Scifi books are amazing! JakeDude asked me what my top 10 scifi books were, and though I’ve discussed a few books on this blog over the years, it got me thinking and I thought HECK I’ll just open the discussion up. So vote, get involved, gimme your all-time top books too. I’ve read zillions of classics over the years, but I have a bias towards post-2000 books, I think scifi just got really good then and they’re far less ‘man-fights-space’ and far more ‘person-discovers-mindblowing-humanity’, which suits me more.
In no particular order, mine are:
Top 10 scifi books I love, all time greats:
- The Algebraist (Iain M Banks) (best book of all time, in any genre, forever, no discussion, everyone agrees)
- Wizard of Earthsea (Le Guin) (okay it’s not scifi but it kinda counts)
- The Prefect (Reynolds)
- Chasm City (Reynolds again, sort of crime story vibes)
- Excession (Iain Banks again)
- Consider Phlebas (Banks again, omg what is going on with Banks that dude was a legend)
- Altered Carbon (Morgan)
- Gridlinked (Asher, also his others are great; Orbus, Departure etc)
- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Adams)
- Templar One (Gonzales)
Mindblowing concept scifi books:
- Tau Zero
- Schild’s Ladder
- Terminal World
- Raft (Baxter)
- Dark Intelligence (Asher)
Books that made me horny, for no good reason:
- Robots of Dawn (Asimov. There’s a good masturbation reference or two that caught me by surprise)
- Saturn’s Children (Stross. Lots of cheekiness, squelching here and there. No real sex but hey it got me warmed up)
- The Man Kzin Wars (snuggling up with various felines phewph … PSSP-PSSP-PSSP)
- The Algebraist (decent anal sex scene. Oh Iain, you cheeky thing, you)
- Panglor (Jeffrey Carver; I mean … sex with .. oh that’s nice they had sex. Wait … hold on, how old did you say she was?! Filth. Carry on.)
- Altered Carbon – actually a decent, believable, pretty serious sex scene or two! Yes! Finally. First time ever in scifi.
Books that promised to make me horny, and completely failed:
- Anything by Poul Anderson. Everyone’s like “Wow this book was so erotic!” and then you read it and it’s like “She had great big nipples and then they had sex together, using his penis. Chapter TWO” … 😐
- Broken Angels (Morgan, author of Altered Carbon), despite the 1st book, this one goes a bit weird and off piste. Difficult second album syndrome
- Flowers in the Attic … or The Cement Garden; these aren’t even scifi, but worth a mention because of the incest angle. About as sexy as a bowl of cornflakes and … well, really just a sad story that’s worth avoiding
- Strange Relations (By Farmer. Inspired some good fantasies, and he can obviously write sexy stuff, but it fell a bit short after setting up some good potential humpings.
Books I gave up on because I died:
- The hard scifi stuff, like the Foundation series. There’s only so many descriptions of meetings I can put up with. Administration in SPAAACEEE
- And flipping Dune. Omg have you actually read it?! Zzzzzz
- Man Kzin Wars 3 … I liked the first one, but by #3 they’d gone a bit feline mad
- Vatta’s War by Elizabeth Moon – the series is actually very readable and enjoyable, but firstly it’s as sexy as a handshake, and secondly it’s RELENTLESSLY SEXIST. Elizabeth Moon very, very clearly despises men. And this comes across loud and clear; every female character is clever and resourceful or a wise Aunt Admiral, while every male is a predator of some sort, or the ‘lovable rogue’ who’s completely untrustworthy and unfaithful. It does get tiring after a while, Elizabeth, get some help eh? Hatred’s not gonna help anyone, but this obviously helped you to write it out so fair enough.
OKAY THAT’S IT! Let me know your recommendations, particularly for books that WILL MAKE ME HORNY. If we could combine Morgan and Farmer’s detailed graphic descriptions of sex, Carver’s love of jolly Oppai Loli, and V.C. Andrews wincest, as well as Iain M Banks’ poetic abilities … I think we’d be onto a winner! We can hope.
Hyperion series, all Asimov, all Dune, 2001: A Space Odyssey trilogy, all Gateway books.
Oh Hyperion, yeah I’d seen those but never read, will have a closer look 👍
I don’t know if it passes for sci-fi: I recently stumbled across the comic book series Transmetropolitan by Warren Ellis, which I read at least 20 years ago and was curious to see if they still work. They take place in a not-so-distant future of america. What can I say: in my opinion they are highly topical again right now. So highly recommended.
I haven’t read sci-fi books for many years but what sticks in my mind are: the Foundation series, Ringworld, Dune, Slaughterhouse Five, Feersum Endjinn
Most all of Robert A. Heinlein’s works, Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonrider, Talent, and Brainship books, Alan Dean Foster’s Spellsinger and Flinx series, his Cyber Way, Quozl, Starman, and Krull, Robert Asprin’s MYTH and Phule’s Company series, sprinkle in a little Ursula K. LeGuin, a pinch of Arthur C. Clarke, a smidgen of Harlan Ellison (an acquired taste, I know) and top it off with a dollop of Douglas Adams! Oh! Can’t forget E. E. Smith, PhD’s Lensman saga! Probably a few more, but the train of thought derails so easily these days!
