sf mistressworks meme

[iansales]

Sorry, didn't make myself clear. I meant some of the other authors in the list - like Sue Thomas or Lisa Tuttle.

 

[clovis-man]

Agree that Brackett and Moore's best works are short stories - the titles I chose for them are sort of cheats. The Sword of Rhiannon was an Ace double, I believe, so it really short.

Re Leigh Brackett: Since you indicated in your listing that anthologies in the Gollancz series could be considered fair game, I might suggest Sea-Kings Of Mars (12 of her stories) which, although a part of the fantasy masterworks, seems to really be all about Mars & the Rhiannon milieu.

Tough to pick a "best" for Andre Norton who was so prolific. Personally, I think of The Last Planet (Star Rangers) as my favorite, although Witch World is intriguing and, of course, spawned a host of sequels.

I'm happy to see Kathleen Ann Goonan on your list. I might suggest The Bones Of Time as another of hers on a par with Queen City Jazz.

Lastly, although most of her output was in this century, I would see Kage Baker as more than worthy of inclusion. In The Garden Of Iden (1997) was the first of her fascinating Company novels that continued until her untimely death.

But I'm impressed with the scope of the list and need to catch up on some reading apparently.

 

[iansales]

Again, the Gollancz collection would have unfairly pushed Brackett into the 1990s, when most of the stories were originally published in the 1940s and 1950s - so that's why I picked The Sword of Rhiannon. But everyone should read all of her stories anyway

 

[jojajihisc]

Potential additions?

Kit Reed - Little Sisters of the Apocalypse (1994)
Molly Gloss - The Dazzle of Day (1997)
Justina Robson - Silver Screen (1999)

Although I don't question its merits for being on the list and I have not read it I wonder if Kindred, a book that sounds like it skirts a sf/non-genre line is more fitting than than Bloodchild and Other Stories or one of the Parable books by Octavia Butler.

 

[GOLLUM]

HMMM....a good list certainly. Not being nearly as big an SF as Fantasy fan it's not surprising there are many there I've not read. I counted 32 I have either read or have, leaving 59 I do not own and not read. 32/91 is about 1/3, so not too bad.....

A fantasy mistresslist would be intersting to see.

 

[iansales]

Potential additions?

Kit Reed - Little Sisters of the Apocalypse (1994)
Molly Gloss - The Dazzle of Day (1997)
Justina Robson - Silver Screen (1999)

Although I don't question its merits for being on the list and I have not read it I wonder if Kindred, a book that sounds like it skirts a sf/non-genre line is more fitting than than Bloodchild and Other Stories or one of the Parable books by Octavia Butler.

I should not have forgotten Kit Reed. I feel duly chastised. Justina I decided was more of a 21st century writer, and so will go on that list. I've not heard of Molly Gloss.

Kindred is the best-known of Butler's works, I think, and possibly the one most likely to be seen as a classic irrespective of genre. Having said that, I've not read it - although it's on my reading challenge list for this year.

 

[J Riff]

Maybe a half-dozen, but other books by a few of them, esp. Cherryh, Lee, LeGuin, Brackett. I enjoyed The Killer Thing by K. Wilhelm though Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang is probably a better book, can't remember.

 

[Connavar]

Jirel of Joiry is S&S, the only pure fantasy in the list ?

I saw what you thought in comments field in the link that it was Science fantasy like Brackett.

Because female fantasy authors are much easier to find,more popular genre and i need a list like this for SF works. Many of those authors i dont know. Sure the big classic names but not the others.

 

[iansales]

Yeah, looks like I got it wrong with Moore. Perhaps I should have picked her Northwest Smith stories... or does anyone have any suggestions? I see from isfdb.org that her Judgment Night looks like sf.

 

[Connavar]

Yeah, looks like I got it wrong with Moore. Perhaps I should have picked her Northwest Smith stories... or does anyone have any suggestions? I see from isfdb.org that her Judgment Night looks like sf.

I have Northwest Smith stories and the first story Shambleau is a real classic and seen as one of her best work. Its a more SF series with a western,indy type hero. Science Fantasy but also more SF and less fantasy,horror than Brackett Mars series,works.

I think that complete collection of Smith is better choice because her best rated SF stories otherwise is co-written with Kuttner.

 

[Anne Lyle]

I have read:

1 Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (1818)
3 Orlando, Virginia Woolf (1928)
23 Dreamsnake, Vonda N McIntyre (1978)
30 The Silver Metal Lover, Tanith Lee (1981)
31 The Many-Coloured Land [Saga of the Exiles], Julian May (1981)
75 Shadow Man, Melissa Scott (1995)
77 Primary Inversion [Skolian Saga], Catherine Asaro (1995) - I also have The Radiant Seas in that series, but am not sure if I read it or not!

I've also read SF titles by:

10 Andre Norton (Catseye, The Crystal Gryphon, The Jargoon Pard and many more)
15 Ursula Le Guin (The Left Hand of Darkness, Rocannon's World) - I started The Dispossessed but IIRC didn't finish it
21 Kate Wilhelm (Smart House)
26 Octavia Butler (Wild Seed)
33 Anne McCaffrey (The Ship Who Sang)
48 C J Cherryh (The Pride of Chanur)
64 Eleanor Arnason (Ring of Swords)
80 Lois McMaster Bujold (Ethan of Athos)

Those are just the ones I can remember for certain - I've been reading SF for decades!

