What is the single best science fiction novel of all time?

[Clint_L]

My argument for Neuromancer is that it is a tour de force both in terms of science fiction, in terms of literature, and in terms of cultural impact. William Gibson is a world-class writer, which simply cannot be said of most of the big names in sci-fi. And in terms of science fiction's ur-theme - that our new knowledge and discoveries will inevitably lead to unforseen and potentially disastrous consequences - Neuromancer seems if anything more prescient today than it did in 1984. In terms of cultural impact, no other (written) text in the last hundred years has had such a powerful and lasting impact on the aesthetic of science fiction.

My argument for Frankenstein is that it started everything. Science Fiction's ur-theme comes straight from Shelley; you can make a strong case that Neuromancer is, at its heart, a postmodern update of Frankenstein. Hard to argue against her impact on the aesthetic, either. But she loses a few points because she's not nearly as good a writer.

My original top three had A Clockwork Orange, but thinking more on it, I have to switch to 1984, because it's another text that seems only more relevant with time, and Orwell is another powerhouse writer. It's another text with fingerprints all over modern sci-fi.

And to make it a Mt. Rushmore, which seems to be the thing these days, I'll add Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness, another text way ahead of its time, that is more relevant than ever, and that was at the forefront of the rise of social science fiction. Plus, I met Le Guin thirty years ago and she was cool as hell.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

My argument for Neuromancer is that it is a tour de force both in terms of science fiction, in terms of literature, and in terms of cultural impact. William Gibson is a world-class writer, which simply cannot be said of most of the big names in sci-fi. And in terms of science fiction's ur-theme - that our new knowledge and discoveries will inevitably lead to unforseen and potentially disastrous consequences - Neuromancer seems if anything more prescient today than it did in 1984. In terms of cultural impact, no other (written) text in the last hundred years has had such a powerful and lasting impact on the aesthetic of science fiction.

My argument for Frankenstein is that it started everything. Science Fiction's ur-theme comes straight from her; you can make a strong case that Neuromancer is, at its heart, a postmodern update of Frankenstein. Hard to argue against her impact on the aesthetic, either. But she loses a few points because she's not nearly as good a writer.

My original top three had A Clockwork Orange, but thinking more on it, I have to switch to 1984, because it's another text that seems only more relevant with time, and Orwell is another powerhouse writer. It's another text with fingerprints all over modern sci-fi.

And to make it a Mt. Rushmore, which seems to be the thing these days, I'll add Ursula Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness, another text way ahead of its time, that is more relevant than ever, and that was at the forefront of the rise of social science fiction. Plus, I met Le Guin thirty years ago and she was cool as hell.

All of those are solid picks. If part of sci-fi's job is prescience (paired with commentary about the present), those all nailed it.

What's fascinating to me is that, prior to Neuromancer, there were books that were so close to being the first true cyberpunk novel. But the vibes were just slightly off. Something was in the air, but it didn't properly crystalize until Gibson.

 

[Clint_L]

All of those are solid picks. If part of sci-fi's job is prescience (paired with commentary about the present), those all nailed it.

What's fascinating to me is that, prior to Neuromancer, there were books that were so close to being the first true cyberpunk novel. But the vibes were just slightly off. Something was in the air, but it didn't properly crystalize until Gibson.

Which is kind of surprising, since Gibson himself was neither a punk nor a tech guy. He was living near Granville Island in Vancouver, which is a kind of artsy area (back then, it still had a bit of a post-hippy vibe), doing classes at UBC, and observing streetlife and arcade culture on Granville street - I was a punk kid at the same time, and in those same places (we would catch the ferry over from Nanaimo specifically to hang out on Granville). He was probably observing me and my friends or people just like us in the arcades he would later describe! But he was not part of that scene.

 

[Ryujin]

Which is kind of surprising, since Gibson himself was neither a punk nor a tech guy. He was living near Granville Island in Vancouver, which is a kind of artsy area (back then, it still had a bit of a post-hippy vibe), doing classes at UBC, and observing streetlife and arcade culture on Granville streets - I was a punk kid at the same time, and in those same places (we would catch the ferry over from Nanaimo specifically to hang out on Granville). He was probably observing me and my friends or people just like us in the arcades he would later describe! But he was not part of that scene.

He also had little actual experience with contemporary computers. I recall hearing him say how truly disappointed he was when he bought his first computer, at Radio Shack, and <GASP!> in made spinning noises.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Which is kind of surprising, since Gibson himself was neither a punk nor a tech guy. He was living near Granville Island in Vancouver, which is a kind of artsy area (back then, it still had a bit of a post-hippy vibe), doing classes at UBC, and observing streetlife and arcade culture on Granville streets - I was a punk kid at the same time, and in those same places (we would catch the ferry over from Nanaimo specifically to hang out on Granville). He was probably observing me and my friends or people just like us in the arcades he would later describe! But he was not part of that scene.

He's said that he never could've written Neuromancer had he actually understood how computers worked back then. All the first wave cyberpunk authors say that the only real punk rocker amongst them was John Shirley.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

He's said that he never could've written Neuromancer had he actually understood how computers worked back then. All the first wave cyberpunk authors say that the only real punk rocker amongst them was John Shirley.

Until probably the mid-1990s, computers were pretty mundane. It would take a heck of a lot of imagination to look at an Apple ][c and decide "yeah, this is a portal to an always-connected infinite mindscape."

 

[payn]

Until probably the mid-1990s, computers were pretty mundane. It would take a heck of a lot of imagination to look at an Apple ][c and decide "yeah, this is a portal to an always-connected infinite mindscape."

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Choplifter has basically zero mindshare today. Best videogame ever based on the Carter administration, though.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Until probably the mid-1990s, computers were pretty mundane. It would take a heck of a lot of imagination to look at an Apple ][c and decide "yeah, this is a portal to an always-connected infinite mindscape."

My first real online experience was trying out Island of Kesmai in 1987, after reading about it in Dragon magazine. I remember being unimpressed with it, especially considering the expense of playing it. It wasn't until the mid-90s that I actively started going online.

I still like his introduction to Neuromancer in later editions, where he sympathizes with younger readers wondering why no one has cellphones in the Sprawl, why Case desperately needs a modem.

I remember playing Choplifter at this local festival we used to go to around Halloween. I can vividly recall spending my tickets on that and some Slurfies.

 

[cbwjm]

One of the best sci-fi books I've read was Children of Time. It had sequels but this book was pretty self contained that you don't need to read them. It really captured my imagination when I read it and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it. It was one of those books that I vame across seemingly at random, browsing book lists on kindle and I'm glad I found it, for me it was a 5/5 read.