This week I’m trying out a slightly new format—the open thread!
In this thread, I’d like to know what your favorite sci fi/fantasy/historical story is, told in any medium (short stories or novels, but also movies, comics, etc). Or if not your very favorite, one you like that you think might make for interesting discussion in this newsletter.
It’s okay if it’s something popular that I’ve probably already seen, but even better if it’s something a little off the beaten path I could discover!
I am trying to read more fiction by non-male and/or non-white authors. It’s totally fine to recommend anything you want, by anyone! But that’s what I’m most particularly seeking out right now.
I’m honestly scared nobody is going to comment in this format, so if you don’t have a recommendation, please fire away with any opinion about sci fi, one of my stories, whatever. It’s an OPEN thread. Have a great Sunday and a great week!
(Speaking of white men, I tried to write that Calvin and Hobbes essay I mentioned, but I didn’t like how it came out, and that work is so important to me that I want it to be great. Soon!)
“The End of Mr. Y” by Scarlett Thomas. I deep dive into subconscious and fate and if we were able to navigate it. Such a surprising and interesting read. I had never heard of the author and haven’t read any of her other books, but man was this one good!
“The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel” written by Mark Frost is a sci-fi filled with fun from the past and a great asset to help digest the Twin Peaks TV series. Mind bending at times 😉
We've been reading the fantasies of white men for a few thousand years. Time to experience some new fantasies, right? I feel like we're currently in a golden age of fantasy and sci because of the major contributions being made by female and non-white authors. It feels like everything is new again, and we don't have a bunch of young men reliving colonial fantasies.
Some favorites:
The Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (horror is close enough to fantasy?)
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix Harrow
The new translations of Legends of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker
Space Opera by Catherynne Valente
The Power by Naomi Alderman
Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy by Cixin Liu
But if I had to choose my very favorite thing in all of sci-fi and fantasy it would have to be Ann Leckie writing from the perspective of a being with multiple perspectives in the central scenes of Ancillary Justice and The Raven Tower. And Ancillary Justice remains my favorite sci-fi novel.
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames is my favorite fantasy novel. When I wasn't laughing or crying, I was actually cheering the heroes on.
Okay now that's a list! I'll return to this again, I'm sure, but for now I'm going to order Ancillary Justice and see what that's all about. The only one of yours I've actually read is Broken Earth Trilogy, which, I mean, *explodinghead.gif*
OK, read this with an open mind. My favorite fantasy movie is Mary Poppins. Think about it. There is flying with an umbrella, bedrooms that clean themselves, and best of all was when Mary, Bert and the kids jumped into a chalk drawing and entered a totally different world. It is one of the few kids' movies I have seen as an adult and still enjoyed. Diana Boyle
Yes to this! Hadn't really thought about it before but Mary Poppins is totally fantasy! They even go into a special world in the middle of it inside the chalk drawings, don't they?
“The End of Mr. Y” by Scarlett Thomas. I deep dive into subconscious and fate and if we were able to navigate it. Such a surprising and interesting read. I had never heard of the author and haven’t read any of her other books, but man was this one good!
Awesome, thanks. :) Haven't read it... yet!
My favorite is HG Wells' Time Machine. Definitely hold up over the test of time. - Richard Thiele
And a huge amount of conceptual science fiction never would have been written without it!
One of my favs growing up was Enemy Mine. Have you seen it?
I haven't! But OMG I just looked it up, and Dennis Quaid opposite Lou Gosset Jr.? I am in! Thanks for the idea!
“The Secret History of Twin Peaks: A Novel” written by Mark Frost is a sci-fi filled with fun from the past and a great asset to help digest the Twin Peaks TV series. Mind bending at times 😉
I love this and also I think I need to re-watch Twin Peaks first! I haven't seen it in maybe 20 years?
We've been reading the fantasies of white men for a few thousand years. Time to experience some new fantasies, right? I feel like we're currently in a golden age of fantasy and sci because of the major contributions being made by female and non-white authors. It feels like everything is new again, and we don't have a bunch of young men reliving colonial fantasies.
Some favorites:
The Broken Earth Trilogy by NK Jemisin
Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones (horror is close enough to fantasy?)
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix Harrow
The new translations of Legends of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker
Space Opera by Catherynne Valente
The Power by Naomi Alderman
Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy by Cixin Liu
But if I had to choose my very favorite thing in all of sci-fi and fantasy it would have to be Ann Leckie writing from the perspective of a being with multiple perspectives in the central scenes of Ancillary Justice and The Raven Tower. And Ancillary Justice remains my favorite sci-fi novel.
Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames is my favorite fantasy novel. When I wasn't laughing or crying, I was actually cheering the heroes on.
Okay now that's a list! I'll return to this again, I'm sure, but for now I'm going to order Ancillary Justice and see what that's all about. The only one of yours I've actually read is Broken Earth Trilogy, which, I mean, *explodinghead.gif*
Thanks for the recos!
OK, read this with an open mind. My favorite fantasy movie is Mary Poppins. Think about it. There is flying with an umbrella, bedrooms that clean themselves, and best of all was when Mary, Bert and the kids jumped into a chalk drawing and entered a totally different world. It is one of the few kids' movies I have seen as an adult and still enjoyed. Diana Boyle
Yes to this! Hadn't really thought about it before but Mary Poppins is totally fantasy! They even go into a special world in the middle of it inside the chalk drawings, don't they?