SF Book Lists, for Fun
10 SF books that heavily influenced my childhood, in no particular order. Only the first book in a series is mentioned.
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle
Dragonflight - Anne McCaffrey
Sword of the Lamb - M.K. Wren
Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Copper Crown - Patricia Kennealy
The Summer Tree - Guy Gavriel Kay
Winter's Tale - Mark Helprin
Moonheart - Charles de Lint
Bridge of Birds - Barry Hughart
Dragon Prince - Melanie Rawn
10 SF books that came along later in adulthood, also in no particular order and only mentioning the first book in a series.
The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman
A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling
Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey
The King's Peace - Jo Walton
Kiln People - David Brin
His Majesty's Dragon - Naomi Novik
Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson
The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
Heroes Die - Matthew Woodring Stover
These books simultaneously make me want to be a writer and have me despairing of ever being any good. If you are looking for amazing books to read, catch any of these that you may have missed. I don't generally reread books, as time is finite and books are not, but for these ones I make exceptions.
I find myself wondering what I would have been like had the second set also been available to me in adolescence. What must it be like to grow up reading those?
A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle
Dragonflight - Anne McCaffrey
Sword of the Lamb - M.K. Wren
Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Copper Crown - Patricia Kennealy
The Summer Tree - Guy Gavriel Kay
Winter's Tale - Mark Helprin
Moonheart - Charles de Lint
Bridge of Birds - Barry Hughart
Dragon Prince - Melanie Rawn
10 SF books that came along later in adulthood, also in no particular order and only mentioning the first book in a series.
The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman
A Game of Thrones - George R.R. Martin
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - J.K. Rowling
Kushiel's Dart - Jacqueline Carey
The King's Peace - Jo Walton
Kiln People - David Brin
His Majesty's Dragon - Naomi Novik
Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson
The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss
Heroes Die - Matthew Woodring Stover
These books simultaneously make me want to be a writer and have me despairing of ever being any good. If you are looking for amazing books to read, catch any of these that you may have missed. I don't generally reread books, as time is finite and books are not, but for these ones I make exceptions.
I find myself wondering what I would have been like had the second set also been available to me in adolescence. What must it be like to grow up reading those?