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Classic Science Fiction Stories
Classic Science Fiction Stories | Adam Roberts
10 posts
An entertaining and wide-ranging collection of science-fiction short stories featuring space aliens, spectacular inventions, futuristic technologies and vividly imagined worlds. Part of the Macmillan Collectors Library; a series of stunning, cloth-bound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. Classic Science Fiction Stories is selected and introduced by academic and science-fiction writer Adam Roberts. Classic Science Fiction Stories highlights not only famous writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, H. G. Wells and H. P. Lovecraft, but also gives voice to lesser known but equally inventive writers such as Florence McLandburgh and Ambrose Bierce. Spanning the 1750s to the early twentieth century, these mesmerizing and expertly crafted stories are by turns intriguing, terrifying and, at times, downright comic. Together they show how science fiction took root to develop into the global phenomenon it is today.
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RamsFan1963
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We only had two books nominated for #ClassicLSFBC June reading selection. The Forever War by Joe Haldeman and Deus Irae by Philip K. Dick & Roger Zelazny. Voting starts now until the end of the month. I'm throwing my vote for Deus Irae, but either book would make for interesting reading.
#ClassicLSFBC @Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414 @Lizpixie @BookBelle84 @Larkken @julesG

Ruthiella Well, I will vote for my pick, but something tells me I‘m gonna get outvoted. 😂 1w
CatLass007 I looked on Audible and the Forever War trilogy is free. So, @Ruthiella, I will add my vote to yours. 1w
See All 18 Comments
Lizpixie I‘ll throw my vote to 1w
julesG @CatLass007 ohhhh! Goodie! I'm throwing my marker in the The Forever War hat. 😁 1w
PaperbackPirate I love…this author. 1w
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I can‘t decide and I‘m still not sure I‘ll have time to participate this month. So naturally I put both on hold at my library and will try to read both. 🤣😂🤣 1w
Roary47 I can honestly read either since they are both at my library, but would prefer the forever war. 🥰 1w
kwmg40 I‘ll go for 1w
TheSpineView My vote is for 1w
wanderinglynn I also vote for 1w
CSeydel Oh I‘d read either of those, but I know I have a copy of Forever War around here somewhere 1w
Bookwomble I'll vote for Deus Irae simply because I've not read it yet, but I suspect The Forever War (which I have read and really liked) will probably be the better book based on DI's torturous composition. Happy to read either, and will possibly read both 😊 1w
RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble I read The Forever War back in '79-'80. It's been long enough that I'd enjoy a reread. The book is way ahead of Deus Irae in the votes. 7d
RaeLovesToRead I have only just become aware of this book club!!!!!! Really want to join, but I also have a lot of reading commitments already..... ☺️ 6d
The_Literary_Jedi I‘d love to join in with you! 6d
RamsFan1963 @RaeLovesToRead @The_Literary_Jedi I'll add you both to the list, feel free to join anytime you want. 6d
RaeLovesToRead Thanks! I'll use the hashtag if I read Snow Crash too! 🥰 6d
45 likes18 comments
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RamsFan1963
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It's time for nominations for June's #ClassicLSFBC selection. Hopefully, everyone was able to get a copy of May's selection, Snow Crash, and is enjoying it. Nominations will begin today and go on until the 23rd.
I'll start the nominations with my choice, Deus Irae, written by two legends, Philp K. Dick & Roger Zelazny.
@Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414 @Lizpixie

CatLass007 I‘ve enjoyed Zelazny that I‘ve read but I don‘t think I‘ve read anything by PKD. So I‘ll second the nomination of Deus Irae. (edited) 2w
Ruthiella I‘ll nominate 2w
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MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I think I‘ll abstain from making a rec for this round. June is looking to be a busy month and I‘m not 100% sure I‘ll be able to participate. ❤️ 2w
Bookwomble I love both PKD and Zelazny and have Deus Irae on my tbr, so I'll third the nomination 😊 @Ruthiella The Forever War is a great book, but I've read it and need to do something about my TBR mountain! 2w
Ruthiella @Bookwomble Understood! One reason for my nomination is because I already have a copy. 😂 2w
RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella @Bookwomble To be totally honest, I picked Deus Irae also because I already own a copy. Plus, I'm a big fan of both authors too. 2w
Ruthiella @RamsFan1963 That‘s a win/win strategy! Also, Deus Irae is available on Hoopla, so I won‘t have any trouble accessing it. 👍 2w
41 likes8 comments
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RamsFan1963
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If there's no objections from the group, since all 3 books nominated for February interest everyone, Dhalgren will be the selection for February/March because it's a chunkster, Way Station will be April's selection (it's the shorter of the two remaining books and a breather after the chunkster), and Snow Crash will be the selection for May.
#ClassicLSFBC
@Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414

