The 15 Best Sci-Fi Books I've Ever Read [Updated]

[@Bookpilled]

I upload longform review videos for every book I read on my Patreon. It's $5 and there's hours of video content on it. I try my best to overdeliver for your money. Thanks for considering. www.patreon.com/bookpilled

[@The_Reality_Filter]

Not a single mention of Iain M Banks?

[@submetropolis]

You spoil us with no cheesy intro, 3 min setup about what you're going to talk about... You just get to it and that's why I love your videos.

[@mavismoi1]

i hit the Like button the moment i heard him say NUmber 15 ! ..

[@meesalikeu]

absolutely and i loved and appreciated that. it reminded me of the movie gravity, it just jumped right into it. 👍🏽

[@williamfletcher5146]

I subscribed cause of this comment.

[@robertreid2691]

Yeah man that’s so refreshing

[@hawk2million]

Yes! This.

[@bryanjiang8847]

I like the no intro, so freaking cool

[@godfreyofbouillon966]

Someone who respects his viewers and their time.

[@arsh.langeh]

i felt shocked when he literally got straight on the topic without giving a 1 - 2 min intro . hats off man❤

[@roseyg7064]

Refreshing af

[@cuchanu]

I thought it started 30 seconds in at first.

[@MeowgiMan]

I caught me off guard 😂I thought I accidentally skipped forward. Loved it

[@DSM907Maniak]

I'd just like to applaud not only your list of books but also your ability to articulate each one without giving total spoilers.

[@louisboylan7623]

I had never watched a video from you before nor heard of many of these books. Your eloquent expression of the power of these novels has convinced me to give them a try with no further investigation. Quite a feat.

[@DwaitBhatt]

Had the same effect on me. Fascinating list, and a great elevator pitch for especially the top choices!

[@franklin7554]

Same. And subscribed

[@Nakia_sydney]

Same. Saw this video quite by accident. Watched it all the way to the end and immediately bought five of the books. I fancy myself as quite widely read, but hadn't heard of many of the novels and found their description compelling. This man is a hell of a salesman.

[@jonsheik3060]

You are in for a treat!

[@t.r.wentworth575]

Same here. Stumbled on the video and discovered many authors I've never heard of before. I'm planning the trip to my library. Thank you!

[@LennethValkyrie]

The way I gasped when the list started in the first microsecond. I can't express just how grateful I am, lmao. I'm definitely subscribing.

[@molol44]

You are the first book tuber I've ever seen talk about a Mote in God's Eye. I read that when I was a teen and it has been one of my all time favorites.

[@monsterinhead214]

Me, too.

[@captainnolan5062]

@@monsterinhead214 Me too.

[@fluiditynz]

It's secret, mostly kept to the end is not so unlike human's basic problems but ramped up. Definitely a great book.

[@mleko23]

I only read Ringworld as a kid, and never touched anything else by Niven, until now 😉

[@captainnolan5062]

@@bunkie2100 I judge books on their own merit, independent of the author's personality or lifestyle. I am sure that plenty of authors are unpleasant people that I wouldn't want to spend a day in a booth with; but that doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy reading their books.

[@phogue1]

I am rediscovering science-fiction after many years. This list has given me plenty more I will have to read. Thank you so much!

[@laurenlockhart4668]

I love your description of what it feels like when a book or film gets inside you. Things linger inside me often and I feel they change the quality, tone, and content of my thoughts and feelings.

[@HyzersGR]

Childhood's End by Arthur C Clarke is a must read. Hugely influential scifi classic.

[@thehumblewolf]

Childhoods end is top 3 for me

[@psterud]

I remember really enjoying that book. Nice choice.

[@soopahsoopah]

Honestly I thought it was going to be his #1. But I love surprises.

[@psterud]

@@soopahsoopah I've been slowly getting through his #1, and it is quite interesting, but it's so thick with language that it's a slog. It really borders on being too clever for its own good, just in its language. Clarke didn't do that. Lem did it in a way that was fun and sometimes funny. I'm going to keep going, but it takes me some effort. I need to revisit Childhood's End after 25-ish years.

[@richardlanelly6708]

Yep love that book and children in time is also amazing

[@NouMPSy]

I think a big reason why Mote in Gods Eye was so great, was that it doesnt bother with setting up all the complicated concepts in the book. It just brings them up as they are needed and trusts the reader to take them in stride and understand. This means the book never feels like its meandering, which is something i greatly appreciate

[@SavageShooter93]

I love that book, well written, great characters, interesting concepts and depictions of society, space travel, an alien civilization, a great plot, I could go on but you know what I mean. I agree 100% that it never seemed to get lost in setting up things that were not needed, it gave you all the information necessary for you to accept what was said at face value, everything they did say was part of the story. No wasted words even though it was very descriptive at times.

[@meesalikeu]

mote is problematic dated cringe tho with the not being allowed or afraid to say the ef word so the captain says rape me which is weird and also the women are really shown as second class citizens in a rude way.

[@jameshannagan4256]

It's probably the first book I ever read that just blew my mind. I was about 14 and the depiction of aliens and their culture is still the best i my opinion in any novel iv'e ever read. It also has the best closing line of anything iv'e ever read.

[@jameshannagan4256]

Roger Zelazny does that so well too. it's really funny trying to explain what Lord Of Light is about, it feels like you need 300+ pages just to fully explain it. He just pulls off this massive story like it was easy, no big deal.

[@Bookpilled]

Updated Top 15 list for 2024: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oWGrZmtqm9meh7csi=zlQVU4a5SWyWlI1U

[@Zzennobi]

The voice of the Lord is by far the best Stanislaw Lem's book, Solaris back of the queue behind Eden or Invincible. Golem XIV is also mindblowing.

[@RahulSharmaSingularity]

This is how a book review is done ! Concise to the point and no BS ! Awesome Job Mate :)

[@bigmil1]

Dan Simmons Hyperion cantos has stuck with me for more than 25 years, I just listened to the audio version and was blown away. Best sci Fi series in my opinion.

[@SuitedPup]

Agreed. I was absolutely blown away throughout the entire series, and no ending has ever had such a visceral effect on me

[@BGeezy4sheezy]

It’s a brilliant book, but I made the mistake of reading Simmons horror novel “Carrion Comfort”. It’s terrible and also filled with awful racist writing, and it’s kind of ruined all his other writing for me because I believe him to be a racist creep.

