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Mary Livermore
Library University
of North Carolina at Pembroke Circulation:
910.521.6516 |
Unicorns
and Spaceships and Vampires, Oh My!
One
Hundred Suggested Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction Writers in The
Mary Livermore Library
Compiled and annotated by Jean Sexton
Adams,
Douglas. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to
the Galaxy. Contained in The
Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide, this exceptionally funny book is light-hearted
SF at its best.
Adams,
Richard. Watership Down. Animal fantasy that will leave you looking
at rabbits in an entirely different light.
Anderson,
Poul. Three Hearts and Three Lions. Throw a 20th century engineer
into a fantasy setting and you find a light-hearted fantasy romp.
Anthony,
Piers. On a Pale Horse. First book in the Incarnations of
Immortality series, this has philosophy, humor, and a good story to recommend
it.
Asimov,
Isaac. Foundation. Asimov is one of SF’s biggest names. His robot series is legendary and a very
loosely based I, Robot movie garnered attention.
Atwood,
Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale. A look at a not-distant possible future of a
monotheocratic United States and the role of women in that society.
Beagle,
Peter S. A Fine and Private Place. Contained in The Fantasy Worlds of Peter
Beagle, this is an exploration of love, death, and life. No one who reads this book will ever forget
the raven.
Bear,
Greg. Blood Music. The transformation of man through
microbiology, in some ways this book resembles Clarke’s Childhood’s End
(annotated below).
Bester,
Alfred. The Demolished Man. A crime caper set in the future when
telepaths can prevent crime, this book won the very first Hugo Award given to
the best SF of the year.
Blish,
James. A Case of Conscience. What if there were a planet and a group of
beings with no original sin? Is it the
work of God or the Adversary?
Bloch,
Robert. The Opener of the Way. The first short story collection of an
acknowledged master of horror.
Lovecraftian for the most part, with a dose of Egyptology.
Bradbury,
Ray. The Martian Chronicles. Which Bradbury book should be listed
first? Close runners up were Fahrenheit
451 and Something Wicked This Way Comes. This one is classic human-centered early science fiction.
Bradley,
Marion Zimmer. Lady of Avalon. Provides the background to The Mists of
Avalon with strong female characters and a large scoop of magic.
Brin,
David. Startide Rising. Part of the Uplift series, this SF book
focuses on the uplifted dolphins and their ship.
Brooks,
Terry. Magic Kingdom for Sale—Sold! A lawyer decides to purchase a magic
kingdom. The problem is not everyone
thinks he should be king.
Brunner,
John. Stand on Zanzibar. Not a particularly easy read, but a
rewarding one, Brunner’s vision is all too close to reality.
Bujold,
Lois McMaster. Barrayar. A good introduction to the Vokosigan
series. Romance, adventure, and
humor—this book has it all.
Burroughs,
Edgar Rice. A Princess of Mars. Science fiction meets romantic adventure and
blends into a fabulous story.
Card,
Orson Scott. Ender’s Game. Probably the most famous of Card’s books,
this is a fine example of military SF. Seventh
Son is a good introduction to his fantasy.
Card lives in Greensboro, N.C.
Chant,
Joy. Red Moon and Black Mountain. A richly detailed world, a cosmic struggle
between good and evil.
Cherryh,
C.J. The Paladin. Martial arts fantasy in a medieval Oriental
setting. A look at the forming of a
teacher-student bond.
Clarke,
Arthur C. Childhood’s End. Contained in Across the Sea of Stars,
this novel explores the role of humanity in the future.
Clement,
Hal. Mission of Gravity. A fascinating story where 15-inch-long
aliens must help humans recover a spacecraft.
Davidson,
Avram. The Phoenix and the Mirror. Was Virgil a mage? Here the answer is yes and Renaissance Europe is populated with
fantastical creatures.
Delany,
Samuel R. Stars in My Pocket like
Grains of Sand. Beware—this is a
book that people either love or hate passionately. Stylistically written, the language is complex, but many people
find it worth the work.
Dick,
Philip K. The Man in the High
Castle. Alternative history where
the U.S. and Britain lost World War II.
Dickson,
Gordon R. Tactics of Mistake. Contained in Three to Dorsai! this is an accessible entry to the Dorsai
series exploring the difference one person can make in the world. For Dickson’s light-hearted fantasy try The
Dragon and the George.
Donaldson,
Stephen R. The Mirror of Her Dreams. Better have the sequel handy because the
first book is a cliffhanger. Mordant
needs a hero and Terisa Morgan is pulled from New York City to save another
world. But is she really the chosen
one?
Drake,
David. Vettius and His Friends. Best known for his military SF, this heroic
fantasy has its roots in classical literature.
The author lives in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Ellison, Harlan. Deathbird Stories. One of the seminal collections of short
stories. There’s a mixture of horror,
fantasy, and science fiction so there is something for everyone.
Farmer,
Philip José. To Your Scattered
Bodies Go. The first book in the
Riverworld series. Why has humanity
been resurrected on a planet far from Earth?
