Science Fiction titles you would have liked to have seen in the SF Masterworks collection

[Immortality]

Hey guys and girls and aliens and androids,

The great Iain M. Banks has stated that the books in the SF Masterworks collection are “amazing" and "genuinely the best novels from sixty years of SF". Right he is, they really are the best of the past 60 years. Once you start reading them you find that out very quickly.

But you never know maybe there are a few of you out there that thought one of your favorites should of been on the list too. They couldn’t put them all in so let’s finish it up for them.

So this thread is dedicated to your absolute favorite science fiction book or books of the past, that where not included in the
SF Masterworks collection but you think was great enough to be in it anyway.


Recap : So, remember...what science fiction book or books would you like to have seen included in the SF Masterworks collection? Also , if you want to , try to write why you think it should be included in such a prestigious book collection as SF Masterworks.


I will start with :
Space War Blues by Richard A. Lupoff ( It should be included because of the authors use of a unique southern vernacular, and it’s just a great book to read. This is a not a very good reason, I’m sure you men and women will come up with better reasons why your book or books should be included in the prestigious SF Masterworks. Still I stand by it I think Space War Blues should be included in SF Masterworks.)

 

[SaintJzearuth]

Shrodinger's Cat Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea.

I don't think they could do it. I googled the list and it looks like not a single trilogy or co-authored book.

 

[Venusian Broon]

Shrodinger's Cat Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea.

I don't think they could do it. I googled the list and it looks like not a single trilogy or co-authored book.

Regarding the Masterwork series and trilogies and co-authoring

I have, and am currently reading, Brian Aldiss's Helliconia in its Masterworks form which is a brick of a book and contains the full trilogy (Namely Helliconia Spring, Summer and Winter).

Also I have a number of the Masterwork books by Arkady & Boris Strugatsky, covering the co-authoring.

And to add to the confusion, the Masterwork series also published the Andromeda Anthology which consisted of the two books in a series by two authors - Fred Hoyle and John Elliot. (p.s. I would not recommend)

So it does happen.

It's probably down to copyright or author/estate issues (i.e. money) what books gets into the imprint.

 

[SaintJzearuth]

my mistake. I just skimmed the list on wiki.

thanks, good to know!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

It's probably down to copyright or author/estate issues (i.e. money) what books gets into the imprint.

As I understand it, that is most definitely a factor. The books they have published in the SF Masterworks and Fantasy Masterworks series are undoubtedly books that they wanted to publish, but they couldn't get the rights to everything they might have wanted. The books they have reprinted might not all be the exact ones they would have chosen if they were entirely free to choose. It's not just about money but about who legally controls the rights. (For instance, HarperCollins and the Tolkien estate are unlikely to ever hand over the rights to The Lord of the Rings to anyone else.)

 

[BAYLOR]

The Veils of Azloroc by Fred Saberhagen
Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson
Paris in the 20th Century by Jules Verne
Morlock Night by K W Jeter

 

[BAYLOR]

I will start with :
Space War Blues by Richard A. Lupoff ( It should be included because of the authors use of a unique southern vernacular, and it’s just a great book to read. This is a not a very good reason, I’m sure you men and women will come up with better reasons why your book or books should be included in the prestigious SF Masterworks. Still I stand by it I think Space War Blues should be included in SF Masterworks.)

Ive read that one, Yes , The vernacular was a bit of a challenge but overall, this was a terrific book .

 

[Immortality]

Shrodinger's Cat Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea.

I don't think they could do it. I googled the list and it looks like not a single trilogy or co-authored book.

Well, I just want people to post a science fiction book or books that they would of liked to have seen in the SF Masterworks collection , but alas was not. The Robert Anton Wilson books I wouldn’t count here on this thread because it’s not science fiction so much as it is surrealist fiction, but thanks for trying.

The exercise here is what sci-if book or books would you have like to have seen in the SF Masterworks collection? That’s the point of this thread. We are not trying to get into the SF Masterworks, I just would like to see the people’s here favorite book or books that they would like to see in the SF Masterworks collection. It seems like many people didn’t understand my the point of my original post. If anyone is unclear, just ask and I will edit my first post to make it clearer, but I thought it was pretty self-explanatory.

 

[Immortality]

The Veils of Azloroc by Fred Saberhagen
Darwinia by Robert Charles Wilson
Paris in the 20th Century by Jules Verne
Morlock Night by K W Jeter

Hey BAYLOR! How are you? Good I hope.

This is what I am looking for this thread . So, these are the science fiction books you would of liked to have seen in the SF Masterworks collection? Is there any particular reason why you chose those books, or are they just great books?

 

[BAYLOR]

Hey BAYLOR! How are you? Good I hope.

This is what I am looking for this thread . So, these are the science fiction books you would of liked to have seen in the SF Masterworks collection? Is there any particular reason why you chose those books, or are they just great books?

