After reading through the Hugo Awards controversy over the last few days it occurred to me that I don't actually know how many of the Award winners for Best Novel that I've actually read over the years. One? Fifty? None? To remedy that I decided to go through and list all of the winners for Best Novel and build my own reading list out of the group. I figured that if I'm going to all this trouble I might as well share it with the world at large.
Hugo Best Novel Award Winners
1939 - The Sword and the Stone by T.H. White (Retro Awards)
I read this novel when it was included in the Once and Future King. I deeply enjoyed this story when I first read it in high school. My English teacher gave it to us instead of Atlas Shrugged (which is just an awful mess of a book) and we spent an entire nine weeks going over the book looking for all the references and allusions within. Brilliant book and it holds up years later as one of my all time favorite books.
1946 - The Mule by Issac Asimov (Retro Awards)
1954 - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Read this one in High School too. Good book and an excellent read anytime you get to thinking that certain people need to be eliminated from the conversation because you don't like what they're saying.
1956 - Double Star by Robert Heinlein
Another Heinlein novel but one I haven't run across out in the wilds. Good luck buying a new copy instead of used if Amazon's sellers have anything to say about it. $1,854.96 is stupid money to spend on a book you can get used for $2.09.
1958 - The Big Time by Fritz Lieber
Actually picked this one up at the Flea Market last week in a 4 for $1 bundle. I started reading it last night while I was putting my son to bed. Good so far (though I am only 50 pages in).
1959 - A Case of Conscience by James Blish
1960 - Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
This was actually the first Heinlein book I had ever read - and it took me years to crack it's pages. When I was younger I had seen the movie based incredibly loosely on the book and I thought the book would be all but kicking and taking names. But it's not and the back cover made that abundantly clear.
Stupidly I let it sit on my shelf for the better part of fifteen years before I finally opened it up over Christmas and couldn't put it down. Fantastic novel that just hit a real sweet spot for me and made me a huge Heinlein fan.
1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr
I actually finished this one earlier this year and what a fantastic book. Easily in my top ten books that I've ever read. Unlike many novels it centers around the inhabitants of a monastery as the world recovers from a nuclear war that nearly wiped us all out. At times it will make you laugh, then hold your breath as things turn very wrong. Brilliant book and I'll be having a review of it up on the blog later.
If you run across this book absolutely pick it.
1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
My current car book. Slow going right now but nevertheless an enjoyable read.
1963 - The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
Already on my wishlist as are nearly all of Dick's novels.
1964 - Here Gather the Stars (alt: Way Station) by Clifford D. Simak
1965 - The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
1966 - Dune by Frank Herbert (Split Prize)
1966 - …And Call Me Conrad (alt: This Immortal) by Roger Zelazny (Split Prize)
1967 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
I actually have this one sitting on my to read pile right now. It's about four novels off as I really want to finish Stranger in a Strange Land first. May not happen but it's the goal.
1968 - Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
1951 - Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein (Retro Awards)
I actually just picked up this book at my library's used book store. As some of you know I've been working on trying to pick up all of the Heinlein books and this just happened to be the latest addition. Really excited to read it now.
1953 - The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
1954 - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Read this one in High School too. Good book and an excellent read anytime you get to thinking that certain people need to be eliminated from the conversation because you don't like what they're saying.
1955 - They’d Rather Be Right
by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley
1956 - Double Star by Robert Heinlein
Another Heinlein novel but one I haven't run across out in the wilds. Good luck buying a new copy instead of used if Amazon's sellers have anything to say about it. $1,854.96 is stupid money to spend on a book you can get used for $2.09.
1958 - The Big Time by Fritz Lieber
Actually picked this one up at the Flea Market last week in a 4 for $1 bundle. I started reading it last night while I was putting my son to bed. Good so far (though I am only 50 pages in).
1959 - A Case of Conscience by James Blish
1960 - Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
This was actually the first Heinlein book I had ever read - and it took me years to crack it's pages. When I was younger I had seen the movie based incredibly loosely on the book and I thought the book would be all but kicking and taking names. But it's not and the back cover made that abundantly clear.
