The SF Signal list:

[mariness]

So, as I mentioned in my last post, SFSignal contacted me to ask me to contribute to a "What Science Fiction Books Should Be in Every Fan's Library?" discussion. This was moderately surprising, since a couple of short stories aside, I don't feel very much like a science fiction writer, and I'm certainly not even a minor voice in the science fiction

Comments

[csecooney]

I LIKE reading your lists! I'd never even heard of that Mary Shelley one!

[mariness]

At some point in my life I set myself to reading most of Mary Shelley's work, which is when I realized just how overrated Frankenstein is. (Also when I had the opportunity to compare the two editions of Frankenstein - she toned down a lot.) Frankenstein is, to me, annoyingly overwrought.

[demeterfrost]

I remember The Girl with the Silver Eyes with great fondness. It always seemed to me that there should be more stories set in that version of the world, but I never found them.

[mariness]

As far as I know, the author shifted focus to writing mystery stories for young adults.

But yeah, that book just seemed to scream for a couple of sequels. I'm not sure how comfortable the author was in the genre, though - and any sequel would have had to be far more "science fictiony," I think. Still, I'd love to know what happened to the four of them.

[ex_camillea]

I enjoyed Crystal Rain, but really liked the third in Buckell's series, Sly Mongoose.

[mariness]

I haven't managed to read the next two books yet, but luckily, they are at the library, so that can change.

[bondo_ba]

Really like this list (espeially the Chiang book - is that man capable of writing anything bad?), except for one book...

I HATED The Handmaid's Tale (found it obvious, trite, uninspiring - and did I mention obvious?) but I still applaud you for putting it into the list - I think it's important that work classified by the clueless as "mainstream" be placed in the correct genre. Plus, it should give Atwood fits.

[mariness]

This list or the one at SFSignal or both?

I expect that the only way Margaret Atwood will see this list is if she Googles herself, and possibly not even then. So I'm not overly worried about her reaction.

With that said, I think that Cats Eye and The Blind Assassin are better Atwood novels, but I wouldn't categorize either as science fiction.

[bondo_ba]

According to Atwood, Handmaid isn't SF, either ;-)

I was referring to this list, and I'm happy that Blind Assassin is better. It's in my TBR pile, and I wasn't really expecting to be impressed with it, but you've given me hope.

[fbhjr]

Passage is very good, but I re-read To Say Nothing of the Dog for fun.
Of her books I thought Doomsday book was one of the best, but not one to read for fun.

[foms]

I haven't gotten to Doomsday Book. I was very much impressed by To Say Nothing of the Dog. However, Bellwether...oh, my.