My Top 10 Most Disappointing Science Fiction Reads

[@dalejones4322]

Really loving the top tens. It's great that you compliment the books you don't like.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks Dale. I have to balance out the negativity ha

[@zcapari]

I agree about the romance in Time War feeling juvenile. The way I describe it is a Romeo & Juliet story in a scifi time war, and the same way as the actual teens in Romeo & Juliet, the two lovers throw themselves into it waaaay too hard too fast, and they don't even know each other very well. I didn't get it

[@FIT2BREAD]

Yeah, the authors didn't cultivate buy-in...there was no chemistry, at least initially, between the characters other than the one thing they had in common: they were the best at what they do

[@pgarzarelli]

You can only be disappointed in relation to your expectations; and my expectations come from the consensus of readers, and my familiarity with an author’s body of work. Agreed, I don’t regret I read them and wouldn’t necessarily not recommend them. I’ve often thought a great video would be Books You Enjoyed Less Than You Expected, and now it’s here..…Here’s my two cents worth, I hope I never have to update: (In no particular order): The Gods Themselves, The Player of Games, Rendezvous with Rama, Parable of the Sower, The Dispossessed, The Mountain in the Sea, A Time of Changes, Termination Shock, Glasshouse, The Day of the Triffids

[@FIT2BREAD]

Good list. On your list, I really like Player of Games, Rama, The Gods Themselves and The Dispossessed.of course we have Mountain in the Sea in common. I have a review of Parable of the Sower coming up soon (already filmed and edited). I still enjoyed it upon reread, but was bummed that my estimation of it fell quite a bit. I wasn't expecting that.

[@johnbailey2933]

Your lists always pique my interest. So, it's good to see a list that doesn't offer candidates to add to my backlog. I read book #4 earlier this year, and agree with your comments. I enjoyed the televised Expanse series, but my interest in Corey's books ended after Vol2. I liked Ishiguro's The Buried Giant, so guess I'll skip this one.

[@FIT2BREAD]

I haven't read the Buried Giant. I might try that next year

[@joebrooks4448]

Very interesting as always! I have read about 80 books in the last year, mostly rereads of my books that needed to be replaced by hardbound in good shape. Out of these, only Childhood's End is in my read file. It was a bit disappointing to me as well. I recently picked up a copy of Anything You Can Do by Randall Garrett. I was very impressed with it at 10 or 11. First contact story with very unique and really unexpected cultural twists.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Nice. Yeah, theres a lot of competition when it comes to first contact

[@hdood]

That was the most even handed review of Ready Player Two I’ve seen! I was much harsher thinking back on it.I felt almost exactly the same as you did, forced nostalgia is a great description. Not to mention we were forced to care about the interpersonal relationships of the developers of Oasis… I couldn’t care less about teenage drama of characters that were mostly dead by the time the first book happened let alone the second. I finished it just to say I did, but I was skimming through most of it. And I liked the first book a lot, not literature but a fun read! I would probably skip a third book.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks yeah, and I feel pretty confident I would skip a 3rd book...though I'm sure my son would read it

[@susansprague7304]

I am currently half-way through 'How to Lose the Time War' and am having to flog myself to keep reading. How sad to find out that it doesn't get better. Thanks for the video!

[@FIT2BREAD]

It does get different tho, so maybe you will like the second half more than I did. It's short enough too, that I should go pretty fast.

[@runforrestrun1965]

For myself, working through a list of rated sci-fi, I was disappointed in Left Hand of Darkness, and also The Mote in Gods Eye. I wanted to like them and was hoping to, but both left me wondering why they were rated highly, (and because of that I put more effort in to finish them). Another along that line (was one I finished two weeks ago) but for the life of me can’t recall the title, with Medieval Dog like creatures that have a sort of a group telepathy, fighting a few stranded humans with a universal blight thrown in. Was not the awesome story I was led to believe judging by others love of it. Again, struggled to finish it. I do understand its creature wackiness and weird space/thought concept, so I guess that’s what people are impressed by in it. But, on a better note wow, I loved the Foundation series and first of the Dune books. I see why these are fan favourites. Just great world/universes created.

