Classic science fiction must reads 2.0

Hi guys - for this video I’m looking a six more must read classic science fiction books. This video follows on from my first classic sci-fi must-read list which I did a little while back.
#sciencefiction #classicscifi #mustreadscifi
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MY STUFF
linktr.ee/bookodyssey​​​​
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vvv MORE vvv
MY SCI-FI NOVELS
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DELPHINE DESCENDS
After her family is killed and her homeworld occupied, young Kathreen Martin is sent to the distant world of Furoris for re-education. She will live the rest of her life as a serf - to be bought and sold as a commodity of the Imperial Network.
When her only chance of escape is ruined, a chance mistaken identity offers her a new life as the orphaned daughter of a First-Citizen Senator and heiress to a vast fortune.
She vows to claw her way into power to sit among the worlds’ elite. Then, with her own hands, she will reap bloody vengeance on them all.
But to beat them, she must play their game. And she must play it better than them all.
BLACK MILK
Prometheus has the chance to bring his wife back from the dead, but doing so will mean the destruction of Earth.
Spanning time, planets and dimensions, Black Milk draws to a climactic point in a post-apocalyptic future, where humanity, stranded with no planet to call home, fights to survive against a post-human digital entity that pursues them through the depths of space.
Five lives separated by aeons are inextricably linked by Prometheus’s actions:
Ystil.3 is an AI unit sent back in time from the distant future to investigate Prometheus’s discovery...
The mysterious Lydia has devoted her life to finding a planet that the last remaining humans can call home…
Tom Jones (he’s a HUGE fan!) is an AI trapped inside a digital subspace, lost and desperate to find his way back to his beloved in real-time…
Dr Norma Stanwyck is a neuroscientist from 24th Century Earth whose personal choices ripple throughout time...
Prometheus must learn the necessity of death or the entire universe will be swallowed by his grief.
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GOODREADS
You can follow me on Goodreads to see what I'm currently reading. / show​​​​. .
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[@FIT2BREAD]

Ursula LeGuin has such a skill for making me think about her characters even years after I've finished the novels.

[@DavidPaulMorgan]

Shevek is one of my favourite of her characters. Dispossessed is one of my all-time favourites.

[@randomentity6553]

I still regularly have very long "thinks' on LeGuin's short story "Those who walk away from Omelas" 30 years after I first read it. She really has a way of... Presenting difficult situations and making you think about them, without necessarily supplying you with the "solution".

[@tabamal]

After reading George Orwell's book named 1984, I was depressed for more than a month.. but I don't regret reading it.. it was a great book.

[@SFF180]

10:25 I used to have those Panther editions of the Foundation trilogy, where all 3 covers make one piece of art. Miss those books. And it's interesting how War of the Worlds is a story everyone knows, but probably not many people have read the original novel. It's a real eye-opener how absorbing and even moving a piece of writing it is, even more than 120 years later.

[@leetracey9152]

I thought the same thing about 1984 as soon as it came up. Everybody 'knows' the story these days and it is often referenced (usually incorrectly) by hack politicians, but I wonder how many people have actually read it, especially under 40 year olds.

[@tokenblack7983]

Thank you Darryl for your channel. It’s a pleasure to watch and you do a great job with a lovely style You along with Moid have reignited my love for reading…a million thanks

[@robertosans5250]

Very comprehensive list of books. Loved each one of these and have read them several times, just finished a second read of the foundation original trilogy and realised how much this book influenced me , even in my choice of a career.

[@toddbutler8067]

I am rediscovering scifi after a long break. Your videos and recommendations really help me narrow my selections. Thanks.

[@warrenbruhn5888]

Good. You added more of what I consider classic greats!

[@therealbroga]

I am very happy to see Poul Anderson's Tau Zero included on your list. This was the first Science Fiction book I ever read (Foundation was the second btw). It is sad that Mr. Anderson is oft forgotten by today's mainstream science fiction readers; he was a giant in popularizing the genre.

[@guillaumelagueyte1019]

I had never heard of it, but damn it sounds interesting. Love myself some hard sci fi from times to times.

[@Shagamaw-100]

He was also important for the fantasy genre.

[@anotherbibliophilereads]

Interesting choices. I have read all the books discussed. I recently reread Foundation this month.

