Posted on 12/13/2013 8:49:04 PM PST by Kip Russell
Everybody (well, everybody who reads sf/fantasy) has their favorite novels in each genre...which are usually a bunch of other people's favorite novels as well. This only makes sense, since cream rises to the top.
But even so, there are plenty of obscure books that for whatever reason, never really caught on. They might well be great reads, but no one seems to have heard of them...so what's your favorite sf and fantasy novel that still lies in not-so-deserved obscurity?
With any luck, we'll all discover a bunch of great books that we've never heard of before!
I'll start off with mine: for sf, "The Killing Star" by Charles Pellegrino and George Zebrowski.
In the late 21st Century, our solar system is attacked by aliens using "relativity missiles"...boulder-sized hunks of metal accelerated to 90% of the speed of light. Thousands of them. 99.9999% of humanity is wiped out in a few hours. There's no need for a spoiler warning, this happens in the first 20 pages. The rest of the novel follows the desperate struggle of the few survivors spread throughout the solar system.
For fantasy, "A Personal Demon" by Richard Brown, David Bischoff, and Linda Richardson.
When Willis Baxter, a frustrated professor at a New England university with a penchant for drink and remarkable talent for failure in romantic relationships, got too drunk at his own party, unexpected results ensued. Instead of just impressing his guests with his knowledge of obscure magic rituals, he summoned an absolutely stunning female half-demon, Anathae. The demon, who looks like a naked sixteen year-old redhead with small horns, hooves and a tasteful tail, has been unhappy in Hell, and is extremely grateful to her "liberator". Luckily, most guests attribute the summoning to a party trick, with amusement value pretty much divided by gender.
Hilarity ensues. "I Dream of Jeannie" meets Faust...
“A Canticle For Liebowicz”
Sigh, this book is not obscure, but it is to me. I have wanted to read this book ever since I read about it in “Seventeen” Magazine years ago.
I forget about it for years, then remember it (like now); I try and take it out from the library, all copies are taken; I try and buy it at the bookstore - sold out! Look for it on kindle - not available.
Will this book change my life if I ever get to read it?
John Carpenter had a late remake, which proved [yet again] that while he did some decent horror, he knew nothing about science fiction.
They might not fit this category but I’ll suggest the ‘Doc Savage’ pulps from the 1930’s and 1940’s written by Lester Dent. Good stuff!!
I read “The Iron Dream” in 7th grade. It absolutely blew my mind.
Man, Kelly Freas was a great artist!
The Outlaw of Torn, be Edgar Rice Burrows.
Lovecraft was Stephen King’s muse/motivator.
“Will this book change my life if I ever get to read it?”
Yes. There are many levels. Come on over and borrow mine!
No, there’s a steady undercurrent of Lovecraft. I was surprised both of my sons discovered him through friends, with no encouragement from me. Considering how unspeakably awful film treatments of his works have been, his durability is remarkable.
Love this book, my favorite L'amour, War Party
Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle. Not obscure (it was nominated for a Hugo), but an excellent book!
Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle
Niven and Pournelle
Is “Hammer’s Slammers” obscure?
Can anyone else see that?
Just now reading “If at Faust You Don’t Succeed” by
by Roger Zelazny and Robert Sheckley. It definitely fits all of your criteria (obscure, fantasy and SF). Good, too.
I don’t know if this counts as obscure since I’m not a big sci-fi person but one book I really liked was “No Blade of Grass” by John Christopher. (You can buy it used on Amazon where I just went to look up the author’s name.)
My first boyfriend, a huge sci-fi fan bought it for me as an “easy” example of the genre years ago. I don’t remember the story, but I do remember I enjoyed it very much.
More recently hubby got me “The White Plague” by Herbert, which he always said was one of his faves.
Still like No Blade of Grass better, as of now.
The “Ace Doubles” were great sci-fi books.
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