52 likes11 comments
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RamsFan1963
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BookwormAHN I'm also good with Dhalgren but the other 2 sound good as well and propose that these could be our next four months of books. 4mo
CatLass007 I have enjoyed the works of all three authors and am happy to agree with @BookwormAHN. Let‘s start with Dhalgren. 4mo
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RamsFan1963 @BookwormAHN If Dhalgren wins, it will definitely have to be a 2 month selection, for February & March. Its 879 pages long, or 34 hours and 32 minutes on audio. 4mo
kwmg40 I‘m good with Dhalgren. The other choices are good too, but I‘ve read them already and would be happy to read something new. 4mo
Ruthiella I‘m happy to tackle Dahlgren! I also like @BookwormAHN ‘s suggestion to simply add the runners up for our April and May reads. (edited) 4mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm I‘m for all three. My local library apparently has something against classic sci fi because the only way I can get any of them is to request them through the network that connects to other libraries across the state. I‘m still waiting on January‘s pick to reach me. 😅 So if we plan ahead for the next four months, I probably have a better chance of actually being able to participate on time. 🤣 4mo
tokorowilliamwallace I've seen good reviews on Goodreads for Simak. 4mo
Bookwomble There's so much support for Dhalgren, so if we adopt @BookwormAHN 's suggestion to schedule all three current nominations, then I'll patiently wait for Simak's Way Station to come up 😊 4mo
LeticiaToraci I've read two of these so my vote goes to Snow Crash. 4mo
julesG I am not a fan of Stephenson. So, without reading blurbs I'm saying Simak. 😜 4mo
TheSpineView I am fine with tackling Dahlgren. 4mo
rwmg I have vague memories of Way Station from the 1980s, but I don't know the others at all, so my vote goes to Simak 4mo
Larkken Lets try the chunkster. I'm also up for the other two in subsequent months! 4mo
Lizpixie I‘d love to read the Neal Stephenson but 2nd place would be Dahlgren 4mo
52 likes15 comments
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RamsFan1963
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I hope that everyone is enjoying January's #ClassicLSFBC selection, The Dispossessed. It's getting to be mid-month, so it's time to be considering February's selection. Nominations are now open. My choice is kind of a chunkster, so if it wins, we might have it be February and March's selection. Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany. I read it when I was 15-16, and I know a lot of it went over my head. I'd like to read it again to gain a new prespective.

CatLass007 You‘re not kidding about Dhalgren being a chunkster. I just looked it up and it‘s over 34 hours long. But I have no objections to chunksters and I have it on my wish list already, so I‘ll go along with your suggestion. Or is it a nomination? 4mo
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CSeydel Would Snow Crash qualify as classic SF? That would be my nomination (edited) 4mo
RamsFan1963 @CSeydel Snow Crash was published in 1992, which sets it a little outside the parameters we've set, but it is classic cyberpunk, so if no one else objects, I don't see why not. 4mo
ravenlee I‘m taking some time off from buddy reads and book clubs for now. Can you remove from the tag list, please? 4mo
RamsFan1963 @ravenlee Sorry to see you go, but I'll take you off the list. 4mo
Ruthiella I‘m happy to vote from everyone else‘s selection. I think @Lizpixie previously nominated Neuromancer, which is also outside our self imposed timeframe, but I think it heavily influenced Snow Crash. Might be interesting to bend the rules a bit with the time limit and read them back to back. Also, I‘m fine with a chunkster and reading Dhalgren. I‘ve never read any Delany. (edited) 4mo
Larkken I‘ve nothing in particular in mind to nominate, but would be interested in reading whatever is chosen by the group. I both own dhalgren and have never read it, so would prob go for that one, myself. 4mo
MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm My hold at the library for this month‘s is still in transit from another towns library. I‘ll hold off on suggesting one for next month since I might just end up having to read this month‘s then. 😅 4mo
TheSpineView I'm happy with Dahlgren. I like chunkters. 📚📚📚 4mo
ravenlee Thank you. I hope to come back when life is less…full…all the time. 4mo
Bookwomble I know I won't get through over 800 pages of Dhalgren, so I'll nominate the tagged Simak, but realising the group is already leaning heavily towards Delaney I don't mind at all skipping this one. I'll probably re-nominate Simak at the next vote 😊 4mo
BookwormAHN Dhalgren sounds interesting. I'm in. 4mo
Roary47 I just got it with quite a few in front of it. I‘ll try to get to it. 🫣 4mo
48 likes15 comments
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RamsFan1963
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34 likes1 comment
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RamsFan1963
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Voting is now open for January's #ClassicLSFBC read. The choices are:
Stranger in a Strange Land - Robert A. Heinlein
Dreamsnake - Vonda McIntyre
Dying Inside - Robert Silverberg
The Dispossessed - Ursula Le Guin
Inverted World - Christopher Priest
The Man Who Fell To Earth - Walter Tevis
Time Out of Joint - Philip K. Dick
I'll tally the votes and announce the winner on Thursday.
#ClassicLSFBC @Bookwomble @Ruthiella @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn

wanderinglynn They all look good. But I‘ll vote for 5mo
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CatLass007 I read Dreamsnake when it first was released. I read The Man Who Fell to Earth after the movie was released. So those two are off my list. I think I‘d like to read 5mo
julesG Hard to decide, I think I'd like to read 5mo
Ruthiella My vote goes to 5mo
Deblovestoread My dad and I were just talking about unputadownable books yesterday and mentioned my vote 5mo
rwmg I've read the Heinlein and the Le Guin several times, so I will vote for 5mo
kwmg40 Lots of good choices there, but I'll vote for 5mo
Larkken Hm… The Dispossessed, I think! 5mo
47 likes13 comments
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RamsFan1963
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Since we are fast approaching the hectic holiday season, or are already in it, I thought we'd get a head start on picking January's book for #ClassicLSFBC. The floor is open to nominations from now until Sunday, then we can vote on our favorite. I'm considering several choices, but I'll be interested to see what everyone else wants to read too.
@Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414 @Lizpixie

wanderinglynn One that‘s long been on my TBR 6mo
Lizpixie @wanderinglynn @RamsFan1963 I second the above!👆I have a Penguin Galaxy edition on my TBR that I haven‘t got to yet🙌 6mo
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CatLass007 @wanderinglynn That‘s a good choice. I‘m hoping that we eventually will read Philip Jose Farmer‘s To Your Scattered Bodies Go (Riverworld Saga, Book 1), but I‘m all for Stranger in a Strange Land. Also, it might be interesting to read something by Frank Herbert that isn‘t part of the Dune Saga. 6mo
CSeydel I nominate Vonda McIntyre 6mo
RamsFan1963 I'll throw in a nomination for Robert Silverberg's 6mo
Ruthiella I‘m going to pick one that I actually own. Plus I want to read more UKlG 6mo
Larkken these all look good so far! Dunno how I'd pick among them, so I'll not add more to the list lol 6mo
rwmg I would like to nominate Inverted World by Christopher Priest. I haven't actually read it but I have heard some good things about it 6mo
julesG I like what we have so far. I'm not nominating this time. 6mo
BookwormAHN I would like to nominate 6mo
Bookwomble I'll throw Philip K. Dick into the ring, and suggest Time Out of Joint 6mo
RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble I considered nominating a PKD novel, I just couldn't decide which one I wanted to read 6mo
Bookwomble @RamsFan1963 There's so many! This is one I haven't read yet, so I thought I'd put it out there 🙂 6mo
KathyWheeler @wanderinglynn That one has been on my list for 40 years! 6mo
BookmarkTavern ❤️❤️❤️ Seconding 6mo
tokorowilliamwallace I just talked to someone tonight about both the protoscifi late 30s Lensman series, as well as Ursula K. le Guin. 6mo
kwmg40 I'd second The Dispossessed and any PKD book. 6mo
41 likes18 comments
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RamsFan1963
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The 3 selections for December's #ClassicLSFBC read are:

Norstrilia by Cordwainer Smith
More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon
A Case of Conscience by James Blish

Voting is open from today until Wednesday 11/15
@Ruthella @Bookwomble @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn @Readergrrl @Johanna414 @Lizpixie @BookBelle84 @Larkken @julesG @Deblovestoread @majkia @LeticiaToraci @sebrittainclark @kwmg40 @CatLass007 @BookwormAHN @CSeydel @ravenlee

Bookwomble Well, I guess I'll vote for this one as I nominated it 😄 7mo
RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble Same here I'll put in a vote for 👍 7mo
See All 19 Comments
CatLass007 I would prefer the Blish or the Sturgeon since they both are available in audio format. 7mo
psalva I‘ll add a vote for 7mo
Ruthiella I‘m voting for the Sturgeon title because I just learned he was the model for Vonnegut‘s Kilgore Trout! 😃 7mo
julesG I haven't checked out any, just going by title here 7mo
Larkken I'm curious about norstrilia 7mo
Bookwomble @Larkken Looks like More Than Human is likely to come through, which I'm fine with, but I think I'll still (finally) read Norstrilia, too, if you're interested in a buddy read 🙂 7mo
Lizpixie I‘m going with 7mo
RamsFan1963 @Lizpixie Its pretty clear More Than Human is going to win this by a landslide. I guess I better find me a copy 7mo
Roary47 My vote is also More than human 7mo
Larkken @Bookwomble I am worried that I may be overextended for December, but would be interested in joining in January - either way I'll be interested to see what you think! 7mo
Bookwomble @Larkken 😊👍🏻 7mo
41 likes19 comments
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RamsFan1963
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It's getting into November, and I saw the post for #LitsySciFiBookClub, so I was thinking about what to pick for December's #ClassicLSFBC selection. I guess we can start the nominations now. My choice is A Case of Conscience by James Blish.
I know we haven't set any guidelines for #ClassicLSFBC, but what should be the cut off point to be a "classic"?
Anything before 2000? Before 1983 (40 years)?
@Bookwomble @TheSpineView @Ruthiella