[@perilouspursuits692]

Another call out for Dan Simmons Hyperion. This has been the best book (any genre) I have ever read. It still haunts my mind to this day in a good way. The ending of the series was very emotional for me in a way that no other book has even come close

[@johnkenerson71]

Absolutely! The best series of sci-fi books I've ever read. Simmons was a genius at worldbuilding in this series!

[@johnkenerson71]

@@perilouspursuits692 exactly. I was actually sad when the series resolved itself.

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

Real respect that you opened up immediately with Dune, and that you made clear that it just didn’t vibe with you completely. Its a great way to set the tone that this is your personal list and your choices.

[@alexplorer]

I second that. Excellent use of "I" in the title. I just came from a "Top 10... OF ALL TIME" list that was clearly personal selections, many of which were relatively obscure. Just a few titles into it I was like, "He should have put 'My' in the title somewhere."

[@neilsbaker9790]

I would also recommend: HYPERION by Dan Simmons. RINGWORLD and INFERNO by Larry Niven. GATEWAY by Frederick Pohl. LORD OF LIGHT by Roger Zelazny and if no-one has read the works of Iain M. Banks I highly recommend all of his books.

[@kl3cl4]

I loved Lord of Light. I think that one and Creatures of Light and Darkness were two of Zelazney's best.

[@vicmarden789]

Gateway had me hooked with its sense of mystery, and I read it, and then the entire Heechee saga, faster than I've read any other series of books. This was decades ago, and I've never forgotten them.

[@javenue]

Lord of Light is just mind blowing. I read it when I was 15 or something and was impressed by transition from what I thought was fantasy to the science fiction. I recently decided to read it once more almost 25 years later - still amazing, the book is beyond time.

[@xpump876]

Im a big fan of Zelazny's AMBER series

[@doncoady1911]

+1 for Hyperion

[@krzysztofkurzaj2755]

Props for putting Solaris on your list. I've read it for the first time not so long ago and I feel exactly the same as yourself - I keep asking myself whenever I was really ready for it and wondering how much more I can get out of it if I read it again. And this book has such qualities which can hardly be described to someone who has not read it.

[@azzy9358]

Stanislaw Lem has another level of writing. Back from the Stars or Diary found in a bathtub or Martian etc. So different, so amazing. But there is not many psychological sci-fi writer as far as I know. And he also wrote sci-fi satire. What I love most about his books, that they feel like the ending is just there because the important part, the road / the story, is now over and there is no more to say on that.

[@spiralsun1]

Solaris is the shit ❤❤️‍🔥👁️❤️‍🔥♾️

[@EastBayE]

Solaris is a masterpiece and Lem is the deep philosopher of sci-fi. Solaris as a story is interesting enough but wow the theme of how humans can perceive and study something so vast and godlike as if we are ants trying to understand the human mind…

[@SidLaw500]

Love your articulate thoughtful presentation.

[@awabooks9886]

Your discussion of the books, and what it is about them that moved you, got them on the list... for me, as good as 'the list' itself. Super insightful, given me a bunch more books to look forward to.

[@JohnInTheShelter]

Saving for later but had to look at the list. I'm shocked at how many titles we share, since I'm a lot older. The Stars My Destination , City, Norstilia, Dying Earth, Solaris--multiple rereads all, good to see you recommending them to folks, they're in for such treats--no bad books on this list.

[@jatsajatsa]

Thank you for this. It's refreshing to see a list that is so different.

[@ryanberger2129]

Really quality insight/overviews of the books. This channel has been a breath of fresh air-- glad I found it.

[@Satorotas89]

I was getting disappointed when it got to top 5 without Blindsight being mentioned - what a surprise! Read it over a year ago on your recommendation and it is still so vivid in my head, incredible book. Great list Matt.

[@tarod3]

I loved it, it described detachment very well. It was upsetting to me at first because it rationalized nihilism from a bunch of stances I already have, but then I saw an interview with the author. He’s off his rocker.

[@thehumblewolf]

The dune sequels are truly some of the most profound fiction I have ever read, they make me laugh and cry and have affected how I view life, humanity, religions, family, war, conservation, survival, and much more. The first 6 books written by frank herbert stand alone and span long generations and are such quotable, meaningful experiences.

[@mrbamfo5000]

I liked the Dune series, got pretty far out with the worm emperor, but Herbert pulled it off. I haven't pulled the sequels, (prequels) another 8 books, written by Herbert's kid, I f I remember correctly.

[@shaywarren]

I've read the first two and part of three. Really good

[@petethechin]

Ive read hundreds of scifi books and have tried to read Dune multiple times and always end up setting it down and sayin its boring. I feel I'm missing something about it because you can't all be wrong about it.

[@thehumblewolf]

@@petethechin the last third of the book is what gives the whole book it’s power.

[@nyanates]

I enjoyed the first 2-3 books in the Dune series but wow did they ever turn left at Albuquerque after that. Takes a special mind to get anything from those sequels, imo.

[@victordunavent9477]

Hyperion Cantos is my all time favorite. Having said that I have 15 Greg Bear books in my collection, the most of any author. RIP Greg.

[@MREmusique]

I also love Hyperion Cantos. Such incredible writing, gorgeous style, incredible world building.

[@mbrintys]

Got immense pleasure out of hearing such a literate review of some of my favorite genre novels. I just finished Li Cixin’s trilogy “Remembrance of Earth's Past” & found it enthralling. I'll have to give it some distance to see how it compares to many of these books that are on your most excellent list

[@Tokayd13]

So much good stuff, so much to read (although I've read many of these). And I LOVE the different book versions you show for each title, with all the different cover art.

[@RidleyJones]

I picked up A Fire Upon the Deep because of your enthusiastic recommendation and I'm loving it so far. It's SO imaginative and ambitious yet so unpretentious for what it is.

[@ric112]

That was also one of the first sci-fi books I read, and it was really interesting to hear how he painted the overview. You're so engrossed in the plight of the kids stuck on the medieval planet while this universal-scale narrative looms over it. Makes me want to read it again.

[@David-iv6je]

I was really pleased to see this here. (Dunno about Blindsight: will read it though. Sounds a little like a modern Philip K Dick?) IMHO Vinge has two great books loosely in the same series. "A Fire Upon the Deep" and "A Deepness in the Sky." Both excellent and I'm unsure which I would rank top.

[@RidleyJones]

@@David-iv6je I don't think Blindsight is Dick-esque. It's very hard science fiction horror, intense space travel and biology discussion, bleak and fascinating but not weird in a Dick-esque fashion. I thought Blindsight was amazing and it was so different from what I expected. But, just FYI.

[@MattBargain]

This was the worst sci fi book I’ve ever read. Terrible terrible. How can people like this?

