Oh, How I Wish I Could Forget
5 Best science fiction and fantasy books I recommend.
I want to enjoy these phenomenal fictional stories books for the first time again!
The Hyperion Cantos series by Dan Simmons
Foundation series by Isaac Asimov
The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu
Dune series by Frank Herbert
The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski
The books in this list are the ones that I would most love to forget and be able to reread for the first time all over again. I won’t be talking about their plots or reviewing them. You can find that anywhere. No. I wanted to talk about what I loved the most, what I didn’t like as much, and why they’re on this list.
I highly recommend all of these books for different reasons. If you haven’t read them, they should keep you pleasantly busy for a few months or even years, depending on how fast you read. Time well spent, in my opinion!
I love long stories spanning multiple books, as I like to fall in love with the characters and their worlds. After finishing them, I actually have to take a break from reading fiction for a while. Not unlike how I had to take a break after every breakup with my exes. I need time to clear my mind and clear out my emotions. I feel complete and hungry for more at the same time. A longer break is needed for me to be able to love again - this time another book series and its characters. I know, I’m a little weirdo.
The Hyperion Cantos series by Dan Simmons
"We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered." - Martin Silenus
Funny enough, I was putting off reading The Hyperion Cantos for years. I think it’s one of those completely messed up marketing pitches! I saw how everyone loved it, but all the plot descriptions sounded boring as hell. I mean, who wants to read about some pilgrims and a weird religious thing?
Oh, how wrong I was! The story starts small but then transcends time and space, ending up being an epic space opera of sorts with characters you will love.
It consists of four books: Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, and The Rise of Endymion.
What I loved
Simmons’s world-building and scale of stories, timelines, and characters is mind-blowing.
I loved how I ended up in a completely different place and story than the one I had started with in the first book, yet it was all so beautifully connected.
I loved the interconnection between religion, science, and philosophy.
The feeling of helplessness on occasion is excellently transferred to the reader.
What I didn’t like
There’s a lot of pain and hard-hitting events in the books.
It starts slow, but it’s worth it.
The Shrike thingy makes no sense and feels like a filler until the very end.
"Hate endures. Love builds. That is the weapon we have, and it is all the more powerful because we do not acknowledge it." - Sol Weintraub
I was surprised about the author's "Ilium/Olympos" books
"In the vast tapestry of the cosmos, every action has consequences, and every choice carries weight. We must tread carefully, for the fate of worlds hangs in the balance." - Harman
I’m not a history buff, nor am I intrigued in the slightest by Greek Mythology. Having said that, the books were great! Dan managed to somehow interlace aliens, technology, artificial intelligence, genetics, myths, and history in a seamless blend that just works. It caught me unprepared, and I thoroughly enjoyed the books. Even if this is not your cup of tea, I still recommend giving them a fair shot.
Foundation series by Isaac Asimov
"The fall of Empire, gentlemen, is a massive thing, however, and not easily fought. It is dictated by a rising bureaucracy, a receding initiative, a freezing of caste, a damming of curiosity—a hundred other factors. It has been going on, as I have said, for centuries, and it is too majestic and massive a movement to stop." - Hari Seldon, "Foundation"
Foundation first caught my eye when Elon Musk (yes, that one) stuffed the Foundation books into the Tesla Roadster he allegedly launched into space. Along with a dummy named "Starman," it awaits aliens in what would most definitely be the weirdest meeting of civilizations.
Foundation is one of those slow burners focusing on ideas, coincidences, and prophecies to move the story along. Set aside logic as you read the story, and go with the flow. After all, it was prophesied by science, and math doesn’t lie!
There is an Apple’s TV show that tries to tell the same story using a different medium. I wondered how the creators would be able to capture such vastness and scale, and I predicted they would fail. It’s a daunting task, to say the least. Don’t get me wrong, I like the show, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the books. It never stood a chance.
The series consists mainly of the following books: Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation, Foundation's Edge, and Foundation and Earth.
What I loved
The boldness of the author, the idea, and the main protagonist (Hari Seldon).
How it effortlessly spans planets and ages.
There are twists and turns abound, and they come out of nowhere.
The fact that almost nothing ever happens, yet it’s somehow exciting (maybe a strong word).
What I didn’t like
The last point above is also a negative. Almost nothing happens while centuries fly past.
I often had problems connecting to the ever-new characters the book introduces as protagonists. So much so that I didn’t read the whole series. Somewhere along the line, I lost interest and haven’t yet found my way back.
"Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right." - Salvor Hardin, "Foundation"
The Three-Body Problem, by Cixin Liu
"What is more precious than time? Diamonds? Love? Grains of sand? All are meaningless in the face of time." - Cixin Liu
These books are something special. There is a distinct “Chinese” feeling about them. I mean this in the best possible way! You can feel the coldness and the mistrust of the government at every step and the desperation from living under a communist regime.
You cannot mistake that they were written by someone experiencing politics and culture much different than our own. I can relate to an extent. Where I come from, we’ve only been living in this mutant of a democracy since the 1990s.
There is a very dark core theme to the books. One I cannot expose, as it’s paramount to the story and expertly executed. A core philosophy transcending our humble little planet, playing to the predatory nature of life everywhere.
Then, there’s the scientific side of things. Liu’s background in science and technology is apparent in his work. You feel like he’s unveiling the secrets of the universe and the laws of physics you didn’t even know existed. Not all do. They’re fictional theories and ideas, but it’s hard to tell sometimes—ten out of ten on that front.
The series comprises three books: The Three-Body Problem, The Dark Forest, and Death's End.
