SFFC's 60s SF Novels

[J-Sun]

As a derivative of the http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/537245-loas-50s-sf-novels.html thread, what would you put in a top 10 omnibus set of 60s novels (imaginary omnibuses where length is no object)? I'm prepared to learn a lot here as 60s novels aren't my strong suit but my nominees are something like:

Algis Budrys - Rogue Moon (1960)
Clifford D. Simak - Way Station (1963)
Philip K. Dick - The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (1964)
Frank Herbert - Dune (1965)
Robert A. Heinlein - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966)
James H. Schmitz - The Witches of Karres (1966)
Roger Zelazny - This Immortal (1966)
Ursula K. Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)
Norman Spinrad - Bug Jack Barron (1969)
Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse Five (1969)

Since this isn't the LoA, non-US books could be eligible - that's up to the poster. I'd at least replace some item from the above with Clarke's A Fall of Moondust (1962) to start with, in that case. If you want to do fixups, that's fine - Harry Harrison's The Stainless Steel Rat (1961) could be wedged onto my list. And I tried to keep it to one title per author but if you want to nominate 10 PKD books (and I was certainly torn about which one to include, and he wasn't the only case like that), that's up to you, too.

 

[hitmouse]

Michael Moorcock: either Behold the Man (1966) or The Final Programme (1969)
JG Ballard: The Drowned World (1962)
Jack Vance: Planet of Adventure (1968-70)

Plus
Dune
Way Station
Left Hand of Darkness
Slaughterhouse 5
A PK Dick
Stranger in a Strange Land

 

[Ian Whates]

A tough choice, but I think mine would be:

Algis Budrys - Rogue Moon (1960)
Clifford D. Simak - Way Station (1963)
Frank Herbert - Dune (1965)
Daniel Keyes - Flowers for Algenon (1966)
Harry Harrison - Make Room! Make Room! (1966)
Roger Zelazny - Lord of Light (1967)
John Brunner - Stand on Zanzibar (1968)
Ursula K. Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)
Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse Five (1969)

With honourable mentions for Lem: Solaris (1961), Burgess: A Clockwork Orange (1962), Dick: Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968), and Roberts: Pavane (1968)

 

[clovis-man]

Trying to avoid duplication:

Babel-17 Samuel Delany
Greybeard Brian Aldiss
Dr. Bloodmoney Philip K. Dick
Dangerous Visions Harlan Ellison, ed. (had to sneak in this collection because it was so influential)

I'd love to list something by Isaac Asimov, but the only thing he seems to have published in the 60s is Fantastic Voyage.

 

[hitmouse]

Babel-17 is a good call.

 

[Connavar]

Philip K. Dick - The Man in the High Castle (1964)
Frank Herbert - Dune (1965)
Robert A. Heinlein - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966)
Jack Vance - The Eyes of the Overworld (1966) & The Dirdir (1969)
Roger Zelazny - This Immortal (1966)

 

[Vince W]

Dune - Frank Herbert
Nova - Samuel Delany
Dorsai - Gordon Dickson
Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A. Heinlein

If I could I'd shoehorn in Ringworld by Larry Niven. Not published until 1970, but it would have been written in the 60s.

 

[J-Sun]

We've got lists of 9, 9, 4, 5 and 4.

Michael Moorcock: either Behold the Man (1966) or The Final Programme (1969)
JG Ballard: The Drowned World (1962)
Jack Vance: Planet of Adventure (1968-70)

I've read a few Ballard stories over the years - the stuff in Merril's Best of the Best is some of the first SF I ever read - but I never got a Ballard book until (relatively) recently. (It's a collection.) I'll see how it goes someday and, if I like it, I'll probably try your nominee. He doesn't seem to be my kind of thing but some of his stories are pretty amazing, anyway. Never really liked any of the very little Moorcock I've read, though (didn't hate it either - it just didn't click).

Planet of Adventure is a good set of four - I thought about naming The Dirdir (like Conn did) but didn't want to name all four or just one (though either The Dirdir or The Pnume are the best and The Dirdir is the 60s one of those. Has anyone read the Demon Princes series? Wondering if that hasn't been mentioned because it's not that great or if people just haven't gotten around to it. I was thinking of getting it for my next Vance. (I mean, after I read the 2nd-4th Dying Earth books, including Conn's Overworld.)

Daniel Keyes - Flowers for Algenon (1966)

I prefer the story version but that's an excellent selection.

Roberts: Pavane (1968)

What's that like? I know Gardner Dozois, for instance, is a big fan of it but what I've heard of it in terms of content has never made me want to get it. But what I've heard in terms of people liking it (a lot) sort of does.

I'd love to list something by Isaac Asimov, but the only thing he seems to have published in the 60s is Fantastic Voyage.

Exactly my predicament. He basically took the 60s off and Fantastic Voyage is almost certainly his worst solo book. (The Fantastic Voyage II "sequel"/reboot is better but still not the best.) It's still readable but I prefer the movie (if only because I can't see Raquel Welch in the book) and the movie's not the greatest, either. He did write a few stories and release several collections and omnibuses but no other novel.