[@RidleyJones]

Huh! While I've definitely seen people not liking it as much as I or Bookpilled do, I don't think I've ever seen such a strong negative reaction to it. Would you be able to explain what you don't like about it? Genuinely quite curious!@@MattBargain

[@johnriley4320]

It’s impressive how many of these are new adds from your last list. And, as always, your enthusiasm is infectious.

[@nigelwest5776]

I haven't watched many other book reviews that make me frantically trying to add everything you say to my list. You have a good rationale for every book and a genuine excitement

[@endymionsrage]

Great! Found your channel today and also something to put on my eternal, never-ending TBR Pile. Keep Going, growing and reading! :)

[@johntrim7169]

Thank you for sharing your favorite sci-fi novels and why you like them. There were a couple I don't recall reading, but I'll check them out asap. My favorites are Asimov's Foundation trilogy and Blish's Cities in Flight tetralogy. They address the human condition so powerfully that I've read them several times over the years.

[@keithlutman5611]

One of the most eloquent and informative book reviews I have come across. Cheers

[@RealMattCook]

Man in the High Castle, Ubik, VALIS, Flow My Tears the Policeman Said, A Scanner Darkly, these Dick novels, one or more belongs on this list. Also, A Canticle for Leibowitz which is extraordinary. I have re-read these and they hold up as well as when I first read them. A Scanner Darkly was most ably adopted into a movie, pretty much precisely following the book and extraordinary…

[@etsequentia6765]

Yeah, Dick is in a league of his own. I love it when he plays around with elements of a fragmented reality.

[@ronbo11]

I am a huge fan of PKD and also Miller's book, which may be the best melding of science and religious interactions ever presented in science fiction. Every time I drive through Texarkana, I wonder what is would be like if that small city was the capital of the country after a post-apocalyptic disaster.

[@ericcasteel1379]

I second Miller’s Canticle for Liebowitz. Easily my #1 SF book. Very precise & concise writing; kind of Hemingway-esque. For massively grand, beautifully bizarre otherness in world building, I strongly recommend Perdido Street Station, by China Mieville.

[@j.walker6845]

The thing about pkd is his characters and dialogue, a delicious icing on his creative premises.

[@jrm2fla]

Good list!

[@WordsinTime]

I read Way Station this year and loved it so I was pleased to see City on your list. I'm excited to read that one from Simak next!

[@moodrow1234]

Your sentiment for The Dispossessed compelled me to read and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for putting this video together.

[@Bookpilled]

Glad you liked it

[@Bookpilled]

IF YOU DID NOT SEE THE BOOK YOU LIKE IN THIS VIDEO: it's because I haven't read it or I don't like it as much as these fifteen. It also may be in my previous Top 15 video. I am 0% interested in arguing with you over my picks. EDIT: I am not trying to be a dick. I am open to suggestions and disagreement. I am not open to people trying to rap my knuckles for making the "wrong" choices or showboating about how superior their tastes are.

[@petech3975]

Thanks for this list! Added five to my reading list. To return the favor, Based on your picks, I think you’d really enjoy the aliens in Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis series, and for beautiful prose: A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine.

[@SGresponse]

Oh, wow. There I was thinking "such a cool guy", interesting list. I wonder if I can suggest something to him... Guess not. I am now 0% interested in this channel. You went full-on asshole with this comment and I am not into it.

[@jchinckley]

Okay, here's my question: why do you have 2 separate books listed at the number one spot? Am I missing something? Are you being facetious, are you trolling, or is it an error of editing? Or what?

[@Bookpilled]

@@jchinckley Paxwax is a running gag on the channel

[@danwilcox4914]

@@petech3975 Octavia is such a good writer!

[@rabbitscooter]

I love that our top 15 lists are completely different, but yours is great!

[@actualturtle2421]

LOVE the lack of intro. I know what the video is gonna be about bc it's in the title, no need to pad it out. I'm 100% here for it. Subbed.

[@Sharkman1963]

Nice to see The Mote in God's Eye get a mention. First Sci Fi book I ever read and it's stuck with me ever since, which has been about 45 years. For me it's the book all alien first contact stories should be judged against. Thank you for mentioning Norstrilia by Cordwainer Smith. Love that book and all his writings.

[@tomyamartino]

I remember the Moties! Read some time 1980 - 82 I believe.

[@Sharkman1963]

@@tomyamartino I've reread it about every 5 years since first reading it in 1979. I love the story and the characters. The sequel was called "The Gripping Hand", but it wasn't as good.

[@terryloh8583]

Thanks for putting together this video and doing it in such a ways as not to spoil the stories. With such a wide variety of topics and styles, I should be able to find something I really like in there!

[@AwakeAtTheWheel]

Thank you so much for this list. Sci-fi is my favorite genre! I have a long flight from Vietnam back to New Orleans, and I’m downloading audiobooks from my library on my phone. I’ll have plenty left to listen to for when I drive Uber after I’m back. Lots to look for later too!

[@carlgranados7106]

My all time favorite is Dan Simmons Hyperion series... particularly the original 2. Blew my mind.

[@mikelistman5263]

Just finished the Hyperion series. The world building is a bit much at times but it's a great work!

[@melissat9586]

Your list is actually mostly books that I haven't read, so thank you for making this video. I've added them all to my reading list!

[@Fairyfink]

My first visit to your channel: love how you talk about books. You communicate your response to these books in a way that enchants me.

[@JasonCaringella]

Great list. "The stars my destination" is such a great book, I have always wondered why it hasnt been adapted into a film or series yet. So good man.

[@friendlyone2706]

Perhaps waiting for the right screenwriter? Perhaps you should be be contacting whoever owns the rights and off your services? The 1st step to writing film is to to "see" the story.

[@emsleywyatt3400]

I preferred "The Demolished Man" by the same author.

[@michaelcope856]

On my bucket list would be a Christopher Nolan adaptation of The Stars My Destination. Will probably never happen.

[@smartalek180]

@@emsleywyatt3400 "I preferred 'The Demolished Man' " I wonder why? I deeply love both books -- both r inordinately clever, brilliantly inventive, thrillingly engaging, awe-inspiring, & of course funny as hell. But TDM always felt to me like a lesser work than TSMD (really, "TT," for its original, & still UK, title). Tho it's only an analogy, not an actual similarity, TDM to me stands to TSMD as The Hobbit does to The Lord of the Rings, a less serious, shallower, smaller artwork. Plus, tho both veer off into the mystic & spiritual at their ends, the twist in TDM feels like a contrivance. The one in TSMD reads to me as organic, integrated into its universe, and fully REAL.