Stupidly I let it sit on my shelf for the better part of fifteen years before I finally opened it up over Christmas and couldn't put it down. Fantastic novel that just hit a real sweet spot for me and made me a huge Heinlein fan.
1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr
I actually finished this one earlier this year and what a fantastic book. Easily in my top ten books that I've ever read. Unlike many novels it centers around the inhabitants of a monastery as the world recovers from a nuclear war that nearly wiped us all out. At times it will make you laugh, then hold your breath as things turn very wrong. Brilliant book and I'll be having a review of it up on the blog later.
If you run across this book absolutely pick it.
1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
My current car book. Slow going right now but nevertheless an enjoyable read.
1963 - The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
Already on my wishlist as are nearly all of Dick's novels.
1964 - Here Gather the Stars (alt: Way Station) by Clifford D. Simak
1965 - The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
1966 - Dune by Frank Herbert (Split Prize)
1966 - …And Call Me Conrad (alt: This Immortal) by Roger Zelazny (Split Prize)
1967 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
I actually have this one sitting on my to read pile right now. It's about four novels off as I really want to finish Stranger in a Strange Land first. May not happen but it's the goal.
1968 - Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
1969 - Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
1970 - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
1971 - Ringworld by Larry Niven
1972 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer
1973 - The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
1974 - Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
1975 - The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
My current bathroom book. Really good read so far, but then I've yet to read anything by Le Guin that wasn't.
1976 - The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
1977 - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm
1978 - Gateway by Frederik Pohl
1979 - Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
1980 - The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
1981 - The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
1982 - Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh
I need this book. I need it like flowers need the sun. Someone who's read it please tell me that it's as good as the blurb makes it seem! Please!
1983 - Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov
1984 - Startide Rising by David Brin
1985 - Neuromancer by William Gibson
1986 - Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
I've tried to read Ender's Game nearly a dozen times over the years and have never made it further than forty pages in. My brother swears that I'm missing out but I just can't get into it. I'm planning on giving it another try this summer but honestly it just kind of doesn't trip my trigger. Maybe it's like Robert Jordan?
1987 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
1988 - The Uplift War by David Brin
1989 - Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh
1990 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1991 - The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
1992 - Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
1993 - A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge (Split Prize)
1993 - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Split Prize)
1994 - Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1995 - Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
1996 - The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
1997 - Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1998 - Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
2000 - A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
I would never have imagined that a Harry Potter book would have won a Hugo Award. It doesn't hurt that this is arguably the best out of the series but it does make me wonder if they weren't reach for some relevance with a wider audience.
2002 - American Gods by Neil Gaiman
One of the few Neil Gaiman books that I haven't read. The man is brilliant so it's definitely one that I must pick up.
2003 - Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
2004 - Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
2005 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
2006 - Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
2007 - Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge
2008 - The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
2009 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Oh Lord how I love this book. Beautifully written with a steady pace that lets you catch your breath just long enough to have Gaiman take it again. Great, great book!
2010 - The City & The City, China Miéville (Split Prize)
I've never read anything by Mieville but a lot of people that I like have and recommend the novels. I will definitely be picking this one up.
2010 - The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi (Split Prize)
2011 - Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis
As far as I've been able to tell this is the only time the prize was split between two novels and both of them were written by the same author. Certainly makes me intrigued.
2012 - Among Others by Jo Walton
2013 - Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas, John Scalzi
Man, I love the concept for this book. Definitely picking it up soon.