Finney,
Jack. Time and Again. Time travel and a love story set in New York
City.
Frank,
Pat. Alas, Babylon. Post World War III survival story, this book
also is a time capsule look at Cold War thoughts and opinions.
Garrett,
Randall. Lord Darcy. Alternative history on an Earth where magic
works. Team up a forensic sorcerer and
a man with brilliant skills of deduction, and you have a nice combination of
mystery and fantasy with a good dose of humor.
Gibson,
William. Neuromancer. The start of modern cyberpunk with its focus
on the near future, virtual reality, and computers.
Haldeman,
Joe. The Forever War. A look at a reluctant soldier fighting a
senseless war set in the future.
Harrison,
Harry. Deathworld. One man against a murderous world.
Heinlein,
Robert A. Stranger in a Strange
Land. Heinlein’s one of the big
three SF authors. This book gave the
world the word “grok.”
Henderson,
Zenna. Ingathering: The Complete
People Stories of Zenna Henderson.
Gentle science fiction stories, usually featuring a teacher interacting
with the aliens among us.
Herbert,
Frank. Dune. One of the great SF classics, made into an
average movie. Spawned a whole series
of novels.
Holdstock,
Robert. Mythago Wood. A primeval wood, a family’s fascination with
it, and interactions with archetypes makes this book a fulfilling read.
Howard,
Robert E. Conan. The start of heroic fantasy. These are the original stories, not the highly
reworked and re-edited versions so frequently seen today.
Hughart,
Barry. Bridge of Birds. Follow the adventures of Master Kao Li and
Number Ten Ox as they seek for a cure to a mysterious illness. First book in a series.
Huxley,
Aldous. Brave New World. A populace fascinated by mindless
activities, drugged into happiness with everyone knowing his or her place. Is this our future?
Jones,
Diana Wynne. The Chronicles of
Chrestomanci. Chrestomanci is a
powerful magician with nine lives and is a presence in each of the four novels.
Jordan,
Robert. The Eye of the World. If you like them long, this saga, currently
containing 10 books, is for you. Jordan
creates an intriguing world with interesting characters.
Keyes,
Daniel. Flowers for Algernon. Moving story of a man with an IQ of 68 and
what happens when his wish to become smarter is granted.
King, Stephen. Salem’s Lot. Vampires in Maine.
Koontz,
Dean. The Taking. Aliens invade the world, the dead come to
life, and people must try to survive.
Kurtz,
Kathrine. Deryni Rising. Set in a world very like a medieval Europe,
but with magic, this book sets the stage for many more in the series.
Lackey,
Mercedes. Arrows of the Queen. A good introduction to the world of Valdemar
with a strong female main character who comes of age.
Le Guin,
Ursula K. The Left Hand of Darkness. This is an exploration of gender in an SF
setting. Her best known fantasy series
is set in the world of Earthsea.
Lee, Tanith. Red as Blood. Fairy tales, but with a dark twist.
Leiber,
Fritz. Night’s Black Agents. Fantasy, horror, and heroic fantasy short
stories. This is notable in containing
early stories about Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser, a couple of lovable rogues.
Levin, Ira. Rosemary’s Baby. Horror, suspense, and the devil in
middle-class America.
Lewis,
C.S. The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe. Don’t be put off by the
idea that this is a book for young adults.
Its rich language, deep imagery, and the portrayal of the struggle
between good and evil is accessible to people of all ages.
Lovecraft,
H.P. Tales. This brand new collection of stories
contains some of Lovecraft’s best horror.
Make sure that you have a nightlight before you go to bed.
MacAvoy,
R. A. Tea with the Black Dragon. A quiet fantasy with a Zen feel, a touch of
mystery, and a good love story.
Martin,
George R. Earth Abides. Before Stephen King’s The Stand,
there was this book. This classic work
deserves to be widely read.
McCaffrey,
Anne. Dragonflight. Contained in The Dragonriders of Pern,
this book is the introduction to the science fantasy world of Pern where brave
and daring dragonriders keep the world from being destroyed.
McIntyre,
Vonda N. Dreamsnake. A quest book, a mix of SF and fantasy, and a
look at snakes that is unique.
McKillip,
Patricia A. The Riddle-Master of Hed. Who will ever forget the pig stampede? Well-drawn characters and a complex search
for identity are also hallmarks.
McKinley,
Robin. The Blue Sword. An orphaned girl is carried off by the
Hill-King and the story never slows down.
Try Sunshine for a darker, more mature novel.
Miller,
Walter M. A Canticle for Leibowitz. A travel through religion, science, and the
decline and rise of civilization.
Moorcock,
Michael. Elric of Melniboné. The first book in the Elric saga, this
sword and sorcery classic has a unique albino hero who is supposedly sworn to
Chaos, but often finds himself in the service of Law.
Moore,
C.L. The Best of C.L. Moore. A collection of science fiction and
fantasy, this book includes a story about Jirel of Joiry, one of the few female
counterparts to Conan.