[@tamarazor-el]

Tau Zero is great!!! Highly recommend. Im glad that you mentioned, i dont see it frequently in youtubers recommendations

[@hattorihansen603]

Thanks for creating such nerdy content! Seems you are pretty much rooted in the Classics (nothing bad 'bout that, I love all your recommendations). To throw in some more modern must reads: Tchaikovsky - Children of Time (hard SF, space opera) Mind twisting stuff: Blake Crouch - Dark Matter / Recursion qntm - there is no antimemetics division Rajaniemi - Quantum

[@owenbraid5451]

Great list! Nice to see Ubik mentioned instead of Do Androids Dream for once always thought it was better 😬 would love to know if you’ve ever read the nova trilogy by Burroughs. They can be hard to follow at time but the last one nova express is insanely brilliant

[@thedanielstraight]

This is a great list, sir! It makes me realize how much I enjoyed re-reading a lot of these books outside of my school years... Completely different when they aren't assigned reads. Great video 📖

[@therealbroga]

I'm old, so I read most of these in the 70s because they weren't on my school's reading list (lol).

[@locutusdborg126]

@@therealbroga I'm 71 and same. Only nerd boys read sci fi back in the day. Now half of sci fi readers are women and sci fi is now mainstream (thank you Star Wars).

[@jeremiasspencer6644]

you prolly dont care but if you are stoned like me atm then you can stream all of the new movies and series on InstaFlixxer. Have been watching with my brother these days :)

[@harpereli9652]

@Jeremias Spencer yup, been watching on instaflixxer for months myself :)

[@russellcairo3821]

@Jeremias Spencer Definitely, have been using InstaFlixxer for months myself =)

[@brendanward2991]

I've been meaning to get into Poul Anderson. Tau Zero sounds like the perfect introduction to his oeuvre.

[@willfagence3144]

I enjoyed this vidio. I've read Ubik, 1984, war of the worlds and Tau Zero many years ago, and i can still remember them very well. I have always wanted to re read them, but I've never had the time, although they are all still in my possession (I'm a book hoarder!!), i am still looking forward to reading the Dispossessed as Le Guin is a favourite writer and i really liked the Left hand of Darkness and the Lathe of heaven. I have enjoyed every book by Dick i have ever read and Paul Anderson is awesome! My very favourite authors from the classic sci fi era are Clarke, Voigt, Herbert, Dick and Wolfe. My dirty little secret: I've never read Foundation!!!

[@paolagudino5425]

Great video! I just added them to my Goodreads.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Awesome 😀

[@joebrooks4448]

Great list. Thank you for producing this, the more people read SF, the better for all of us. I would suggest you may like "Anarchaos" by Donald Westlake, "The Weapon Shops of Isher" by A. E. Van Vogt and "A Plague of Demons" by Keith Laumer, based on these choices.

[@jaimecastells4283]

This is an excellent list and it would be difficult to boil down such a crowded and rich category to just five choices. I have to say that I would include Ringworld and probably Dune. Also, several of Arthur C. Clarke's novels would be strong candidates, as would the work of Vern, Bradbury and Heinlein. Yea, this would be a tough list to write. Even picking only 25 would be difficult. There are so many good choices! For example, as a dark horse consider City by Clifford D. Simak. All that and I'm just thinking of novels! How about a collection of Harlan Ellison's short stories?

[@andreasxanthros5853]

Great choices, Darrel. I think science fiction in general, and Ursula K. Le Guin in particular, really shines as a platform for social. political, and moral commentary. Yes it can stun us with far-future technological speculation, but the genre provides us with what can be a neutral setting in order to explore the impacts on society and people without pointing a finger at any one person or group. For example, Le Guin's The Word for World Is Forest is her reaction and thoughts on the Vietnam War. Set on another planet, she is able to develop an analogue of the real war without placing blame on any actual person or government. Instead, the reader is able to look at such an exploration in a more balanced light. Nobel prize winning author Doris Lessing also expressed similar thoughts in the preface to her novel Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta when all the literary snob critics could not grasp why she would suddenly write science fiction.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

I think I've found my next Le Guin. 😃

[@caronstout354]

I recommend her book "The Lathe of Heaven" about a man whose dreams literally come true and the psychiatrist who wants to control them.