The first two book on the list have rather mind-blowing story concepts. In my option for what little it's worth, the should be considered worthy cnadiated candidates for the title Masterwork .

The Third book by Jules Verne in usunail book for alot of reasons. Fist off, It was never published in Vernes life. The manuscript sat in safe undsitunred unit l 1989 . It was discovered by one of his descendants. the Book written in 1863 was set in 1963 and what interesting are the prediction and projection that Verne made. Fax Machines,Automobies, Subways , electric Music, The Homeless epidemic . It amazing how close he ws on the things. This should by right be a considered a Masterwork book.

Morlock Night by K W Jeter Is a sequel to H G Wells novel The Time Machine. In this book the Morlocks have gotten ahold o the Time Machine and have tuned the whole of History into their feeding ground. From what ive been able ot gather this book that sacred off the Steam Punk phenomena in Science fiction . The alms makes it a noteworthy book


And Yes they are great books,

 

[SaintJzearuth]

The Robert Anton Wilson books I wouldn’t count here on this thread because it’s not science fiction so much as it is surrealist fiction, but thanks for trying.

I apologize for this misidentification of the work. I've always considered it science fiction because it is so full of science and fiction. Quantum physics is even in the title of Shrodinger's Cat (it is a quantum physics experiment). His books are always called science fiction on amazon or google searches.

 

[BAYLOR]

I apologize for this misidentification of the work. I've always considered it science fiction because it is so full of science and fiction. Quantum physics is even in the title of Shrodinger's Cat (it is a quantum physics experiment). His books are always called science fiction on amazon or google searches.

Welcome to Chrons .

 

[SaintJzearuth]

I don't mean any of that sarcastically. Robert Anton Wilson's stuff is really, really weird, so I guess that's why it isn't what you meant by science fiction. That's fine. My apology was sincere.

Thank you for the kind welcome

 

[Paul J. Menzies]

Shrodinger's Cat Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea.

I don't think they could do it. I googled the list and it looks like not a single trilogy or co-authored book.

Been a long time since I read it but the Illuminatus Trilogy was actually a two book trilogy was it not? Leviathan is certainly worthy. IMO.

 

[Venusian Broon]

I apologize for this misidentification of the work. I've always considered it science fiction because it is so full of science and fiction. Quantum physics is even in the title of Shrodinger's Cat (it is a quantum physics experiment). His books are always called science fiction on amazon or google searches.

I consider it SF, so don't worry about it. Others might not agree with us, but who cares!

 

[Immortality]

I apologize for this misidentification of the work. I've always considered it science fiction because it is so full of science and fiction. Quantum physics is even in the title of Shrodinger's Cat (it is a quantum physics experiment). His books are always called science fiction on amazon or google searches.

No need to apologize. In fact I always thought his novels were a combination of science fiction, surrealism, the weird genre, and all kinds of other genres. You’re right they are, at least in part, science fiction, but just not in its whole.

But since you have another member here , Venusian Broon who also agrees that it is in fact wholly pure science fiction then I am wiling to crown it as an unauthorized SF Masterwork!!! Hurray!!! Nicely done, your books will be at the top of ‘The Unofficial Guide of SF Masterworks’, or something like that , lol. Still, it will be a list you can pass around to your friends because it’s the best books from this forums members. I hope more people join in and start telling us what they thought should of been added to the SF Masterworks but maybe they didn’t have room for. I can’t wait....

 

[Immortality]

Or maybe I was right the first time? Perhaps members can discuss if Robert Anton Wilson’s work should be crowned as SF Masterworks?

I’m suprised I thought more members would have such a book or book in mind...alas, perhaps not.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Alas…

 

[Immortality]

Alas…

Well, heh, perhaps I’m wrong, maybe people will entertain the idea I have in mind.

 

[Immortality]

I would like to add The Destruction of the Temple by Barry N. Malzberg. ( This book took the ‘JFK assassination’ and made it great science fiction. The year is 2016 and President Kennedy is being murdered again and again and again. Definitely worthy of The Unofficial Guide to SF Masterworks.

This will be “The Unofficial Guide to SF Masterworks” !!! Obviously those who did the SF Masterworks collection tried to get the best of the best in science fiction and I think they succeeded in that respect. Still there is room for more books in this unofficial guide. Just think of your favorite science fiction book or books and write them here. I thought you guys would be happy about a project like this. Oh, well..still just put your favorite classic sci-if book or books here and they will go in ‘The Unofficial Guide to SF Masterworks.’

Doesn’t anyone, anyone at all... have any book or books they would of liked to have seen in the SF Masterworks collection, but wasn’t included? There has to be at least some of you that did want your book included, but they couldn’t include everything so what I am doing is making an unofficial guide to SF Masterworks, so that your book is included. But the book or books must be :

1) Great Past Sci-if/Classics/Golden Age Science Fiction ( no newer stuff, old science fiction ONLY )
2) The book or books must have something special about them that make them worthy of ‘The Unofficial Guide to SF Masterworks.’