The Top 100 Must-read Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of All Time Poll.

Alessandra Kelley

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Terry Pratchett, Hogfather, 1996, Fantasy

At least one of this prolific and brilliant satirist's fantasy novels should be included, so how about this scathing, deep look at Christmas in myth and folklore?
 

Ambri

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Orson Scott Card, Ender's Game, 1985, SF.

Winner of both the Nebula and Hugo awards, this novel follows a school-age boy through "Battle School," where they learn the tactics of three-dimensional space combat to defend Earth.
 
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Tanith Lee, Silver Metal Lover, 1999, SF

A beautiful and evocative science fiction romance between a human woman and an android, touching on themes of intolerance, as well as nature of love, humanity, and the soul.
 

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Dangerous Visions, Harlan Ellison, ed., 1967, science fiction. The most important anthology of new work in the history of the sf genre, defining the "New Wave" of authors challenging familiar conventions.

Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison, 1975, science fiction. A seminal collection of stories by one of the greatest short story writers in the field.
 

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Neuromancer, William Gibson, 1984. The central work of the "cyberpunk" genre, introducing untold readers to the concept of cyberspace.
 

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Arthur C. Clarke, Childhood's End, 1953, science fiction. Perhaps the greatest novel by one of sf's most forward-looking authors, with a daring vision of the possible end of the human race.

Isaac Asimov, Foundation, 1951, science fiction. One of the most influential visions of a galactic empire and its downfall in the history of sf.

Neil Gaiman, Sandman, 1989-1996, fantasy. Although serialized as a monthly comic book, this is in reality a cohesive, unified novel--an illustrated novel, if you must--about the power of stories to shape our lives.

Neal Stephenson, The Baroque Cycle, 2003-2004, fantasy. An incredibly ambitious alternate history involving conspiracies and codes and the place of science in human culture.

Philip Jose Farmer, To Your Scattered Bodies Go, 1971, science fiction. In the first book of the Riverworld series, every human being who ever lived wakes up on a new planet after their death.

L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, 1900, fantasy. The fairy tale gets an American updating in one of the most referenced, parodied, and beloved books ever.
 

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Time Enough for Love , Robert A. Heinlein 1973 Science Fiction

A fun and wonderful journey through the History of the Future it's character based storyline drew in people outside the normal SF fans.
 

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J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997, Fantasy. Somebody had to say it; the book that introduced fantasy's most popular new world since Narnia and Middle-Earth, and got the whole world reading.

J. R. R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, 1937, Fantasy. The gently lyrical prelude to the greatest fantasy epic of them all is a pretty good read in its own right.

Terry Pratchett, The Colour of Magic, 1983, Fantasy. The book that introduced the Discworld, world and mirror of worlds, initiating the hugely popular series.

C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, 1949, fantasy. The first and possibly best of the Narnia books.

Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1865, fantasy. After almost a century and a half writers of fantasy and science fiction--and of almost every other kind of writing--continue to turn to Carroll's madcap, whimsical, endlessly inventive creation for inspiration.
 

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The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon, fantasy, 1992. A recent epic novel about transformation through suffering.

The Odyssey by Homer, fantasy, unknown year. An ancient work which I've heard referred to as the oldest still-existing novel & adventure story.

The Princess Bride by William Goldman, fantasy, 1973. Possibly the best ever fantasy-parody.
 

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The Once and Future King, by T.H. White, published 1958.

A retelling of the life of King Arthur, based on Le Morte d'Arthur Actually a compilation of 4 books, 3 of which are previously published works.

If you haven't read it, go and read it now. It's a doorstop to rival any of G.R.R.Martin's works, but it's worth the time.
 

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Perdido Street Station, (2000) by China Mieville, Fantasy.
A relentlessly inventive novel that defies easy description. A scientist seeks to unlock the mysteries of flight, and in the process brings doom to his city.
 

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I’d have to nominate some series fiction. Not all fiction is novels. SF & F flourished in the pulp era of short-stories and a lot of ground-breaking work that created & re-defined these genres came out of the short-story era. This is particularly true of Sword & Sorcery.

The Conan series by Robert E. Howard (the original author, I’m not counting pastiches) written 1932-36, fantasy. High-quality new editions of his work can be found in Del Rey.

REH created an iconic figure in Conan, a warrior in a fantasy world of decadent civilizations, barbaric hordes, beautiful women, & evil sorcery.

