The Bodhisattva

50. - Travel Arrangements by M. John Harrison (2001)

Forget Science Fiction or Fantasy, one of the most worthwhile writers in fiction - as gifted as anybody writing today (that I have read) or in the last couple of decades. China Mieville, who is often remarked upon for overstatement on subjects was actually being conservative when he said, “That M. John Harrison is not a Nobel Laureate proves the bankruptcy of the literary establishment”.\

When he writes a book the genre is better and worse - better for his latest inclusion, but looks worse in comparison. This collection, a laid back shot to the soul is classic Harrison - it’s not a performance, it’s an experience.

49. - Wild Life by Molly Glass (2001)

We all have those books that somebody demands we read, and knowing the person you put it off for awhile, until one day you find yourself on the throne with no reading material and take a chance (literally shitting on your friend’s recommendation).

This is a journey via a fictional woman’s diary that carries a historical authentic feel of the turn of the century NW U.S., while the protagonist begins a (sometimes fantastic) adventure into the woods to search for the child of one of her employees. This is mysterious, adventurous, and presents one of the more enjoyable decidedly feminist characters I have read.

48. - Strange Travelers by Gene Wolfe (2001)
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If you are around genre communities enough you will begin to find that while many authors are lauded, the name Gene Wolfe is given an added reverence among living SF/F authors that that only a handful of other receive. His name attached to seminal works like The Book of the New Sun and the Fifth Head of Cerberus, in such a manner SF fans and Fantasy fans fight over who can claim him but along with that he has one of truly great bodies of short fiction work over the last couple of decades.

47. - A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge (1999)

In 1992 Vinge wrote a great book called A Fire Upon the Deep which won the Hugo and was a hell of a book, 7 years later this - a loose sequel - would also win the Hugo and actually (while certainly debatable) the better of the two books. What Vinge does successfully (which isn’t exactly common) is humanize a story, finding the combination that make a story both personal, yet still working with big and expansive ideas, which for me are the ingredients of quality Science Fiction - one that’s universally known, but the talent is in the chief, not recipe book, and Vinge cooked up one of outstanding arcs of the 90’s here.

46. - Ghostwritten by David Mitchell (1999)

Cloud Atlas was a bit of a hot book a couple years ago in genre circles and kudos for that since it led me to Ghostwritten. I finish reading novels like this and I’m left wondering why other author debuts aren’t more like this. Here is a debut that has obvious nods (to talented authors as well - it always baffles me how some are inspired by those who haven’t written anything worth reading, much less acknowledging) yet is ambitious. This is a book that received lukewarm response, Salon called it perhaps a bubblegum DeLillo - and considering what I view as the negative elements in some of DeLillo’s work that maybe more of a compliment than first intended.

45. - River of Gods by Ian McDonald (2004)

There may not have been a more lauded book this side of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell in the last couple of years than this and like Clarke I think McDonald delivers. McDonald delivers a connection with a near future SF novel centered in India - and how can one not like Shiv? You can’t, he’s too gangster - easily one of the best SF in recent memory (of a pothead).

44. - Tumbling After by Paul Witcover (2005)

Talk about under mentioned. This book was written just last year. Do I have the only copy? This should not have snuck up on anyone after Witcover’s Waking Beauty. How does Jack and Jill, one for all and all for one, a quest, and paper and dice make for SF/F worth reading? Ask Witcover - he seems to be the only one who knows.

43. - The Wooden Sea by Jonathan Carroll (2002)

Carroll was so good even before it was vogue to make fun of fantasy they were putting his books in the regular fiction section - it was just different, which was bit of a novelty in fantasy in the early 90’s. By the time other authors were screaming for equality, Carroll was chillin’ already done with 5-6 pieces of art. I always group Carroll with this group of authors who have been around for a while that simply do nothing but make up a huge portion of the really great fiction of the last 10-15 years in fantasy. Like a Joyce, a Blaylock, a Powers, a Shepard, they just seem to quietly (okay maybe Shepard isn’t that quiet) go about their business and every so often they write something like Wooden Sea, that makes simply trying bury your 3-legged dog the spark of…something deliciously weird.

42. - Stable Strategies and Others by Eileen Gunn (2004)

Eileen (can I call you Eileen?), quit pulling a Chiang and write more fiction. We love it!

41. - Carter Beats the Devil by Glen Gold (2001)

If I had to pick one book where the good guys win and we like it to be on the list - this is it. Before I read it I thought I was to find it Thraxas stupid (which is just above Newcomb-stupid they aren’t similar at all but the reading experience that was Thraxas had me wary of any books for a few months). This is a fun little mystery/alternative history with enough SF thrown in that we can certainly claim it (which we love ala Never Let Me Go). and ultimately we love bootleggers and it has Philo Farnsworth in it who we all owe a hell of a lot more to than you would realize going by the number people who actually know who he is.

* Read 91-100 here.
* Read 81-90 here.
* Read 71-80 here.
* Read 61-70 here.
* Read 51-60 here.