[@taleroandres]

I bounced off of Gideon the Ninth as well. I am starting Cibola Burn soon. Now, I am nervous 😅.

[@FIT2BREAD]

It wasn't bad, it just wasn't my favorite

[@RedFuryBooks]

Klara and the Sun was a disappointing read for me as well, but I enjoyed his writing enough to read more at some point. Your honorable mention is one of the books that I originally rated lower (3-stars), but I honestly think about that one quite a bit. Thanks for the video!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks Josh

[@justinecooper9575]

The first top ten list that I've only read one of the books, "Childhood's End."

[@FIT2BREAD]

Wouldn't you agree this is maybe the best list for that to happen? :)

[@justinecooper9575]

@@FIT2BREAD Good point!

[@doncourter7164]

I've read 5 of these and mostly agree with your takes. Ready Player Two was the most disappointing (and the only listed book that I don't recommend to other readers). Mountain and the Sea, Cibola Burn, and Klara and the Sun also were mildly disappointed but had more redeeming qualities. I enjoyed Childhood's End the most, but I read it early on in my sci fi journey and it might not hold up to a re-read. Luckily I only have one other listed book on my TBR, How to Lose the Time War.

[@FIT2BREAD]

As I mentioned, I know some people who think Time War is the best scifi they ever read, so there's Def some wide variation in opinion on that one

[@bazoo513]

A _very_ interesting list. I agree with some of your assessments (Egan), not so much with others (Corey, Clarke; _Childhood's End_ is for me waaaay above anything else Clarke has written, except perhaps for some short stories), but that's all a mater of both tastes and expectations. Thanks! Re: animated skeletons, ghouls and whatnot, if you want (and you probably don't, but i do) a kind of cozy paranormal mysteries where they function well, see "Dr Greta Helsing" series by Vivian Shaw (incidentally, Arkady Martine's spouse.)

[@FIT2BREAD]

thanks for the comment bazoo, and thanks for adding to the list!

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

Great video, Michael. I've read some of these books, but have deliberately avoided others, as having worked with books for so long, I've developed very reliable instincts around what I probably won't like, so the '...Timewar' book -for example has long been a 'No' for me, despite its beautiful wraps cover. Some people might say "That's not very open minded," but life is short, there are a lot of books to read and developing 'the instinct' is something all serious readers should aspire to, though admittedly it's always been easier for me because of my job. Re 'Childhood's End', my response was, I think, one of surprise that I liked it as much as I did when I read it- which was probably 25 years ago, two decades after my first Clarke, but I still kept thinking 'This is like Wyndham's "Exiles On Asperus"....'. A lot of the time you and I have similar tastes, in the sense that I suspect we share common dislikes.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks. I noticed that too, definitely a lot of cross over. I also noticed as I get older I have stricter filters for new work that comes out. I actually wish you would read more current stuff so u can be the guinea pig and tell me if it's worth it or not hahah

[@outlawbookselleroriginal]

@@FIT2BREAD Not going to happen, LOL. Virtually nothing that is coming out now is sparking the slightest bit of interest in me apart from long established authors I've read for years or decades in most cases. I've always been particular and I feel I'm entering another one of my 'getting away from SF' phases, sadly.

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

yes daisy is heavy into fantasy while I usually steer clear of it too bad about ready player two if you're going to do a successful sequel it needs to have new ideas and go farther than the original like the second godfather movie for example⚛😀

[@FIT2BREAD]

Yeah it had a few ideas that were somewhat compelling, just not enough

[@Johanna_reads]

I don’t think I’ve heard a single positive review for Ready Player Two, and I probably won’t ever pick it up. Glad I got to enjoy the first one though! 😅

[@FIT2BREAD]

Yeah, unless you are super eager to go back to that world, I think it's fine skipping it

[@carlosbranca8080]

Childhood's End is my second favorite sci fi novel after Hyperion, and i read it when i was 40 i think and it blew my mind. Not nostalgia here, a great book with a great idea that left me very melancholic. Super recommended.