[@smartalek180]

I despair of ANY filmmakers being able to do it justice. Then again, I felt the same abt Lord of the Rings, til I saw the 1st installment by Peter Jackson when it came to theatres, & was utterly blown away, totally convinced of the reality of the Middle-Earth 'verse, & ditto w/the sequels. (With a few occasional lapses, where the machinery showed thru -- most notably, the drowning of Isengard, which looked a lot like a 1950s Harryhausen miniature.) Maybe there is some genius who cld rly bring Gully, Jisbella, Dagenham, Olivia Presteign, Yang-Yeovil, et al, to life???

[@erlen5846]

I couldn't agree more with your feelings on the Dispossessed. While probably a lot higher on my list (LeGuin has been my favorite author for quite a while now), Anarres is a place that I think of constantly. I couldn't have described the escapism aspect of novel better. The fact that she packs so much punch in such a relatively short book left me in awe once I finished it.

[@olityr]

I'll have to try The Dispossessed. I felt like the Broken Earth trilogy was one of the most overhyped things I've ever read. But I try not to judge an author on a single work.

[@erlen5846]

@@olityr Yes, that was written by NK Jemisin, not Leguin.

[@beverlyhoward5029]

@@olityr I've been told that Jemisin is good but to stay away from The Broken Earth.

[@hamishmcdog48]

The Lathe of Heaven was an outstanding LeGuin book for me.

[@gibbousmoon35]

I love LeGuin's books, but The Dispossessed has eluded me to date. If it beats The Left Hand of Darkness and The Lathe of Heaven to make the list, I must read it soon!

[@donnieheeler]

Thank you so much for the Blood Music recommendation. It’s one of my top 3 favorites now.

[@charlesnevsimal9235]

Remembrance of Earth's Past by Cixin Liu. The full trilogy. It changed me. It changed the way I look at the stars at night. It changed how I read literature.

[@daveweisbrich1769]

A masterpiece

[@CallMeSparky1]

Same, my all time favorite series, with Dark Forest being probably my favorite book of all time. It just changed my perspective on scifi.

[@syrityflo5130]

@@dumbmemer8749 This is a good question. I think it depends on each individual whether it changed their view in a bad or good way. The whole trilogy is very pessimistic.

[@borbzoi7811]

I love how you said it changed the way you look at the stars. same exact thing for me. the night sky will forever be so much more beautiful and terrifying after reading that trilogy, especially Death's End.

[@mattherr4683]

One of the greatest if not the greatest

[@Bookpilled]

I know people are going to inquire about this: I took Shadow of the Torturer off the list because I didn't feel qualified to include it this time, having only read Shadow and Claw of the Conciliator, and considering the fact that Wolfe wanted it published as a single volume. I intend to read the Book of the New Sun in its entirety and when I do it will be back in the top 15.

[@AllisonRoadWest]

Valid. Much respect. Also love the long 30 minutes video. I listen to book review vids like yours while I drive for work. Great stuff. Have a great week bookpilled!!!

[@JohnInTheShelter]

It's one of those books I've recommended to people for decades. (Along with Little Big by John Crowley.) I consider Wolfe one of the few writers of literature in the field. The Book of the Long Sun awaits.

[@AllisonRoadWest]

Spoiler: … Yeeeesss he added Greg Bears Blood Music. People always forget it but love the experience while read it. And I agree with your #1 also. Kick ass list. No Hyperion or 3 Body Problem? Interesting.

[@MediaDeathCult]

Blasphemy

[@donaldb1]

I've just finished rereading TBOTNS. I know it's a cliche to say it, but it's true that the sequence grows in power the more you read it. When I first read it I enjoyed every element and found it phenomenally clever and interesting. But I didn't feel I could see it as a whole without taking a post-graduate course in Wolfology first. But reading Citadel of the Autarch again just now I found it tying everything tother in a much clearer and more satisfactory way than I remembered.

[@RemnTheteth]

Frankenstein is an amazing book. Its allusions to greek mythology are very interesting, and I found its philosophical underpinnings and its search for humanity really compelling. Also your love for The Dispossessed is legitimate. Le Guin is a phenomenal writer, very subtle and yet profound. I love her Earthsea books for the same reason. Also, Vance's books are the basis for Dungeon's and Dragon's magic system, which is literally called the "Vancian" magic system - because spells once used are forgotten and have to be remembered, thus explaining spell slots.

[@SuperColdLemonade]

Well presented list. I like the different cover art variants per title and the elaborate explanations with their authentic subjectivity!

[@JMatthewJohnson]

Agreed! Big fan of seeing the different cover variants!

[@elliotwalton6159]

A worthwhile 35 minutes. I'm not sure if the number of classic authors is representative of your reading range, or the true quality of the 'past masters'. I personally tend to default back to such authors. My experience with more recent authors has not been as positive overall. I'm also glad to see you vary wildly from the standard lists of the 'best' science fiction. You got more than one cheer from me for some authors and books you cited.

[@-Gramps]

I’ve been reading sci-fi since 1967- you covered some of the.great ones, & some that were a bit obscure. Thanks for reintroducing me to some that I had read decades ago. I’m going to read them again! You used the perfect amount of information about each book, without disclosing too much. I actually met Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, Vance, Herbert, & Dame Ursula K! Yes, I’m old!

[@JosephMelia]

My list would absolutely have to include at least one book from the late and great Iain M. Banks. "The Player Of Games" , or "Use Of Weapons", or maybe "Inversions". His Culture series of books are really worth checking out if you like Sci Fi.

[@komakaze1]

Excession, Surface Detail and The Hydrogen Sonata were probably my favourite Iain M Banks books. I agree Player of Games was good too.

[@Peterski]

I really liked The Player of Games, but struggled with the other books in the series, somehow couldn't get into them. I did read the Use of Weapons but can't remember a thing about it.

[@JosephMelia]

Not everyone's cup of tea perhaps.. He also wrote non sci-fi fiction... "A Song Of Stone" or "The Bridge" Are two that stood out for me, and also "Dead Air" I was a fan anyway.

[@seanwinter4784]

In my opinion the best Sci-fi series of all time. Great writer

[@eoinmacantsaoir811]

"Consider phlebas" deserves a shout out too. Maybe it's because that's the first one of his I read, but I'd say it's still up there as my favourite.

[@GiancarloPosch]

Absolutely superb description of the books I know (Dune, Dispossessed, Neuromancer, Dying Earth, Solaris) making me very curious and keen to read all the others.