Nova - Samuel Delany

Yep. If I were going to name a Delany (don't much like Delany) I'd name Nova, too. I suspect Babel-17 would get more votes in the end, though.

If I could I'd shoehorn in Ringworld by Larry Niven. Not published until 1970, but it would have been written in the 60s.

Yep, and the bulk of the whole Known Space stuff was written and published in the 60s so that's definitely one of the more 60s 1970 novels. I may do a 70s thread or you or anyone else could go ahead and start one if you/they wanted. And then I could put an Asimov on that list.

 

[Fried Egg]

My top ten 60's SF novels would probably be as follows:

Ubik - Philip K Dick - 1969
The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula Le Guin - 1969
The Black Corridor - Michael Moorcock - 1969
Slaughter House 5 - Kurt Vonnegut - 1968
Lord of Light - Roger Zelazny - 1967
Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes - 1966
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress - Robert Heinlein - 1966
Way Station - Clifford D Simak - 1963
Hothouse - Brian Aldiss - 1962
A Life for the Stars - James Blish - 1962

 

[Connavar]

The Man in the High Castle (1964) - Philip K Dick
Now Wait For Last Year (1966) - Philip K Dick
Dune (1965) - Frank Herbert
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966) - Robert Heinlein
The Eyes of the Overworld (1966) - Jack Vance
The Dirdir (1969) - Jack Vance
This Immortal (1966) - Roger Zelazny


I can only name those 7 books as the best of those authors,decade that i have personally. I havent read the other important 60s SF. Im missing and want to read:

Way Station - Clifford D Simak - 1963
Hothouse - Brian Aldiss - 1962
The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula Le Guin - 1969
Slaughter House 5 - Kurt Vonnegut - 1968
Lord of Light - Roger Zelazny - 1967
Roberts: Pavane
Michael Moorcock: Behold the Man (1966) or The Final Programme (1969)
JG Ballard: The Drowned World (1962)
Nova - Samuel Delany
Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A. Heinlein
Algis Budrys - Rogue Moon (1960)
John Brunner - Stand on Zanzibar (1967)

 

[Fried Egg]

I've said it elsewhere but I was very disappointed by "Stand on Zanzibar".

Also, "Pavane" didn't live up to all I'd hoped it would. Not bad but I was hoping for more.

 

[Vince W]

I would amend Moorcock's The Stealer of Souls and Stormbringer to the list.

Sometimes you don't realise when a book was published if you only read it twenty years afterwards.

 

[J-Sun]

I can only name those 7 books as the best of those authors,decade that i have personally.

Oh, I see. That makes sense. Looks like you've got some good, fun reading ahead of you. (And sorry about miscounting - I saw the two Vances but forgot to count the second.)

I've said it elsewhere but I was very disappointed by "Stand on Zanzibar".

Also, "Pavane" didn't live up to all I'd hoped it would. Not bad but I was hoping for more.

Unlike Mission of Gravity, at least we're in complete accord on Stand on Zanzibar. (Still want to give Shockwave Rider a try, though, I think.)

Could you say what it was about Pavane that you did and didn't like? Still curious about getting a feel for it. I should probably just go read it but I just don't think I'll get to it unless something triggers an uptick with it for me.

 

[iansales]

The Santaroga Barrier, Frank Herbert (1968)
Synthajoy, DG Compton (1968)
The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K Le Guin (1969)
A Torrent of Faces, James Blish (1967)
A Man of Double Deed, Leonard Daventry (1965)
Empire Star, Samuel R Delany (1966)
The Man in the High Castle, Philip K Dick (1962)
The Drowned World, JG Ballard (1962)
Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys (1960)

 

[Fried Egg]

Could you say what it was about Pavane that you did and didn't like? Still curious about getting a feel for it. I should probably just go read it but I just don't think I'll get to it unless something triggers an uptick with it for me.

I didn't hate it, but it wasn't as great as I hoped it would be. Here is a telling excerpt from my GoodReads Review

"Overall I found the stories too meandering and fragmented to be able to enjoy the book as much as I would have liked and was left somewhat disappointed and underwhelmed. Keith Roberts was a good writer with one of the best prose styles I've seen in science fiction but I didn't quite engage with what the author was trying to do here. Or maybe it was the way he was trying to do it?"

 

[Ian Whates]

I didn't hate it, but it wasn't as great as I hoped it would be. Here is a telling excerpt from my GoodReads Review

"Overall I found the stories too meandering and fragmented to be able to enjoy the book as much as I would have liked and was left somewhat disappointed and underwhelmed. Keith Roberts was a good writer with one of the best prose styles I've seen in science fiction but I didn't quite engage with what the author was trying to do here. Or maybe it was the way he was trying to do it?"

In contrast to FE I have to say that I loved Pavane. I did engage with the characters and very much enjoyed the mosaic fashion in which the history of the setting developed, while the final scene (which turns everything on its head) is a masterstroke. This is the book I most regret not squeezing into the 'top 10' listed above.

