Janice's Favorite SF Books

NOTE: This list does not pretend to be based on literary merit or critical acclaim -- it merely
contains books that I personally like!

(For a more professional view, you might want to take a look at Gardner Dozois's
recommended SF reading list -- he's the multiple-award winning editor of Asimov's magazine.)

Newer Books



Aaronovitch, Ben (Paranormal London police unit series)
                Rivers of London (called Midnight Riot in the US)
                Moon Over Soho
                Whispers Under Ground
                Broken Homes

Abraham, Daniel A Shadow in Summer
                A Betrayal in Winter
                An Autumn War
                The Price of Spring
                
Addison, Katherine	The Goblin Emperor (thoughtful fantasy, deserved its Hugo)
			[Same universe]:
			The Witness for the Dead
			The Grief of Stones

Amis, Kingsley 	The Alteration (Alternate history)

Bishop, Michael	Brittle Innings (Also for baseball fans!)

Brin, David	The Postman
		series: Sundiver
			Startide Rising (best)
			The Uplift War

Bujold, Lois McMaster (series)		
		Shards of Honor
		Barrayar
		The Warriors Apprentice
		The Vor Game
		Brothers in Arms
		Mirror Dance
                Cetaganda
                Memory
                Komarr
                A Civil Campaign
                Diplomatic Immunity
                Captain Vorpatril's Alliance

                Fantasy:
                The Curse of Chalion

Card, Orson Scott (series)		
		Ender's Game
		Speaker for the Dead
		Xenocide (not as good but part of the series)

                Same universe, different POV:
                Ender's Shadow
                Shadow of the Hegemon
                Shadow Puppets

Carriger, Gail (Steampunk paranormal romance series)
                Soulless
                Changeless
                Blameless
                Heartless
                Timeless
                
Chambers, Becky
                A Psalm for the Wild-Built
                A Prayer for the Crown-Shy

Corey, James S.A. (Series - classic space opera at its best)
                Leviathan Wakes
                Caliban's War
                Abaddon's Gate

Effinger, George Alec	 (series)	
		When Gravity Fails
 		A Fire in the Sun
 		The Exile Kiss

Elliott, Kate (series)
		 Jaran
		 An Earthly Crown
		 His Conquering Sword
		 The Law of Becoming

Flynn, Michael          Eifelheim

Gibson, William		Neuromancer

Haldeman, Joe		The Forever War

Kay, Guy Gavriel	Tigana (long fantasy but good)

Klune, TJ		The House in the Cerulean Sea (thoughtful fantasy)

LeGuin, Ursula K.	The Left Hand of Darkness
			The Dispossessed

Martin, George R.R.	WildCards (multi-author series)
			non-series: Dying of the Light
			A Song of Fire and Ice (series -- fantasy, which 
			   I don't usually like but extremely well written)
				A Game of Thrones
				A Clash of Kings
				A Storm of Swords
                                A Feast of Crows

McCaffrey, Anne (dragon series)		
		Dragonflight
		Dragonquest
		The White Dragon
		(series continues with several other 
		books but imho they're not as good)

McIntyre, Vonda		Dreamsnake

Milán, Victor		The Cybernetic Samurai

Moon, Elizabeth         Heris Serrano series (space opera, female heroine):
                           Hunting Party
                           Sporting Chance
                           Winning Colors

                        Esmay Suiza series (continuation of Serrano series)
                           Once a Hero
                           Rules of Engagement
                           Change of Command
                           Against the Odds

Niven, Larry		Ringworld

Nix, Garth (series)     Sabriel
                        Lirael
                        Abhorsen

Novik, Naomi (Temeraire series)
                        His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire in UK/Australia)
                        Throne of Jade
                        Black Powder War
                        Empire of Ivory
                        Victory of Eagles

Russell, Mary Doria	The Sparrow
                        Children of God (sequel)

Shinn, Sharon (Samaria series but not all straight sequels)
                        Archangel
                        Jovah's Angel
                        The Alleluia Files
                        Angel-Seeker
                        
Shinn, Sharon (Elemental Blessings, fantasy series)
                        Troubled Waters
                        Royal Airs
                        Jeweled Fire
                        An Unquiet Land
                        Whispering Wood

Silverberg, Robert	Lord Valentine's Castle (first of series)
			The World Inside
			Dying Inside

Swendson, Shanna (High-quality chick lit romantic urban fantasy series)
                        Enchanted, Inc. 
                        Once Upon Stilettos
                        Damsel Under Stress
                        Don't Hex With Texas
                        Much Ado About Magic
                        No Quest for the Wicked
                        Kiss and Spell    

Turtledove, Harry	Guns of the South (alternate history)

Vinge, Joan (series)	The Snow Queen
			The Summer Queen

Vinge, Vernor		A Fire Upon the Deep
			A Deepness in the Sky

Walton, Jo              Among Others

Weber, David (series)
			On Basilisk Station
			Honor of the Queen
			A Short, Victorious War
			Field of Dishonor
			Flag in Exile
			Honor Among Enemies
			In Enemy Hands
			Echoes of Honor
			Ashes of Victory
                        War of Honor
                        
Wells, Martha		The Murderbot Diaries (must read, mix of novellas and novels):
			All Systems Red
			Artificial Condition
			Exit Strategy
			Fugitive Telemetry
			Network Effect
			System Collapse

Willis, Connie		Doomsday Book (alternate history)
			Blackout/All Clear (two-volume alternate history)
			Unnatural Causes (short stories)
			Passage (not pure sf but thought-provoking)

Wilson, Robert Charles  The Chronoliths

Yarbro, Chelsea Quinn (St Germain series)
			Hotel Transylvania
			Blood Games
			The Palace
			Tempting Fate
			The Saint-Germain Chronicles

Zelazny, Roger		Nine Princes in Amber
                        (first book of the great Amber series)

			non-series: Lord of Light

Classics


Asimov, Isaac		The Foundation Trilogy
 			I, Robot

Bester, Alfred		The Demolished Man

Brunner, John		Shockwave Rider

Clarke, Arthur C.	Rendezvous with Rama

Clement, Hal		Mission of Gravity

Dick, Philip K.		The Man in the High Castle

Dickson, Gordon		The Dorsai series

Heinlein, Robert	The Moon is a Harsh Mistress
		        (also great juveniles: Space Cadet, Citizen of the 
		        Galaxy, Between Planets)

Herbert, Frank		Dune

Miller, Walter		A Canticle for Leibowitz

Smith, E.E. "Doc"	The Lensman series

Stewart, Mary		The Merlin series:

			The Crystal Cave, The Hollow Hills, The Last
 			Enchantment

van Vogt, A.E.		Slan

Last updated March 13, 2014.

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