SF Masterworks Group discussion

Just interested to know which of the SF Masterworks novels was the first that you read. Personally I chose the collection to get into Science-Fiction so I began with #1 - The Forever War by Joe Haldeman.

I had been looking for a copy of War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells and found an old SF Masterworks copy of it that included The Time Machine which, shamefully, I still have not read.

I have not actively been seeking out the SF Masterworks line but many of the Sci-Fi books I'd like to read happen to be in it. I suppose it's called "Masterworks" for a reason.

Leucine wrote: "I had been looking for a copy of War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells and found an old SF Masterworks copy of it that included The Time Machine which, shamefully, I still have not read.

I have not act..."

lol, the latest in the series is The Man in the High Castle. Which I finally got around to reading.

Hmm....it would probably be The Dancers at the End of Time by Michael Moorcock but that was before the Masterworks series had come out.

The first book I read in this series that was actually a SF Masterworks edition would probably be Non-Stop by Brian Aldiss.

My first from the series was Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon - a great book to start with, I think.

The first that was a different edition of an SF Masterworks novel was War of the Worlds (this was also my first sci-fi novel in general).

I read Dune back in the 70s and reread it 10 years later, still a huge mind blowing epic that set the template for Space Opera at it's best. I read a few of the Dune sequels but they seemed diminish in quality as the sequels progressed.

I had a look at the complete Masterworks list and I have only read 23 on the list so I have 50 books to go.

Simon - did you enjoy Non-stop? I really like Adiss's writing, Hothouse is another fine book.

I read and still have an old publication of Dune probably almost 10yrs ago when i was a teenager.
The first actual Masterworks publication was Valis by PKD. It was also the first PKD book that i read. A very intense introduction into PKD i must say!

While I do make it a point to read classics I have yet to read any PKD, I buy a lot of used books and PKD do not last on the shelves. I really should order a few of these titles.

My first was 'The Stars my Destination' by 'Alfred Bester'. I have no idea why I picked it. I have this horrid nagging feeling that I bought it at Heathrow Airport, and finished it by the time I landed in Japan. I hate airports!

I'm pretty sure my first was Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut; but it may have been Dune, by Frank Herbert. I know Vonnegut and Herbert were some of my earliest SF authors (along with Asimov, who I am sad to see totally unrepresented on the Masterworks list). But I didn't read them in the Masterworks line -- I just discovered its existence last year, and am stoked that I can now start collecting a bunch of SF classics that MATCH. ;)

I noticed that Asimov has never had a foot in the Masterworks series. I think I started my SF life with The Foundation trilogy, after the usual H G Wells etc. I wonder if he is not available to Gollancz through some rights issue.. or he is just not favoured by them. Interesting.

mine was 2001: a space odyssey for a paper i had to write for my 9th grade english class in 1976. see my review of this book for details. totally hooked me on science fiction.

Bill -- I was wondering the same thing about Asimov; wouldn't surprise me if Gollancz just couldn't get the rights. I'm actually surprised they were able to get the rights to so many authors' work!

I have read the odd sci-fi book in the past, but despite a lifelong love of sci-fi TV, never took to reading much. I have now decided to rectify that, and have decided to start with this series, and later on I will have a go at contemporary works. So far I have read 3, and much to my delight I have found them hugely enjoyable, despite all being totally different. The first was 'The Demolished Man' by Alfred Bester, next 'Bring the Jubilee' by Ward Moore, and then 'More Than Human' by Theodore Sturgeon. I have now just started 'Terminal World' by Christopher Priest. So far, so good.

Graham wrote: "I have read the odd sci-fi book in the past, but despite a lifelong love of sci-fi TV, never took to reading much. I have now decided to rectify that, and have decided to start with this series, an..."

The inverted world by Christopher Priest is also a good read. I also recently read 3 of the books you mentioned recently. I hate to say this but good Sci- fi books will ruin Sci-Fi Tv for you as they are so much more superior in story and scope. That said welcome to the club.

Thanks ! I realise that books & TV are told on different levels, as it were. I watch TV for light entertainment, a bit of action, a bit of humour, an attractive woman(!) and hopefully a fairly intelligent script, but don't expect anything too profound. After nearly 40 years of watching every episode of Star Trek, Dr Who, Buffy, Stargate etc, I'm too far gone to be turned off it! But, yes, from what I've read so far, the books have got me thinking more, which is obviously a good thing.

Well Graham, you've picked some real corkers to start off with, that's for sure. They're not all up to that high standard but most are very good indeed. Enjoy...

Thanks - Yes, great so far. I've got 6 more on the shelf ready to go after my current one. Plenty to look forward to !

What do you have lined up?

Hi Simon! From the Masterworks series: Last & First Men (Olaf Stapledon) , The Book of Skulls (Robert Silverberg) , Pavane (Keith Roberts) , The City & The Stars (Arthur C. Clarke) , The Dancers at the End of Time (Michael Moorcock) & The Child Garden (Geoff Ryman). That's on top of a vast backlog of other works ranging from 200 or so (mostly crime) pulps, literary classics, right up to a number of modern sci-fi novels! So, I've got my work cut out !

Interesting. For those I've read, "The Book of Skulls" is excellent although only very loosly SF themed, "The City & The Stars" was okay, heavy on the ideas but the story doesn't hang together that well and "Dancers at the End of Time" is an excellent although very bizarre vision of our distant future.

What got me started on classic sci-fi was "The Man Who Fell To Earth" by Walter Tevis, which I think will eventually make it to the Masterworks series. But my first true Masterworks book was "The Stars My Destination." It blew me away!!!! Or rather, it "jaunted" me away!!!!!!

Lord Of Light was my first SF Masterwork edition.

I was drawn to the collection by the striking yellow covers. Picked up a few, read the blurbs, flipped over to the introduction (of Lord of Light) by Adam Roberts. And that blew my mind. I had never read such a compelling preface. The book and the introduction, convinced me that this was a special collection.

Lord Of Light itself is a splendid ride - a very modern, cinematic tale. Roger Zelazny has assimilated Hindu mythology really well. All the gods, their human personalities and conflicts with rakshasas and humans alike - all ring true to me, as someone who's grown up with these stories.

Flowers for Algernon was my first SF Masterworks, and my first SF book to boot. After living on a diet of Terry Brookes, Tad Williams and various Warhammer novels this is the point in which I truly began to broaden my horizons.