This poll was more contentious than we anticipated! Considering the fact that for years we have listened in on debates as to whether Frankenstein is sci-fi or fantasy, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that there might be some debate about which titles contain both sci-fi and fantasy elements. If this poll has proved anything, it's that there is a lot of conversation to be had over which elements belong to which genre. Blurred lines aside, as usual, you guys turned in some amazing titles and now...
Now, it's time to decide.
We narrowed down the list of your nominations to the ten most voted for, and now it's time to figure out what the best ones are out of this group!
*As alway this list is made up by combining votes from this blog and our Facebook group.
Time to Decide: What Is the Best Sci-Fantasy Book Of All Time?
The Dune series by Frank Herbert 30%, 137 votes
137 votes30%
137 votes - 30% of all votes
Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey 22%, 103 votes
103 votes22%
103 votes - 22% of all votes
Honor Harrington series by David Weber 13%, 58 votes
58 votes13%
58 votes - 13% of all votes
Glory Road by Robert Heinlein 10%, 45 votes
45 votes10%
45 votes - 10% of all votes
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson 6%, 28 votes
28 votes6%
28 votes - 6% of all votes
Riverworld Series by Philip Jose Farmer 5%, 23 votes
23 votes5%
23 votes - 5% of all votes
The Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley 5%, 22 votes
22 votes5%
22 votes - 5% of all votes
The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke 5%, 22 votes
22 votes5%
22 votes - 5% of all votes
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman 3%, 12 votes
12 votes3%
12 votes - 3% of all votes
Magic, Inc by Robert Heinlein 3%, 12 votes
12 votes3%
12 votes - 3% of all votes
Total Votes: 462
February 17, 2021
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11replies
Linda says:
I am choosing to abstain this time. The only ones I’ve read, though very good, in my opinion don’t fit both categories: Pern is fantasy, the Honorverse is science fiction, and Dune is science fiction.
Afraid I would have to disagree with you that Pern is pure fantasy. They find the space ships that originally brought people to Pern and 3 are still in orbit. Dragons were created by genetically tinkering with fire lizards. Sounds sci-fi to me! Read DragonsDawn for the story of the colonization of Pern.
More even that what Linda said; all of these are either science fiction or fantasy. The only ones that can even be considered science fantasy if you squint hard enough are Darkover and Riverworld.
This list should include Gene Wolfe’s “Book of the New Sun,” which really is science fantasy, and outstanding as well.
On the plus side, this is the first list ever on this site that didn’t include Heinlein’s “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress”!
I would consider Glory Road the one true Science Fantasy here, considering that it has a sword and sorcery or fantasy aspect to it, while at the same time having some of the usual fantasy tropes grounded in science. Of course, YMMV.
I was up in the attic over the garage the other day checking return air ducts. And to my amazement, I discovered where I had put my sci-fi collection started back in the 1960s. Over 1200 volumes – like I had discovered the motherlode of pirate treasures. Seven of the books on the Best Sci-Fantasy Book are in the boxes!
On top of one box was Hugo Gernsback’s ” Ralph 124C 41+.” I kept it as a model of one of the poorest quality of writing I had ever come across, in spite of the themes that have become staples for succeeding generations of sci-fi writing.
I am enamoured of Carl Sagan’s “Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions… a book is proof that humans are capable of working magic!”
Keep on writing, humans! We need your science fictions and fantasies to show the depth and breadth of the human condition.
I realize this is a bit late but Hamilton’s Nights Dawn series should be in this list. Far future, space travel and the evil dead returning. Sci-fantasy at its best
I’ve also always had a soft spot for Bulmer’s ‘Keys’ alternate dimension series as well as Tubb’s Dumarest series. Wouldn’t consider them the top but certainly worth mentioning. (Had to correct my name.)
I am choosing to abstain this time. The only ones I’ve read, though very good, in my opinion don’t fit both categories: Pern is fantasy, the Honorverse is science fiction, and Dune is science fiction.
Afraid I would have to disagree with you that Pern is pure fantasy. They find the space ships that originally brought people to Pern and 3 are still in orbit. Dragons were created by genetically tinkering with fire lizards. Sounds sci-fi to me! Read DragonsDawn for the story of the colonization of Pern.
More even that what Linda said; all of these are either science fiction or fantasy. The only ones that can even be considered science fantasy if you squint hard enough are Darkover and Riverworld.
This list should include Gene Wolfe’s “Book of the New Sun,” which really is science fantasy, and outstanding as well.
On the plus side, this is the first list ever on this site that didn’t include Heinlein’s “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress”!
Mark, I couldn’t agree with you more. Gene Wolfe needs to be on more lists. He is one of my favorite authors.
I would consider Glory Road the one true Science Fantasy here, considering that it has a sword and sorcery or fantasy aspect to it, while at the same time having some of the usual fantasy tropes grounded in science. Of course, YMMV.
What? No Amber series by Roger Zelazny??
A major discrepancy , along with the Foundation Series .
The Darkover series that got me started on Sf sooo long ago and Pern that was such a good read.
I was up in the attic over the garage the other day checking return air ducts. And to my amazement, I discovered where I had put my sci-fi collection started back in the 1960s. Over 1200 volumes – like I had discovered the motherlode of pirate treasures. Seven of the books on the Best Sci-Fantasy Book are in the boxes!
On top of one box was Hugo Gernsback’s ” Ralph 124C 41+.” I kept it as a model of one of the poorest quality of writing I had ever come across, in spite of the themes that have become staples for succeeding generations of sci-fi writing.
I am enamoured of Carl Sagan’s “Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions… a book is proof that humans are capable of working magic!”
Keep on writing, humans! We need your science fictions and fantasies to show the depth and breadth of the human condition.
I realize this is a bit late but Hamilton’s Nights Dawn series should be in this list. Far future, space travel and the evil dead returning. Sci-fantasy at its best
I’ve also always had a soft spot for Bulmer’s ‘Keys’ alternate dimension series as well as Tubb’s Dumarest series. Wouldn’t consider them the top but certainly worth mentioning. (Had to correct my name.)