What I loved
The story as a whole, from its humble beginnings to the epic developments on a galactic scale.
A different philosophy and a dark undertone.
It makes you think about themes regarding extraterrestrial life, philosophy, and our place in the universe.
The scale is impressive. Time and space wide.
Liu plays with interesting ideas regarding society, nature, and humanity's future.
What I didn’t like
Not much, to be honest. Perhaps the characters could have been easier to love, I suppose.
I didn’t like the ending, but that isn’t to say the journey isn’t worth taking.
There is a darkness and heaviness present throughout the series. One I’m not used to in science fiction. While it’s a breath of fresh air, making this work of fiction distinctly different from others, it doesn’t exactly make you feel good and optimistic. Do you know what I mean?
"To effectively contain the darkness, you must have been exposed to it." - Ye Wenjie
I also read two other books from the same author that warrant a mention.
Of Ants and Dinosaurs
"In the grand scheme of the universe, we are but tiny specks of dust. Yet, even the smallest creatures can shape the course of history." Of Ants and Dinosaurs
I found this one hard to “fall into,” and I didn’t finish it. It has an interesting premise, but the execution was always going to be difficult. Written like a fable with no dialogue and memorable characters, it’s an experiment in an unlikely alternate reality where intelligent ants and dinosaurs form an alliance. Yeah, you read that right!
Ball Lightning
"But I always believed that behind all natural phenomena there lies a unified principle." Wang Miao
This was a good story, with a centered theme of scientific research, unexplained phenomena, and underlying revenge. There was one problem - expectations. I first read Cixin Liu’s work in the absolutely epic and mind-blowing The Three-Body Problem series.
Ball Lightning is a much smaller story, and when one expects to be in awe and have his grey cells spiked on overdrive, it’s a bit underwhelming. Expectation truly is the thief of joy!
Dune series by Frank Herbert
"I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain." - Paul Atreides (Dune)
I know, I know, everybody has read Dune except for me until about two years ago. I don’t care. Frank Herbert is so goddamn good at his craft that he almost made me quit writing fiction. Truth be told, something similar could be said about all of the authors on this list. There are levels to this game, friends.
Anyway, I read only the first three books of the series because the whole “godlike worm thingy” does not appeal to me. Still, I might give it a shot when I’m sufficiently bored again. Something that hasn’t happened in a long, long time. With books spanning centuries, I always find it difficult to form attachments with the ever-changing characters. Dune is no exception.
Note to fiction authors - stop killing off my favorite characters! For the love of god, just stop!
There are six books in total: Dune, Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune.
I just wanted to mention the latest movie adaptation, Dune (2021), directed by Denis Villeneuve. It was one of the biggest surprises of the last few years. The casting is perfect, and it caught me by surprise just how perfect it is. The music and cinematography are sublime, and if you never feel you need to read the books after watching it, I can’t blame you. You should, though!
What I loved
The adaptation of the people to an inhospitable environment on their planet is done to perfection. Spice may be the currency, but water is life.
The duality of the main protagonist. Mesiyah or the devil? Saviour or the harbinger of doom? The characters were complete people in a world of grey and not superficial heroes or baddies.
Creation of religions, myths, and secret sects within the story world.
Constant crumbles of wisdom and philosophy for the reader to pick up and use in their daily life.
The writing itself. As I said, hats off to Frank Herbert for this masterpiece.
What I didn’t like
The killing of my favorite people I know, I know, I’m a softy).
There are elements of the story that needlessly dragged on.
Nop. I’ve got nothing.
"Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic." - Bene Gesserit Proverb (from Dune)
The Witcher series by Andrzej Sapkowski
"Evil is evil... Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a pious hermit, I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all." - Geralt of Rivia, "Blood of Elves"
Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sapkowski’s Witcher books. More so than watching the series (understatement), and on par with the experience of the Witcher games, which I loved and which have brought me to the “franchise.”
I played the game (Witcher 3: Wild Hunt), more than once. I watched the series (The Witcher, Netflix) more than once. I craved more of the Witcher world and mystique. Luckily, it turns out one can get lost in this world for months at a time - by reading the source material! Who knew, right?
Truth be told, the games were a little too “monstrous, ghostly, and supernatural” for me, but the books aren’t. There is a lightness to the style, yet it deals with heavy subjects, and the characters go through absolute hell in the books.
If you like anything with the logo Witcher on it, you owe yourself to read all the books! When I finished them, iI felt an emptiness. Like I was saying goodbye to long-time friends. Weird, but true.
There are eight books in total: The Last Wish, Sword of Destiny, Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, The Tower of the Swallow, The Lady of the Lake, and Season of Storms.
What I loved
Everything. There. Done.
That I got to enjoy the company of the same heroes through all eight books, unlike most books mentioned in this list. What can I say - I get attached.
That the protagonists struggle on their path, and it makes them more - I can’t believe I’m about to say this - relatable?
What I didn’t like
That everyone is more important than the main protagonist, namely The Witcher himself and the story is run by sorcerers, drama, and lust. Oh wait, that’s the series I’m thinking of. Books are the direct opposite and are fantastic! Still, it could be worse, as we’ve seen.
That it ended. There, I found something.
"Evil is evil... Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a pious hermit, I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all." - Geralt of Rivia, "Blood of Elves"
I hope you enjoyed this list and, if you haven't yet read them, were inspired to delve into their fascinating worlds. I tried to avoid spoilers and repeating the plot. You all know how to google or use AI to tell you all you need by now, don’t you?
Have fun!
Are there any books you wish you could forget simply for the pleasure of reading them again for the first time?
Let me know in the comments below.
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