100 sf

Monday, October 29, 2007

Overdue

Reaching the quarter century mark of my reading project has come late; I’m way behind if I want to read all 100 of David Pringle’s recommendations in a timely fashion. I wish my excuse was that I was savoring the novels. In reality, life has gotten in the way on too many occasions. Mea culpa to anyone listening.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5
The list starts out classy with 1984, and it follows up with four heavy hitters of the genre. I had never read George R. Stewart’s Earth Abides (#2) before, and neither have many others my age--the book was out-of-print for a long time (thankfully that has changed). I highly recommend it.

6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Limbo (#6) is sadly out-of-print. In my estimation, it should be considered alongside literary giants like Brave New World and A Clockwork Orange. The Paradox Men (#10), on the other hand, was the biggest disappointment so far. I was really looking forward to it, and I found it less than thrilling.

11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Bring the Jubilee (#11) was perhaps the inspiration for Dick’s The Man in the High Castle (# 37) and one of only two novels on the list I’ve read in one sitting. Ward Moore is a forgotten master of narration!

16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Leigh Brackett’s The Long Tomorrow (#18) shows her depth as a literary writer and that she wasn’t just the narrative brains behind George Lucas’ best film. The Stars My Destination (#20) is Bester’s best work.

21, 22, 23, 24, 25
The Death of Grass (#21) is the other one-sitting read. It’s superior to the similarly themed Greener Than You Think by Ward Moore, which is also worth the time.

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