[@flowaroundtherock]

The Dispossessed - I haven't read this but The Left Hand of Darkness didn't click with me so this is lower down on my TBR. Ubik - I've only PKD I've read The Man in the High Castle and I thought it was a little underwhelming. This does sound interesting though so it's on my TBR for 2021. 1984 - One of the best sci-fi books of all-time. Crushingly brilliant. The War of the Worlds - I haven't read this but I have read The Time Machine and I thought it was interesting but not as exciting as other time travel stories. Tau Zero - I hadn't heard about this book until you mentioned it on another one of your videos, so I've added it to my TBR. Foundation - I really enjoyed the scope of ideas in this book. I definitely recommend it but the sequels didn't add as much as I hoped they would. For my own classic sci-fi list I would add Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End and Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle.

[@locutusdborg126]

I started reading sci fi in the 50's as a little boy. Love this post and all the follow-up comments as well.

[@palantir135]

Earthsea is also great although it’s fantasy. Babel 17, by Samuel R. Delaney is great.

[@starwarsfan9575]

I see you've added the children of dune to your collection .. my copy also arrived yesterday! I was waiting for the new edition with updated covers 😁. Also, god emperor of dune is on the way!

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

I WAS WAITING FOR THE NEW EDITION COVERS TOO!!! Sorry for shouting, I get excited about collecting certain editions.

[@starwarsfan9575]

@@Sci-FiOdysseyI understand you're excitement! 😁😁 I was also reluctant to buy further dune books after reading the first because I couldn't find rest of the books with the same cover style. But when I came across the new editions being published I immediately ordered the second and the third book!

[@jeffreylemal7432]

Tau zero is an understatement for a great novel.

[@bencowles2105]

one of my favorite lesser known series is "Star Wolves" by Gunner Thorinson. its s good read if you can find it.

[@RidleyJones]

Would be cool to have a list of recommended books that have non-human POV characters.

[@RidleyJones]

@@kathrynarabie9449 Haven't read them, thanks for the recommendations!

[@deckiedeckie]

Dragon's egg.....by Robert L Forward (hard SF) Neutron Star ....by Larry Niven (hard SF)

[@Thekraziesars]

noted!

[@Bobalicious]

Have you tried "Up the Walls of the World" (1978) by Alice Sheldon/James Tiptree, Jr.?

[@locutusdborg126]

Oh, I would like a copy of Delphine. Paper is best but I can do E-books. I will insist on paying for it.

[@yissnakklives8866]

Still no Heinlein?

[@caronstout354]

I recommend any and all of Heinlein- his "juveniles" are a good beginning for those new to Sci-Fi.

[@DukePaprikar]

5:50 What do you mean by "unnamed narrator"? It's Richard Burton!

[@grampytinman3481]

No it's Justin Hayward

[@DukePaprikar]

@@grampytinman3481 I was joking, referring to the Jeff Wayne's musical. And in it, the narrator is Richard Burton, and Justin Hayward is credited as "vocals (The Sung Thoughts of the Journalist)", so no, Justin Hayward is not the narrator.

[@grampytinman3481]

@@DukePaprikar so was I. Glad to see I'm not the only one who listens to that music

[@DukePaprikar]

@@grampytinman3481 Oh, it's a proper timeless masterpiece. And excuse my thick me not getting that you were joking as well. Cheers.

[@grampytinman3481]

@@DukePaprikar it wouldn't be the first time my sense of humor got me in trouble. Cheers to you as well 👍

[@annaewilliams1523]

ugh! What about "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler? I cannot believe you don't have this book, I'd personally, dump your 9th book for Butler's amazing book, seriously, if you've not read it, go get it NOW! Otherwise, I'd agree with your list of suggestions.

[@locutusdborg126]

Please check out Macroscope by Piers Anthony. It is both brilliant and prescient. He foresaw the internet albeit on a galactic scale.

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Hmm I'll check it out. Thanks for the recommendation.

[@HardysArt83]

Nice Video! Thx very much! :-) Here is one of my favorite Sci-Fi Books (from 2020): The trilogy: "The Ungerdround Complex - Vol.1 Groomy Future, Vol 2. Demons of the Dark Past and Vol.3 Torn Present", available on amazon. Very dark and exciting!