2014 - Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie
1946 - The Mule by Issac Asimov (Retro Awards)
1951 - Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein (Retro Awards)
1953 - The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
1954 - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
1955 - They’d Rather Be Right by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley
1956 - Double Star by Robert Heinlein
1958 - The Big Time by Fritz Lieber
1959 - A Case of Conscience by James Blish
1960 - Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr
1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
1963 - The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
1964 - Here Gather the Stars (alt: Way Station) by Clifford D. Simak
1965 - The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
1966 - Dune by Frank Herbert (Split Prize)
1966 - …And Call Me Conrad (alt: This Immortal) by Roger Zelazny (Split Prize)
1967 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
1968 - Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
1969 - Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
1970 - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
1971 - Ringworld by Larry Niven
1972 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer
1973 - The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
1974 - Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
1975 - The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
1976 - The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
1977 - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm
1978 - Gateway by Frederik Pohl
1979 - Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
1980 - The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
1981 - The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
1982 - Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh
1983 - Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov
1984 - Startide Rising by David Brin
1985 - Neuromancer by William Gibson
1986 - Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
1987 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
1988 - The Uplift War by David Brin
1989 - Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh
1990 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1991 - The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
1992 - Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
1993 - A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge (Split Prize)
1993 - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Split Prize)
1994 - Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1995 - Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
1996 - The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
1997 - Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1998 - Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
2000 - A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
2002 - American Gods by Neil Gaiman
2003 - Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
2004 - Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
2005 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
2006 - Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
2007 - Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge
2008 - The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
2009 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
2010 - The City & The City, China Miéville (Split Prize)
2010 - The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi (Split Prize)
2011 - Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis
2012 - Among Others by Jo Walton
2013 - Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas, John Scalzi
2014 - Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie
After working my way through the list I've read less than a dozen of the award winners so I've got a lot of books to catch up on. What about you cats? How many have you read? What were your favorites? Which one would you recommend I read next?
1970 - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
1971 - Ringworld by Larry Niven
1972 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer
1973 - The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
1974 - Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
1975 - The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
My current bathroom book. Really good read so far, but then I've yet to read anything by Le Guin that wasn't.
1976 - The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
1977 - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm
1978 - Gateway by Frederik Pohl
1979 - Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
1980 - The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
1981 - The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
1982 - Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh
I need this book. I need it like flowers need the sun. Someone who's read it please tell me that it's as good as the blurb makes it seem! Please!
1983 - Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov
1984 - Startide Rising by David Brin
1985 - Neuromancer by William Gibson
1986 - Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
I've tried to read Ender's Game nearly a dozen times over the years and have never made it further than forty pages in. My brother swears that I'm missing out but I just can't get into it. I'm planning on giving it another try this summer but honestly it just kind of doesn't trip my trigger. Maybe it's like Robert Jordan?
1987 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
1988 - The Uplift War by David Brin
1989 - Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh
1990 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1991 - The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
1992 - Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
1993 - A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge (Split Prize)
1993 - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Split Prize)
1994 - Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1995 - Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
1996 - The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
1997 - Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1998 - Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
2000 - A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
I would never have imagined that a Harry Potter book would have won a Hugo Award. It doesn't hurt that this is arguably the best out of the series but it does make me wonder if they weren't reach for some relevance with a wider audience.
2002 - American Gods by Neil Gaiman
One of the few Neil Gaiman books that I haven't read. The man is brilliant so it's definitely one that I must pick up.
2003 - Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
2004 - Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
2005 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
2006 - Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
2007 - Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge
2008 - The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
2009 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Oh Lord how I love this book. Beautifully written with a steady pace that lets you catch your breath just long enough to have Gaiman take it again. Great, great book!
2010 - The City & The City, China Miéville (Split Prize)
I've never read anything by Mieville but a lot of people that I like have and recommend the novels. I will definitely be picking this one up.
2010 - The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi (Split Prize)
2011 - Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis
As far as I've been able to tell this is the only time the prize was split between two novels and both of them were written by the same author. Certainly makes me intrigued.
2012 - Among Others by Jo Walton
2013 - Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas, John Scalzi
Man, I love the concept for this book. Definitely picking it up soon.
