In Part 5 of my Levels of Science Fiction series we look at Level 4, the more involved Science Ficiton and Fantasy Reads. The first three levels I would feel good about suggesting to someone looking to break into the genre, though I may warn them about Level 3 books being an investment. For Level 4 and beyond, these are books I would be thrilled to recommend, but I want the reader to have already decided they are invested in the genre. These are the kind of novels that make you work, but the reward is wonderful. Some of my favorite examples are:

                A Fire Upon the Deep-  The “Zones of Thought” grouping used by Vinge is an interesting idea that allows for a novel of incredible scope.  The prologue is so brilliantly written and immerses you immediately, making you very aware of the incredible stakes.  Vinge creates a universe that requires you to work to understand everything, but the story is so fun and exciting.  Science fiction of a grand scope at its finest. 

Consider Phlebas- Iain M. Banks is my overall favorite author.  I love the Culture Series and this is where it starts.  Each Culture book is its own story, so you don’t have to start here, but there is something compelling in starting with a story where the main character is hostile to the Culture.  The Culture is such a unique idea a post-scarcity society where everyone is equal, and machines are prevalent enough that nobody is forced to work or wants for anything.  Banks anticipates that readers may be hostile to parts of this idea, and he voices those hostilities through his main character early in the book when he addresses why he is fighting for the oppressive, religiously driven alien civilization, “”they are on the side of life… boring, old-fashioned, biological life; smell, fallible and short-sighted, God knows, but REAL life.”  The ideas of this story are magnificent, but it’s the visual sequences that take it to another level.  Few scenes in science fiction have been as engaging as the escape flight through a Giant Orbital.  It’s a lot to take in, but if you love science fiction this is a book I would push any reader to dive into. 

Perdido Street Station-  Mieville offers a completely different type of fantasy novel.  I’ve not read any author who brings a city to life quite like Mieville does with New Crobuzon.  There are so many compelling, memorable characters and ideas, but New Crobuzon is the star of this book.  The prose are high level and beautiful, but not the kind you can take in without careful reading.  With his writing you want to focus on every word because he chooses the words so perfectly.  The Slake Moths are absolutely terrifying and the introductory ride into New Crobuzon is breathtaking. 

The Blade Itself-  I love Abercrombie’s writing and enjoyed the First Law Series so much my first time through it.  He develops memorable characters and combines it with great action scenes.  There are elements of traditional fantasy to this story, but he takes them in a completely different direction.  I always debate whether to recommend starting with First Law or his stand alone novels, because while I love The Blade Itself and its two direct sequels, I love Best Served Cold and The Heroes (two stand alone novels in the same universe) even more.  Ultimately, I am glad I started with First Law because of the background to the world it gave me that enhances my appreciation for those stand alone novels (and the exception Age of Madness trilogy) and I usually recommend readers go that way.  However, I sometimes worry that the other two would draw them in more and I should just be telling them to read Best Served Cold. 

                The Fifth Season – The Fifth Season is unique in so many ways and utterly magnificent in how it all fits together.  The story takes time to adjust to as we follow three different plots, one of which is written in 2nd person point of view, but they fit together beautifully and as you get 1/3 of the way through the book you keep wanting to press on.  There is so much to say about this book, but I don’t want to give too much away. Undoubtedly N.K. Jemisin has created one of the best science fiction / fantasy novels of all time. I cannot recommend The Fifth Season enough.

Felan’s Rescue is available in Ebook form (and Kindle Unlimited), Audiobook, Hardback, and Paperback!

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Preorders for Seventh Contact are now available!

              I look at this group as books that are still fairly easy to follow but have a few things that make for a more ambitious read than the groups before.  I think it’s very possible to start someone on fantasy and science fiction and get them engaged with books from this group, but they should know going in that it could be a bigger time commitment or the story might not be quite as straight forward as they are expecting. 

                Game of Thrones- It’s long and it has a ton of characters so it could be a daunting task for some readers unfamiliar with the genre, but other than that there is a lot about it that makes it highly accessible for readers.  The structure of chapters being named for the character they center around makes the novel easier to follow than a ton of series jumping around.  Additionally, the magical elements of the story are kept of the periphery in the early books… when we get to them, they matter and jump out at you, but you don’t have to familiarize yourself with complicated systems of magic right away.  Most importantly, they are fun, and they move.

                The Name of the Wind- Again the length could be daunting but other than that the story follows one main protagonist as he learns about the magical parts of the world he encounters.  A school setting is often times a great way to learn about the world and magic because the reader is learning along with the main character, and it doesn’t feel forced.  To me what stands out in this novel is that the pros are absolutely beautifully at times.  Just the prologue alone is a wonderful piece of writing.  I sometimes think how long did it take Rothfuss to craft the line “It was the patient, cut-flower sound of a mind who is waiting to die?” 

                The Lies of Locke Lamora- It clocks in at 700+ pages and has a unique structure alternating between Locke’s thief upbringing and his present-day exploits, but I’d say other than that it’s a very accessible novel to those new to fantasy.  The Lies of Locke Lamora is a tail of deception, revenge, frightfully dark magic set in a hostel dark and violent city. Lynch’s tale moves quickly for the 700 plus pages and in the end the payoff is certainly worth the journey. The Lies of Locke Lamora is the first in a seven-part series (only two others written so far), however, it is also reasonably self-contained so that the reader can be content just reading this one (though I’d imagine you’ll want to move forward after).

                The Fellowship of the Ring- It’s the foundation for which so much of modern fantasy sprung and even the fantasy that has gotten away from sword/sorcery/quest type sagas owe so much to the world building.  It is a must read to any fantasy reader and frankly can make a great introduction for the right reader. 

