Monday, April 09, 2007

Classic Sci-Fi New Author Challenge - 2

I'm awestruck, blown away, entranced, gobsmacked, utterly shaken!

By definition, one can have the thrill of reading a classic author for the very first time only once in a lifetime. Well, I just had that rare privilege! My first experience with AE van Vogt has left me at a loss for words. Give me a few days to let the experience sink in so I can prepare a more literate review and I'll post it here.

But, in the meantime, suffice it to say, that if you are a lover of classic sci-fi, I would strongly encourage you to join me in this challenge and seek out new authors. I can hardly wait to see what the other eight have got to say for themselves. God knows, my reading friends from the Classic Sci-Fi group have showered them with endless praise.

Here's my list with the first completed title marked in red italics:


1. Lest Darkness Fall - L Sprague de Camp
2. The Voyage of the Space Beagle - AE van Vogt
3. A Mirror for Observers - Edgar Pangborn
4. The Best of Stanley Weinbaum - Stanley Weinbaum
5. Earthman's Burden - Poul Anderson and Gordon Dickson
6. Triplanetary - EE "Doc" Smith
7. Dying Inside - Robert Silverberg
8. Tales of the Dying Earth - Jack Vance
9. Cities in Flight - James Blish

4 comments:

Gavin said...

Thanks for the recommendations. Have you read any of Arthur C. Clarke's books ?

Backcountry Muse said...

Quite a few, Gavin! Of course, that's the reason he doesn't appear on this list. My challenge to myself was to read a selection of new authors that I had never sampled before.

To be completely honest, Arthur C Clarke has never been one of my favourite sci-fi authors. I've almost always found his endings to be a little bit too open-ended for my tastes.

If you want to sample Clarke's work, you might consider joing us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ClassicSci-Fi/

We're reading The Other Side of the Sky, a collection of his short stories next month.

Gavin said...

Thanks. I've just joined the group. As well as the historical fiction group, another of my favourite genres. Do you know if there is a mystery reading yahoo group ?

Gavin
http://digitalife.wordpress.com

Stephanie said...

Well....my copy is on it's way!! With a recommendation like that, how can I not read it as soon as I get it??