Top 10 Best Sci Fi Books I've Read
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- čas přidán 22. 05. 2024
- Join me as I list my favorite science fiction books, my top 10 list of Sci Fi Novels. From Classics to Modern masterpieces!
Pick up any of the books mentioned in the video and help support the channel
Nightlords Trilogy - amzn.to/3Uadsm1
Altered Carbon - amzn.to/3w9cbna
Abaddons Gate - amzn.to/49GDYsY
Excession - amzn.to/3xI9Jod
Project Hail Mary - amzn.to/4aEBkoS
The Dark Forest - amzn.to/4aHAx6M
Blindsight - amzn.to/3Qdd6tJ
Children of Time - amzn.to/4d67dbC
Ubik - amzn.to/4daXYaf
Rendezvous with Rama - amzn.to/4dadrHm
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 INTRO
00:32 10
03:12 9
06:57 8
08:38 7
11:46 6
13:51 5
16:06 4
18:59 3
21:47 2
24:07 1
26:35 Conclusion
Twitter - / bensbookclub
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Rendezvous with Rama! 🛸 Such an amazing page-turner and unique take on first contact. 👽
I agree! Couldn't believe how fast I got through that book.
One of my favorite books of all time
Great video dude! Not sure about my top 10 but my top 5 is probably:
1. Childhood's End
2. Hyperion
3. Dune
4. Neuromancer
5. Gateway
Hyperion and Dune are epic! Loved childhoods end. I have neuromancer on my shelf, haven’t read it yet 😊
@@MaliciousChickenAgenda Do you have any recommendations for 'Epic' sci-fi in the vein of Dune and Hyperion? Neuromancer is incredibly but William Gibson doesn't hold your hand, be prepared for that.
3 & 4 I read this year, and will almost certainly be making an appearance on next years list :)
I am 100% reading Hyperion in the next few months, I also want to read Childhoods End, and I have never heart of Gateway!
@@BenjaminsBookclub Put Gateway on your list too! Would be keen to hear your thoughts on Childhood's End and Hyperion :)
@@SciFiFinds these recommendations might not be similar to Dune & Hyperion but they’re nonetheless epic- I’ll start with Starmaker by Olaf Stapledon. I personally loved it and it’s still in my top ten after all these years. I won’t say what it’s about just read it. Maybe google it first to see if it’s something you’d find entertaining. I thought it was fascinating and it stuck with me a long time! The forever war by Joe Haldeman is well worth checking out and The Stars my destination by Alfred Bester is a cracking yarn. One more - Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes is , it’s a sad one but it’s a beautiful story
Rendezvous with Rama is Amazing, it's a masterpiece. It's paced so well, it read like a great scifi movie. one of the best books I've ever read. it's so good that I can't bring myself to read the sequels .
I am absolutely not reading the sequels either. I've read very mixed reviews, and honestly any further explanations to the mysteries will just serve to hurt the books impact I think.
I believe it has been licensed for movies a few times. I believe it's currently being prepared as a screen play to be directed by my faveorite director, Denis Villeneuve. If that goes ahead I will be the happiest little boy in sci fi town.
Great picks! I LOVE the Dark Forest, Project Hail Mary, and Children of Time and the whole Expanse series. Blindsight sounds amazing as does Excession for me
I'm hoping to finish the Expanse very soon, got the last 3 books to go!
I think you'd really like Blindsight!
I love seeing other people's favorites and why they like them. Thank you.
Thanks so much for watching!
Philip K Dick is a whole different category of SF! He’s so unique & wild you can’t really compare him to typical SF writers! I treat him on a different level completely. Reality Bending SF really! 🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯
I really need to read more PKD, after Ubik I was blown away!
I am so happy to have found this channel!😮 not enough people talk about SF 🚀
Thanks for being here! Agreed I adore sci fi!
"I know I did say vampires, and it sounds silly" I love that. Adding that book to the wishlist (and hunting pretty versions)
Several books on there I haven't read and (gasp) a couple I hadn't heard of. Great ranking.
Thanks! I quite like the cover I had up on screen for blindsight, my copy is the duology that includes the sequel, the collection called Firefall, which doesn't have as nice a cover I think.
Excession was my intro to The Culture. What a great universe to explore! I wonder how much anxiety one would have living there given the power levels of the Minds.
If you get too anxious, just gland some calm and you'll be fine 😅
@@BenjaminsBookclub 🤣
Super interested to see how this list evolves over time 👍
Thanks mate!
Great video. Love the list. Couple books there that I have not read but may pick up: Altered Carbon and Excession. I really have to start meeting the Culture series. Your choice as a favorite book is interesting as I t’s not one that I hear people talk about. Most usually mention Use of weapons or Player of games as their favorite.
Ubik, Children, Blindsight, Project, and Rendezvous are all books that I would at least consider when putting together my top 10. I gotta make that list at some point soon!
I adore Player of Games and Use of Weapons, both 5 star reads for me, Excession is just the one I always come back to re-read given the choice.
It's not as difficult a read as use of weapons, and it's scope is much grander than player of games.
