Here are my second 20 "Best SF Books" - please note that often these books are older publications rather than 'new SF.' ie. they are books I have just read (or re-read) recently and enjoyed.

Click here to go back to my newest SF book choices.

Cover	Title/Author	Publisher/Code	Notes
	'The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Science Fiction' by David Pringle	Carlton(1996-97) ISBN 1-85833-815-8	This book is a very well illustrated guide to Science Fiction, although I do think that 'Science Fiction- The Illustrated Guide' by John Clute (DK(1995) ISBN 0-7513-0202-3) is more informative especially on the subject of written SF. If you had to buy just one of the two I'd go for the John Clute book. However, this book has much to recommend it, not least the hundreds of photos many of which are in colour. All in all an interesting read and a useful book to check up the odd fact. Also quite a bit of British SF is covered - yes, even Dr. Who!
	'World of PTAVVS' by Larry Niven	Orbit(1966) Reprinted(2000) ISBN 1-85723-997-0	This is a reprint of Larry Niven's first novel (from 1966) but I had not read it before this latest Reprint (in 2000.) This story centres around an alien - who due to an accident in space is marooned far from his home system both in space and time. However he is far from helpless and humanity is in great danger of becoming enslaved by this creature. Larry Greenberg who has some telepathic powers is both the first 'victim' of the alien and possibly Man's best hope of contiued freedom. In some ways that this is his first novel is shown by one or two confusing (at least to this reader) jumps in the storyline and in the way in some of interchanges between character are scripted. Also the way chaptering of the book is done can leave the reader a little lost. However, dispite these small niggles, this is a very good SF story and an even more interesting read to those of us that admire his later work. This is a powerful story that shows Niven's great imagination.
	'The Eye of the Zodiac' by E. C. Tubb	Arrow(1975) ISBN 0-09-918800 7	Adventure stories! This is the thirteenth book of at least 28 books as our hero Dumarest searches for the fabled planet Earth. The first story 'The Winds of Gath' was the second book to be on my reccommendations list. In this story Earl hears of a planet called 'Nerth.' Could that be 'New Earth' or even the original Earth with corrupted name? All the stories are very similar but I find them a very enjoyable in a comic-book kind of way. They are out of print now and I am always looking for missing copies. So it was with great delight that I read this 'new' story. My son had found it (Book 13) in a secondhand bookshop in Manchester (UK.) They are numbered and I now have - 1,2,3,4,5,8,9,10,11,13,19,20,21,25,26 and 27. Added Info 5/5/2000 - just found THREE more books at a secondhand book shop!! Excellent!! Numbers 8, 10 and 11 (now added to above list.)
	'The Elegant Universe' by Brian Greene	Vintage (1999) ISBN 0-099-28992-X	As an SF reader who greatly enjoys 'Hard SF' I occasionally read 'Popular Science' books. The book I am recommending this month is 'The Elegant Universe' by Brian Greene. In fact I am still reading it - but now being more than three-quarters through it I feel I can heartily reccommend it. The main thrust of the book is to explain in plain English the development of 'String Theory' and how it may well provide the scientific world with the key to a 'Grand Unifying Theory' ie.'A Theory of Everything.' Greene takes the reader through many small steps using lots of analogies to help explain some very difficult concepts such as 'six-dimensional shapes' and 'supersymmetry.'
	'Heart of the Comet' by David Brin & Gregory Benford	Orbit Science Fiction (1999) ISBN 1-85723-436-7	It's not often you get a book written by authors of similar standing, for as often as not a two-author book is written by a new-comer, with an 'old-hand' merely being the guiding influence. Perhaps the best known exception to this being the collaborations of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. (Note to myself:- I must re-read 'The Mote in God's Eye' and include it here one month.) But to get a book written by two top writers still at the height of their powers could mean a either two styles that don't mesh leading to an unsatisfactory read - or as in this case - a seamless piece of writing that appears to flow from just one, very imaginative mind. This story follows the struggle of a group of people on a long mission on Halley's Comet that will take them on a rollacoaster of a ride! The events that take place are told from the perspectives of three of the 'crew' and chronicle the strange twists and turns their shared fortunes take. As they battle to survive the harshness of space whilst uncovering some of the secrets of Halley, they come into conflict with one another and even Earth itself - and in the end their fight for survival may even effect the whole of Mankind.