[@TheRealWinsletFan]

No Rama? No Have Space Suit WIll Travel? No All The Colours of Darkness? Meh!

[@TheRealWinsletFan]

Unless they're in the 1.0 video. Suppose I'd better check...

[@jumperpoint]

Spacesuit has a horrible ending. It's juvenalia from an adult POV. It's not as good as The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. Or even The Threat from Earth.

[@NeilTheNightWatcher]

Hey Darrell, what is your 16 personality type?

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Architect INTJ-T

[@2ndhandbookclan274]

Great list?

[@Bobalicious]

Although it isn't a meteorite.

[@bazoo513]

~ 4:10 - To nitpick, we don't actually _know_ what the rest of the world is like, only how MiniTrue depicts it. The perpetual war may or may not be going on. We are not even sure of the extent of Oceania - _Airstrip One_ might well be the only region ruled by Big Brother, or it may be the entire world.

[@carlosfandango2419]

Sorry, I am here to upset the applecart. To me the word classic defines something that even when released just begged for attention. When it comes to Sci-Fi, this is one of the most subjective opinions in all of literature. IMHO, the original Dune cannot be beaten when it comes to a complete narrative and a fully described future human universe. As for a believable future humanity there is only Iain M. Bank's 'The Culture' universe. This describes what 'Star Trek' can only wish it came up with. A future based on humans that is underpinned by AI and it's need to 'sort out' the problems that humans introduce to our galaxy. The need for humans to do the bidding of this great AI is what grounds this society and makes it interesting to us mere mortals in this context. Other novels I would recommend - Alastair Reynolds - House of Suns, Mary Doria Russell - The Sparrow, Michel Faber - Under the Skin, Michel Faber - The Book of Strange New Things and the Gene Wolfe - Shadow of the Torturer series.

[@davea136]

Who is giving this a thumbs down? Maybe I do not understand how thumbs down work.

[@massivereader]

Anderson is one of the more prolific science fiction writers, starting his career in the forties. His science fiction universe cycles through the majority of his books, with two mercantile leagues followed by an Empire. His Dominic Flandry was James Bond in space before Ian Fleming ever put pen to paper. To this day his fantsy novel "Operation Chaos" remains among my favories.

[@thelifeandtimesofjames4273]

Stop adding to my tbr please. Thank you. 🧐

[@Sci-FiOdyssey]

Ummmm no! 😃

[@TH3F4LC0Nx]

Ubik just really wasn't my favorite of the PKD books I've read. The plot makes no sense at all and the ending is supposed to seem "deep" but it really just makes the entire thing even more nonsensical.

[@frankmontez6853]

Verry ( out ) dated storyline as we all should know by now that communism is fundamentally flawed . It's never worked but many back in the day authors were leaning this way . Ian M. Banks and perhaps many many more a post scarcity theme lines . Yes very tempting even now to think hope that we can all let things get done sonehow without all the drudgeness of work ( a job ) . Miraculous tech of synthesizers ..

[@LCJ-88]

1984 isn’t science fiction.

[@psikeyhackr6914]

I find Le Guins depiction of the capitalist planet anecdotal and stereotypical. James P Hogan's Voyage from Yesteryear is significantly more thought provoking because of its depiction of technology changing the social psychology of the culture and the traditionalists resisting the change. That is our current problem to some extent but the possible futurists don't know which way to go. The traditionalists have used the schools for indoctrination. We can just see that something is wrong. Le Guin may be a better writer than Hogan and Asimov but she is not as good a science fiction story creator.

[@jamesaritchie1]

I sometimes feel guilty about it, but I'd rather read the labels on canned goods that to read Le Guin. Too many pretentious novels on your list. These aren't really novels at all, but thinly disguised polemics, which is why so much science fiction is boring, bad, and just plain silly.

[@johneagle4384]

The Despossed is a stupid book. It is one of the allegories telling us that capitalism is evil and communism is good. The story is naive and extremely boring. Ubik is the only book I ever read I felt like burning after reading it. I hated spending time reading it. The book is awful, the writing is atrocious and the storid is horrid and turgid. P. K. Dick is an extremely overrated author. 1984 is a wonderful book. It should be mandatory reading. We live in Orwellian times. War of the Worlds is another great book, I agree. Tau Zero is so-so....I did not like the characters nor the social dynamics in it.