[@madhusudan]

No intro, good selections from which I added more than a few to my wishlist, and commentary that resonates. Subbed.

[@Bookpilled]

Thanks, welcome

[@ssmytheYT]

I finished "The Stars My Destination". Whoa! What an adventure! This book was crazy fun, especially at the end! The story telling! It totally blew me away. Another excellent suggestion. Thank you! 😃👍

[@darrentabor4839]

Thank you for putting this list together. I've only read a few of the titles on this list, but they are books that I respect deeply. Now I have a list of other books to add to the queue. If you have not read it yet, I would strongly recommend "Children of Time", by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I've recommended it to everyone I can since I read it in 2017.

[@kpm5743]

I love how you open up the video instantly cracking on with your choices. Of the books I have read in your list, most of them I enjoyed (the only outlier being Dune, which i tried 3 times but couldn't finish) and your descriptions of the ones i haven't read sound like my kind of bag. I've added the top 2 as my next 2 books to read, thank you for the recommendations. One slight aside (and I am afraid to say this due to your scary pinned post), but I was surprised that Philip K Dick didn't appear anywhere in your top 15. Not that he should, as it is your own preference, but he usually dominates most lists, so it was unexpected and refreshing. Thanks again!

[@catsinq5726]

I'm SO glad you have A Fire Upon The Deep on this list. I feel like Vinge is never recognized in these lists, and he's just brilliant. And this is one of my favorite books.

[@raul0ca]

He used to be more famous for his Peace War trilogy but those were from a long time ago

[@skonther0ck]

Top of my list along with A Deepness in the Sky.

[@janosbornemisza1807]

A Fire Upon the Deep is the single book I can point to that re-introduced me to science fiction after being only mildly interested; that one book and the delight I took from it has had me hooked as a reader ever since. I’d also thoroughly recommend Vinge’s ‘Across Realtime’ that contains a brilliant mystery sequel to the Peace War.

[@zackfair914]

Vinge is the man. Wish he would write more.

[@swordblaster2596]

Wonderful book. Personally I think Deepness is slightly superior, and is in fact the best SF book of the last 50 years.

[@peterdollins3610]

Good list. I recall 'The Left Hand of Darkness' from Ursella Guinn.

[@Deep_in_the_Reads]

So glad to see Solaris mentioned, and ranked so highly! I haven't read much sci-fi but it easily blew everything else out of the water. I'd like to do a video review on it but there are so many layers to its meaning that I don't know how to do it concisely, haha. If you revisit it, I'd recommend reading up a bit about Andre Breton, one of the founders of surrealism. If you remember, one of the earliest researchers on Solaris who encountered some crazy stuff on the planet is named Andre Berton, so Lem is definitely telling the audience that surrealism is a big key to understanding the book's deeper themes. The philosophical underpinnings of the movement and its fixation on the human subconscious is a big element to 'figuring out' the book. Anyway, thanks for this list! Anyone who doesn't put the typical fare at the top always gets my attention so I'm sure I'll be following some of your recommendations soon :)

[@elliotdance7790]

I really loved The Dispossessed. It continues to stay with me. I've read about 100 pages of the Mote in God's Eye and I'm already very impressed. Just coming off of the Forever War and Startroopers helped prepare me for the military aspect of Mote.

[@ongvalcot6873]

The Dispossessed was about the unfulfilled dream of Soviet communism.

[@davidevans1667]

I can see how you might interpret it that way, but that's not what I got out of it. No matter what the " ism," human institutions tend to become rigid over time. This leads to loss of freedom and opportunitiy. This is what she means by the idea that, " the revolution must continue." The same applies to capitalism. If it can't reinvent itself to meet the needs of average citizens, it will become obsolete.

[@seanwinter4784]

Nice list, you inspired me to make my own: 1. Neuromancer - William Gibson 2. Excession - Iain M. Banks 3. Seven Eves - Neal Stephenson 4. Dispossessed - Ursula LeGuin 5. At the Mountains of Madness - HP Lovecraft 6. Integral Trees - Larry Niven 7. Red Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson 8. The Gate to Women’s Country - Sherri S Tepper 9. The Many Coloured Land series - Julian May 10. The White Dragon - Anne McCaffrey 11. Accelerando - Charles Stross 12. Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams 13. Titan - Stephen Baxter 14. I, Robot - Isaac Azimov 15. Hyperion - Dan Simmons

[@spiralsun1]

This is ridiculous. Half of them aren’t even sci fi. 😮

[@ly776]

Excession was my introduction to Ian M. Banks who became my favorite sci-fi writer. Funny, crazy imaginative, satirical, political, and so well written.

Accelerando! I was afraid I would be the only one who would have put this book in a top 15 list. For me it would have even been in the top 10. Your #5 is weird.

[@seanwinter4784]

No. 5 has alien races, time travel, and advanced technology. It's as SF as it gets. Yes, Lovecraft is now defined as weird fiction, but it has all the elements you need for SF, and it shouldn't be pigeon holed as such

[@spiralsun1]

@ ok, thanks !

[@Codename-B]

You spoke about Vance as I would myself. And I consider myself an avid collector of his work. Veryt glad to see a man of my own heart. I will read each book you have chosen for this list that I havent already read. Thanks!

[@ssmytheYT]

I just finished "Solaris" by Stanislaw Lem. Definitely a thought provoking journey. I can't help but be moved, left in a frustrated suspense, and warm glow by this story. I very much enjoyed the journey. So many questions, but a strange satisfaction at the same time. Thanks for the recommendation! 😀

[@robosing225]

It would be nice to talk to you about the things you thought about Solaris. I read a slightly altered version where some of the wordings were changed (not sure why) and the names of some were also altered. I think Rheya was changed to Harey and Snow to Snaut. Think it had to do with certain translations from the polish version? Either way, I would hate to discuss spoilers here in a comment section where most likely other's are looking to share their bests books for others to try out. I just read someone mention Hyperion Cantos, and want to give that one a try. As for Solaris, I kind of wish there was more exploratory scenes. So much was explained through the Giza texts but since the novel is essentially about this planet and the interactions between the crew, I guess I would've preferred there to be first hand experiences with what was read through the texts. But perhaps that was the point. _That_ had already been done by many qualified scientists and not the job of the narrator to do, as that was not his field of expertise. I'm intentionally sounding vague so to not give too much away incase another reader stumbles upon this without having read Solaris. The attempt is futile it seems. Honestly your much shorter comment encapsulates a similar feeling in me and does a great job explaining how one would feel after reading Solaris.

