tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880088692595066231.post3046785937230515919..comments2023-04-18T05:10:21.904-07:00Comments on Em and Emm Expound on Exposition: Off Topic: NPR's list of top Sci-Fi/Fantasy Books/SeriesEmmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06310039122656051824noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880088692595066231.post-73489988886883353932011-08-15T23:23:17.166-07:002011-08-15T23:23:17.166-07:00haha yeah MWS posted about the nominations at leas...haha yeah MWS posted about the nominations at least once on his blog, and I don't think he posted anything for the actual voting. fail!Emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06310039122656051824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8880088692595066231.post-77130797679357531302011-08-11T21:59:06.274-07:002011-08-11T21:59:06.274-07:00I think it's hard to recommend things from tha...I think it's hard to recommend things from that list, because some of the things are sort of questionable when it comes to their classification as sci-fi or fantasy, and it really depends on what kind of recommendation you're wanting to give. There are a lot of classics and cornerstones of the genres on that list (Tolkien, Asimov, Verne, White) and a lot of very contemporary works (including series that aren't even done).<br /><br />I wouldn't know how to compare and contrast some of the books on their absolute merit. Some of the older works are really significant in terms of their influence on their genres, and without them modern literature could be very different. But, some of those books might not appeal to a modern audience used to a more 21st century approach to writing. Some people have a tendency to downgrade a book's quality based on how well the writing has aged. I don't think that's quite fair, since how are authors supposed to predict what kind of writing will be in vogue many decades in the future?<br /><br />For example, can I recommend LotR over Anathem? No, because they're such profoundly different stories. I guess that's the problem with voter-determined lists like this one. Looking at the full list of nominees, I'm a little surprised at which books made the final cut and which didn't.<br /><br />(My score is either 44 or 37, depending on whether it counts if I have not read the entirety of a series included on the list)Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11463115927796731953noreply@blogger.com