[@FIT2BREAD]

I've def seen it at #1 on many folks' scifi top ten lists. Out of curiosity did you ever watch the Stargate series on tv?

[@carlosbranca8080]

@@FIT2BREAD No, never. It is on my watch list since everybody seems to love it. I liked the movie with James Spader and Kurt Russell though...

[@FIT2BREAD]

@carlosbranca8080 in one of the series, I think the original, in a later series there is an arc that really brought to mind Childhoods End...and an evolution toward cinciousness as energy that was so well portrayed.

[@carlosbranca8080]

@@FIT2BREAD Oooh man i have to see that now! Great video and channel. Congrats!

[@LenoxSpartanFitness]

Good list! I agree with Ready Player 2, although I do lean towards liking it more than being disappointed by it. It did feel forced/lazy at times. For myself, a big disappointment was in the Three Body Problem. Didn’t live up to the hype for me.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks, and 3body is a fair one to bring up for sure

[@mohammedarmanulhaq]

Would you recommend 'The Expanse' series after a disappointing read with 'Cibola Burn'?

[@FIT2BREAD]

Yes definitely. It's still a very good space opera series with the right dose of Military scifi and politics to boot. It gets better as the series goes. The characters through 4 books, are serviceable, but it takes 5 or 6 books to feel like the characters have any depth...but it is a very good series overall

[@civoreb]

The one I voted for! I havent read any of these but will start Childhood’s End soon.

[@FIT2BREAD]

oh haha great. Well, ill release all of these top 10s eventually. Next week will be top 10 banned books

[@TheBookWormhole]

I feel like all the SF elements could've been removed from "Gideon the Ninth" and it wouldn't have changed the story at all. The different planets felt more like countries. Overall, what lost me with "Gideon the Ninth" is both finding Harrow's character soooo intolerably annoying and overall the plot felt too reliant on mystery, and one that I didn't find engaging. I did enjoy "Mountain in the Sea," but I do think the ending fell flat. I thought the purple prose of "this is how you lose the time war" was the biggest draw of the book

[@FIT2BREAD]

Totally agree on Giddeon...I do appreciate the author took chances...it's just didn't work for me. Time War was interesting and I'm glad I read it, it was just to inconsistent for me

[@bartsbookspace]

Nice list, except for Childhood's End appearance here... 😉 Of course, I get your point, but I would argue that while books that followed it may have expanded on the themes, the fact that, when written in 1953 its ideas were wholly original, should guarantee its place in the SF pantheon.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks Bart. Yeah and with CE, my first read was untainted and I really loved it. It's a testament to it that it's ideas and themes have been copied so prolifically

[@bartsbookspace]

@@FIT2BREAD So true. I imagine reading it in the early 50s, on the heals of WW2, would have been quite a mind opening experience.

[@FIT2BREAD]

@@bartsbookspace right...like reading Simak's City around the same time...

[@bartsbookspace]

@@FIT2BREAD Yes, excellent comparison. I read City just last year and while it was an interesting read, I can only imagine how its impact would have been back when it was written.

[@DaisyXMachina]

Ha! As soon as I saw the title for this video, I wondered if Gideon would be on it!!!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Ha of course!

[@verosnotebook]

Interesting 😊I agree on a few but disagree on Aoki’s although I totally get it. That is a bonkers book that shouldn’t work, at all, and yet I ended up loving it. Pondering about Cibola. I remember really liking it, especially the end and also how the authors bring all the factions and their battles into one tiny location. Like you I’ve read all but the last book and I’m also tempted to re-read the whole lot before ending it. I wonder if my enjoyment is linked to using the audiobooks for this series? 🤔 Didn’t like Gideon nor Time War although I may try the latter again… maybe. Klara was ok but not great (The Remains of the Day is immensely better but not specfic). I did like Childhood’s End but I read it decades ago so no sure I’d still like it now. And I didn’t even try RP2 😂 I loved RP1, for the fun factor, maybe because I grew up in the 80s, and I didn’t want the sequel to taint it.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks for the insights. I'm actually glad you liked Light From Uncommon Stars. I really appreciated what the author was going for and am glad others received it well. I really like The Expanse. I wish it would have kept more focus on the political.

