Basic Stfantasy Library

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Arguments about “canon” we have ever with us. Go thou and debate it elsewhere.

From Fancyclopedia 2, ca. 1959
The Basic Stfantasy Library is something over which much bibliophilic debate has been expended. It is usually thought of as something to which you could point and explain to an outsider "that's what science-fiction and fantasy is like". The obvious question here is whether an historic or introductory survey of the field is more desirable; the latter wouldn't explain where we came from, yet the former would require the neophyte to wade thru several volumes of appalling crud at the very beginning. A questionnaire to several leading fannish bibliophiles produces the following set of suggestions for a nuclear library of science-fiction and fantasy:

Historically important background:

  • Poe: Collected Works
  • Verne: From the Earth to the Moon, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
  • Haggard: King Solomon's Mines, She
  • Burroughs: Warlord of Mars trilogy
  • Gernsback: Ralph 124C41+
  • Wells: Seven Famous Novels

Science-Fantasy:

Science-Fiction:

Fantasy:

Non-fiction:

Also useful would be a few checklists of proz and books, like Don Day's or Bleiler's, even tho all published checklists are overpriced to the point of felony. Have fun with your studies or recruiting or whatever you're up to.



Fiction
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