I'm a life-long fan of books--specifically, well-written and original science fiction novels. I recently ran across yet another cross-reference to the author Alfred Bester, who is considered by many to be one of the genre's best authors (although I can't recall exactly where I ran across it this time, it was likely in a recent book by Spider Robinson... I've persistently ignored references to Bester for many years now, for no good reason that I can recall).
I did some basic research on Alfred Bester and tracked down his two acclaimed science fiction novels--including The Demolished Man, which was honored with the first Hugo Award in 1953. I quickly realized that his work is among the best I've read recently, and that I'd been missing something big.
Can the award-winning science fiction novels of the past actually still be worth reading several decades later? Do they have messages, technology, and characters that are pertinent in modern society? Have I just been reading rehashed versions of past award-winners? There's only one way to find out...
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Can the award-winning science fiction novels of the past actually still be worth reading several decades later? Do they have messages, technology, and characters that are pertinent in modern society? Have I just been reading rehashed versions of past award-winners? There's only one way to find out...
read and review the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning novels.
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
One fan's journey of thanksgiving and praise through the award-winning history of science fiction novels
Can the award-winning science fiction novels of the past actually still be worth reading several decades later? Do they have messages, technology, and characters that are pertinent in modern society? Have I just been reading rehashed versions of past award-winners? There's only one way to find out...
read and review the Hugo, Nebula, and Locus award-winning novels.
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Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
About Me
- AML
- I've been reading for as long as I can remember. As a child, taking away a book was the only effective punishment my parents could dole out, and it still works. I read books like alcoholics drink--if I can't find a book, I'll read a cereal box or anything else that's in print. Unfortunately, I also proofread everything I read (to my husband's eternal dismay). By trade, I'm an editor, technical writer, and researcher. By choice, I'm a reader. I'm also a Mom, which is the most frustrating and satisfying job I've ever had.
Rating Scale
5/5: a book that I loved, and wouldn't mind reading again
4/5: a book that I liked a lot, but probably won't read again
3/5: a book that had many things I liked, but that also had one or more major flaws; this is my default rating
2/5: a book that I was able to read, but which had only a few bright spots and little or nothing to recommend it
1/5: a book that I either couldn't bring myself to read, or regret reading
4/5: a book that I liked a lot, but probably won't read again
3/5: a book that had many things I liked, but that also had one or more major flaws; this is my default rating
2/5: a book that I was able to read, but which had only a few bright spots and little or nothing to recommend it
1/5: a book that I either couldn't bring myself to read, or regret reading
The Books
Here's a list of the books I hope to tackle, with the award abbreviated to a single letter (H: Hugo, N: Nebula, L: Locus):
1953
H: The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester--Rating: 4/5
1954
(no awards)
1955
H: They'd Rather Be Right (aka: The Forever Machine) by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley--Rating: 3/5
1956
H: Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein--Rating: 5/5
1957
(no awards)
1958
H: The Big Time by Fritz Leiber--Rating: 2/5
1959
H: A Case of Conscience by James Blish--Rating: 3/5
1960
H: Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein--Rating: 4/5
1961
H: A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.--Rating: 3/5
1962
H: Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein--Rating: 4/5
1963
H: The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick--Rating: 4/5
1964
H: Here Gather the Stars (aka: Way Station) by Clifford D. Simak--Rating: 4/5
1965
H: The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber--Rating: 3/5
1966
H & N: Dune by Frank Herbert--Rating: 4/5
H (tie): …And Call Me Conrad (aka: This Immortal) by Roger Zelazny--Rating: 4/5
1967
H: The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein--Rating: 4/5
N: Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany--Rating: 5/5
N (tie): Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes--Rating: 5/5
1968
H: Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
N: The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany
1969
H: Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
N: Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin
1970
H & N: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
1971
H, N, & L: Ringworld by Larry Niven
1972
H: To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer
N: A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
L: The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
1973
H, N, & L: The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
1974
H, N, & L: Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
1975
H, N. & L: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
1976
H, N, & L: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
1977
H & L: Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm
N: Man Plus by Frederik Pohl
1978
H, N, & L: Gateway by Frederik Pohl
1979
H, N, & L: Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre
1980
H & N: The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
L: Titan by John Varley
1981
H & L: The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
N: Timescape by Gregory Benford
1982
H: Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh
N: The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe
L: The Many Coloured Land by Julian May
1983
H & L: Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov
N: No Enemy But Time by Michael Bishop
1984
H, N, & L: Startide Rising by David Brin
1985
H & N: Neuromancer by William Gibson
L: The Integral Trees by Larry Niven
1986
H & N: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
L: The Postman by David Brin
1987
H, N, & L: Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
1988
H & L: The Uplift War by David Brin
N: The Falling Woman by Pat Murphy
1989
H & L: Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh
N: Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
1990
H & L: Hyperion by Dan Simmons
N: The Healer's War by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
1991
H: The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
N: Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
L: The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1992
H & L: Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
N: Stations of the Tide by Michael Swanwick
1993
H, N, & L: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
H (tie): A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
1994
H & L: Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
N: Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1995
H & L: Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
N: Moving Mars by Greg Bear
1996
H & L: The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
H: 1946 retroactive, The Mule by Isaac Asimov (republished as Part II of Foundation and Empire)