2014 - Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie
Quick Breakdown (READ/OWN)
1939 - The Sword and the Stone by T.H. White (Retro Awards)1946 - The Mule by Issac Asimov (Retro Awards)
1951 - Farmer in the Sky by Robert Heinlein (Retro Awards)
1953 - The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
1954 - Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
1955 - They’d Rather Be Right by Mark Clifton and Frank Riley
1956 - Double Star by Robert Heinlein
1958 - The Big Time by Fritz Lieber
1959 - A Case of Conscience by James Blish
1960 - Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein
1961 - A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr
1962 - Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
1963 - The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
1964 - Here Gather the Stars (alt: Way Station) by Clifford D. Simak
1965 - The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber
1966 - Dune by Frank Herbert (Split Prize)
1966 - …And Call Me Conrad (alt: This Immortal) by Roger Zelazny (Split Prize)
1967 - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein
1968 - Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
1969 - Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner
1970 - The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
1971 - Ringworld by Larry Niven
1972 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer
1973 - The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov
1974 - Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
1975 - The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
1976 - The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
1977 - Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang by Kate Wilhelm
1978 - Gateway by Frederik Pohl
1979 - Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre
1980 - The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
1981 - The Snow Queen by Joan D. Vinge
1982 - Downbelow Station by C. J. Cherryh
1983 - Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov
1984 - Startide Rising by David Brin
1985 - Neuromancer by William Gibson
1986 - Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
1987 - Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
1988 - The Uplift War by David Brin
1989 - Cyteen by C. J. Cherryh
1990 - Hyperion by Dan Simmons
1991 - The Vor Game by Lois McMaster Bujold
1992 - Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
1993 - A Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge (Split Prize)
1993 - Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (Split Prize)
1994 - Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1995 - Mirror Dance by Lois McMaster Bujold
1996 - The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
1997 - Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
1998 - Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman
1999 - To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
2000 - A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge
2001 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J. K. Rowling
2002 - American Gods by Neil Gaiman
2003 - Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer
2004 - Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
2005 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
2006 - Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
2007 - Rainbows End by Vernor Vinge
2008 - The Yiddish Policemen’s Union by Michael Chabon
2009 - The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
2010 - The City & The City, China Miéville (Split Prize)
2010 - The Windup Girl, Paolo Bacigalupi (Split Prize)
2011 - Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis
2012 - Among Others by Jo Walton
2013 - Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas, John Scalzi
2014 - Ancillary Justice, Ann Leckie
After working my way through the list I've read less than a dozen of the award winners so I've got a lot of books to catch up on. What about you cats? How many have you read? What were your favorites? Which one would you recommend I read next?
Read-24. I am a huge Zelazny fan and totally recommend his stuff as well as Wiiliam Gibson. Most of the ones I've read are from 50s through the 70s (born in 1975). I think that has a lot to do with what was available at my small town library as a kid. Also, Mieville's 'The Scar' is incredible. Do yourself a favor and start there with his stuff. It just.. I'm speechless when I think about it. THAT GOOD!
ReplyDeleteWell you've certainly sold me on Zelazny and Mieville!
Delete52.5 (I only got halfway through The City and The City). I'll second the Zelazny nod, and throw out one for Connie Willis (esp. Doomsday Book). Best Aliens - A Fire Upon The Deep. Best "classic" - tie between Pohl's Gateway and Niven's Ringworld. All IMHO, of course,
ReplyDeleteYou've read 52 1/2 of the books? Wow! That's really cool!
DeleteRead 7 winners and 11 other nominees. Mostly older stuff. Haven't read enough newer sci-fi to have any opinion on the Hugo controversy except that the merits of the case are totally drown out by partisanship.
ReplyDeleteThe only recent winner I've read is The city & the city and that was really really good.
I ordered one of China's other books after getting a recommendation from Gus L. that it was a better place to start getting introduced to China. BUT I just found out that one of my friends has The City & The City so I'm borrowing it next!
DeleteReading through this list really KILLS the Sad Puppys' argument. In particular, LEFT HAND OF DARKNESS is about EXACTLY the things the Puppies hate, and it was written ages ago.
ReplyDeleteYou know, that was one of the things that I was wondering about as I was compiling the list. When did the novels start skewing towards a particular political agenda and not just being good books. Especially after publishing this because there are so many people that were recommending the newer end of the list - people who aren't "social justice warriors" but are constantly putting out cool, weird stuff that makes me happy.
Delete