 

[iansales]

Oops. I missed the bit that said there needs to be ten. I need a tenth title...

Camp Concentration, Thomas M Disch (1968)

I can't think of any other suitable titles. I'd like to have included more women writers, but I'm not well-read in sf by women writers of the 1960s.

 

[J-Sun]

I didn't hate it, but it wasn't as great as I hoped it would be. Here is a telling excerpt from my GoodReads Review

In contrast to FE I have to say that I loved Pavane. I did engage with the characters and very much enjoyed the mosaic fashion in which the history of the setting developed, while the final scene (which turns everything on its head) is a masterstroke. This is the book I most regret not squeezing into the 'top 10' listed above.

Thanks to you both. I'll keep your comments (and your review, FE) in mind.

 

[J-Sun]

I hope more people continue to post and thanks to all those who have but, for now, here's a summary:

The Chron's top 10 60s novels as determined by a scientific poll of all the world's top experts

Algis Budrys - Rogue Moon (1960)
J.G. Ballard - The Drowned World (1962)
Philip K. Dick - The Man in the High Castle (1962)
Clifford D. Simak - Way Station (1963)
Frank Herbert - Dune (1965)
Robert A. Heinlein - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966)
Daniel Keyes - Flowers for Algernon (1966)
Roger Zelazny - (either) This Immortal (1966)/Lord of Light (1967)
Ursula K. Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)
Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse Five (1969)

with an honorable mention to:

Robert A. Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)

Dune and The Left Hand of Darkness were the novels of the decade. The specific breakdown of a very long and interesting list of titles follows.

(In the listing below, titles are ordered by votes, indicated by the plain numbers, and sub-ordered by total votes for that author, indicated by the parenthetical numbers.)

Voter Abbreviations

C   = Connavar
CM  = clovis-man
FE  = Fried Egg
HM  = Hitmouse
IS  = Ian Sales
IW  = Ian Whates
J   = J-Sun
VW  = Vince W

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5
J/HM/IW/C/VW  Frank Herbert - Dune (1965)
J/HM/IW/FE/IS Ursula K. Le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness (1969)

4
J/HM/IW/FE   Clifford D. Simak - Way Station (1963)
J/HM/IW/FE   Kurt Vonnegut - Slaughterhouse Five (1969)

3
J/C/FE       Robert A. Heinlein - The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966)
J/IW/IS      Algis Budrys - Rogue Moon (1960)

2
(5)
HM/VW        Robert A. Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)

(4)
J/C          Roger Zelazny - This Immortal (1966)
IW/FE        Roger Zelazny - Lord of Light (1967)

(2)
IW/FE        Daniel Keyes - Flowers for Algenon (1966)
HM/IS        J.G. Ballard - The Drowned World (1962)
C/IS         Philip K. Dick - The Man in the High Castle (1962)

1
(6)
J            Philip K. Dick - The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch (1964)
HM           Philip K. Dick - ["A PK Dick"]
CM           Philip K. Dick - Dr. Bloodmoney (1965)
FE           Philip K. Dick - Ubik (1969)

IS           Frank Herbert - The Santaroga Barrier (1968)

(3)
HM           Michael Moorcock - Behold the Man (1966)/The Final Programme (1969)
VW           Michael Moorcock - Stormbringer (1965)
FE           Michael Moorcock - The Black Corridor (1969)

CM           Samuel R. Delany - Babel-17 (1966)
VW           Samuel R. Delany - Nova (1968)
IS           Samuel R. Delany - Empire Star (1966)

(2)
HM           Jack Vance - Planet of Adventure (1968-70)
C            Jack Vance - The Eyes of the Overworld (1966) & The Dirdir (1969)

CM           Brian Aldiss - Greybeard (1964)
FE           Brian Aldiss - Hothouse (1962)

FE           James Blish - A Life for the Stars (1962)
IS           James Blish - A Torrent of Faces (1967)

(1)
J            James H. Schmitz - The Witches of Karres (1966)
J            Norman Spinrad - Bug Jack Barron (1969)
IW           Harry Harrison - Make Room! Make Room! (1966)
IW           John Brunner - Stand on Zanzibar (1968)
VW           Gordon Dickson - Dorsai (1960)
IS           D.G. Compton - Synthajoy (1968)
IS           Leonard Daventry - A Man of Double Deed (1965)
IS           Thomas M. Disch - Camp Concentration (1968)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes

* Michael Moorcock's Stealer of Souls (1963) got a vote for 60s novel but
  really does seem to be a title story/collection.
* Harlan Ellison (editor)'s Dangerous Visions (1968) also got a vote but is
  an anthology.

Also be sure to check out the 50s, 70s, and even 80s threads if you're interested.

 

[thatollie]

Whoops, sorry I'm late.

Camp Concentration by Thomas M. Disch (1968)
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny (1967)
Dune by Frank Herbert (1965)
Emphyrio by Jack Vance (1969)
Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (1963)
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1969)
Do Android Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick (1968)
Behold The Man by Michael Moorcock (1966)
The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein (1966)
The Drowned World by J.G Ballard (1962)