[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

[danodea.livejournal.com]

I've read quite a lot of these, but not in these editions.

Ones I've read...

Fantasy Masterworks:

2: Time and the Gods
3: The Worm Ouroboros
4: Tales of the Dying Earth
6: The Chronicles of Amber
8: The People of the Black Circle
10: The Compleat Enchanter: The Magical Misadventures of Harold Shea
11: Lud-in-the-Mist
14: Beauty
15: The King of Elfland's Daughter
16: The Hour of the Dragon
17: Elric
18: The First Book of Lankhmar
19: Riddle-Master
21: Mistress of Mistresses
22: Gloriana or the Unfulfilled Queen
23: The Well of the Unicorn
24: The Second Book of Lankhmar
26: The Emperor of Dreams
27: Lyonesse: Suldrun's Garden
29: The Dragon Waiting
30: The Chronicles of Corum
31: Black Gods and Scarlet Dreams
32: The Broken Sword
34: The Drawing of the Dark
35: Lyonesse II: The Green Pearl and Madouc
36: The History of the Runestaff
37: A Voyage to Arcturus
39: The Mabinogion
40: Three Hearts & Three Lions
42: Grendel

Of these, I would personally recommend:
2,3,4,6,10,11,14,15, 21, 26, 27, 29, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 42.

I found Moorcock's novels terribly depressing, so I wouldn't recommend those.

SF Masterworks: Hardcover
1: Dune
3: The Man in the High Castle
4: The Stars My Destination
5: A Canticle for Leibowitz
6: Childhood's End
7: The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
9: The Forever War
10: Triffids

I would recommend 1, 6, and 9.

SF Masterworks: Softcover
1: The Forever War
3: Cities in Flight
4: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
5: The Stars My Destination
6: Babel-17
7: Lord of Light
12: Earth Abides
14: The Demolished Man
15: Stand on Zanzibar
16: The Dispossessed
19: Emphyrio
20: A Scanner Darkly
21: Star Maker
22: Behold The Man
23: The Book of Skulls
24: The Time Machine and War of the Worlds
25: Flowers for Algernon
26: UBIK
27: Timescape
28: More Than Human
34: The Fountains of Paradise
37: Nova
38: The First Men in the Moon
39: The City and the Stars
40: Blood Music
41: Jem
46: Flow, My Tears, the Policeman Said
47: The Invisible Man
49: A Fall of Moondust
40: Eon

Of those, I would recommend:
4, 7, 14, 24, 25, 28, 38, 40, 46, 47

Lords of Light is probably my favorite from this list, and probably the only one that I would consider re-reading.

I don't read nearly as much SF as F, nor do I find it as engaging, and my recommendations point to that.