Welcome, Reader! Here are summaries and ratings of some of my favorite science fiction books. And just who the heck am I? I'm Al!

I initially had an arbitrary 1-5 rating scheme for this page, but then realized that I've always had my own rating method: if I read a book and like it, I tell my friends about it. If I like it a lot, I'll read it again. If I really like it, I'll read it a third time. If I really, really like it. . .well, you get the idea. So, by each title is indicated the number of times I've read it. But remember, just because I've only read it once, doesn't mean it isn't good. A book has to be pretty exceptional for me to read it more than once. An asterisk after the number of readings indicates that I expect to re-read this book again. Two asterisks indicate that I intend to re-read it indefinitely. That's rare.

Where possible, I have provided a link to the author's page. Simply click on the author's name to go to it.

Let me know if you try any of these books, and what you think. This site is incomplete -- I've read many more books than this! I'll add to it as I have time. Thanks for visiting!

Madeline L'Engle
A Wrinkle in Time  Readings: 3*
This is the one that started it all. At age 11, in Mr. Muncie's 6th-grade classroom, I discovered science fiction with this book. It is a "children's book", but I have re-read it as an adult, and enjoyed it just as much.

It was a dark and stormy night (really!) Meg Murry, her younger brother Charles Wallace and their mother have come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack, when they are interrupted by a strange visitor. "Wild nights are my glory," she says. "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract [a wrinkle in time]." With that, the children find themselves off on a galaxy-spanning adventure, searching for their missing father, a physicist who had been involved in a government project, and fighting an evil shadow threating to take over the galaxy.

Arthur C. Clarke
2001 A Space Odyssey  Readings: 2
One of the all-time great classics. The discovery of a black monolith on the moon leads to the discovery of a gigantic monolith orbiting Jupiter. As Earth's countries race to reach it, something goes very wrong with the intelligent computer aboard the American space ship. When astronaut Dave Bowman reaches Jupiter, he discovers that the adventure is just beginning. Clarke is a master of suspense and wonder, and this is a masterpiece.

2010: Odyssey Two   Readings: 1
Many questions remained unanswered at the end of 2001: what happened to Dave Bowman? What happened to HAL? Who built the monoliths? These and more are answered in 2010: Odyssey Two -- a masterful follow-up to the first book. This is Arthur C. Clarke at his best.

2061: Odyssey Three  Readings:
I have not read this book, and have included it only for completeness.

3001: The Final Odyssey  Readings:
I have not read this book, and have included it only for completeness.

Childhood's End  Readings: 2
An excellent story with a rather ominous ending. The Overlords appear suddenly over every major city in the world; intellectually, technologically and militarily superior to humankind. Benevolent, they make few demands: unify Earth, eliminate poverty and end war. With little resistance, mankind agrees, and a golden age begins. But at what cost? To those who resist the benign new alien rule, it becomes evident that the Overlords have an agenda all their own.

The Songs of Distant Earth  Readings: 2
A very moving and poetic tale of a distant Earth colony.

The Fountains of Paradise  Readings: 1*
Mr. Clarke's books are characterized by brilliant science, a deep understanding of human nature, and a tremendous sense of wonder. The Fountains of Paradise is shining example of his art. The story revolves around construction of a "space elevator" -- a cheap way to launch vehicles into space. A fascinating technical idea, surrounded by compelling human drama. Though it is currently out of print, it is definitely worthwhile to look it up.

Jack L. Chalker
The classic Well of Souls Quintilogy (series of 5 books) Readings: 2*
Midnight at the Well of Souls   Exiles at the Well of Souls   Quest for the Well of Souls  
The Return of Nathan Brazil   Twilight at the Well of Souls: The Legacy of Nathan Brazil
One of the most imaginative and engrossing science fiction series I've ever read. Nathan Brazil is a freighter captain in a future galactic society. He has been through rejuvenation so many times that no one knows how old he is -- not even Nathan! The ruins of an ancient culture intrigue archeologists, but there is very little to study -- their abandonded planets have no artifacts. Some believe that organic computers buried under the planet crusts were able to read their owners' minds and alter reality to provide whatever was desired. Then, Nathan and a handful of other individuals are accidentally transported to the Central Computer -- the Well of Souls.

The continuation of theWell of Souls saga. Readings:
Echoes of the Well of Souls   Shadow of the Well of Souls   Gods of the Well of Souls  
I have not read these books, and have included them only for completeness.

And the Devil will Drag You Under  Readings: 6**
I suppose this is more fantasy than science fiction, but I had to include it here, as it is one of my all-time favorite books. An attempt to mine a passing asteroid has gone wrong, and the 'roid is now headed for earth (and this was written long before the recent string of things-heading-for-earth disaster movies). As Earth prepares to die, a drunken demon summons two people to a bar in the middle of nowhere, and sends them on a series of impossible quests through alternate planes, in a desperate attempt to save the planet. But. . .it's always dangerous to make a deal with the devil. . . .

James P. Hogan
Voyage from Yesteryear  Readings: 4**
When it looked certain that Earth would destroy itself in the 21st century, a few remaining sane individuals pushed through a project to send out a seedship -- a ship that would carry earth genetic codes to the stars, find a habitable planet and re-establish the human race. The ship manages to successfully establish a human colony on Chiron, orbiting Alpha Centauri -- a 20-year voyage from Earth. Growing up on Chiron, free from adult "supervision", raised and taught only by robots and computers, the colonists are free to develop their own society. With no contagion of aberration, and all of their needs supplied, they develop a society based on trust and respect, and an economy based on competence -- a person is as rich as he is productive, whether he is a house painter or a doctor. And having no shortage of resources, they come to recognize that the most important resources are human intellect and creativity, which are limitless. When the predicted demise of Earth doesn't occur, an ultra-conservative society develops, and when peace of a sort is re-established, Earth turns her eyes toward her distant colony, and sends out a ship to "claim" Chiron, carrying thousands of colonists. . .and humanity's entire history of neurosis, greed, hate and self-destruction.

The Genesis Machine  Readings: 1*
Hogan's hallmark is real science in his science fiction. In this book and others, he has often put forth ideas that have real scientists saying, "Gee -- I never thought of it like that." Yet, he explains it all in a way that even the least-technical reader can easily understand. This book is classic Hogan.

Code of the Lifemaker  Readings: 3*
Millions of years ago, an ancient civilization sent out robot ships to find uninhabited planets with rich resources, to mine them and manufacture products to ship back home. When a suitable planet or planetoid was found, the ship would set up a self-sustaining and expanding mining operation, then move on to find another. But one ship accidentally catches the fringe of a star going nova, and is damaged. It lands on Titan, a moon of Saturn, and tries to set up operations. But its programs have been altered, and all sorts of aberrations and mutations start occurring, and things go very wrong. But then, natural selection sets in, and the long, slow process of evolution begins. . . .

Orson Scott Card
Songmaster   Readings: 4**
Card is one of the best writers ever to come along, and Songmaster is his masterpiece. Incredibly compelling, deeply touching, it follows the life of a boy, from humble beginnings, to the heights of power, through exhilarating joy and agonizing sorrow, and finally, back home. Ansett, gifted with the most beautiful voice in the history of the galactic civilization, is given to the Emperor Mikal to sing for him. The galaxy will never forget Ansett -- his songs, his love, his fate, and his ultimate lessons -- and neither will you.

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