And Dr. Asimov’s robot tales!
Krull! Didn’t realise that was a book hehe. I never got on with EE Smith, never got the impression he cared about what he was writing. Douglas Adams and Asimovs Robot tales though – yes definitely a classic!
Yeah, I think Doc was more into the tech side of things and kinda sidestepped the interpersonal relationship aspects. His characters were a bit too formal and disciplined to really let go.
Justina Robson:Keeping it real, wonderful cross genre novel.
Never clicked with Banks, Reynolds OK, adore Adams and Herbert is God I tell you 😉
Stross’s work is a favorite but the king for me is William Gibson, not that sexy though…
JC Grimwood has done some spicy work, can’t remember which novels.
Yes Gibson’s excellent. Will check out Grimwood 🙂
Anything by Laurell K. Hamilton or Kerry Arthur they are more fantasy than Sci fi but definitely made me horny oh and this author of a comic series lithium Sindy something lol
Cool, will check them out, especially this Sindy character THEY SOUND ACE
I don’t like all the Pern Books but the earlier ones chronologically in the series lean more towards sci-fi and are pretty good (Dragonsdawn, Dragonseye). I can’t think of any sci-fi novels that bring horniness with them. So I’m all ears there.
If you’re not married to sci-fi and don’t mind being a beta reader feel free to reach out to me for some rom-com fun. I think i hit some decent sexy moments.
SciFi, not Fantasy – hmmmmmm – not as much new good stuff since the 90’s
Ok – So, I own most of the earlier mentions – what hasn’t been touched on … ???
Joel Shepherd – Cassandra Kresnov series (Crossover, Breakaway, KillSwitch, 23 Years on Fire, Operation Shield, Originator) Some Sexy .. make you horny ? YMMV
E. William Brown – The Jungles of Alabama (Sci-Fi – sub-genre “System Apocalypse”) Slightly kinky, bit too much from a guy’s “tastes” ???
Gail Carriger – Alexa Tarrabotti series – Steampunky Fantasy (Souless, Changeless, Blameless, Heartless, Timeless)
Charles Stross – Glasshouse, Halting State, Rule 34
Susan R Matthews – Jurisdiction Universe series – (An Exchange of Hostages, Prisoner of Conscience, Angel of Destruction, Hour of Judgement, The Devil & Deep Space, Warring States) Definitely SciFi, but … there’s an abyss, somewhere around here
Tanya Huff – Enchantment Emporium series – unashamed urban fantasy – (The Enchantment Emporium, The Wild Ways, The Future Falls) {Sings “Take no scorne to wear the Horne”}
T. Kingfisher – Paladin Series – (Paladin’s Grace, Paladin’s Strength, Paladin’s Hope, Paladin’s Faith) Fantasy, vastly amusing, realtionships you would not expect – see also ( Swordheart )
Ah, some really interesting suggestions here – yes I realise I haven’t read any more Stross, after thoroughly enjoying Saturn’s Children. And some steampunky stuff; I wouldn’t have aimed for that until I read Terminal World, which sort of improved my opinion of the genre. Anyway thanks 🙂
Worldwar and Colonization series by Harry Turtledove – alternate history, alien invasion, lizard aliens discovering drugs and getting horny.
Honor Harrington series by David Weber – military space opera, think Horatio Hornblower in space.
The Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison – the last real criminal in the galaxy, read if you like grinning and giggling while reading.
Ah yeah I never really got on with Harry Harrison tbh. Haven’t read any Turtledove though, I’ll check it out 🙂
Some great books to add to my reading list here.
I Always recommend Old Mans War and Forever war.
Neuromancer is great.
Ah yeah I loved Neuromancer! I’ve read Forever War, but will find a copy of Old Mans War 👍
Voyage of the Star Wolf by David Gerrold. Zero G sex and comparing planting in hydroponics to sex… poke, squirt, poke squirt… He also wrote the Trouble with Tribbles episode for the original star trek series
Ooh! Okay thanks I’ll get hold of a copy 🙂
I loved all the Ann McCaffrey books, especially the dragonriders, EE Doc Smith (back in the day), a lot of Asimov’s stories too. And of course all the STFW Universe except Kinfolk.
Going ‘off piste’ into fantasy, my favourite author is Piers Anthony, especially the Xanth series.
Yes! I loved his “Incarnations of Immortality” series as well! Sometimes had more fun reading his authors notes than the story!
Wow Sindy, thanks! I didnt expect a full post, would have been happy with a short reply with a few titles.
