The latest issue of New Scientist contains a special section on SF. Among other things, it contains the picks of staff for various awards for SF books. Here’s a smattering:
Best SF Book: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Runners-up: Frank Herbert’s Dune and Iain M. Banks’ Use of Weapons
Worst SF Book: “no clear winner” although the nominees included L. Ron Hubbard’s Dianetics“>Dianetics and Arthur C. Clarke’s 3001
Most recommendable to your mother: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Most difficult to understand: Stanislaw Lem’s Imaginary Magnitude
Although Dianetics made its first appearance in a 1950 issue of Astounding Science Fiction magazine, the book has become the “first book” for Scientology. I’m sure the “Church” of Scientology would frown upon it still being considered a work of science fiction.
As for readers, this is how their votes came out for favorite SF book:
1. Dune
2. Foundation series
3. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
4. Ender’s Game
5. Hyperion series
Of course, the special section also contains the obligatory article: Is science fiction dying?
The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don’t.
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