	'Forever Free' by Joe Haldeman	Ace Science Fiction (1999) ISBN 0-441-006997-3	Here we are again with Joe Haldeman. This is the American import book I was bought for Christmas and I was expecting great things of it. Now this book is connected to the 'Forever War' Book with Haldeman again writing about William Mandella whereas the second similarly named 'Forever Peace' book was not. I have included the book here as my 'Choice of the Month' which it is but that is not to say I was disappointed with it and include it here because it completes (possibly) the 'Forever War' story and so the body of work needs to be taken together. The first three quarters of the book follows closely to his normal 'highly observed' style focusing on the very real issues of living and surving in adverse conditions and rapidly changing circumstances. I then have the very real feeling that Haldeman stopped writing this book because he wasn't sure where to take it...I think he may well have then written 'Forever Peace' which I think is a far better book than this. Without spoiling your read I do think the way he concludes 'Forever Free' is more of a 'get out' than a fully rounded story. But this is a book that fans should read and then decide for themselves.
	'Forever Peace' by Joe Haldeman	Orion(1997) ISBN 1-85798-899-X	Well with this book Joe Haldeman shows he's not just a 'one book wonder' but a powerful writer of Hard SF. Although this book again draws on his military experience the storyline of this book is not just about near-future combat but about the 'human condition' so beloved by SF writers. Julian Class, a jacked Soldierboy is falling apart mentally and is contemplating suicide but the slight matter of the End-of-Everything (due to a scientific test soon to be made) diverts him from is own oblivion. Contains adult and violent imagary - NOT recommended for readers under eighteen.
	'Blake's 7: The Inside Story' by Joe Nazzaro & Sheelagh Wells	Virgin(1997) ISBN 0-7535-0044-2	Last month I wrote: 'As we come up to the 36th year of Dr Who the BBC (British TV) is holding a Dr Who Night.(On BBC 2 - Saturday 13th Nov. at 8.55pm.) This made me have another look at some of my Dr Who stuff'...etc. Well as we come to the end of the century I also must mention one of my other all-time-favourite shows - 'Blake's Seven.' Again I have been looking through one of my factual SF books - a very detailed and interesting book for any 'Blake' fans out there. There are plenty of pictures (both Colour and Black & White) and a full episode listing at the back.
	'Dr Who Companions' by David J. Howe & Mark Stammers	BPC-Paulton Books(1996) ISBN 0-86369-921-9	As we come up to the 36th year of Dr Who the BBC (British TV) is holding a Dr Who Night. (On BBC 2 - Saturday 13th Nov. at 8.55pm.) This made me have another look at some of my Dr Who stuff - mainly to my favourite book on the 'Companions.' This book gives lots of factual detail, interviews and pictures of the many companions of the Doctor. As to my favourite companions they would be:- Zoe (Wendy Padbury) and Jamie (Frazer Hines) with the Second Doctor (Patrick Troughton) - followed by Sarah-Jane (Elisabeth Sladen) Ace (Sophie Aldred) Peri (Nicola Bryant) Leela (Louise Jameson) and Tegan (Janet Fielding.)
	'To Live Forever' by Jack Vance	TOR(1956) ISBN 0-812-51142-5	All the SF books I really enjoy seem to involve one or more of the following three themes:- that of time travel, immortality or 'rogue' individuals. Well Garven Waylock is certainlly a 'rogue' individual and he is intent on being an immortal again. This story written as early as 1956 includes the concept of 'clones' or 'surrogates' as they are called in the book. In fact part of the story revolves around whether Garven Waylock is infact a surrogate of Grayven Warlock ready to take his place in society free or any guilt of his original's crime or is infact the original claiming to be his own clone. Plans that are complicated by 'The Jacynth' a woman he has loved and lost before.
	'Hot Sleep' by Orson Scott Card	Orbit(1979) ISBN 0-7088-8063-0	Jason Worthing is the leader of a colony group in exile. In a way he is more than a leader for a long, long time. Some think J is a God appearing as he does from the 'Star Tower.' Quote:- 'Jason Worthing awoke from somec for the hundredth time within the pilot's cabin of the starship. But now he no longer exercised - it was all he could do to get out and walk around...he had long ceased wondering how old he really was..'
