[reading] Fantasy/SF Masterworks

[wispfox]

Not that I don't already have bunches of books to read... but!

I'm curious as to how many of y'all have read and suggest reading the books from the Fantasy and Science Fiction Masterworks series, which ones, and why.


I've already read:

Fantasy Masterworks #6 and 19 (which is the reason I even know about these - it consumed my brain until I finished it)

SF Masterworks HCs #1, 2, 6, 7, 8. SCs #7, 24, 25 (the short story, not the book), and 44.


I strongly recommend both of the Fantasy ones I've read (Riddle Master & Amber series - although the first bunch of Amber books was better than the second bunch) - they were both fascinating.

SF HC #6 (Childhood's End) tends to haunt my brain, and I still haven't decided if it's in a good way (which probably means it is).
SF HC #7 (Moon is a Harsh Mistress), I liked.
SF PB #25 (Flowers for Algernon)'s short story, at least, haunts me just as much as Childhood's End. (Huh. I apparently only like SF an amazing amount if it haunts my brain)
SF PB #44 (The Lathe of Heaven) is something I've seen the movie for, and read - fascinating story.

(Huh. Why don't I have a reading icon?!)

Comments

[khavrinen.livejournal.com]

From the ones on these lists, the only one I have read that I liked enough to recommend is #43 on the Fantasy list, Ken Grimwood's Replay. (Aside from The Riddlemaster of Hed, which I love probably more than I should, but you've already read that.) The synopsis given there is pretty good, but it leaves out one key thing: he's not the only one.

I thought it was kind of interesting that they categorized it as "Fantasy;" I suppose that technically it is, since there isn't even an attempt to explain the phenomenon scientifically, but it "felt" more like SciFi to me. Something about the attitudes of the main characters, I think, and the fact that it is a contemporary setting (well, mid-eighties, so sort-of contemporary). I liked the exploration of the "what would you do if you could live your life over" idea, particularly in that they discovered how what you think are "better" choices than you made the first time around don't always turn out that way.

[bridgetester.livejournal.com]

Replay is an excellent book.

Time Travel is always a weird concept. It seldom fits well into sci-fi or fantasy.

They seemed to place all time travel books under Fantasy for this list.