--- title: Science Fiction awards date: "2007-05-02T12:00:00Z" categories: - top-10-lists wp_id: 22 --- Now that I'm well on my way to [watching the Top 250 movies](/blog/wishlist-for-movies/) on [IMDb](http://www,imdb.com/), I'm slowly turned my attention to fiction. My interest is mainly in the Fantasy & Science Fiction area. Unfortunately, I don't know of any list like the IMDb Top 250, but there are a few awards that could take the place of the Oscars for books. That's probably a good place to start. The most popular awards in Science Fiction are the [Hugo award](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award) and [Nebula award](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebula_Award), followed by the [Philip K Dick award](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_k_dick_award), [John W. Campbell award](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbell_award_%28best_novel%29), [Arthur C Clarke award](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C_Clarke_Award) and [other awards](http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/AlphaList.html). I collated a list of all the awards (from [LocusMag](http://www.locusmag.com/SFAwards/)) into the [spreadsheet](http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=poz40xh4E1uc4URTNARjmWw) below Very few of these books have won multiple awards. None have won more than 3 on this list. Of these, only five have 3 awards: - [Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke](https://www.google.com/search?q=Rendezvous+with+Rama+by+Arthur+C.+Clarke) - [American Gods by Neil Gaiman](https://www.google.com/search?q=American+Gods+by+Neil+Gaiman) - [Neuromancer by William Gibson](https://www.google.com/search?q=Neuromancer+by+William+Gibson) - [Gateway by Frederik Pohl](https://www.google.com/search?q=Gateway+by+Frederik+Pohl) - [Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman](https://www.google.com/search?q=Forever+Peace+by+Joe+Haldeman) Over 20 books have won two of these awards. - [Dune by Frank Herbert](https://www.google.com/search?q=Dune+by+Frank+Herbert) - [The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Left+Hand+of+Darkness+by+Ursula+K.+Le+Guin) - [The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Gods+Themselves+by+Isaac+Asimov) - [Ringworld by Larry Niven](https://www.google.com/search?q=Ringworld+by+Larry+Niven) - [Timescape by Gregory Benford](https://www.google.com/search?q=Timescape+by+Gregory+Benford) - [Dreamsnake by Vonda McIntyre](https://www.google.com/search?q=Dreamsnake+by+Vonda+McIntyre) - [The Child Garden by Geoff Ryman](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Child+Garden+by+Geoff+Ryman) - [Gloriana by Michael Moorcock](https://www.google.com/search?q=Gloriana+by+Michael+Moorcock) - [Fairyland by Paul J. McAuley](https://www.google.com/search?q=Fairyland+by+Paul+J.+McAuley) - [The Forever War by Joe Haldeman](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Forever+War+by+Joe+Haldeman) - [Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke](https://www.google.com/search?q=Jonathan+Strange+&+Mr+Norrell+by+Susanna+Clarke) - [Doomsday Book by Connie Willis](https://www.google.com/search?q=Doomsday+Book+by+Connie+Willis) - [Boy's Life by Robert McCammon](https://www.google.com/search?q=Boy's+Life+by+Robert+McCammon) - [Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold](https://www.google.com/search?q=Paladin+of+Souls+by+Lois+McMaster+Bujold) - [A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge](https://www.google.com/search?q=A+Deepness+in+the+Sky+by+Vernor+Vinge) - [The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Fountains+of+Paradise+by+Arthur+C.+Clarke) - [Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card](https://www.google.com/search?q=Speaker+for+the+Dead+by+Orson+Scott+Card) - [The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Dispossessed+by+Ursula+K.+Le+Guin) - [The Time Ships by Stephen Baxter](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Time+Ships+by+Stephen+Baxter) - [Startide Rising by David Brin](https://www.google.com/search?q=Startide+Rising+by+David+Brin) - [Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card](https://www.google.com/search?q=Ender's+Game+by+Orson+Scott+Card) I haven't read most of these books. The ones I _have_ read are: - [The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov](https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Gods+Themselves+by+Isaac+Asimov) - [Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card](https://www.google.com/search?q=Ender's+Game+by+Orson+Scott+Card) - [Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card](https://www.google.com/search?q=Speaker+for+the+Dead+by+Orson+Scott+Card) - [Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke](https://www.google.com/search?q=Rendezvous+with+Rama+by+Arthur+C.+Clarke) - [Dune by Frank Herbert](https://www.google.com/search?q=Dune+by+Frank+Herbert) That's about a 50% ratio, so I guess this list doesn't quite very well work for me. Or at least, my taste doesn't match the Award critics. But maybe you will find something interesting to read... --- ## Comments - **Sumit Dhar** _3 May 2007 1:51 am_: Hey Anand, Got most of these books. Let me know which ones you are interested in. I use http://www.geocities.com/area51/cavern/6113/top100.html as a reference for what books to read. Cheers, D. - **Prasenjeet** _3 May 2007 8:10 pm_: Unfortunately, some good books disappear through the awards cracks. David Zindell's "Neverness", for example. But I \_have\_ read most of these and this seems like a great way for a SF-newbie to discover new fiction! - **D** _4 May 2007 1:43 am_: Hey Anand, Just realized that the email IDs are posted publicly when we comment. Would it be possible for you to do something about that? Cheers, D.