[@SciFiScavenger]

I read Childhoods End earlier this year and really didnt like it at all! Colour me disappointed. 🤷‍♂️

[@FIT2BREAD]

I just think it doesn't hold up well as a modern read

[@valeriehazel4858]

A number of “snap” moments in this list, including The Mountains and the Sea (dnfed), This is How to Lose the Time War (yawn), Beggars in Spain (interesting ideas, weak execution) and Gideon the Ninth. I too am wary of going back to reread books that I enjoyed when I was much younger because often they don’t stand the test of time as well as I had hoped (eg The Mote in God’s Eye). My biggest disappointment in recent times would have to be Becky Chambers. So many people love her books but I have found them either irritating or heavy handed. Ah well, fortunately there are lots of other books out there 🙂

[@FIT2BREAD]

Good call on Becky Chambers. I liked Long Way/Angry Planet, but I don't think it's one I'm looking to re read

[@teemuruotsalainen1852]

This was a good one 🤝

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks

[@douglasdea637]

Boy, I got a bunch of disappointing reads. Ones that I can recall: 1. Eon, by Greg Bear. I thought it would be like Rendezvous With Rama which it is often compared to. It's not. Bear skips over investigating the asteroid and straight to humans in conflict over it. Add in that the main character is told things instead of discovering them herself and you have a weak book. And don't get me started on that bonkers 2nd half. 2. Anubis Gates by Tim Powers. I wanted to like this as it was a Christmas gift from a friend. But no... A weak lead that doesn't do much until he undergoes a huge change, Romani, an Egyptian cult and magic. It's a mess and doesn't come to much. 3. Ringworld by Larry Niven. I read it because I love Niven and it won awards and everyone loves it. I didn't. It's travel, then more travel, then more travel, and then it ends. The Ringworld is mildly interesting but once you get past the grandeur of it it just sits there. The characters are bland. Not much in the way of conflict or suspense. 4. Road Side Picnic by the Strugatsky brothers. Great concept for a novel. Instead we get humans who steal and get caught. A weird daughter goes nowhere. The ending is confusing. Just a bland nothing. 5. Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Monks aren't the most exciting of characters. I don't understand people's fascination with them. The world's culture is interesting, too bad we don't see much of it. Then the government comes calling but refuses to help the main character travel to the appointed destination. Ninjas attack a train at the North Pole for no reason. Then the ending comes and is a jumbled mess. 6. Book of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe. Often on people's "Top 10" lists and the idea of a torturer as a main character sounded interesting. That part of the series is interesting as is what little discussion about it there is. Nothing else about the series makes sense though. Strange things happen for no reason, no explanation. The same characters are met again and again. The main character has zero combat training and yet wins every fight he's in. An unnecessary rape happens then is forgotten. It's just a huge mess from beginning to end. I don't understand why people love it so much. I truly believe Wolfe wrote it as sci-fi parody but no one else has caught on to it. There are others, but it's late and I'm too tired to think of them.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Those are definitely interesting additions to the list. I like eon, Anathem, and Roadside Picnic..but you Def make fair points!

[@jinks6005]

I'm right in the middle of the Eyes of the Void and finding the series to be a bit disappointing. I really enjoy Tchaikovsky's work and hopefully Lords of Uncreation will improve this trilogy but so far this doesn't compare not only to The Children series but also his short stories like the Expert System pair or even Redemption's Blade. That being said, I'd read it a hundred times before I pick up Too Like The Lightning again.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Lots of valuable info in this comment! I will say I really liked The Final Architect series. For me, Eyes of the Void was the most entertaining of the three books, so I'm not sure if that means Lords of Uncreation will be a let down for you. Also just for fun, if you haven't caught them, I have REM parody music that I made for the books on the video reviews I did for Eyes of the Void and Lords of Uncreation...if u like that sort of thing...

