[Tielhard]

Interesting list. A couple of surprises given its originator.

1. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Robert Heinlein.
As a young lad without a wisp of beard upon my face I read this and thought it was wonderful. I marvelled at the technology, found the poly-amorous moon society intensely erotic. I read with careful devotion the pontifications of the master. As I grew to my teenaged years I began to appreciate that many of Heinlein’s political and societal ideas were unhealthy if not positively fascist. I decided the book was a sack of sh…. (whups can’t use rude words in this forum), a large bucket of steaming odure. Having grown older still (though I am not yet J. Arthur Prufrock) I have come to the conclusion that whilst the book does indeed contains quite a lot of steaming odure it is still a damn satisfying read. I wonder what I shall think of it when I start to wear my trousers rolled? Frankly, I am amazed that a lefty liberal Scots nationalist would have this as his number one SF book but then I’m a lefty liberal too and as I say despite its failings I quite like it.
2. Tiger! Tiger! - Alfred Bester.
I thought this book was wonderful, poetic somehow and its reference to Blake’s poem in the title is one of the most appropriate I can think of. I also think that you can read echos of Gulley Foyle in some of the optional M.’s characters, although I could be talking out of my backside here.
3. Hyperion - Dan Simmons.
I love this book but I feel I only understand a tiny part of it. I consider myself to be fairly well read and I am convinced I have only recognised a tiny fraction of the literary references and allusions that Simmons uses. He seems to be saying so much more than that which comes out as plain text. On top of all this a Pope is named for my name sake (either in this or the sequel). Wonderful book.
4. Fire Upon The Deep - Vernor Vinge.
This would be in my top 10 and close to the top. Slightly flawed but a trans-humanist master piece. High questions and pulp themes and adventures, I ate this one up. The doggie pack aliens were good the Xmas trees in kiddie carts as the agents of Satan sublime!
5. Neuromancer - William Gibson.
This would also be in my top ten and even closer to the top. I cannot express what an incredible impression this book made on me when I first read it. I was in an isolation hospital with toxin food poisoning. I spent a long weekend wired up to drips and heart monitors. I was continuously sweating and sitting on a commode. During the course of the weekend I lost more than 10% of my body weight. I was in considerable pain and discomfort and yet, I was not there at all I was away with Gibson in his chrome in the rain world of strong AI, Yakuza and mega-corporations. This was a total breath of fresh air, a completely new SF. It was amazing. I read it again a couple of years ago it has lost much of its power because so much of the Gibson world is now part of the Zeitgeist.
6. The Dispossessed - Ursula K Le Guin.
This is the only overtly left wing title in the list, a libertarian book in the old European sense. This is a book for making youth think, it is very powerful in that respect. All I can add is, excellent choice Mr. Banks and go! Mrs. LeGuin Go!
7. The Muller-Fokker Efect - John Sladek.
I have not read this book but I have liked other works by Sladek
8. The Pastel City - M John Harrison
I have read this book but I failed to remember anything about it as at all. I had to have a quick flick through to remind myself what it was about. Rather sad but I thought this book neither good nor bad, it simply made hardly any impression on me at all.
9. Stand on Zanzibar - John Brunner.
See my recent post in the overrated books thread in general discussion.
10. Babel-17 - Samuel R Delany.
I have not read this book and have had little exposure to Delany’s other works.