Every reader of SF comes across a title now and then that intrigues you, infuriates you, confuses you and/or enervates you. It leaves you with such a strong impression that you just have to share with others the impressions it left. It is so different from other books you have read. You recommend it, you pass along copies because you want to see if it is just you or that the book is really as interesting, you mention it constantly. Time passes and the book becomes harder to find. It is slipping out of print. How can you keep spreading the word about this fascinating book that you see as an overlooked odd speculative fiction classic? This is another in a periodic list of such titles. This time, Rick Klaw tells us what titles have struck a chord with him. Once you are finished with this list, have a look at the others in the series of Ten Overlooked Odd Speculative Fiction Classics.
by Rick Klaw
Even though I know I am missing a few books (Really, can anyone make a complete list in but ten books?), I decided this would be enough to keep y'all busy. At least for a little while. To include all the unheralded odd books, I would either need a much longer list or help from my friends. I went with the latter. In the months ahead, others will make their suggestions for Ten Overlooked Speculative Fiction Classics. The truly amazing thing about the other lists is that so far no one has duplicated any books. This should be a lot of interesting fun. Perhaps the most unsettling thing about my list is that only two of the books are currently in print in the US and both from small presses. Sadly, as you will discover, most of the contributor's lists have that problem. Happy hunting!
(This article first appeared in a different form in Volume 5, Number 4 (Fall/Winter 2000) of the magazine Nova Express.)
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Not content with just being a regular columnist for SF Site, Rick Klaw is also the fiction editor for RevolutionSF. He is currently an unemployed book buyer, who is on the look out for some freelance editing gigs. If any come your way, please drop him a line. |
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