[@jinks6005]

@@FIT2BREAD I'll check those out. To be fair, I think that tonal changes in the books we read by different authors between series releases can unfairly colour our opinions. I'm probably being unfair to Ada Palmer in my comment because I read TLTL right after Project Hail Mary. That's a huge change of pace. And it can happen with books by the same author. I read Tchaikovsky's Dogs of War right before beginning the Final Architect series and while they have similar themes, they are very different reads. A couple of decades ago after viewing Master and Commander, I optimistically bought every book in Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey - Maturin series and read them all one after the other from start to finish. That's twenty books and I don't know that would have enjoyed them as much had I sprinkled in a Foundation novel or seven.

[@thekeywitness]

Seems like some of these titles lean toward YA... or are mainstream SF novels simply trending toward YA tropes for the sake of marketability toward young female readers? Discuss.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Interesting point...even books like Cibola Burn and Klara and the Sun, targeted toward adult audiences, I believe, would be highly accessible and very readable for a young adult audience

[@stgeorgeist]

You cannot say Childhoods end was your favorit and because others have com since twisted used the source idea throw it in the bin AS CRAP?

[@shuffleboil]

Ready Player One is YA for 50 year olds. (like me)

[@FIT2BREAD]

Amd me! I tore thru it. :)

[@ToaToatasi]

I didn't expect to see Greg Egan in this list

[@FIT2BREAD]

I know...it feels so wrong!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Ps. I'll have a Schilds Ladder review up this weekend

[@ToaToatasi]

@@FIT2BREAD This is one of the books that I planned to read next, so I'll make sure I don't miss the review. The description is super interesting. I know he is more into ideas than characters, and some of the theories and concepts may go over my head, but I don't mind.

[@FIT2BREAD]

@@ToaToatasi yeah I feel the same way. I'm totally fine with over my head. It's good to Realtek on that.

[@secretsauceofstorycraft]

Gasp 😱 😅 ok so learning my lessons…. Dont send u anymore books 📚. Haha. J/k. It did make the list with an Egan…. So it can’t b that bad. 😊 nice list.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Ha thanks

[@miljenkoskreblin165]

I agree about Egan. It's good, just not that good.

[@FIT2BREAD]

it was fun enough, but just was a bit meh

[@enumclaw79]

This is perhaps a unfortunate video to comment on, but I've just released my first sci-fi novel and I wondered if you'd be in interested in reading a book from a subscriber. I can email you an epub to the address listed in your about page if that works. Or if you have kindle unlimited I'll just send you an amazon link. No worries if you have a backlog of books to read that means you're not interested.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Ralph, thanks for reaching out..can u send me the summary, if I think there's anyway I can read it and it appeals to me, I'll try. In that case I'd order my own physical copy. Apologies in advance if I can't get to it. I tend to overschwdule my reading

[@enumclaw79]

@@FIT2BREADSure, I'll email it over. And no worries, if you don't - I understand that you must have a stack of books in your in-tray as tall as me and I appreciate the reply on here! The physical book will be available from December 1st.

[@AutisticBrain]

@@enumclaw79 hey can you tell me the name of your sci fi book please? I am trying to get into this genre I’ve even been working on my own sci-fi/fantasy book. It’s not out yet. I still have a lot of work to do on it but I’m just wondering if you would share the name of your book so I can take a look at it. If so thank you so much.

