What Were Your Favorite Science Fiction or Fantasy Books/Films/Shows in 2006?
Now it’s time for our readers to sound off on their best books, films and television shows that they read or watched in 2006. Since I didn’t stick to things released in 2006, I won’t hold anyone else to that. So, its OK if you read a classic sf book or caught up on your DVD watching…
If you need help remembering what was new, check out these handy references:
BOOKS: Locus Online’s 2006 Index
MOVIES: The Numbers’ Annual Movie Chart – 2006
My favorite book for 2006
is Robert J Sawyer’s
Mindscan. Awesome.
Best movie Superman
That’s about it.
Out of the 61 books I read this year:
Spin, by Robert Charles Wilson. It won a Hugo and deservedly so.
The Atrocity Archives, by Charles Stross. Every bit as good as the Family Trade novels.
His Majesty’s Dragon by Naomi Novik. A Wonderful Debut.
The Sky People, by S.M. Stirling. Another author I heavily read this year. I ate this short novel up. I thought that the pulp like feel was a feature, not a bug.
Blood and Iron, by Elizabeth Bear. Not just because she’s a personal friend, either.
My favorites from the books I read in 2006 are (in no order):
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Neffengger
Earth Abides by George R Stewart
Castleview by Gene Wolfe
The World of Null-A by A.E. Van Vogt
Overall, I didn’t read as many books in 2006 as I did in 2005, probably because I was consumed with World of Warcraft for much of the year (that and I had to move across the country.)
I tried to make my reading count by reading either classics or books that I knew I was prone to enjoy. However I did end up reading some books I wish I hadn’t – especially Starfist: Flashfire which I honestly feel is a bad book (and only got published because of the overall series marketability.)
Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder. World building par excellence in a hard sf, steampunk kind of way.
Although my SF books were down quite a bit this year, here’s my choices for the two best:
The Road, Cormac McCarthy (don’t let anybody claim otherwise — this IS SF)
Glasshouse, Charlie Stross
Not all of these came out last year, but my favorite sf/fantasy books read last year were, in no particular order:
The Fall Revolution Books by Ken Macleod
A Princess of Roumania and The Tourmaline by Paul Park
The People of Paper by Salvadore Plascencia
Light by M. John Harrison
Spin by Robert Charles Wilson
Favorite books read this year
Spin
Towing Jehova
Beggars in Spain
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
Kiln People
movies/television, glad I finally got involved in Battlestar Galatica, such a smart show
Book? Finally got around to reading Haldeman’s ‘The Forever War’. Why did I wait all these years to read it? I couldn’t put it down.
Charles Stross’ ‘Iron Sunrise’ gets an honourable mention.
TV? Battlestar Galactica.
Movie? Meh.
Best Science Fiction Isaac Asimov’s Foundation or James Blish’s Cities in Flight
Best Science Fiction movie Event Horizon
TV. Not much out there, maybe Stargate
Best independently published book James Abbey’s Beyond Starlight Lulu press