CatLass007 I would like to read something by Theodore Sturgeon. I‘m going with 7mo
RamsFan1963 @CatLass007 I've read some Sturgeon, but mostly short stories. I do enjoy his writings. 7mo
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CatLass007 I‘ve read exactly one book by Theodore Sturgeon, and it‘s to my great shame that I say this. I just looked at the Litsy database and I actually have read two of his books. I don‘t remember much about Godbody except for the title. But I have strong memories of The Dreaming Jewels. I thought it was excellent. 7mo
Ruthiella It pains me to write it as an old person who was an adult in the ‘80s 😂, I think the cut off for a classic should be at least 1980. That said, I don‘t have any particular suggestions at the moment . I‘m happy to follow your, @CatLass007 and @Bookwomble ‘s lead here. 👍 (edited) 7mo
CatLass007 @Ruthiella I graduated from high school in 1980, so I get it. Pretty kitty 🐾🐾 7mo
TheSpineView I'm cool with a cut off in the 1980s. Lots of stuff to pull from. 7mo
Lizpixie If we‘re going by 1980, this misses by 4yrs but I‘d love to nominate this classic by William Gibson 7mo
Bookwomble How about the cut off being the year Philip K. Dick died? 1982 (and Phil was the kind of guy who wouldn't mind a few years either way 😊) 7mo
Bookwomble @Lizpixie Tags! 🙄🙄 7mo
Bookwomble So, of the eight books I have on the Blish TBR foothills, A Case of Conscience isn't one of them, but it's not like having nine will make a difference! I do have Surgeon's More Than Human, which I last read in 1978, so it's due a reread, I guess 😏 If I throw my own suggestion into the ring, it would be the tagged. I love Cordwainer Smith's Instrumentality of Mankind stories, and I haven't read his only novel set there. 7mo
BookwormAHN I will also take y'alls lead on this since I haven't read much sci-fi. All the suggestions above sound good. 7mo
RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble Surprisingly, somehow I've managed to have read nothing by Cordwainer Smith. Norstrilia does sound interesting. 7mo
RamsFan1963 @Bookwomble Do you have Cities In Flight and And All The Stars A Stage by Blish? Those of two of my favs by him. 7mo
Roary47 So looking for a classic SciFi before 1980? I‘m cool with that time frame. Is SciFi the genre we are going for or just classics? 7mo
Bookwomble @RamsFan1963 I've read all of the Okie Cities books way back when. In an omnibus edition I no longer own. I have recently been getting the individual books for a vaguely planned reread 🙂 7mo
Bookwomble @Roary47 Yep, just sci fi 🙂👽 7mo
Bookwomble @RamsFan1963 Cordwainer Smith has written some of my favourite stories. His far future history actually starts with a story set in the '50s, pretty standard sci fi fare, but as the stories gradually get into the future, the humans become more alien and strange. I can't recommend his short stories strongly enough. I've not read this novel though, so🤞🏻 7mo
Larkken I'm good with pre-1980-ish or thereabouts! I love trying old scifi tho sometimes the worldview feels too dated to continue the books. 7mo
RamsFan1963 So far we have three choices for December, A Case of Conscience by James Blish, More Than Human by Theodore Sturgeon and Nostrilia by Cordwainer Smith. Anyone want to add another nomination or just vote from those 3? 7mo
CatLass007 I vote to vote on these three. 7mo
Larkken Those three sound good to start with to me ! 7mo
Ruthiella I think it‘s perfect to have these three to choose from! Too many gets a little overwhelming. Will you post the vote or would you like me to? 7mo
RamsFan1963 @Ruthiella Okay we'll go with these 3 picks. I'll post a message with the choices, and leaving the voting open until say Wednesday 15th? 7mo
Ruthiella Sounds perfect! 👍 That‘ll give people time to source the winner (though I am already researching all three right now.)😂 7mo
46 likes26 comments