@@BenjaminsBookclub that’s good to know , thanks 👍
So glad to see Children of Time on the list because it's absolutely fantastic. That book had everything I love in a sci-fi novel. Huge world building, first contact, evolution, strong characters (some of which are spiders). One of my favorite sci fi books.
Blindsight and the entire Remembrance of Earths Past series are also fantastic. Both of those books were practically life changing lol.
Couldn't agree more! So glad you enjoyed them as well! Have you read Children of Ruin yet? I'm thinking of picking it up next
@@BenjaminsBookclub It's on my shelf, haven't gotten to it yet. Currently reading The Sparrow and it might be my favorite book so far this year.
@@ambassadorcartwright9127 I've heard good things about The Sparrow, I haven't picked it up yet but I probably need too.
Good list. You helped me to decide what book read next after I finish Swan Song, namely Rendezvous with Rama which I happen to own but haven't read yet. Culture is also my top favorite SF series alongside with Hyperion. I wish success to you and your channel.
Thanks so much for your kind words! I hope you enjoy Rama as much as I did! How was Swan Song?
@@BenjaminsBookclub Thanks, I'm sure I will. Classic SF is the best :) Swan Song is very good, easily among the best books I've read. A bit like Stephen King's The Stand, a post-apocalyptic road story with some supernatural/horror elements.
@@sorzotheheavybagslayer Sounds fantastic! I may need to bump it up my TBR
Great list, a lot I've heard of and intend to read and a few I haven't!
Thanks mate! Would love to watch your thoughts on any of them!
I’ve been wanting to getting into Warhammer for a little bit now. Maybe I’ll start with Soul Hunter!
Also a lot of epic sounding books that I haven’t even heard of! My TBR list just grew! Great video Benjamin
Thanks Dan! I think you would love some of the Warhammer books!
The characters in the Culture are not human, per se. They’re all aliens. The short story The State of the Art confirms it.
Very true, they are referred to as pan-human and humanoid a lot though, but yes, they're definitely not from earth. Close enough
Great list. Among those I've read, I agree Children of Time and The Dark Forest are 5 star reads. I haven't read Rendezvous with Rama yet but I recently really enjoyed 2001 and would like to read more Clarke. Ubik is another I one really need to read.
Have you read Hyperion or A Fire Upon the Deep? Looking at your tastes, I think they would appeal to you.
Thanks! I really need to read more Clarke, I think I'll pick up Childhoods end when I next allow myself to buy books.
I havnt read either yet, but both are on my shelf waiting their turn. Id be shocked if I got to the end of the year without reading them both.
Thanks. I may try Dark Matter again. I don’t think I gave it a fair shake. Children of time appealed to me from your description. BTW your descriptions are great.
Thanks so much, I really appreciate the kind words, I'd love to know what you think of them both when you finish! Come back and let me know!
This is a great list! Have you ever read the expanse series ? I haven’t but I heard it is good too. I like the cyberpunk genre, looking forward to read altered Carbon and Neuromancer.
Thanks so much! I have read the first 6 Expanse books! Which were all that were put when I read them, now that the series is finished I'm deciding between a full re-read or just reading some plot recaps and jumping into book 7. They are amazing books.
Neuromancer is a book I read thos year, so didn't make the list this time, but I would be absolutely shocked if it wasn't in the top 5/3 of next year's list, brilliant book and I can't wait to read the sequels.
You know a trilogy is good when you read it, and then read it again. I did that with Remembrance of Earth's past.
For sure! That feeling of finishing it and needing to read through the entire series again with the context this time. *chefs kiss*
Great list! I watched expanse series I’ve been wondering if the book is very different then the show. The show got kinda wierd I love the belters! The idea of living in the belt!! Feels closer to home like it could maybe a realistic future.
Yeah the setting of The Expanse is very believable! One of the reasons I enjoy it so much, I only watched the first season of the show, and there were differences in that I noticed. The books get weird as well watch out!
Most of these sound really interesting! I couldn't get Three Body Problem, but I like Project Hail Mary so far.
Does Excession have a lot of POV's? I usually get confused after more than two, but it sounds like it could have quite a few.
Three Body Problem is definitely not for everybody.
Excession does have a few POV characters, off the top of my head it's atleast 4 I think, but it may be more.
If you are enjoying project hail Mary, I would suggest Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, I just finished it last night and it reminded me a lot of Andy Weir.
If the Culture series is divisive on Booktube, that's simply an indictment of Booktube. Iain Banks is brilliant and the Culture series stands above just about all the other grand scope science fiction in existence.
I adore The Culture series, and am always a bit shocked when others don't like it, but different strokes and all that! Thanks for watching!
Finally, someone who reads “normal” AND Warhammer 40k!!
Great list, esp. Ubik, Blindsight, Iain M. Banks, and agree the Soul Hunter trilogy is great - personally prefer Horus Heresy series, Primarch novellas, Infinite and the Divine, Eisenhorn series, Peter Fehervari’s Coil series, Ciaphas Cain series, and a million others.
Just about every PKD book is a great, then William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, Reynolds, etc. are logical next thematic choices.