[@enumclaw79]

@@AutisticBrain Sure, it's called Dark Star by Ralph Hope. Michael hopefully you don't mind me sharing this here. It wasn't my intention to use your comments as an advertising avenue. Please feel free to remove this comment if you object (or ask me to if you can't and I'll remove it straight away). Best Ralph

[@TimothyCollins]

My big disappointment - the three bidy problem. I can't say it was bad - as far as I can tell it's very good. I am sure the translation robs it of some stuff but I can see the good writing is there. The reason I was disappointed by it was more that it starts out as science fiction and then does a hard switch to science fantasy. And I actually like both of those genres but they don't work being smashed together is all... they are both genres where you have to pick one or the other.

[@FIT2BREAD]

I could almost put 3body on my list, but I love the sequels so much I have to give it a pass

[@TimothyCollins]

@FIT2BREAD I've heard the rest of the books are great but I haven't gotten to them...

[@zcapari]

I loved Gideon but it is not sci-fi at all. If it was nine countries or islands instead of nine planets, it would change exactly zero. Maybe the sequels are different.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Yeah I heard the sequel is a little more scifi, but I just don't see going back to it

[@Hollis_has_questions]

Add Earth Abides. I despise this book. It normalizes stupidity.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Oh no. I had Earth Abides on my Gap reads list...popular scifi that I haven't read. Is it that bad?

[@NOYFB982]

I like your reviews, but you should look directly into the camera.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks and yes...one of these days I'll get that right

[@jerryB75]

Ditto on RP2. My goodness that was bad. It was 4th or 5th sequel bad. Nowhere near first sequel drop off.

[@FIT2BREAD]

What would your rate Rwady Player One?...(for context)

[@jerryB75]

@@FIT2BREAD I thoroughly enjoyed RP1. 5 stars for me. I grew up in the time period. I’m not into games at all, but still loved the book. I don’t really understand the hate it gets.

[@FIT2BREAD]

@jerryB75 cool. I liked it a lot. How did you feel about my thought that, even if Rp2 is dissapointing, some will still enjoy it, even while aware of its flaws...because it still lets the reader be in that "fantasy" world they loved in the first book (albeit not as great)?

[@jerryB75]

@@FIT2BREAD yes, I can see your point. The reader who just wants to be entertained by the nostalgia might be ok. The ending was especially bad to me though. I just imagined the first contact scenario with the ship. Not the way I want mankind to be introduced to the galaxy. lol.

[@khomo12]

👍👍👍📚🤖🚀

[@olliverklozov2789]

Blasphemy! I've been reading sci-fi for almost 50 years and The Expanse is the best series ever. So is the TV series. Loved it so much I got the OPA symbol on my next. Granted you chose the weakest book in the series so there is a universe where I forgive you.

[@8020Alive]

Bloated. And lots of woke cheese characters. Needs a rewrite asap

[@FIT2BREAD]

I like the Expanse and enjoyed the series. I don't think I had it in my top 25 series video, but I do think it would be in my top 30

[@olliverklozov2789]

@@FIT2BREAD now you're just trolling 🙂

[@FIT2BREAD]

@olliverklozov2789 ha, I promise I'm not and I promise I like it:)

[@olliverklozov2789]

@@FIT2BREAD Well I considered you among the best in terms of recommendations - it's all in doubt now. This is like someone listing the 40 greatest rock bands and purposely leaving Led Zep off. I favor sci-fi that is gritty, near future, no FTL, as little magic as possible, first contact, and great characters. I loved Babylon 5 for example but the effects were horrible whereas the Expanse battle scenes have been hailed as the most realistic ever.

[@olliverklozov2789]

Ready player 2 is only disappointing if you expected it to be better than what was a groundbreaking original (pretty unrealistic). If you just wanted it to not suck then you will be rewarded as it was just like the first one.

[@FIT2BREAD]

For me, the 2 big fails were that it had no chance of mimicking the original idea and then there was the mining of whatever nostalgic pop culture references weren't already gobbled up by book one

[@wonderworld1928]

Please keep the natural background like the rest of the booktubers. Those changing backgrounds are do irritating.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks for the feedback. Unfortunately that isn't my style. I like to try and tell a supplemental story with the backgrounds I create ...or at least evoke a feeling that relates to the books I am talking about