The Fafhrd & Gray Mouser series, by Fritz Leiber, written 1936-88, fantasy.

Leiber reacted against Conan & created his own voice where the warlike & sexual conquests of the protagonists are tempered with humanizing humor.

The Elric series, by Michael Moorcock, specifically the shorter works written 1961-65 & the early fix-up novels.

Moorcock gave Sword & Sorcery a new direction with Elric, turning the conventions upside-down, more wizard than warrior, insider who wants out, destroyer rather than savior.
 

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Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury, 1962 Fantasy.

An excellent merging of both horror and a young boy's coming of age story.

The Saga of Recluce series by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. 1991-2010 Fantasy.

An excellent fantasy series that focuses on individuals in a world where order and chaos are balanced opposing forces of magic.

The Mithgar series by Dennis McKiernon, 1984 Fantasy

While obviously inspired by Tolkien, this series focuses more on the protagonists of each novel than an overarching epic battle between good and evil.
 

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'20,000 leagues under the sea' by Jules Verne - Science Fiction. about a submarine that is still technologically advanced for today. Most of the other predictions came true. Got to love science fiction that comes true! Still a good read after being written in 1870!

'Dracula' by Bram Stoker - Fantasy that has spawned a whole generation of horror. Not bad for 1897 either.

'1984' by George Orwell - Science Fiction. About a modern society where big brother watches you continuously through television screens and controls your mind. Only the mega-countries survive. The only problem with the title is it should be 2084 not 1984. Not bad for being written in 1948.

Not sure if 'Brave New World', Aldous Huxley should also make it - a science fiction book about growing babies in test tubes and controlling people through drugs and social manipulation.
 

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Ursula K. LeGuin's The Dispossessed.
1974; Science Fiction
The best book from one of the best and most boundary-expanding writers in Science Fiction and Fantasy.

J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings.
1954/1955
The watershed fantasy work. All fantasy after it is influenced by it.

Diana Wynne Jones
Anything by her. But if I had to pick one, it would be The Merlin Conspiracy, 2003, Fantasy.
The most versatile and consistently wonderful fantasy writer in the last 40 years.

Neal Stephenson's Anathem
Science Fiction, 2008
Because I love it, and it's language, so much.
 

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The Chronicles of Morgaine (also available seperatley and there is a fourth too) My copy has a way cooler cover though. :D

The first instance I ever saw (there are certainly earlier versions but I read this first and it is very well done) where Clarke's Law was so well integrated with the POV. Also a superb character study i how the POV sees himself and how he actually is, and getting across a non POV character. The book that made me want to write.

You can skip the prologue with not much detriment...(ahhh 80's fantasy)
 

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Calculating God by Robert J. Sawyer, 2000, Science Fiction. Hugo award finalist.

An alien and a cancer-ridden paleontologist search for God, new life, and meaning.
 
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Series:

Deryni Chronicles, Katherine Kurtz, fantasy

Thieves' World, edited by Robert Asprin, fantasy

A Song of Ice and Fire, George R. R. Martin, fantasy

The Succession, Scott Westerfeld, sci-fi
 

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Nochnoi Dozor (The Night Watch) by Sergei Lukyanenko, 2005. Fantasy

First in a series of interwoven urban fantasy tales about the eternal balance (and bureaucracy) between good and evil on the streets of Moscow and beyond, with a wicked sense of humour and a fantastic grasp of tone for both the epic and the intimately heartbreaking all at once.
 

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The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien, 1977, Fantasy, Less accessible to the general reader than his other work, but perhaps the best of his stories once you do the hard labor to thoroughly read it.
 

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Mary Stewart-The Crystal Cave-fantasy

The most amazing book about Merlin I've ever read; the one that taught me it's okay to be forever in love with a little place called Camelot, and the book that turned on all the bells and whistles for me and said yes, this is what you should do!
 

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Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, published 2006.

The first in a fantasy trilogy, which is my favourite series of books of all time. A complex magic system, an almost impossible goal for the main character, so many elements of this book and this trilogy are just awesome.
 

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Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park, published in 1990.

I don't think I'd have to explain this book to anyone, but...

Dinosaurs are revived through the magic of DNA cloning and put on display in an island zoo named "Jurassic Park". The park's owner invites a group of scientists and his grandchildren to come and evaluate his park. Dinosaurs escape, and bloodshed ensues.