Anyway, here is my list. Not as elaborate as yours but I’ll keep it to the books i think everyone should have read.
The Book of the New Sun. A four-volume science-fantasy novel by Gene Wolfe. It has some teenager with older woman stuff and also incest. Nothing too explicit though.
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson. Great, Cyberpunky but not much sexy stuff. If i recall right, the one time something is about to happen it gets bluntly interrupted.
Perdido Street Station by China Miéville. I just love the weird style of this one. Not really sci-fi but it does have some steampunk influences. Oh and interspecies relationships.
And pretty much everything by Jack Vance is great. His books are just a joy to read for the language alone and great at worldbuilding. If only his books had more sex lol.
Ooh some great suggestions I haven’t read, here. Cheers will check them out 🙂
Checkout Rebel Moon part1 and 2 novelization by V Castro.
I was totally addicted to the Dragon Lance series waaaaay back in the before internet times, but would read any scifi or fantasy really. We had a pretty decent library of fiction in our house.
Heinlein, of course. Important examples (though not necessarily the most celebrated) – Citizen of the Galaxy, Have Spacesuit Will Travel, The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. I Shall Fear No Evil is, like, all sex all the time. Also maybe consider Farnham’s Freehold for some wincest, though the race stuff might overly squick. Andre(a) Norton’s The Zero Stone. Piers Anthony’s (yes THAT Piers Anthony) Macroscope (cf. decently hot stuff as well as great science fiction). William Gibson – Neuromancer. Philip K. Dick – Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, but definitely scan his short stories too as there are some gems in there. I’d also suggest that Piers Anthony’s Xanth books straddle the line pretty cleanly between fantasy and sci-fi, and he does make an effort to excite the underpants in most of those even though he doesn’t make it so very explicit.
Ah nice one, thank you! Yeah Heinlein’s why the first Lithium is called Have Spacesuit – I’m planning on having the last Lithium called Will Travel – though pretty much zero people will notice that reference hehe. Some good suggestions here though, thanks 🙂
What I grew-up through my teens was Heavy Metal Magazine. It started the Sifi in what is now referred to a graphic novel. Up till then it was Agatha Christie. She wrote so many it filled my pre-teen to early teen reading. Then I discovered Heavy Metal Mag. which inspired the music classification. They are hard to find but you can search the net. I’ve still got a couple in bad shape left. They were illegal and could only be acquired “under the counter” for a long time.
Ah cool I’d heard of Heavy Metal Magazine, but didn’t realise it inspired the music genre, and was illegal! That’s funny.
Nice to read are also Greag Bear books.
“The forge of God” and “Anvil of Stars”. Bothe of those would be real movie material.
He also wrote a book in the second foundation series. Foundation and Chaos.
Ah yeah I’ve seen them in bookshops, will have a proper look next time
I’d like to chip in with Aldiss’ Helliconia Trilogy and A.E. van Voigt’ The World of M.
I’d also like to point out scify Comic Books: anything by Jorodowsky and Moebius. Ex. The Incal.
Heavy Metal Magazine was a licensed copy of a French Magazine Metal Hurlent marketed to an American audience.
I can’t read many books anymore as most of my optical nerves decided to retire a few years back. Back lit screen print I can handle with my now limited field of view but paper and most movies (and many other aspects of my past life) shifted dramatically. No worries, I adapted and used it well otherwise
I was very much into Heinlein which contains much horniness, some incest (Time Enough For Love) and lots of boundary stretching.
The 1991 reissue of Stranger In A Strange Land included the 1/3 he cut out of the 1961 first printing due to editorial request. It was even more enjoyable.
I read literally tons of the stuff up until the MK I Eyeballs (nerves) altered reality. But then I did go on a 5 year, 45 country meander since I was no longer a wage slave. My ‘see it while I can still see some of it’ tour.
Life happens when you are making other plans but if you embrace rather than resist, it normally takes you somewhere much more interesting!
Banzai! 🙂
So more in a comedic/sci-fi/LGBTQ+ way (especially the latter half) is a webcomic: “Questionable Content.” Definitely start after like episode 500. Gets more robotic as episodes progress. More romantic than erotic. Even has robots loving/implied bonking humans.
For the raunchy bit of SciFi or Fantasy I recommend Philip Josè Farmer.
For SciFi Arkadi und Boris Strugazki. Brothers from the Sowiet Union
Yeah Farmer’s great but a little batshit crazy! Apparently he wrote some good smut short stories for Penthouse etc back in the day but I wouldn’t know how to get hold of those stories.
Well, there is Journey to Fusang, by William Sanders, Conquistador by SM Stirling, Drakon by the same author, Thraxas by Martin Scott, Weapons of Choice by Jahn Birmingham (almost anything by Birmingham is good), and there’s plenty more more modern than the big three.
Some interesting suggestions there, thank you 🙂