NPR's Top Sci-Fi/Fantasy

[SmileOfTheShadow]

Yes, they lumped them into the same category.

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085...-fantasy-books

Let the debates begin.

[David Panzer]

The Diamond Age only at spot 75 I'd have placed it higher than that.

Still, some great reads on the list (excluding Terry Goodkind) and others I'll take a chance on.

[OmahaStar]

I have to question any list that includes Orson Scott Card in a "best of" section. And coming in in the top five? I don't know about that.


Edit to add ...

Interesting, our local SF book club read three of the top hundred this year, and two others last year. Woo hoo for us! lol

[WorkerCaste]

Well, I've read half to two thirds of them. Wouldn't agree with the ranking, though. Of course, with a maximum of 25,000 nominations and 600,000 votes, the difference Between the top ten and the bottom ten probably wasn't all that large.

Omaha, what do you have against Orson Scott Card? I really like the Alvin series (although he's on the list for Ender's Game.)

[OmahaStar]

Well, I've read half to two thirds of them. Wouldn't agree with the ranking, though. Of course, with a maximum of 25,000 nominations and 600,000 votes, the difference Between the top ten and the bottom ten probably wasn't all that large.

Omaha, what do you have against Orson Scott Card? I really like the Alvin series (although he's on the list for Ender's Game.)

I dunno, let's take a look at his wiki entry - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_scott_card - and see if there's anything there that might be even a tiny bit over the top? Maybe I've seen interviews he's done on the telly in which he makes me want to reach through and bitch-slap him? Maybe he just needs to go away already?

He's one of the few writers that do not allow a reader to separate the work from the writer. And for that, he must lock himself in a cave and be forgotten by the universe.

[WorkerCaste]

I dunno, let's take a look at his wiki entry - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_scott_card - and see if there's anything there that might be even a tiny bit over the top? Maybe I've seen interviews he's done on the telly in which he makes me want to reach through and bitch-slap him? Maybe he just needs to go away already?

He's one of the few writers that do not allow a reader to separate the work from the writer. And for that, he must lock himself in a cave and be forgotten by the universe.

Oooookay. I guess I had been able to separate the person from the writing because I knew absolutely nothing about him. Never seen any bios or interviews. Definitely not a person I'd have a lot in common with based on that wiki entry. Too bad. I *do* like the books.

[JoeD80]

Ender's Game did win a Hugo.

[Dan Dassow]

Ender's Game did win a Hugo.

In light of this conversation, you may find Orson Scott Cards review of Rise of the Planet of the Apes in which he compares that film to Ender's Game.

[AmyG]

Wow, so I'm not the only one who seriously dislikes Orson Scott Card? Whew.

[SmileOfTheShadow]

Never met Orson to know whether i like him or not. I thought Ender's Game was a good book. Not one of my top five, but probably top 50 for sure.

[lotjx]

Neil Gaiman and I were talking about this on twitter. No, seriously. The problem, I have is even though I do agree that comics should be on the list, but I don't know if I agree if Watchmen or Sandman should the only ones to be on the list. I still would take Batman: Dark Knight Returns over Watchmen and I would take Stan Lee & Kirby's run with the FF especially The Coming of Galactus storyline over Sandman.

Stan Lee is the most underrated sci-fi and fiction writer of the 20th Century. It continues to be a crime especially when after reading Game of Thrones book 5, he is far and away a better writer than Martin and a good chunk of these guys on this list. Its a shame that pop culture flavor of a month finds its way into these stories. I will say I love where Dune and Stranger in a Strange Land is on this list. The Thrawn series being on this list is a shocker.

[SmileOfTheShadow]

Neil Gaiman and I were talking about this on twitter. No, seriously. The problem, I have is even though I do agree that comics should be on the list, but I don't know if I agree if Watchmen or Sandman should the only ones to be on the list. I still would take Batman: Dark Knight Returns over Watchmen and I would take Stan Lee & Kirby's run with the FF especially The Coming of Galactus storyline over Sandman.

Stan Lee is the most underrated sci-fi and fiction writer of the 20th Century. It continues to be a crime especially when after reading Game of Thrones book 5, he is far and away a better writer than Martin and a good chunk of these guys on this list. Its a shame that pop culture flavor of a month finds its way into these stories. I will say I love where Dune and Stranger in a Strange Land is on this list. The Thrawn series being on this list is a shocker.

100% here. Stan Lee gamechanged everything. Watchmen wouldn't exist if it weren't for Stan Lee paving the way. When you open it up to comics, you open up a whole different medium and different debate. I feel like those should have been left off, and that's as an avid comic reader/writer.

[Dr Maturin]

Yes, they lumped them into the same category.

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085...-fantasy-books

Let the debates begin.

I didn't see NPR News on the list...