N: The Terminal Experiment by Robert J. Sawyer
1997
H & L: Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
N: Slow River by Nicola Griffith
1998
H & N (1999): Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
N: The Moon and the Sun by Vonda McIntyre
L: The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons
1999
H & L: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
2000
H: A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
N: Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
L: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
2001
H: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
H: 1951 retroactive, Farmer in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein
N: Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
L: The Telling by Ursula K. Le Guin
2002
H & N (2003): American Gods by Neil Gaiman
N: The Quantum Rose by Catherine Asaro
L: Passage by Connie Willis
2003
H: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
L: The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson
2004
H & N (2005): Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
H: 1954 retroactive, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
N: The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
L: Ilium by Dan Simmons
2005
H: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
L: The Baroque Cycle (Quicksilver; The Confusion; The System of the World) by Neal Stephenson
2006
H: Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
N: Camouflage by Joe Haldeman
L: Accelerando by Charles Stross
2007
H & L: Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge
N: Seeker by Jack McDevitt
2008
H, N, & L: The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
2009
H: (not yet awarded)
N: Powers by Ursula K. LeGuin
L: Anathem by Neal Stephenson
1953
H: The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester--Rating: 4/5
1954
(no awards)
1955
H: They'd Rather Be Right (aka: The Forever Machine) by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley--Rating: 3/5
1956
H: Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein--Rating: 5/5
1957
(no awards)
1958
H: The Big Time by Fritz Leiber--Rating: 2/5
1959
H: A Case of Conscience by James Blish--Rating: 3/5
1960
H: Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein--Rating: 4/5
1961
H: A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr.--Rating: 3/5
1962
H: Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein--Rating: 4/5
1963
H: The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick--Rating: 4/5
1964
H: Here Gather the Stars (aka: Way Station) by Clifford D. Simak--Rating: 4/5
1965
H: The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber--Rating: 3/5
1966
H & N: Dune by Frank Herbert--Rating: 4/5
H (tie): …And Call Me Conrad (aka: This Immortal) by Roger Zelazny--Rating: 4/5
1967
H: The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein--Rating: 4/5
N: Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany--Rating: 5/5
N (tie): Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes--Rating: 5/5
1968
H: Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
N: The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany
1969
H: Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
N: Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin
1970
H & N: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
1971
H, N, & L: Ringworld by Larry Niven
1972
H: To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer
N: A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg
L: The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
1973
H, N, & L: The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
1974
H, N, & L: Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
1975
H, N. & L: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
1976
H, N, & L: The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
1977
H & L: Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm
N: Man Plus by Frederik Pohl
1978
H, N, & L: Gateway by Frederik Pohl
1979
H, N, & L: Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre
1980
H & N: The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
L: Titan by John Varley
1981
H & L: The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
N: Timescape by Gregory Benford
1982
H: Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh
N: The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe
L: The Many Coloured Land by Julian May
1983
H & L: Foundation's Edge by Isaac Asimov
N: No Enemy But Time by Michael Bishop
1984
H, N, & L: Startide Rising by David Brin
1985
H & N: Neuromancer by William Gibson
L: The Integral Trees by Larry Niven
1986
H & N: Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
L: The Postman by David Brin
1987
H, N, & L: Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
1988
H & L: The Uplift War by David Brin
N: The Falling Woman by Pat Murphy
1989
H & L: Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh
N: Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold
1990
H & L: Hyperion by Dan Simmons
N: The Healer's War by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
1991
H: The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
N: Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
L: The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1992
H & L: Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
N: Stations of the Tide by Michael Swanwick
1993
H, N, & L: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis
H (tie): A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge
1994
H & L: Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
N: Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1995
H & L: Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
N: Moving Mars by Greg Bear
1996
H & L: The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
H: 1946 retroactive, The Mule by Isaac Asimov (republished as Part II of Foundation and Empire)
N: The Terminal Experiment by Robert J. Sawyer
1997
H & L: Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
N: Slow River by Nicola Griffith
1998
H & N (1999): Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
N: The Moon and the Sun by Vonda McIntyre
L: The Rise of Endymion by Dan Simmons
1999
H & L: To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
2000
H: A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
N: Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
L: Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
2001
H: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
H: 1951 retroactive, Farmer in the Sky by Robert A. Heinlein
N: Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear
L: The Telling by Ursula K. Le Guin
2002
H & N (2003): American Gods by Neil Gaiman
N: The Quantum Rose by Catherine Asaro
L: Passage by Connie Willis
2003
H: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
L: The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson
2004
H & N (2005): Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
H: 1954 retroactive, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
N: The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
L: Ilium by Dan Simmons
2005
H: Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
L: The Baroque Cycle (Quicksilver; The Confusion; The System of the World) by Neal Stephenson
2006
H: Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
N: Camouflage by Joe Haldeman
L: Accelerando by Charles Stross
2007
H & L: Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge
N: Seeker by Jack McDevitt
2008
H, N, & L: The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon
2009
H: (not yet awarded)
N: Powers by Ursula K. LeGuin
L: Anathem by Neal Stephenson
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