Recommended by
Alan Brown
| Novels | Comment |
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William R. Burkett, Jr.
Sleeping Planet | One of the first 'grownup books' I ever read. A fun and exciting tale of alien invasion, with plucky Earthmen defending their world with imagination as well as force. First serialized in Analog, it is a perfect example of the style John Campbell encouraged in his authors. It was issued by the Paperback Library in 1967. |
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Hal Clement
Mission of Gravity | Doubleday, 1954. A brilliantly realized story of aliens that live on one of the most unique worlds ever imagined. This was a landmark book, and a perfect example of true 'science' fiction at its best. |
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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Lost World | My best copy of this book (first published in 1912) is a handsome trade paperback version published by Chronicle Books in 1989. If you liked Jurassic Park, go back and read this one and learn where the title for the sequel came from. It's Conan Doyle on the top of his always-great form. An expedition to the Amazon finds a plateau where long lost species, including dinosaurs, continue to thrive. The leader of the expedition, Professor Challenger, is one of the great characters in literature, larger than life and believable at the same time. |
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Keith Laumer
The Glory Game | Doubleday, 1973. Laumer was a master of the adventure tale. This one goes at high velocity without ever letting up. Paced like a hail of machine-gun bullets. If you want an example of how to grip a reader, here it is. |
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Steve Miller and Sharon Lee
Agent of Change | Published by Del Rey in 1988. This is a marvelously realized story, with great characterization. Echoes the fun and excitement of the golden age of space opera, and yet feels brand new. There were two other books set in this universe, and I wish there were more. |
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John Myers Myers
Silverlock | My copy was published by Ace Books in 1979. A wonderful trip through a fantasy setting that represents the world of literature. It's fun just trying to identify the characters as they appear. A great tale of a less-than-perfect protagonist who grows as a person as the story progresses. |
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David Palmer
Emergence | First published in shorter form in Analog, and printed by Bantam in 1984. The story of a brilliant young girl who survives the end of civilization. One of the most original uses of a first person voice in the literature of SF. |
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Spider Robinson
Telempath | First appeared in shorter form in Analog (can you tell what my lifelong favorite magazine is?), this was published by Berkley in 1976. Robinson is known more for his Callahan's Bar stories, but this exuberant early work is also worth looking for. Wild ideas piled on top of wild ideas create a great read. |
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James H. Schmitz
The Witches of Karres | A great story, recently re-released in hardback by the SF Book Club (which is well worth joining, in case you are wondering). All of Schmitz's work is great. Most of his work was short stories, but as he shows in this novel, he also can sustain a longer tale. A tramp freighter captain rescues three young girls, and gets more than he bargained for. A fun read from beginning to end. |
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Bob Shaw
The Ragged Astronauts | Published by Baen in 1986, this self-contained tale is also the first book of a trilogy. On two planets close enough to share an atmosphere, intrepid adventurers from a low-tech society attempt travel to the mysterious Overland by airship. A great adventure, with well-realized characters. |
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