Frank Herbert:
35. Dune*
36. Dune Messiah
37. Children of Dune
38. God Emperor of Dune
39. Heretics of Dune
40. Chapter House Dune

Ursula K. LeGuin:
41. The Left Hand of Darkness*
42. The Dispossessed*

43. Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke*
44. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman*