0:52 .... that's the cover of the first copy I had. I first discovered the tactical tabletop game, Starship Troopers, from Avalon Hill, in 1987 (for $4!!!) ... Only after playing through the game did I come across the paperback, at a flea market, and bought it from a cigar-chomping, vintage '50s man for 75¢! I read it so many times, was taken by its cinematic possibilities, and still think that yellow cover, while quite weird, is beautiful. At the time, the assertion that made the biggest impression was that persons entrusted with leadership, by virtue of having the greater experience, are responsible for the actions (and reactions) of their inexperienced followers, and that part of that responsibilty involves anticipating and accounting for any possible action / reaction. Life has demonstrated the value of that insight many, many times over 35yrs. Thanks for the fantastic list of reminders ... .of books I have been meaning to get to for a couple decades .... !
Avalon Hill!! I still have one of their games, Panzer Leader i think it's called, various game scenarios in northern france after the d-day invasion. My brother and i played it to death, probably very badly, when we were kids. Tried to play it with my son a year or two backz didn't have a clue how it worked! All those little symbols. Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger Panzer Leader it is, and quite a legend and a monster seller for AH in the '70s. Their Starship Troopers product was very similar, but also simpler, rethemed to have the units, tech, and terrain described in the novel. But it's also kind of weird ... the action and setting were the sizzle to reel the reader into arguments on ehics, morality, politics, philosophy of governance ... so while the game is a hoot, it's ultimately only the facade, no building backing it up! Still, fun to nuke the Skinnies! :D
I seldom re-read any work of fiction but Sturgeon's "More than human" is that one exception. My first reading was in the mid-1970's when I read dozens of Science Fiction short stories and all the major authors of the day. The last author standing was Theodore Sturgeon so of course I read and very much enjoyed "More than human." During the COVID shut-in I re-read this book and found that I enjoyed it just as much as before. So glad you included this amazing book in your list of "Should Reads!" Great list!!!!!
@@SciFiScavenger Great idea. I appreciate your embracing these classic authors and books. Many sci-fi book tube reviewers acknowledge these guys but don’t embrace them at all.
I try to cover a range (mainly because i like to read a range). I read a lot of Asimov when i was young, bit of Clarke too, but the rest I'm "discovering" now. We're lucky to have such a rich mine of excellent science fiction gold to read. 👍
That's a great selection....I'd add three more, firstly, Richard Matheson's I Am Legend...forget all the movies, the book is a masterpiece....second, Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man...short stories I know but all linked by a common thread....and finally Brian Aldiss's Non-stop...a brilliant generation starship novel which has been much imitated but never bettered
Totally agree with you on Non-Stop('Starship' in the US). A real page-turner! It was a hard read for me, as I had to fight off my mother and siblings, all anxious to read It.😂
I did read all of them. And I did dislike Vonnegut´s The Sirens of Titan too. Asking for my personal faves of this era is very difficult. I adore Fahrenheit 451. I also love Starship Troopers (the book made me, no kidding, an anarchist). But there are three books I would also love to mention, Languages of Pao and The Five Gold Bands by Jack Vance are the first two. But, that´s probably the one I would select as my fave is Wasp by Eric Frank Russell. Have a good week!
@@SciFiScavenger I've always thought 'The Five Gold Bands' was pretty minor Jack Vance but in 'Languages of Pao' you can see the writer of 'The Dragon Masters' and 'The Last Castle' start to show himself. Worth looking for.
I rate all of these except Clement, who I've always thought was a hack, ideas or not. I'd also add my vote for Matheson being key in the fifties. There was so much great stuff then, you've scratched the surface here bit what else can you do with only ten slots? Silverberg said that the 50s were the true Golden Age and in terms of quality, he was absolutely right.
The '50s was a great decade for SF. Let me add some honorable mentions here: - The Foundation Trilogy, by Asimov - The Galactic Empire Trilogy, by Asimov - The Day of the Triffids, by Windham - City, by Simak - The Martian Chronicles, by Bradbury - The Voyage of Space Beagle, by Van Vogt - Brain Wave, by Poul Anderson - A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller Jr.
yes, great list, classics all. Foundation and Space Beagle were really written in the 40s in short story form, but you're right, they first appeared in book form in the 50s. I'm planning a second episode on the 50s, possibly even a 3rd, and some of those books may well feature. thanks for watching 👀!
I've never read any Vonnegut but he was the originator of the asinine idea that space exploration should be abolished and the money spent on "the poor" which is a cross NASA and ESA etc. have had to bear ever since. It's a stupid idea that immediately falls apart under any sort of scrutiny but when has that ever stopped people.
I haved read about half of those you mentioned. Bradbury is my favorite. 451 is a master piece but my favorite is "the illustrated man". I am 2.5 books away from being done with everything Heinlein wrote. Next will be Clarke and Simak. So much to read. wish i could read faster.
I don't think I've read Illustrated Man yet..well done on your Heinlein marathon. Are there any that you particularly recommend? Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger The Door into Summer (my favorite.. short and it has time travel) The green hills of Earth (short story collection) Coventry (short story) 3 favorite novels are The Door into Summer, Tunnel in the Sky, Farmer in the Sky Possible the worst book I have ever read is "I will fear no evil" Thanks for asking!!!
I definitely enjoyed the R Daneel Olivaw stories. My experience with Alfred Bester leaves me wanting to have nothing to do with The Demolished Man. I feel I really ought to read Chilhood's End. And Fahrenheit 451.
You must read Stars. It’s an exuberant space opera. I don’t know which Bester the OP has read, but IIRC (it’s been a long time since I read his other stuff) it’s different in tone to these two books.
For the record, my experience with Bester is The Stars My Destination, which I almost dnf'd because I so disliked it. The main character is thoroughly detestable, and the premise is ridiculous to the point of fantasy. Of course, YMMV.
Sirens is my least favored Vonnegut book too. I'd recommend Cat's Cradle, God Bless You Mr Rosewater and Slaughterhouse Five. I've read every book on this list except Mission of Gravity. I need to read Mission and would recommend all the rest except Sirens. I like Solar Lottery quite a bit and think it doesn't get enough love! A book by PKD which I'm quite lukewarm to is Dr Futurity.
Seems like i made a mistake picking SoT as my first Vonnegut and I confess i am in no rush to read more! I do have S5 on my shelves plus one or two others so perhaps I'll get to them eventually! Thanks for the other tips, and thanks for watching 👀!
Read most of them back in the day, all pretty good books. I liked The Sirens of Titan when I read it 40 years ago, but recently I found Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle utterly unreadable. My favorite 50's novel is still Bester's Tiger! Tiger!(Aka The Stars My Destination)
Looking at some of the other comments, it looks like there are at least 3 others who agree with you and me about 'The Sirens of Titan'. I've always thought that Vonnegut was writing completely for the taste of the self-conscious narrow-minded New England intelectual, which is not my taste at all. 'Mission of Gravity' by Hal Clement, on the other hand, strikes me as the pinnacle of Hard SF. It is one I reread from time to time.
Great list! I have to agree, what was going on in 1953? :) Seriously, I've read (and enjoyed) most of these over the years, but not all. Thanks for pointing out a few I have either forgotten about or wasn't even aware of. Nothing like throwing a few more recommended titles onto the ol' TBR list.
Not interested in alternate history so never read Bring the Jubilee. Never heard of or even seen a copy of Solar Lottery. The rest of the list was pretty good
Hi Jon, thanks for another video. Of your list I've read 3, the Clarke, Asimov and the Bester, and of those Childhood's End is the one I have fondest memories of. I have every intention of giving the Bester another go. Given my predilections, it's no surprise that I'd like to add Silverberg's Master of Life and Death to your list. He won't write anything as good for well over a decade.
Here in Argentina we kenowed More Than Human (trans. Mas que Humano), The Demolished Man (El Hombre Demolido) Farenheit 451 in editions of Editorial Minotauro. The Caves of Steel (Las Cavernas de Acero) Bring the Jubilee (Lo que el Tiempo se Llevo) and Starship Troopers (Tropas del Espacio) for the spanish editor Martinez Roca. I read and enjoyed all this.- In my opinion here should be a site for Alfred Bester's The Stars my Destination - Tiger Tiger ! (Las Estrellas mi Destino - Tigre Tigre !, Martinez Roca) and Robert Heinlein's The Puppet Masters (Amos de Titeres - Martinez Roca), but is just my opinion.-
Hi Sergio, all great books. I featured Stars My Destination in a recent space opera video, didn't want to re-use it too soon. Great suggestions, and thanks for watching 👀!
So many good stories and authors. I can't choose one but three I found extremely good would be Asimov, Clarke and Clement. Of the other authors although I recognize their quality and appeal, they don't really float my boat.
The only one l haven't read is *Solar Lottery* and l am far from being a fan of PKD. You didn't do *Star Surgeon* the first SF book I read in 1961. The title of the movie *Blade Runner* came from another book by Alan E Nourse.
