If you want to know the essential science-fiction books to read that were published in the last 25 years, this is your go-to guide.”
–Kirkus
INSPIRED by David Pringle’s landmark 1985 work Science Fiction: 100 Best Novels, this volume supplements the earlier selection with the present authors’ choices for the best English-language science fiction novels during the past quarter century. Employing a critical slant, the book provides a discussion of the novels and the writers in the context of popular literature. Moreover, each entry features a cover image of the novel, a plot synopsis, and a mini review, making it an ideal go-to guide for anyone wanting to become reacquainted with an old favorite or to discover a previously unknown treasure. With a foreword by David Pringle, this invaluable reference is sure to provoke conversation and debates among science fiction fans and devotees. Click here to order your copy (paper or ebook).
OUR selections in this volume, if we have done our job well, will illustrate not only the immense changes of the past two-and-a-half decades, but also science fiction’s vast reach and power, which of course we will need even more in the wild quarter century ahead!”
— From the introduction
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DAMIEN BRODERICK is a writer whose works include the novel The Judas Mandala and critical studies Ferocious Minds and X, Y, Z, T: Dimensions of Science Fiction. He is a five-time recipient of the Australian SF Ditmar Award and a runner-up for the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. He lives in San Antonio, Texas.
PAUL DI FILIPPO is a two-time Nebula Award finalist and a Philip K. Dick finalist. He is the author of The Steampunk Trilogy, and Top Ten: Beyond the Farthest Precinct,Creature from the Black Lagoon, Ribofunk and the editor of the forthcoming Freaks in a Box: The Myths of Media. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
DAVID PRINGLE is a writer and editor. He is the author of several guides, including Modern Fantasy: The Hundred Best Novels, Science Fiction: The 100 Best Novels, and The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction. He served as the editor of Foundation, and founded the English science fiction magazine Interzone.
Complete Table of Contents
Foreword 6
Introduction 8
- The Handmaid’s Tale (1985) 13
- Ender’s Game (1985) 16
- Radio Free Albemuth (1985) 19
- Always Coming Home (1985) 21
- This Is the Way the World Ends (1985) 24
- Galápagos (1985) 27
- The Falling Woman (1986) 30
- The Shore of Women (1986) 32
- A Door Into Ocean (1986) 35
- Soldiers of Paradise (1987) 38
- Life During Wartime (1987) 41
- The Sea and Summer (1987) 44
- Cyteen (1988) 47
- Neverness (1988) 50
- The Steerswoman (1989) 53
- Grass (1989) 56
- Use of Weapons (1990) 58
- Queen of Angels (1990) 61
- Barrayar (1991) 64
- Synners (1991) 67
- Sarah Canary (1991) 70
- White Queen (1991) 73
- Eternal Light (1991) 76
- Stations of the Tide (1991) 79
- Timelike Infinity (1992) 82
- Dead Girls (1992) 85
- Jumper (1992) 87
- China Mountain Zhang (1992) 89
- Red Mars (1992) 91
- A Fire Upon the Deep (1992) 94
- Aristoi (1992) 97
- Doomsday Book (1992) 100
- Parable of the Sower (1993) 103
- Ammonite (1993) 105
- Chimera (1993) 107
- Nightside the Long Sun (1993) 109
- Brittle Innings (1994) 113
- Permutation City (1994) 115
- Blood (1994) 118
- Mother of Storms (1995) 121
- Sailing Bright Eternity (1995) 124
- Galatea 2.2 (1995) 127
- The Diamond Age (1995) 130
- The Transmigration of Souls (1996) 133
- The Fortunate Fall (1996) 135
- The Sparrow/Children of God (1996/1998) 138
- Holy Fire (1996) 141
- Night Lamp (1996) 143
- In the Garden of Iden (1997) 146
- Forever Peace (1997) 149
- Glimmering (1997) 152
- As She Climbed Across the Table (1997) 154
- The Cassini Division (1998) 156
- Bloom (1998) 159
- Vast (1998) 162
- The Golden Globe (1998) 165
- Headlong (1999) 168
- Cave of Stars (1999) 170
- Genesis (2000) 173
- Super-Cannes (2000) 176
- Under the Skin (2000) 179
- Perdido Street Station (2000) 182
- Distance Haze (2000) 185
- Revelation Space trilogy (2000) 188
- Salt (2000) 190
- Ventus (2001) 192
- The Cassandra Complex (2001) 195
- Light (2002) 198
- Altered Carbon (2002) 201
- The Separation (2002) 203
- The Golden Age (2002) 205
- The Time Traveler’s Wife (2003) 208
- Natural History (2003) 211
- The Labyrinth Key / Spears of God 214
- River of Gods (2004) 217
- The Plot Against America (2004) 220
- Never Let Me Go (2005) 223
- The House of Storms (2005) 226
- Counting Heads (2005) 229
- Air (Or, Have Not Have) (2005) 231
- Accelerando (2005) 234
- Spin (2005) 237
- My Dirty Little Book of Stolen Time (2006) 240
- The Road (2006) 243
- Temeraire /His Majesty’s Dragon (2006) 245
- Blindsight (2006) 248
- HARM (2007) 251
- The Yiddish Policemen’s Union (2007) 253
- The Secret City (2007) 255
- In War Times (2007) 257
- Postsingular (2007) 260
- Shadow of the Scorpion (2008) 263
- The Hunger Games trilogy (2008-2010) 265
- Little Brother (2008) 268
- The Alchemy of Stone (2008) 271
- The Windup Girl (2009) 273
- Steal Across the Sky(2009) 275
- Boneshaker (2009) 277
- Zoo City (2010) 280
- Zero History (2010) 283
- The Quantum Thief (2010) 286