[@seandon67]

His Ijon Tichy books are hilarious, definitely worth a read

[@ssmytheYT]

I just finished "A Fire Upon the Deep" by Vernor Vinge. Absolutely incredible! I loved this adventure. So many wonderful characters. Such amazing world building. Definitely a book I will remember for a very long time. I read it in 17 days. Your recommendations have been spot on! Thank you! 😀

[@Narapoia1]

I would 100% recommend his other book in that universe - a Deepness in the sky. He wrote it afterwards but it is a prequel of sorts, I actually think it is better than a Fire Upon the Deep, and I freaking love that book.

[@sschmidt1775]

Absolutely read his other books, the serie starting with The Peace War. Fire Upon is a thousand ideas in one big story. Peace war is essentially ONE idea of a shield, and then 3 books of different uses of it.

[@taramcdermott9840]

So thankful for this video. I'm new to youtube reviews of SF/F which is odd as it's the primary genres I read! So far there have been a lot of videos I've found little value in. Thank you for the following: no intro not focusing on the big blockbusters that everyone else talks about showing the book name/cover right off the bat discussing *why* it's on your list, which enough background to engage, entice, and without giving too many spoilers providing a list of books that I am unfamiliar with. Looking forward to reading quite a few of them.

[@renegade4dio]

We all have lists, of course. Mine is : 1) Left Hand of Darkness 2) Stranger in a Strange Land 3) Dune 4) Mote in God's Eye 5) Cat's Cradle 6) Tau Zero 7) Time Enough for Love. I totally respect everything on your list.

[@Christian-gc6nn]

Left Hand of Darkness is probably my number one as well. I could not stop thinking about it for a long long time after reading it.

[@gibbousmoon35]

Your list really resonated for me, but Tau Zero has eluded my attention. I must put it on my list to read!

[@renegade4dio]

@@gibbousmoon35 It probably doesn't belong in the company of the others, but it was something I personally loved that really took my interest in hard sci-fi to a new level. It really is the odd man out on that list.

[@Galiuros]

I'm getting ready to reread Time Enough for Love as soon as I finish Terminal Shock by Neal Stephenson.

[@BenjWarrant]

@@gibbousmoon35 It's a scary but riveting story.

[@nefanee]

I read War of the Worlds for the first time a few months ago and I was so struck how Wells wrote the black fog seeping through the streets. It was so poetic that it has stuck with me since. Definitely an amazing story.

[@RealMattCook]

It is. But I think Time Machine is more haunting and culturally more on point.

[@exhaustguy]

Wells set the archetype for so many modern SF stories. Verne was tremendous, but his writing style is from an earlier age. WotWs was published in 1898 - find an earlier alien invasion novel of its quality and importance.

[@GraemePayne1967Marine]

In the time that Wells was writing, that type of dense black fog was fairly common in London. In real life, it was because most buildings were heated with coal ....

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

A great writer but a poor man. A classic example of how one should not investigate the author but just love their works.

[@ssmytheYT]

I just finished "Dune" by Frank Herbert. I’m glad I finally read this book! There’s quite a bit of marvelous detail in this story. A gripping and memorable journey! There were some details and reveals that blew my mind! Definitely a long read, but worth it. 😀

[@mkohanek]

The sequels are where it really gets good IMO. I read and enjoyed Dune, but did not quite understand why it was considered to be one of the greatest ever. But the sequels, especially God Emperor of Dune... those are some of my favorite sci fi ever. And they made me appreciate the first one way more

[@josepherhardt164]

I remember reading _Dune_ in college, ca. 1972 or so. During the weekend before finals. 700+ page paperback. Didn't seem to hurt me. :)

[@largol33t1]

I'm still struggling to make a decision. I've read Dune before when I was in grade school. Now that there are prequels and background novels, I am trying to work up the guts to start from the verrrryyy beginning with "Dune: The Butlerian Jihad." After that come twelve more novels that end with "Dune". It totals a whopping 6,784 pages! For me, that's over ten dictionaries!! Yikes. Still on the fence about it since I'm already stuck on the adventures of the fictional Swedish cop Anita Sundstrom in the "Malmo" series.

[@cloudbloom]

​@@largol33t1 as a massive Dune fan (I've read the first book 16 times, the other five I've read around 7 or 8 times) you should avoid anything in the series written by Frank's son Brian Herbert it's glorified fanfiction. Stick with the 6 novels written by Frank, then decide if you want to read any of the prequel or sequel stuff by Brian and Kevin J. Anderson

[@bensuga510]

@@cloudbloom Seeing that you've read Dune so many times, I really trust your judgement :) I just finished Chapterhouse and rather than going back to the beginning right away, I'm looking for something from another author that might aspire to be equally enjoyable. Any recommendations?

[@planetdisco4821]

Ok. This was a pretty good list. Kudos for putting The Mote In Gods Eye in here. I have it as a 1st edition hardcover lol. Thanks also for mentioning Jack Vance. That man wrote books with such a superb grasp of prose and poetry that it is criminal that so few people know of him. And then there’s Blood Music by Greg Bear. I met him and have a signed copy of that very book! He was doing a book sign thingy at a shopping mall in melbourne, Australia right near the factory that I was doing my apprenticeship as a boilermaker in so I grabbed all my copies of his books that I’d actually been bingeing and skipped out of work and walked to the bookshop and the poor guy was sitting at a desk in the bookshop all by himself so I wound up talking to Him for nearly two hours! He was actually a really nice and down to earth guy who seemed to really enjoy having a conversation with a spotty 17 year old in filthy grease smeared overalls and a mullet haircut (it was 1987) he actually told me that he’d signed off the movie rights to Blood Music and that they were going to use the morphing CGI effects that had been pioneered in The Abyss to make it into a big budget Hollywood movie. Damn I really wish that had happened. Other books that I think are worthy of your list are: Star tide Rising by David Brin Downbelow Station By C J Cherryh Hyperion by Dan Simmons The Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C Clarke Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks (or any other culture novel by him) Tough call to make a top 15 but you did a great job mate. Liked and subbed from Oz…

[@fiedag]

I come to KZbin for comments like this

[@planetdisco4821]

@@fiedag lol thanks mate. I also got docked 2 hours pay… worth it!

[@dangr123]

I'm glad Bear made this list. He's one of my favorites. RIP

[@planetdisco4821]

@@dangr123 he died!? I didn’t know this!

[@dangr123]

@@planetdisco4821 just recently. Last November.