I love Star Surgeon. Excellent book. I recommend the Sector General books by James White, which takes on the Hospital theme to the logical conclusion...Sector General, the largest multi-species hospital in the Galaxy, manned by the dedicated doctors of hundreds of species, ready to treat any new alien species. Awesome! 😳🙂😉
Difficult balance to strike, don't always get it right. Read a few anyway, i suspect a 150-200 word summary isn't going to spoil your enjoyment. Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger I understand. My comment was alarmist 😎Good response. A few too many details for my liking in the segments for books I've read, so I avoided the segments for books I've not. I agree your level of detail would not ruin enjoyment. Good video, good channel!
0:52 .... that's the cover of the first copy I had. I first discovered the tactical tabletop game, Starship Troopers, from Avalon Hill, in 1987 (for $4!!!) ... Only after playing through the game did I come across the paperback, at a flea market, and bought it from a cigar-chomping, vintage '50s man for 75¢! I read it so many times, was taken by its cinematic possibilities, and still think that yellow cover, while quite weird, is beautiful. At the time, the assertion that made the biggest impression was that persons entrusted with leadership, by virtue of having the greater experience, are responsible for the actions (and reactions) of their inexperienced followers, and that part of that responsibilty involves anticipating and accounting for any possible action / reaction. Life has demonstrated the value of that insight many, many times over 35yrs.
Thanks for the fantastic list of reminders ... .of books I have been meaning to get to for a couple decades .... !
Avalon Hill!! I still have one of their games, Panzer Leader i think it's called, various game scenarios in northern france after the d-day invasion. My brother and i played it to death, probably very badly, when we were kids. Tried to play it with my son a year or two backz didn't have a clue how it worked! All those little symbols. Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger Panzer Leader it is, and quite a legend and a monster seller for AH in the '70s. Their Starship Troopers product was very similar, but also simpler, rethemed to have the units, tech, and terrain described in the novel. But it's also kind of weird ... the action and setting were the sizzle to reel the reader into arguments on ehics, morality, politics, philosophy of governance ... so while the game is a hoot, it's ultimately only the facade, no building backing it up! Still, fun to nuke the Skinnies! :D
Clement had the rare ability to write hard SF with interesting characters. He's never disappointed me.
He's still on my List of Shame, but i do have a few on my shelves so I'll get to him soon. Cheers Brian, thanks for watching 👀!
I seldom re-read any work of fiction but Sturgeon's "More than human" is that one exception. My first reading was in the mid-1970's when I read dozens of Science Fiction short stories and all the major authors of the day. The last author standing was Theodore Sturgeon so of course I read and very much enjoyed "More than human." During the COVID shut-in I re-read this book and found that I enjoyed it just as much as before. So glad you included this amazing book in your list of "Should Reads!" Great list!!!!!
Hi Mike, glad you enjoyed it. I like a re-read from time to time, like visiting with an old friend. Thanks for watching 👀!
So many incredible books on this list! Great video!
And so many more i could have picked! Thanks for watching 👀!
I love your list. I read many of them in the 60s when I was young. They are the basis for all modern science fiction.
So many great books to choose from! Might do a part 2. Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger Great idea. I appreciate your embracing these classic authors and books. Many sci-fi book tube reviewers acknowledge these guys but don’t embrace them at all.
I try to cover a range (mainly because i like to read a range). I read a lot of Asimov when i was young, bit of Clarke too, but the rest I'm "discovering" now. We're lucky to have such a rich mine of excellent science fiction gold to read. 👍
Vonnegut is definitely a Marmite author. Some love him, some hate him.
Yeah so i gather. Even among KV fans, seems like Sirens is not their favourite KV book. Thanks for watching 👀!
That's a great selection....I'd add three more, firstly, Richard Matheson's I Am Legend...forget all the movies, the book is a masterpiece....second, Ray Bradbury's The Illustrated Man...short stories I know but all linked by a common thread....and finally Brian Aldiss's Non-stop...a brilliant generation starship novel which has been much imitated but never bettered
Yes i am holding I Am Legend back for another video, coming soon! Thanks for watching 👀!
Totally agree with you on Non-Stop('Starship' in the US). A real page-turner! It was a hard read for me, as I had to fight off my mother and siblings, all anxious to read It.😂
I love everything Vonnegut has written except _The Sirens of Titan._
ok that's interesting, perhaps there's hope for me yet! which of his books would you recommend I tackle next Brendan? thanks for watching 👀!
Wow. His best novel.
_Slaughterhouse-Five_ is easily his greatest work. My personal favourites are _Galápagos_ and _Cat's Cradle._
Great picks and an most enlightening video. I have read most of these and love them all. Good job!