BTW, is it just me, or does the cover of the Chanur omnibus look like Tully is trying to hide his dodgy moustache by standing behind a bunch of hani?

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Perhaps I should have picked her Northwest Smith stories... or does anyone have any suggestions?

I think the Northwest Smith stories are better. Jirel seems more dated, and, yes, she's definitely an S&S heroine. I wondered why you put her on the list instead of something else by Moore.

For Cherryh, I would have picked The Faded Sun, unless the list is limited to single volume works.

 

[iansales]

I think the Northwest Smith stories are better. Jirel seems more dated, and, yes, she's definitely an S&S heroine. I wondered why you put her on the list instead of something else by Moore.

Unfamiliarity, basically

For Cherryh, I would have picked The Faded Sun, unless the list is limited to single volume works.

I do like that trilogy, but I felt Cyteen was more ambitious. As I said earlier, if I'd gone for personal favourites I'd have picked Angel with the Sword (or maybe Serpent's Reach).

 

[Hypnos164]

10 Witch World, Andre Norton (1963)
15 The Dispossessed, Ursula K Le Guin (1974)
26 Kindred, Octavia Butler (1979)
48 Cyteen , CJ Cherryh (1988)
63 Beggars in Spain [Sleepless trilogy], Nancy Kress (1991)
70 Doomsday Book, Connie Willis (1992)
77 Primary Inversion [Skolian Saga], Catherine Asaro (1995)
79 The Sparrow, Mary Doria Russell (1996)
80 Memory [Vorkosigan series], Lois McMaster Bujold (1996)
81 Remnant Population, Elizabeth Moon (1996)
82 Looking for the Mahdi, N Lee Wood (1996)

10 read and one owned, for quite a few years, but not yet attempted...

I think Kindred is the right Butler book for the list, I really like all of her work but that is the one I tend to recommend to people - its the least "SF" but perhaps the most powerful exploration of her recurring themes.

 

[Connavar]

Strange about Kindred i didnt know it was SF because of the slave era element and everytime i hear about Octavia Butler novel its Parable of the Talents .

 

[eclectic_dragon0253]

Anne McAffrey is very good, I like the twists in her books, and the way her characters all have a great sense of humour

 

[eclectic_dragon0253]

Actually I think Anne McAffrey is still writing along with her son now, haven't ready many of their newer books though

 

[chrispenycate]

Well. I'm ashamed to say I've only read 21 of them, although there are four other authoresses by whom I have read other books ( RA MacAvoy, Melissa Scott, Sarah Zettel & Mary Gentle.)

Further suggestions?

Rebecca Ore Becoming Alien (1988)
Laura J. Mixon Glass Houses (1991)

and, if you think her Darkover books steer too close to fantasy, Marion Zimmer Bradley did several unquestionably science fiction novels, although they are not my favourites from her:- Hunters of the Red Moon (1973) The Colors Of Space (1963)




*Frankenstein, Mary Shelley (1818)
Pilgrimage: The Book of the People, Zenna Henderson
Memoirs of a Spacewoman, Naomi Mitchison
*The Dispossessed, Ursula K Le Guin (1974)
*Arslan, MJ Engh (1976)
*Floating Worlds, Cecelia Holland (1976)
Dreamsnake, Vonda N McIntyre (1978)
Shikasta [Canopus in Argos: Archives], Doris Lessing (1979)
Kindred, Octavia Butler (1979)
The Snow Queen, Joan D Vinge (1980)
The Silver Metal Lover, Tanith Lee (1981)
The Crystal Singer, Anne McCaffrey (1982)
A Door into Ocean, Joan Slonczewski (1986)
Pennterra, Judith Moffett (1987)
Cyteen , CJ Cherryh (1988)
Grass, Sheri S Tepper (1989)
Beggars in Spain [Sleepless trilogy], Nancy Kress (1991)
Ammonite, Nicola Griffith (1993)
Legacies, Alison Sinclair (1995)
Memory [Vorkosigan series], Lois McMaster Bujold (1996)
Remnant Population, Elizabeth Moon (1996)

 

[Ian Whates]

if you think her Darkover books steer too close to fantasy, Marion Zimmer Bradley did several unquestionably science fiction novels, although they are not my favourites from her:- Hunters of the Red Moon (1973) The Colors Of Space (1963)

A long time since I've read it, Chris, but isn't Hunters of the Red Moon an off-shoot of the the Darkover series?

I seem to recall the moon in question was Darkover's moon or some such.

 

[AE35Unit]

Well theres about 4 on there I'm familiar with, McCaffrey Ive read one book from 1989.
Le Guin I've tried 2, didnt enjoy. Err Frankenstein, so good, Gilman's Herland is on my e-reader awaiting discovery, and Kate Wilhelm's post-apo book I have on my shelf, part of the sf masterworks, that i got from bookmooch.
Theres a couple there I thought were guys- Cadigan and Norton, oops!