	'Brightness Reef' by David Brin	Orbit(1995) ISBN 1-85723-385-9	This is the first book in a new 'Uplift Trilogy' and is SF on the grand scale. Six exiled races live on the planet Jijo which should be left fallow. As they live on the planet the joint races try hard to minimise their impact on the planet whilst knowing that their very presence is a great crime. Even though they expected to be visited one day and then be called to account for their sins when the Spaceship finally arrived it was not how they expected things to be.
	'Why Call them Back From Heaven?' by Clifford D. Simak	Methuen(1967) ISBN 0-413-55600-X	A much older SF story that can be recomended without any worry about the suitablity of the content. An good traditional subject area for SF - that of how possible future advances in technology, science or medicine affect 'human society.' In this case how offering everyone the opportunity for a second eternal life changes the whole focus of daily life. But is someone 'trying to fool all of the people all of the time' or is immortality for all assured? Daniel Frost, the only man who may find the answer to all this, finds himself fleeing to save his own life.
	'Mirrorman' by Trevor Hoyle	Virgin Worlds(1999) ISBN 0-7535-0385-9	I include this book after much thought - because in the end it is a fine story - but I must warn potential readers that it contains some very hard to stomach passages in it's depiction of 'evil doings.' In many ways this brand new SF story goes back to a basic story format of Good versus Evil but given the 'many worlds' or 'infinite worlds' twist. Frank Kersch is a convicted killer who has control over his 'reality' that will be ruled-over for him by a group called 'The Messengers.' Against him is Cawdor, a man of principals and family values who poses the only threat to this 'reality.' Both now and in the past Cawdor and his family suffer terrible acts of injustice told in very graphic detail. In this the writer leaves one in no doubt as to the 'evil' of Kersch. Contains explicit language and very disturbing imagary - NOT recommended for readers under eighteen.
	'The Long Habit of Living' by Joe Haldeman	New English Library(1989) ISBN 0-450-51189-3	Another tale of 'Immortality' as Dallas Barr seeks to again amass a million pound fortune to pay for 'The Stileman Process' that will give him a further ten years of youth even though he is well over a hundred years old. This process can quickly return an ailing body to youthfulness but must be repeated every ten to twelve years. His personal quest is sidetracked as he discovers that 'immortals' are in danger. Someone or some group is out to kill them all. Contains bad language and disturbing imagary - NOT recommended for younger readers.
	'Science Fiction' by John Clute	DK(1995) ISBN 0-7513-0202-3	This month's choice is different in that it is a Reference book about Science Fiction rather than a novel. 'Science Fiction - The Illustrated Encyclopedia' to give it it's full title is a great source of information on the history of Science Fiction. There are over three hundred pages of facts illustrated with hundreds of first edition covers. Film and T.V. are covered as well as written fiction. It is highly recommended!
	'Permutation City' by Greg Egan	Millennium(1994) ISBN 1-85798-218-5	A really great mind-expanding story told with authority. Egan conjures up an entire mathmatical universe where reality has no substance and time is infinite. All is sustained by the action of being computed. 'Copies' inhabit this world and it seems can mould its every aspect. Contains bad language and disturbing imagary - NOT recommended for younger readers.
	'The End of Eternity' by Isaac Asimov	Panther(1959) ISBN 586-02440-9	Story about an 'Eternal' who's job is to monitor and even alter Reality - a job which he belives in until he falls in love with a woman who may cease to exist after one such interference. A love that may lead not just to the end of 'Eternals' but to an end of 'Eternity' itself.
	'The Time Ships' by Stephen Baxter	Voyager(1995) ISBN 0-00-648012-8	Sequel to 'The Time Machine' by H. G. Wells. Baxter takes the story on to new strange futures whilst keeping to Wells' style. Very enjoyable but the reader needs to keep track of a 'changing' landscape.
	'A World Out of Time' by Larry Niven	Futura(1977) ISBN 0-8600-7963-5	Unusual 'time-travel' story mostly set in Earth's far future. It reminded me of 'The Time Machine' by H.G.Wells in the way Niven deals with the 'social' organisation that developes in the future. Another story where Genetic Engineering plays a part.