Science fiction : the 100 best novels /

Pringle, the editor of Foundation, a British journal about science fiction, has produced an attractive discussion of postW W II science fiction novels, from George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-four (1949) to William Gibson's Neuromancer (1984). A few story sequences, such as Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles (1950), are included. Typically, Pringle writes three to five substantial paragraphs on each work-social significance, career comments on the author, importance of the work in the SF field, a sketch of the plot, and artistry. Original and recent editions are listed at the end of each discussion. He is interested in the best works, not adventure stories or other commercial forms, although some merely adequate works typical of one trend or another get in. Of Pringle's 100 ``best,'' 71 are American, 28 are British, and one is Australian. Some writers have more than one work listed-Philip K. Dick has six; J.G. Ballard, four. The main uses of this book for a college library are as a guide for undergraduate reading and for a nonresearch collection by the library itself. But for scholarly purposes, Anatomy of Wonder, ed. by Neil Barron (CH, Nov '81), is a far fuller guide-within Pringle's chosen period and, of course, before-and is preferred, despite Pringle's fuller comments on the books he lists.-J.R. Christopher, Tarleton State University

Beginning with George Orwell's 1984 (1949) and ending with William Gibson's Neuromancer (1984), the editor of British sf magazine Interzone presents brief (two-page) essays on 100 books that he considers to be landmarks of the genre. Pringle freely admits his subjectivity in selecting these titles; nevertheless, most important sf authors are represented here, and a thought-provoking introduction makes a case for his omissions. Each essay provides a synopsis of the book, a brief history of the author, and, in most cases, a critical commentary. This is not intended as a definitive reference source; in fact, a bibliographic essay directs readers to more serious studies of the genre. A good introduction for the novice sf reader, this belongs in large libraries where books about science fiction are in demand. Jackie Cassada, Asheville-Buncombe Lib. System, N.C. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

From the editor of the British sf magazine Interzone: 100 frankly personal--i.e., often downright eccentric--selections, comprising two-page critiques of English-language sf novels; ordered chronologically they range from George Orwell's 1984 (1949) to William Gibson's Neuromancer (1984). There would seem to be several overabundances: of British entries (27, plus six more by American authors then or now resident in Britain), of Philip K. Dick (six), and J.G. Ballard (four). And of many omissions, the most glaring: Joe Haldeman's dazzling, nightmarish The Forever War. Some of the items here will provoke no dissent whatsoever: George R. Stewart's post-disaster yarn Earth Abides; Alfred Bester's The Demolished Man (telepathy); Ward Moore's alternate history, Bring the Jubilee; James Blish's religious dilemma, A Case of Conscience (though Pringle neglects to point out that while the first half is nigh perfect, the second half self-destructs); Ursula K. Le Guin's marvellous account of hermaphroditic humans, The Left Hand of Darkness; Joanna Russ' powerful, flawed, feminist polemic The Female Man; Walter M. Miller, Jr.'s brilliant post-nuclear A Canticle for Leibowitz; and others less famous but equally remarkable. Elsewhere, Pringle is waspish and arbitrary. He picks at minor flaws in Frank Herbert's fine Dune while ignoring Herbert's several magnificent non-Dune novels. He dislikes Isaac Asimov intensely, for no clearly defined reason, and chooses Asimov's best novel, The End of Eternity, apparently at random; the critique, too, passes over the novel's stellar virtues in order to relish the pulpish trappings. And he selects some very minor Robert A. Heinlein, overlooking that author's most revealing (Starship Troopers) and most provocative (Stranger in a Strange Land) works. Still other entries range from the interminable (J.G. Ballard's Crash) to the obscure (Damien Broderick's The Dreaming Dragons). In sum: for sf aficionados--the more knowledgeable the better--who love to argue. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.