                American Gods- Part of it seems a little dates, but it’s a really cool look at America through fantastical story telling.  It follows one character consistently.  The fantastical elements of the story worked well, there were a ton of very interesting characters (Gods and Human) who our protagonist met throughout the novel. The big reveal at the end is really perfect. Looking back to early in the book it really made some scenes at the time I thought kind of minor seem much more important. There were a ton of small touches Gaiman added that I really appreciated such as explaining that the lame tourist traps (like worlds largest Carosel) are strong places for the Gods.

                Dune-  This is a book I put down before I had read much science fiction then absolutely fell in love with once I had gotten more into the genre.  It’s part of what inspired me to think of the genre this way.  At its core the story is one of a family feud and powerful families seeking more power.  However, the story is so much more.  It is littered with cool ideas, from the importance of the spice, to the Bene Gesserit, to the prophecy of the Mahdi and so on.  The story makes you work but rewards you at every turn. 

                Snow Crash-I think much of Neal Stephenson’s work would be hard for non-genre readers to get into.  However, I think this is the big exception to that.  It is a bit dated, but boy is it fun.   Hiro and Y.T. (Y.T. in particular) make for great central characters.  From the beginning the novel is just so cool.  I mean just read this early passage:  “The Deliverator belongs to an elite order, a hallowed sub-category. He’s got esprit up to here….The Deliverator’s car has enough potential energy packed into its batteries to fire a pound of bacon into the Asteroid Belt. Unlike a bimbo box or a Burb beater, the Deliverator’s car unloads that power through gaping, gleaming, polished sphincters. When the Deliverator puts the hammer down, shit happens.”  The large Sumerian Linguistics info dump is really the only part of the novel that is isn’t fully immersive and why I put it in this group.

                Hyperion- One of my all-time favorites, Hyperion is an science fiction at its very best.  Its structure and constant literary references might not make it the most accessible book.  Written in the style of Canterbury Tales with elements of Keats and Shakespeare woven in, Hyperion is basically the story of 7 Pilgrims and the journey to the Time Tombs on the planet of Hyperion. Each Pilgrim tells their own tale as to why they are making the journey on their way and each tale is completely unique in style and feel. The stories range from pure intrigue to action packed, to emotionally brutal. The tombs are guarded by a creature called the Shrike who impales his victims on a metal tree. Just an awesome work. 

Felan’s Rescue is available in Ebook form (and Kindle Unlimited), Audiobook, Hardback, and Paperback!

The Descendants of Prontoth is available as an Ebook (and Kindle Unlimited), Audiobook, hardback and paperback!

Preorders for Seventh Contact are now available!

For Level 2, I am looking at very accessible books, for those who have never really gotten into science fiction or fantasy books before. This could be for middle school / high school age kids looking to try Fantasy or Science Fiction out.  This could also be for adults who just never have really read the genre or tried to but read a book that just didn’t make them interested.  I think there is also some overlap with the previous group.  I think Harry Potter or even the Hobbit could easily be books you look to if you are trying to give a new fantasy / science fiction reader something they’ll enjoy and hopefully get more into the genre because of. 

Ender’s Game- I chose this first and already have talked about it, mainly because it is the one that hooked me.  I still love this book.  I’ve memorized whole portions of it from all of the readings I did of the book in my youth.  Ender Wiggin was a character I absolutely loved and the supporting characters quickly followed.  Even before Ender’s Shadow came out the brief glimpse into Bean’s mind as Ender was graduated from Battle School and Bean given his own Army was just a wonderful bit of writing.  Everyone I’ve had read the book that wasn’t big into science fiction has really enjoyed the book, even if it didn’t make them jump full on into science fiction.  I personally loved Speaker for the Dead despite it being an entirely different book. 

Leviathan Wakes-  Two characters, two entirely different styles and stories that come together beautifully at the end.  This novel is one event after another with twists and turns and suspense all over the place.  I don’t think the follow-up novels lose anything either.  Highly accessible, fun science fiction. 

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy-  Light hearted, enjoyable, often laugh out loud funny.  I think for certain readers this could be a perfect entry into science fiction.  The opening to the novel is an all time classic.

Old Man’s War-  This has everything I look for in accessible science fiction.  It has a one main protagonist and an accessible, easily understood idea that immediately gets you invested in the story.  The idea of older citizens getting basically a new life if they join the military is a great entry for the reader into the wider universe of Old Man’s War.  Everything that follows is exciting, military science fiction centered around our protagonist.  You are invested in him and his relationships, but you also get plenty of science fiction concepts and ideas to wet your appetite for more.

Red Rising- It’s dystopian science fiction, military science fiction, and a coming of age story.  It follows one main character.  Its ideas are interesting, it offers moments of true sadness, of excitement and suspense.  It almost has an Ender’s Game meets the Hunger Games kind of feel.  One of the better very accessible science fiction novels I’ve read in years. 

Watership Down- A totally different type of fantasy that maybe does not fit with all the rest here, but I had to mention it.  A tale about rabbits leaving their warren as it is being destroyed and searching to find a new life is not a story I ever expected to stick with me, but Watership Down has done just that. This story is very fun, the characters are well fleshed out and the action is great. It offers the kind of world building we want from fantasy that I am sure many will be able to appreciate. 

Mistborn- Offers a very detailed magic system, but through the eyes of only a couple of characters. The author really walks you through the world, painting the picture in manageable chunks for you to get what is going on. It’s fun, the characters are engaging, and the Magic System works.

Felan’s Rescue is available in Ebook form (and Kindle Unlimited), Audiobook, Hardback, and Paperback!

The Descendants of Prontoth is available as an Ebook (and Kindle Unlimited), Audiobook, hardback and paperback!

Preorders for Seventh Contact are now available!