Friday, August 12, 2011

Robert E. Howard's The Coming of Conan Collection Makes NPR's List of 100 Greatest Science Fiction and Fantasy Books!

In fact, it was #68. As an avid Fantasy (and some science fiction) reader, I agreed and disagreed with various entries on this list. For example, Terry Pratchett's Discworld should have been included as a full series, much like Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series was. Of course, I don't think Wheel of Time should have been included at all, since it's a listless pile of shit, unlike is rousing and endlessly entertaining Conan pastiches.

Anyway, congrats REH. Once again, you've proven to be a king among lesser men.



Read the full list HERE.

10 comments:

Dominic said...

While I'm glad to see Conan make any best of list, I disagree with this list on principle. Will somebody please, for the love of Ishtar, unlump science fiction and fantasy? The two are not interchangeable and are sometimes mutually exclusive. It's because of this blurring of genres that the sci-fi section at so many bookstores is cluttered with crappy vampire novels, which are really just Harlequin romances masquerading as urban fantasy.

Stil, if we have to have a list, I guess this one will do. I agree with you about Pratchett's books...strange that they treat George Martin's and Frank Herbert's books as one set, but not Discworld. Most of the rest of the choices are pretty solid (I haven't attempted to read Robert Jordan). I do have to wonder though...has anyone actually read #11, "Princess Bride", or did that get voted in on the strength of the movie?

Reis O'Brien said...

I completely agree, Dominic! I'm so sick of these two getting lumped together. I occasionally find a used book store that has Fantasy and Sci-Fi separated, but it's rare. I suppose things get confusing with things like Jon Carter and the like, since they mix the two genres.

And I have read Princess Bride and it was so well written. It does belong on this list. (But I don't know about Watership Down!)

Mike D. said...

I gotta chime in and agree as well. Those romantic vampire stories are..."ROMANCE" and have no place in either genre AND...I agree the genres should not be lumped together.
Keep in mind REH.. Is still going strong!

Bree Yark! said...

I disagree, REH should be #1. He is by far my favorite fiction writer - no one else even comes close. I wasn't even into reading fiction until I came across REH's stuff.

Now, I only read fiction because I've read all or most of REH's work and am looking for more. Lovecraft, Burroughs, sorry, they just don't do it for me. I like Clark Ashton Smith, but his stuff is hard to find and, well, REH is still the best.

Maybe it's just a Texas thang...

Brule the Spearslayer said...

Why the hell is Neil Gaimen on that list so high and so much? And Warold War Z? Are you kidding me...

Brule the Spearslayer said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brule the Spearslayer said...

And GoT so high? Must be a bunch of people who only ever saw the show voting for it. And I cannot believe a Dungeons and Dragons novel made the list. lmao

Charles R. Rutledge said...

I'm just trying to keep in mind that it's a popularity contest, not some well thought out list comparing the merits and history of the works. That's why so many current 'hot' authors are ahead of recognized classics. They don't even have Harlan Ellison of the list. In SF?!

Mike D. said...

But REH is sharing that list with the recognized classics...so that is a good thing. Also bear in mind that those other less noteworthy but popular books on the list are irrelevant in our eyes and negligable. But just to have CONAN on this list is quite an achievement. I know of people that have no idea about CONAN other than the two earlier movies.
This is great. IMHO.

Brule the Spearslayer said...

@Mikeyboy

Agreed. It is a good thing for Conan and REH to make such a list.