Myers,
John Myers. Silverlock. Long a cult favorite, this book throws in
literary allusions. Part of the fun in reading it has always been trying to track
down the references. In addition, it is
a nice adventure story and stands on its own merits.
Niven,
Larry. Ringworld. This is the introduction to the Ringworld
series. Very much for the people who
like science in their SF.
Norton,
Andre. Witch World. The first in a long series of novels, this
focuses on the story of a person from this world entering that of a world where
magic works.
Orwell,
George. 1984: A Novel. A classic dystopia set in a world where Big
Brother is watching.
Peake, Mervyn. The Gormenghast Trilogy. This book pulls the reader into the dark
and poetically painted world of Gormenghast.
Gothic in feel, this is an important piece of fantasy.
Poe, Edgar
Allan. Selected Tales. Great writer and effective at creating the frisson
of horror down the spine.
Pohl,
Frederick. Gateway. The first book in the Heechee series. This is an interesting mix of SF and
psychology.
Pynchon,
Thomas. The Crying of Lot 49. Paranoia inspiring, this is still a book
that is quite funny and also makes the reader think.
Rice, Anne. Interview with the Vampire. Gothic literature at its best, this book
almost single-handedly brought about a resurgence in vampire literature.
Rowling,
J.K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s
Stone. The Harry Potter series is
gaining in popularity and in complexity.
Russ,
Joanna. The Female Man. A product of the 1970s, the story has held
up well and there aren’t many SF books with a librarian as one of the
narrators.
Shelley,
Mary W. Frankenstein. What is the responsibility of creator to the
being he created? Frankenstein’s
Monster forces us to examine ourselves.
Silverberg,
Robert. The World Inside. Gigantic high-rise buildings house billions
of people. Floors of the building form
cities and each city varies in culture.
But are people happy in this utopia?
Simak, Clifford D. City. Did Man ever exist? Dog
scholars debate the point.
Simmons,
Dan. Hyperion. A tribute in part to The Canterbury Tales,
this book can be disturbingly dark, but the character studies are worth
exploring and you will want to have the sequel, The Fall of Hyperion
close at hand.
Smith,
Cordwainer. The Rediscovery of Man. This collection of short fiction reveals a
dark and disturbing future. Dip in and
out of the collection to enjoy it fully.
Stewart,
Mary. The Crystal Cave. An Arthurian novel that tells the story of
Merlin.
Stoker,
Bram. Dracula. Need more be said? The quintessential vampire.
Sturgeon,
Theodore. More than Human. What happens when people combine skills and
talents to become more than the sum of the parts?
Tolkien,
J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. A professor at Oxford gave the world an
enduring work of fantasy.
Verne,
Jules. Twenty Thousand Leagues under
the Sea. Written before submarines
were invented, this book is quite different from the movie adaptations and
focuses on how such a machine could actually function.
Vinge,
Joan. The Snow Queen. Based loosely on Hans Christian Andersen’s
“The Snow Queen,” this books moves the fairy tale forward in time and places
the action on Tiamat. Rich
characterizations with archetypes fleshes out the story.
Vinge,
Vernor. True Names. Predating interactive computer games and the
Internet, this book has a remarkably accurate vision of virtual reality.
Vonnegut,
Kurt. Slaughter-house Five. Unstuck in time, the hero relives the
experience of being a POW during World War II in Dresden, Germany.
Weber,
David. On Basilisk Station. Meet Honor Harrington, in the first
adventure of what is to be a long military career, or so her fans hope. The story is based loosely on the problems
in Napoleonic Europe, but moved to a future setting.
Wellman,
Manly Wade. John the Balladeer. A collection of short stories set in the
North Carolina mountains, this is an excellent introduction to the novels about
the same character. Wellman lived in
Chapel Hill, N.C. for many years.
Wells,
H.G. The Time Machine; The War of
the Worlds. Classic SF. The first is a time travel story, the latter
is an alien invasion story.
White,
T.H. The Once and Future King. Gentle humor and interesting characters make
this a fun retelling of the story of King Arthur, starting when Arthur was
called Wart.
Williams,
Tad. The Dragonbone Chair. Kitchen-boy turned hero, evil king, and good
younger prince are all staples of clichéd fantasy. This book rises above those clichés.
Willis,
Connie. The Doomsday Book. Crises in the 21st century and 14th
century reveal much about the people of the future and past.
Wolfe,
Gene. Shadow of the Torturer. First book in the Book of the New Sun
series, it follows the path of a failed torturer—one who showed mercy to a
victim. Dense and demanding, it is a
different form of fantasy than the typical Tolkienesque books.
Wyndham,
John. The Day of the Triffids. With most of the people on Earth blind,
triffids (mobile and very poisonous plants) become a real threat to survival.
Yolen,
Jane. Sister Light, Sister Dark. A child whose mother dies three times, is
Jenna the child long prophesized?
Zelazny,
Roger. Lord of Light. Science fantasy that brings in elements of
Hinduism, Buddhism, and politics, all with a technological background.
created / updated jes 04/05