I do indeed read "normal" and 40k :D I love that phrasing.
I love the Horus Heresy, I think Nightlords just edges it out, maybe mainly because its a complete trilogy, a lot snappier than the 50+ books of HH :D I need to get to Infinite and the Divine!
I have read, Gibson, Reynolds and Stephenson this year, I would be shocked not to see some of them on next years list :D
Excellent list, many are on my to read list :). Have you read any books by Alastair Reynolds, if you like epic space stories with no FTL, I recommend his Revelation Space series. Scratch that I just saw your play list 😅.
Thanks! Haha yeah, getting halfway through revelation space and wanting to talk to someone about it is what made me start this channel actually, what a great book, I am going to jump into Redemption Ark or House of Suns very soon!
@@BenjaminsBookclub I'm planning a re-read at some point to re-freshen up so I can get into his newer book Inhibitor Phase. House of Suns is a real favorite of mine too. Very interesting concept, hope you will like it too. Now i'm reading through the Dune books, almost done with Messiah. Glad I found your channel!
@@runmarty Thanks :D Thats lovely to hear, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Messiah when you finish it! I adore that book.
@@BenjaminsBookclub Finished it. I liked it. I knew most of the story before hand having watched the mini-series Children of Dune (which include Messiah) but the book give more complex motivations of the antagonists, where as the mini-series is more one dimensional god vs bad. Now I got intrigued by "The forge god" which will be my next book, so I will following your read along. Thanks!😀
I was told altered carbon is hard to get through. I think it honestly depends on personal taste. I have it sitting on my shelf, I’m more tempted to read it now after this review 😊 I was told Dune was a hard read too but I didn’t have an issue with it, I thought it was epic!
Absolutely a taste thing I'd say, lots of books people have raved about fell very flat for me, and vice-versa. I struggled with Dune before the movies, and then after the movies flew through Dune.
@@BenjaminsBookclubmy uncle read the first three body problem novel and wasn’t keen on it. He said it was heavy on science concepts and I think he prefers a story to be more character driven. I’ve yet to read Cixin Liu. I picked up the first one so I’ll give it a shot at some point. I see you’re a fan of Iain Banks! I love his stuff he’s amazing 😊
@@MaliciousChickenAgenda Yeah characters are not a strong point of the Three Body Problem books, they're 100% focused on the science and sci fi ideas and concepts over the characters. I adore Banks :)
I picked up Adrian Tchaikovskys Children of time, still waiting to be read. I’ve heard nothing but good things about it. Oh you’re a fan of Ubik! Another one of my favourites! Phillip K Dick is awesome, very thought provoking and Clarke too. Loved Rama, Childhood’s end and Space Odyssey 2001. I read another one of Clarkes about a big space elevator but I wasn’t that keen on it
If my count is correct, sounded like 3 books had some object found in deep space as a major plot point of the book.
You know, at a stretch it might even be 6! I guess I have a trope I really enjoy!
Great list! I've read all ten and loved 8 of them. I found Blindsight confusing; I need to reread it. I didn't care for Ubik, but that's more about me than the book. My top ten is completely different, and admittedly it's dominated by "classic" sci-fi highspots: 10. More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon; 9. Gateway by Frederik Pohl' 8. Ender's game by Orson Scott Card; 7. Hyperion by Dan Simmons; 6. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury; 5. A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller; 4. The Left hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin; 3. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; 2. 1984 by George Orwell; and 1. Dune by Frank Herbert.
Of your 10 I have only read Dune. I am very embarrassed! Of the other 9, I own, 4 of them, which will likely all be read this year, Hyperion, 1984, Fahrenheit 451 and Ender's Game.
I don't think Ubik is for everyone, its a very odd book. I have read plenty of highly rated books that just didn't land for me at all, its a rubbish feeling, makes you doubt yourself somewhat in my case haha.
nice video m8
Thanks for watching
I tried Dark Matter and didn’t stick with it. Maybe I should have. I’ll try again. I do like space things though!
Yeah not everything's for everyone is it :). Finding things like Project Hail Mary is quite hard, I found it quite unique. Children of Time has some of the problem solvingy stuff as PHM but not the focus, but it does have a lot of space.
I’m not a sci-fi reader but I loved Project Hail Mary and The Martian. Can you and your subscribers make any recommendations for me? I like character driven books but I also like a good chase/battle scene. I like the sound of Rama.
Just last night I finished Dark Matter by Blake Crouch and found myself comparing it to Project Hail Mary, both have scientist in strange situations, needing to use science to understand and problem solve. I really enjoyed it, and with the tv show coming up soon it's a great time to read it, I think I'll do a video on it infact!
"We Are Legion, We Are Bob", "Old Man's War", and maybe The Vorkosigan Saga. Lois McMaster Bujold is pretty wide ranging so not all of her books work for everyone but her characters, mysteries and battles are fun.
What is darter?
Not sure? Did I say Darter?
PHM shouldn't even be mentioned in the same breath as some of the other books you listed. PHM is the fast food of science fiction.
Nothing wrong with a bit of fast food every now and then.