Title says it all really, quite simple, in your opinion, what is the best SF novel ever written ?? I was going to set a poll up for this one, but people's tastes are probably going to vary that much that I couldn't possibly cover all the novels that you might want to pick. None of this 'Top 5' thing either, just nice and simple, what's the best ??

Now you can answer this from either the perspective of "I enjoyed this one the most", or "I think this novel's the most important contribution to the genre". Either way is fine :)

As James probably knows, I don't like participating in "best of" thread unless there is a disclaimer such as James included in his last paragraph. Even then, I have difficulty picking a favorite of all time, so I'm just going to name the latest SF novel to join others at the tippy-top of my favorites-list:

DRAGON'S EGG by the late Robert Forward.

This is impossible. There are just so many out there to choose from that I cannot possibly just name one, so instead I will just list my favourite STAR TREK novel of all time which is:

The Return by William Shatner

I think the ones I have enjoyed the most, apart from those I've mentioned in other threads, are older novels, particularly The Kraken Wakes and The Day Of The Triffids by John Wyndham.

Whats your definition of Sci-Fi James?

:evil: :innocent:

Well basically it has to be predictive........cos, at the end of the day, that's all sci fi is, a predictive medium, these guys sit there and believe the future they're telling us about will be exactly how it turns out....... :lol: :lol: :lol:

You forgot to mention that it must include a glorious evoloution for mankind as part of its remit as well :)


I don't read much of what would normally be called Sci-Fi - I just test the water every now and then withoui drowning. Having said that some of the horror/thriller works of Dean Koontz certainly stray into the territory as I'd define it with such works as Midnight and Lightning. On that note I'd name WATCHERS as my favorite - the story of a genetically engineered dog and its unorthodox "Cousin" and how it affects the lives of its "friends" (in the truest sense of the word) has never ceased to make me think and also to move me on an emotional level not reached by most books.

Despite being a SK fan I've never actually read any Koontz (similar territory and all), however I've seen a couple of the movie adaptations of his novels; Watchers and Phantoms. The former, despite having an interesting premise was a poor adaptation, Corey Haim was in it for Christ's sake !! Phantoms was better but very reminiscent of The Blob. I'm not a massive horror buff, but I find some of King's work amazing; The Stand and IT are still some of the best mini series I've seen, and then you have the other side of King, Stand By Me (or The Body in novella form), The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption, great stuff, just makes it all the more frustrating when he puts out something like Dreamcatcher or Gerald's Game :rolleyes:

What's Midnight and Lightning about Neil, can't say as I've heard of that one ??

When it comes to Stephen King I must admit I havent read any for years. My favourite two used to be Pet Cemetary (which was made into a terrible movie) and Misery (which was a brillent film). Love the movie THE GREEN MILE but never read it.

I am not a big fan of his style, three pages to describe a tree as one of my tutors at university used to call it.

The last King I read was a part of the Dark Tower series, and just before that The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, which for saying there was practically one character in the entire book was extremely well written IMO.

King I find goes from one extreme to the other; on the one hand you have stuff like The Green Mile, Shawshank, Stand By Me, It and The Stand, but on the other you have stuff like Dreamcatcher, and Gerald's Game, and Needful Things. When he's good, SK is very, very good, but when he isn't he's just average. Take the latest project, Kingdom Hospital, frankly, it bored me :(

Not mad keen on him remaking earlier adaptations either. He's already done The Shining and Carrie, now he's thinking of redoing It, why ?? It's not even that old !!

The adaptions of Koontz's novels is one of the great crimes of TV/cinema. I think Hideaway is probably the only semi-decent one I can think of. None of the ones you mention come anywhere near the depth and vision of the books.

Midnight involved a small town with a hi-tech company benefactor ran by a typically twisted CEO. Phase one of his plan to change the world is the introduction to the populace of nano-bot machines to make humans more "efficient" which goes TU as because of his psychosis he removes the "inefficient" emotions.

Lightning involves time travel - a man interferes conmstantly in the life of a female novellist by turning up at critical times in her life. he does manage to change things but one of the themes is that fate always does its best to overcome interference.

I'd also recommend The Bad Place, a couple of related books called Seize the Night and Fear Nothing and one of his more recent ones - One Door away from Heaven.

I do like Stephen King but find his work patchy. The Stand is a classic but especially recently I have found his books swinging from excellent to unreadable.

It is too hard to name the greatest sci fi novel of all time but in my opinion noteable ones are:

Do Androids Dream ..... by P.K.Dick

Dune (the original one) by Frank Herbert

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

I will fear no evil by Robert A Heinlein

Four classics!!!!

Hell yes!!!

I'm dreading the day they decide to film Strangers or either of the Chris Snow books shudder

I would also recommend From the Corner of his Eye, and DK's newest book The Taking, that ones kinda spooky :D

:stoopid:

Only just noticed the books topic thingy.

Can't really choose just one favourite/greatest sci-fi novel so I thought I'd choose a few :)

Pretty much any of the Honor harrington series by David Weber.
I Am Legend by Richard Mathieson.
Intervention/Jack The Bodiless by Julian May.

I'm sure there are more but these are the ones that spring to mind.

LOL!!!

Don't worry, it's pretty new :D

Welcome :thumbsup:

Can't argue with that at all Neil.

Odd that possibly two of his best works have come from novellas rather than his usual bible-size novels. The Body (Stand by Me) and Shawshank :rolleyes:

Fingers crossed he doesn't bodge up the conclusion to the Dark Tower series.

The Greatest scifi novel of all time??? Way to hit with a toughie Angel :D . Imo it would have to be something from the Wyndham range, probably, Midwich cuckoos. i still love that book to this day after reading it for the first time at school. I had no idea when I started reading, that it had anything to do with the "Village of the Damned" movie, but that was also very important during my formative years.

My fave book of all time (just to topic jump here) would be Reaper Man, by Terry Pratchett, still makes me pee myself with laughter every time I re-read it :lmao: :lmao: :lmao: