Classics of Science Fiction

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The Classics of Science Fiction
by James Wallace Harris

What are the classic books of science fiction? Who decides which book is a classic? Do the critics and scholars know best or in the end, are the readers the real judges? What qualities define a classic book?

I got the idea to look up a number of "recommended" or "best of" lists to see what other people had to say, and then compile a database that would represent a consensus of opinion. Using the lists I "assembled" the Classics of Science Fiction list by selecting books that were on a minimum number of refering lists.

(For full essay see http://classics.jameswallaceharris.com)

Pages: 1 3 4

  1. 1.
    The Demolished Man
    by Alfred Bester

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  2. 2.
    More Than Human
    by Theodore Sturgeon

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  3. 3.
    Dune, 40th Anniversary Edition (Dune Chronicles, Book 1)
    by Frank Herbert

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  4. 4.
    The Foundation Trilogy
    by ISAAC ASIMOV

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  5. 5.
    A Canticle for Liebowitz
    by Walter M. Miller Jr.

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  6. 6.
    Stand on Zanzibar
    by John Brunner

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  7. 7.
    The Left Hand Of Darkness
    by Ursula L. Le Guin

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  8. 8.
    The Time Machine
    by H.G. Wells

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  9. 9.
    The War of the Worlds
    by H. G. Wells

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  10. 10.
    Childhood's End (Del Rey Impact)
    by Arthur C. Clarke

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  11. 11.
    The Martian Chronicles
    by Ray Bradbury

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  12. 12.
    The Space Merchants
    by Frederik Pohl

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  13. 13.
    The Stars My Destination
    by Alfred Bester

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  14. 14.
    Ringworld
    by Larry Niven

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  15. 15.
    The Dispossessed
    by Ursula K. Le Guin

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  16. 16.
    1984: Centennial Edition
    by George Orwell

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  17. 17.
    City
    by Clifford D. Simak

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  18. 18.
    Mission of Gravity
    by Hal Clement

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  19. 19.
    The Man in the High Castle
    by Philip K. Dick

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  20. 20.
    Brave New World
    by Aldous Huxley

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  21. 21.
    The City & the Stars
    by Arthur C. Clarke

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  22. 22.
    Stranger in a Strange Land
    by Robert A. Heinlein

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  23. 23.
    To Your Scattered Bodies Go (Riverworld Saga, Book 1)
    by Philip Jose Farmer

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  24. 24.
    Rendezvous With Rama
    by Arthur C Clarke

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  25. 25.
    The Forever War
    by Joe Haldeman

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  26. 26.
    Gateway (Heechee Saga)
    by Frederik Pohl

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  27. 27.
    Last and First Men
    by Olaf Stapledon

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  28. 28.
    The World of Null-A
    by A. E. van Vogt

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  29. 29.
    Fahrenheit 451
    by Ray Bradbury

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  30. 30.
    A Case of Conscience
    by James Blish

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  31. 31.
    Hothouse
    by Brian W. Aldiss

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  32. 32.
    The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
    by Robert A. Heinlein

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  33. 33.
    Flowers for Algernon
    by Daniel Keyes

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  34. 34.
    Dying Inside
    by Robert Silverberg

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  35. 35.
    Star Maker (SF Masterworks) (Millennium SF Masterworks S)
    by Olaf Stapledon

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  36. 36.
    Slan : A Novel
    by A. E. Van Vogt

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  37. 37.
    The Humanoids
    by Jack Williamson

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  38. 38.
    A Clockwork Orange
    by Anthony Burgess

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  39. 39.
    Way Station
    by Clifford D. Simak

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  40. 40.
    Camp Concentration: A Novel
    by Thomas M. Disch

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  41. 41.
    Timescape
    by Gregory Benford

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  42. 42.
    Frankenstein (Enriched Classics)
    by Mary Shelley

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  43. 43.
    Earth Abides
    by George R. Stewart

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  44. 44.
    Lord of Light
    by Roger Zelazny

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  45. 45.

  46. 46.
    A Princess of Mars (Penguin Classics)
    by Edgar Rice Burroughs

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  47. 47.
    We
    by Yevgeny Zamiatin

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  48. 48.
    Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
    by Philip K. Dick

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  49. 49.
    Solaris
    by Stanislaw Lem

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  50. 50.
    Downbelow Station
    by C. J. Cherryh

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Pages: 1 3 4

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Created by CitizenKing on Mar 07, 2008.
 

Comments

Complete — 1 year ago

The list is finished as of the website on this date. There is one more in this list than the original because The Chrsalids and Re-Birth occupied one spot (a combined edition) on the website.

I must say that some of the anthologies seem unecessary, but overall I like the list for ideas about classics to search out. I am impressed by how many are in print.


Introduction — 1 year ago

There is a website (referenced above)which compiles an objective list of the classics of science fiction. The order is by rank. As this list is a representation of that list, it is considered a definitive list and should be editted only to reflect that online list, not your opinions of what it should be.

If you do edit, please leave a comment describing your contribution. Thank you.