Hi Gary, great, glad you enjoyed it, I think there's enough source material from the 50s to make 2 or 3 more of these videos. Thanks for watching 👀!
Yes, do more, plenty of classic material to showcase. You do it well.
I did read all of them. And I did dislike Vonnegut´s The Sirens of Titan too.
Asking for my personal faves of this era is very difficult. I adore Fahrenheit 451. I also love Starship Troopers (the book made me, no kidding, an anarchist).
But there are three books I would also love to mention, Languages of Pao and The Five Gold Bands by Jack Vance are the first two. But, that´s probably the one I would select as my fave is Wasp by Eric Frank Russell.
Have a good week!
I shall look out for those Thorsten, cheers, and thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger I've always thought 'The Five Gold Bands' was pretty minor Jack Vance but in 'Languages of Pao' you can see the writer of 'The Dragon Masters' and 'The Last Castle' start to show himself. Worth looking for.
I rate all of these except Clement, who I've always thought was a hack, ideas or not. I'd also add my vote for Matheson being key in the fifties. There was so much great stuff then, you've scratched the surface here bit what else can you do with only ten slots? Silverberg said that the 50s were the true Golden Age and in terms of quality, he was absolutely right.
Hi Steve, yes, so many to choose from in that decade. I may well do a part 2. thanks for watching 👀!
The '50s was a great decade for SF. Let me add some honorable mentions here:
- The Foundation Trilogy, by Asimov
- The Galactic Empire Trilogy, by Asimov
- The Day of the Triffids, by Windham
- City, by Simak
- The Martian Chronicles, by Bradbury
- The Voyage of Space Beagle, by Van Vogt
- Brain Wave, by Poul Anderson
- A Canticle for Leibowitz, by Walter Miller Jr.
yes, great list, classics all. Foundation and Space Beagle were really written in the 40s in short story form, but you're right, they first appeared in book form in the 50s. I'm planning a second episode on the 50s, possibly even a 3rd, and some of those books may well feature. thanks for watching 👀!
Classic sci-fi bangers is what silverfish eat at barbecues.
I've never read any Vonnegut but he was the originator of the asinine idea that space exploration should be abolished and the money spent on "the poor" which is a cross NASA and ESA etc. have had to bear ever since. It's a stupid idea that immediately falls apart under any sort of scrutiny but when has that ever stopped people.
Was he now, i didn't know that. Pretty cool to see SpaceX nail their 4th Starship test flight the other day.
I haved read about half of those you mentioned. Bradbury is my favorite. 451 is a master piece but my favorite is "the illustrated man". I am 2.5 books away from being done with everything Heinlein wrote. Next will be Clarke and Simak. So much to read. wish i could read faster.
I don't think I've read Illustrated Man yet..well done on your Heinlein marathon. Are there any that you particularly recommend? Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger The Door into Summer (my favorite.. short and it has time travel)
The green hills of Earth (short story collection)
Coventry (short story)
3 favorite novels are The Door into Summer, Tunnel in the Sky, Farmer in the Sky
Possible the worst book I have ever read is "I will fear no evil"
Thanks for asking!!!
I definitely enjoyed the R Daneel Olivaw stories. My experience with Alfred Bester leaves me wanting to have nothing to do with The Demolished Man. I feel I really ought to read Chilhood's End. And Fahrenheit 451.
I haven't read Stars my destination (yet) but i did enjoy Demolished Man. Thanks for watching 👀!
You must read Stars. It’s an exuberant space opera. I don’t know which Bester the OP has read, but IIRC (it’s been a long time since I read his other stuff) it’s different in tone to these two books.
For the record, my experience with Bester is The Stars My Destination, which I almost dnf'd because I so disliked it. The main character is thoroughly detestable, and the premise is ridiculous to the point of fantasy. Of course, YMMV.
Sirens is my least favored Vonnegut book too. I'd recommend Cat's Cradle, God Bless You Mr Rosewater and Slaughterhouse Five.
I've read every book on this list except Mission of Gravity. I need to read Mission and would recommend all the rest except Sirens. I like Solar Lottery quite a bit and think it doesn't get enough love! A book by PKD which I'm quite lukewarm to is Dr Futurity.
Seems like i made a mistake picking SoT as my first Vonnegut and I confess i am in no rush to read more! I do have S5 on my shelves plus one or two others so perhaps I'll get to them eventually! Thanks for the other tips, and thanks for watching 👀!
Read most of them back in the day, all pretty good books. I liked The Sirens of Titan when I read it 40 years ago, but recently I found Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle utterly unreadable.