[@alandonnelly8152]

I was surprised that so many of your choices were written so long ago - but pleased that I had read so many of them, and broadly agree with so many of your choices. For consideration if you haven't already considered them: "Stand on Zanzibar" by John Brunner - overpopulation, Artificial Intelligence, social change... "The Rose" by Charles Harness - arts v. science and a possible resolution...

[@BenjWarrant]

Oh, wow. You don't hear John Brunner mentioned very much these days. _Stand on Zanzibar_ and _The sheep look up_ are truly great SF novels. Very much of their time but none the worse for that.

[@georgemellen6922]

I really enjoy your book reviews so much. I grew up reading sci-fi almost exclusively and so have that strong connection to your subject. I read much less sci-fi now, but just enjoy the way you go about describing the books and your reactions to them. Your reviews have encouraged me to re-read a few of my favorites (Le Guin, for example) and dive into a few that have been waiting patiently on my shelves for a first read. Thanks so much for sharing your enthusiasm.

[@taliesinbreen]

I love your description of the thrill of reading FotD. Vinge’s way of describing how the minds of the Tines work also gave me that eye-opening view of what sci-fi could be.

[@johncass3641]

One of my favorites is the Foundation series by Asimov. I first read the Foundation Trilogy, and then I discovered separate prequel and a separate sequel. Fantastic reading!

[@s.r.howell1297]

@@tw0pers0nalities Honestly, I can't wait for this "anti-woke" braindead witch hunt to die off.

[@Scottlp2]

@@tw0pers0nalities read the books many many decades ago. Liked them, but they are neither character driven (Asimov didn’t write much character depth) nor fast past plot type driven. Thought the Tv Series was pretty good-they had to add some character/plot so people would watch. I’m sure there was some woke stuff, but I didn’t find it like eg STD/Picard.

[@chuckkarmes6812]

@@tw0pers0nalities I wish someone would define "woke" for me.

[@rickmorris8290]

It’s strange how stories affect readers differently. I would have the Foundation series as my clear number one. I’ve read the series at least 10 times and still come away with a fresh joy and respect for the story. To me, the book is completely character driven, and no book ever has made me laugh and think more. An author that creates a new, supported and believable science and then weaves in the evolution of that ability in a meaningful and humanistic way is a rarity indeed…

[@DRATER469]

@@tw0pers0nalities am as adverse to “pc agenda” being shoehorned into stories as anyone but i found the way the series reimagining of the books to be fairly masterful. Its tough source material for tv and a lot of the tech predictions are very dated now.

[@milesobrien2694]

Great video! Some of my seminal sci-fi favorites were there and there were some great suggestions that will be on my reading list. I started reading sci-fi when I was 12 in 1958. Still is my favorite genre. I would be hard pressed to create a _Best of_ list considering the literally thousands of sci-fi books, novellas and short stories I have read over the course of 65 years. There are novels I re-read every couple of years like _The Stars My Destination_ the C.M. Kornbluth/Frederick Pohl collaborations and many of J.G. Ballard's novels. Newer works like Neal Stephenson's _Snow Crash Cryptonomicon_ and _Diamond Age_ frequently pop into my consciousness as I watch the world and humanity evolve/devolve. _Best_ is a subjective adjective. Arguing _best_ is like arguing ice cream. But the fact that you put _your best_ out there/here allows me to make my own judgement and maybe find some new _favorites_ so Thank You!

[@kushagrasachan8933]

Earned a like immediately for the inclusion of Solaris on Top 3! Call it a bias,, however I completely, so overwhelmingly concur with your judgement of it, its artistic greatness, almost crushing in a sense, that still keeps me in awe.

[@TheRageHunt]

The way you described A Fire Upon the Deep is exactly how I feel about the Revelation Space series by Allistor Reynolds. The impact Blindsight had on you totally justifies the unconscious weird feelings I get when deciding if I should finally pick it up and read it lol I always end up deferring to another book

[@brucesherrod9645]

completely agree and I was just going to leave the same comment. @bookpilled, I think you'll really like Revelation Space! A Fire Upon the Deep was at the top of my list until Allistor Reynolds unseated it.

[@grainny4397]

I’ve watched a ton of top books or whatever, not many have a picture with it. Thank you for doing that.

[@tsarrast]

For Dune, I think the first book is in many ways the simplest. It has great narrative cohesion, but as the series progresses - it becomes much more rich and complex. I read the series 2.5 times. In high school I couldn’t get through book 4. In college I completed it. And in my mid 20s, I found the last 3 books to be my favorite. I encourage you, as a mature and sophisticated reader, to read the series as I think the world building, themes, and topics in the later part will be more captivating. Cheers and I enjoyed this video. Will read a couple of these!

[@thundervanbrocklin2718]

I second all of this^^

[@tde02021]

Respectfully I disagree, I have read the three next books in the series as an adult and they are violently boring. The Dune series, in my oppinion, is best when you only read the first book.

[@douglasdea637]

I largely agree. I've read all 6 Dune books and love the series. I think the second and third go down in quality but he 4th, God Emperor, really captivated me. Just the idea of him and what he could do and how he rules is intensely interesting. The 5th and 6th books are worth reading I think. I sometimes wonder if we need to set up something like the Bene Gesserit in today's world just to survive the next couple hundred of years.

[@michaelharding5061]

Yeah it is crazy that it would be many people's number 1. The series overall is cool but don't think any individually should be in a top 10 list.

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

@@tde02021idk i think Dune Messiah really drives home a great point. It stops being some hero’s journey and becomes a fantastic deconstruction of it just as Herbert intended

[@mydigitallog2652]

I so agree with what you said about neuromancer. I love how gibson describes setting. It's some of the best I've ever read. I love the way he describes Cheap Hotel in particular.

[@gregjacob83]

An excellent list. I've read 11 of the 15 you reviewed and I'm just getting ready to start Blindsight...I can't wait! Props to you for including 'City' on your list, it's such an incredibly moving story. You often talk about a book sticking with you long after you have read it. I read 'City' maybe 45 years ago and it's still popping up in my head all the time. Love your videos.

[@nmlss-r9]

Did you like it? Did you read the sequels yet?

[@athiefinthenight6894]

Man really enjoyed this. Such a unique list and really gave me an insight into and further kindled my love for sci fi. My favourite science fiction book has got to be Ender's Game but I definitely need to read more.

[@pacard33]

I did love Ender's Game. It's one of the pinnacle sci-fi works and OSC definitely earns his Hugo. Kind of surprised Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein wasn't on the list, but Frankenstein was (deservedly so). I'll have to check out Blindsight, which I guess won the Hugo as well.

