Disappointments from the Fantasy & SF Masterworks series

[Vertigo]

I've read half a dozen SF Masterworks books since I last posted here with one major disappointment and one minor one:

Gibson and Sterling's The Difference Engine was a major disappointment; impressive world building but much of it seemed to be for it's own sake, having little relevance to what little plot there was built on top of it.

Sadly, as I love PKD, I found his Man in the High Castle disappointing; not majorly so but nowhere near as good as I had been expecting.

 

[Pedro Del Mar]

Ringworld - didn't do it for me. I found it boring. You can say it was great to read it in 1970 but I've read books written way before 1970 and still found them fabulous to read.
First men in The Moon - Love HG Wells and this is one of particular favourites, it's a little silly but love the characters.
The Time Machine and War of The Worlds, two more particular favourites of mine. These two simply are classics. HG Wells at his best along with The Island of Dr Moreau.
Earth Abides - interested me but found it a little long winded and lacklustre.
I am Legend - it is a legend, what a book and so short you can read it in one sitting.
A Canticle for Leibowitz - awful. I just didn't get on with this book at all. Probably one of the least interesting books to me that I've ever read. I made myself read it to the very end to see what happened then asked myself why?
The Forever War - enjoyed this one.

 

[Danny McG]

Personal opinion only - I looked at the full list of SF Masterworks and found it disappointing, it appeared as if they'd just picked any old stories that had a good first run and decided to squeeze a few more drops out

 

[Vertigo]

Personal opinion only - I looked at the full list of SF Masterworks and found it disappointing, it appeared as if they'd just picked any old stories that had a good first run and decided to squeeze a few more drops out

You must remember that there are a lot of classic SF books that have never been released to Gollancz to be added to this list. They only go on this list if a) they're considered a classic b) they're no longer in print and c) whoever holds the rights to the book will allow Gollancz to publish them. There are a lot of classics that are either still in print or whoever owns the rights is maybe intending to reprint them themselves and so won't release to Gollancz.

To be honest in the current environment, with loads of old classics being re-released as ebooks, the raison d'etre of the SF Masterworks list is becoming a little less important.

 

[Fried Egg]

To be honest in the current environment, with loads of old classics being re-released as ebooks, the raison d'etre of the SF Masterworks list is becoming a little less important.

I'll never be an ebook reader so I hope they don't give up on series like this.

 

[Fried Egg]

Personal opinion only - I looked at the full list of SF Masterworks and found it disappointing, it appeared as if they'd just picked any old stories that had a good first run and decided to squeeze a few more drops out

Is that because of what they left off the list (so far) or because you disagree with many of their choices that they included?

 

[Vertigo]

I'll never be an ebook reader so I hope they don't give up on series like this.

I'd guess they'll keep going so long as there are sales!!! Even with ebooks it still tends to be the SF Masterworks ebook editions I buy when I'm buying from this list and I'm probably not alone in that...

 

[Stephen Palmer]

"Lavondyss" by Robert Holdstock - Very disappointing sequel to the excellent "Mythago Wood".

That was a tricky one, wasn't it... it seemed to be "the same, but different... essentially, the same." :/

 

[Stephen Palmer]

A Canticle for Leibowitz - awful. I just didn't get on with this book at all. Probably one of the least interesting books to me that I've ever read. I made myself read it to the very end to see what happened then asked myself why?

Well, you do have to suspend disbelief about the set-up before you can really start enjoying it...

 

[Danny McG]

Is that because of what they left off the list (so far) or because you disagree with many of their choices that they included?

I think many of the choices could have been better. It seemed they picked say one book by a well known author so they picked what was (in it's day) that writer's best seller, regardless of later kudos for his/her slightly less of a best seller but a much better book

 

[Fried Egg]

I think many of the choices could have been better. It seemed they picked say one book by a well known author so they picked what was (in it's day) that writer's best seller, regardless of later kudos for his/her slightly less of a best seller but a much better book

I'd be interested to hear of any particular examples of this if you can recall. I can't think of any glaring examples of this.

List as it stands: SF Masterworks - Wikipedia

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I have certainly not read all of the books in the series. Of those I have read, almost all of them seem to be at least "very good" on my personal rating scale, with many of them being "excellent."

I have to get to the "new design" series before I have any serious quibbles. I read Floating Worlds very long ago and remember almost nothing about it except for the fact that I didn't care for it; my memory (and my youthful naivete) may be at fault rather than the book. I read Hellstrom's Hive when it was serialized in magazine form and didn't think much of it. I think Doomsday Book is overrated.

The one book on the list which I have read but for which I am unable to have an opinion is Dhalgren. I think it was just too far over my head, although I did not dislike the experience of reading it.

I have read many fewer of the Fantasy Masterworks, and of those I have read there are none I disliked.

 

[Brian G Turner]

whoever holds the rights to the book will allow Gollancz to publish them

I presumed Gollancz was simply re-publishing some of their own backlist under a snazzy marketing title, in order to give them new life. Hence why I've never given the "masterworks" series any serious attention.

 

[Vertigo]

I presumed Gollancz was simply re-publishing some of their own backlist under a snazzy marketing title, in order to give them new life. Hence why I've never given the "masterworks" series any serious attention.

I might be wrong but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, for example, was Doubleday. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will come along and correct me!

 

[psikeyhackr]

Gibson and Sterling's The Difference Engine was a major disappointment; impressive world building but much of it seemed to be for it's own sake, having little relevance to what little plot there was built on top of it.

Yeah, I agree it was a disappointment, just not a major one. I was able to fininish it with not problem but if I had known what it was like I never would have started.

That is the really annoying thing about books.

psik

 

[Pedro Del Mar]

Well, you do have to suspend disbelief about the set-up before you can really start enjoying it...

I don't have an issue with the suspension of my disbelief in terms of the setup. In my own opinion the beginning was probably the most enjoyable aspect of the whole story. For a book that is so highly regarded I was genuinely disappointed. The same goes for Gene Wolf for whom I believe you a are a big fan so it looks as though our personal tastes are as disparate as can be.....

 

[Piper]

I'm sorry--sure I am probably alone on this one, but honestly I just couldn't get into "Wheel of Time". I just couldn't seem to really care about any of the characters and I struggled to finish the book.

 

[Cathbad]

I'm sorry--sure I am probably alone on this one, but honestly I just couldn't get into "Wheel of Time". I just couldn't seem to really care about any of the characters and I struggled to finish the book.

The characters were the only thing I did care for!

 

[BAYLOR]

The Night Land by William Hope Hodgson. I absolutely hated the archaic writing style he adopted for this book. It ruined what could have been a great novel science fiction/fantasy novel. The books biggest saving grace is the imagery of the that future earth where its set on.

 

[Piper]

The characters were the only thing I did care for!

Sorry!! No offense meant. I know I'm in the minority on this one