My favorite 50's novel is still Bester's Tiger! Tiger!(Aka The Stars My Destination)
I haven't read tiger tiger yet, it is sat on my shelves sulking. Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger It is one of the all time greats
Try reading Breakfast of Champions if you want a true taste of Vonnegut.
And if i don't like it, I can always eat it! Thanks for the tip and thanks for watching 👀!
Looking at some of the other comments, it looks like there are at least 3 others who agree with you and me about 'The Sirens of Titan'. I've always thought that Vonnegut was writing completely for the taste of the self-conscious narrow-minded New England intelectual, which is not my taste at all.
'Mission of Gravity' by Hal Clement, on the other hand, strikes me as the pinnacle of Hard SF. It is one I reread from time to time.
Yeah i lean more Hal than Kurt, for sure. Cheers Paul, thanks for watching 👀!
Great list! I have to agree, what was going on in 1953? :) Seriously, I've read (and enjoyed) most of these over the years, but not all. Thanks for pointing out a few I have either forgotten about or wasn't even aware of. Nothing like throwing a few more recommended titles onto the ol' TBR list.
My work here is done! Glad to have triggered a memory or two, hope you enjoy the re-read David. Thanks for watching 👀!
Not interested in alternate history so never read Bring the Jubilee. Never heard of or even seen a copy of Solar Lottery. The rest of the list was pretty good
would definitely recommend Bring the Jubilee for the writing if nothing else. Thanks for watching 👀!
Hi Jon, thanks for another video.
Of your list I've read 3, the Clarke, Asimov and the Bester, and of those Childhood's End is the one I have fondest memories of. I have every intention of giving the Bester another go.
Given my predilections, it's no surprise that I'd like to add Silverberg's Master of Life and Death to your list. He won't write anything as good for well over a decade.
I was about to argue he didn't write in the 50s, but you're right, 1957 for that one. Cheers Ian, thanks for watching 👀!
Here in Argentina we kenowed More Than Human (trans. Mas que Humano), The Demolished Man (El Hombre Demolido) Farenheit 451 in editions of Editorial Minotauro. The Caves of Steel (Las Cavernas de Acero) Bring the Jubilee (Lo que el Tiempo se Llevo) and Starship Troopers (Tropas del Espacio) for the spanish editor Martinez Roca. I read and enjoyed all this.-
In my opinion here should be a site for Alfred Bester's The Stars my Destination - Tiger Tiger ! (Las Estrellas mi Destino - Tigre Tigre !, Martinez Roca) and Robert Heinlein's The Puppet Masters (Amos de Titeres - Martinez Roca), but is just my opinion.-
Hi Sergio, all great books. I featured Stars My Destination in a recent space opera video, didn't want to re-use it too soon. Great suggestions, and thanks for watching 👀!
So many good stories and authors. I can't choose one but three I found extremely good would be Asimov, Clarke and Clement. Of the other authors although I recognize their quality and appeal, they don't really float my boat.
Bring the Jubilee is a lovely book, well worth your time I reckon. Cheers Steven, thanks for watching 👀!
I would add that asimovs robot stories are part of his larger robots-empire-foundation saga
yes it is, you're right. although that didn't really happen till much later when asimov stitched them together. cheers Dug, thanks for watching 👀!
The only one l haven't read is *Solar Lottery* and l am far from being a fan of PKD.
You didn't do *Star Surgeon* the first SF book I read in 1961. The title of the movie *Blade Runner* came from another book by Alan E Nourse.
Lots of books I could've picked, the 1950s was a rich vein of sci fi gold. Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger
Yeah, you should have done *The Stars My Destination/Tiger, Tiger* instead of *Solar Lottery.* Criminal, absolutely criminal!
I featured that in a recent space opera video, i try not to repeat too often.
@@SciFiScavenger LOL
Repeat the Right Stuff!
I love Star Surgeon. Excellent book. I recommend the Sector General books by James White, which takes on the Hospital theme to the logical conclusion...Sector General, the largest multi-species hospital in the Galaxy, manned by the dedicated doctors of hundreds of species, ready to treat any new alien species. Awesome! 😳🙂😉
SPOILER ALERT X10 !!!!!!!!!!
Difficult balance to strike, don't always get it right. Read a few anyway, i suspect a 150-200 word summary isn't going to spoil your enjoyment. Thanks for watching 👀!
@@SciFiScavenger I understand. My comment was alarmist 😎Good response. A few too many details for my liking in the segments for books I've read, so I avoided the segments for books I've not. I agree your level of detail would not ruin enjoyment. Good video, good channel!