[@Atop77]

Great list Matt! Can't wait to read Blindsight. I luckily found a copy of Nostrilia a while back. Haven't heard that good a rec for it until now. Can't wait to get real weird with that shit. I really think you'd enjoy A Voyage to Arcturus by David Lindsay. Also, Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny, Odd John by Olaf Stapledon. Real weird, real inventive, real innovative stuff. I know you have a crazy TBR, just throwing it out there in case you see them in the wild. And yes, finish Book of the New Sun. Thanks for your hard work man. SCI FIRE PLACE FOREVER!

[@mudson7380]

So pleased to see Frankenstein on your list. It’s my all time favorite read precisely for the reasons you cite. Regarding books that lurk in the back of my mind: Banks’ Culture series is hard to beat.

[@stevenredpath9332]

If you haven’t already read Iain M Banks I can recommend them. Player of Games is a good introduction to the Culture. The Gap Into series by Stephen Donaldson is a fascinating series that can be very grim in places but hopefully as well. The high crusade is just fun. Doubt it would make any top 15 but it’s fun to read and just serious enough to keep you reading it.

[@kid5Media]

The Culture novels are the reason SF was invented.

[@hughcaldwell1034]

Right? Especially if one finds escapism in the anarchist society of The Dispossessed. You can also get an apartment with zero fuss in the Culture, plus they aren't on the edge of starvation.

[@kevinkelsey9845]

Just wanted to second Banks's Culture novels. ESPECIALLY Use of Weapons, talk about a book that has "staying power". I think about some element from Use of Weapons nearly every day.

[@geoffbogie3884]

Will third Ian M Banks Culture Novels, Use of Weapons, Consider Phlebas and my personal favorite Excession, come to mind. Just a fantastic series, think of them all the time. David Brin, Startide Rising is another fantastic book. Neal Stephenson's Snow Crash or Anathem and of course as you mentioned in your initial post, Gene Wolf;s Book of the New Sun - which is just beyond description.

[@artdentphdent]

I approve this message

[@serifini2469]

I've read 9 out of the 15 and would largely agree on the ordering. The one thing that surprised me was the absence of Liu Cixin's "The Three Body Problem".

[@perilouspursuits692]

The Three Body Problem starts out slow but if you can get through it, wow does it pay off

[@eugeniirabiner750]

@@perilouspursuits692 Not sure about The Three Body problem - it is a good book and a decent series - but definitely NOT in the GREAT category

[@javenue]

Agree. Probably the best hard science fiction.

[@stevebolton8471]

@@perilouspursuits692 I never managed that. I rarely stop reading a book, but that was an exception. Maybe I'll give it another go

[@TheWchurchill4pm]

It’s one of the few science fiction books I’ve read that includes ACTUAL scientist. The fact that it enthralled me, a non-scientist, speaks to the author’s talents as a storyteller.

[@tequilamondayproject5089]

I am so curious to read some of these that I havent read, if only to try and catch some of your enthusiasm and obvious delight in these books youve discovered!!! Wonderful video, will have to see the rest of them. Thanks so much for the reviews...

[@johngoldsworthy1925]

In my 70's. Been reading SF since my dad dropped an Edgar Rice Burroughs paperback into my lap one night when he returned home from work. I have no regrets escaping over and over into worlds fantastic as well as increasing my vocabulary and knowledge of proper sentence structure and syntax through sheer osmosis. This held me in good stead when writing essays and term papers later on in college. One author I also love is Roger Zelazny. He wrote many entertaining SF novels but the two I loved the most were Lord of Light and Creatures of Light and Darkness. Thanks for creating this video. As much SF as I have consumed your list has presented me with further new authors to sample and books to explore. 👍

[@ramonpizarro]

Lord of Light is amazing

[@tsugima6317]

My folks hated to see me read and would roust me out to " Do something". I loved reading, especially Sci Fi. Hal Clements "Ice World" was a favorite , as well as " Bimbos of the Death Sun" and "Zombies of the Gene Pool". Robert Forward's Dragon's Egg is also pretty good.

[@tomspoors768]

Picked up Blindsight accidently about two years ago. Completely blown away with its hard sci-fi, philosophy and inevitability. So hard to classify.

[@nosuchperson284]

I thought the sequel Echopraxia was just as good. Starts from a different place, explores the vampire aspect with another great character. And it takes place among the conjoined minds of the Bicameral Order on their own voyage out to meet the aliens with a character who finds himself abruptly living within its hive mind community. In fact I recommend people interested into moving on to Echopraxia first purchase his short story The Colonel. Read that and then re-read the last short chapter of Blindsight, Charybdis. You'll be ready to see what happens next.

[@emsleywyatt3400]

Read that one pretty recently and thought it was good.

[@brucegrossman3531]

No intro. Fantastic. Even better a wide ranging list. Ive read a good number of your choices. And it was great to see Dying Earth and Hothouse getting mentioned. Subscribed. Cant wait to eatch your other uploads.

[@JerrodHansen]

What a great list! I love what matters to you and the way you describe them. Your comments about your #2 regarding the amount of information packed into a story reminded me of my own #1, Neil Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle. Thank you.

[@nigeltedbury5805]

Absolutely. The Baroque Cycle takes some commitment (I'm a slow reader!), but it rewards on so many levels. I had withdrawals when i finally finished it. Not strictly Sci-Fi though, I guess?

[@marilynwilson2326]

Never felt the urge to actually read "Frankenstein"... until now. Thx. (I did totally enjoy reading Blood Music. Glad to see it made the list.)

[@CrossFitVineland]

It's a fantastic book. His comments reflected my own thoughts almost exactly.

[@cassfonnesbeck8057]

In my teen years many many years ago I came across an antique Frankenstein book and read it. It was amazing and the story sticks with me to this day.

[@richardclay5249]

Fascinating. I've read 10 of these and there's not a bad one among them. So it will be worth my looking at the others, especially since Neuromancer is already on my shelves somewhere. Interesting that it's assumed these days that Frankenstein is part of the canon of 'Serious Literature'. Such was certainly not the case forty years back. And you do a fine job of putting across the unique depth and strangeness of Solaris.

[@susancampanelli4245]

I just stumbled onto your channel and I couldn’t be happier. I’m tired of “top ten” lists without commentary or previews. Given the amount of titles and lists to choose from, I find yours unapologetically personal. THANK YOU!

[@ickster23]

Great list and many books here I'll need to read now. One I recommend if you haven't read it already is "The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman.

[@jumpingjohnflash]

The whole "Forever War" trilogy is great. There was also a graphic novel of "The Forever War".