What's your favorite really obscure fantasy/sf novel?

(vanity) | Dec 13, 2013 | Me

[jocon307]

“A Canticle For Liebowicz”

Sigh, this book is not obscure, but it is to me. I have wanted to read this book ever since I read about it in “Seventeen” Magazine years ago.

I forget about it for years, then remember it (like now); I try and take it out from the library, all copies are taken; I try and buy it at the bookstore - sold out! Look for it on kindle - not available.

Will this book change my life if I ever get to read it?

[FredZarguna]

Please do not forget Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos, which has been done and redone in so many ways. For my money, the best straight rendition of the book (though still far short of the novel) was the 1960 film, Village of the Damned.

John Carpenter had a late remake, which proved [yet again] that while he did some decent horror, he knew nothing about science fiction.

[goat granny]

The moat in Gods eye, for science fiction. Same two writers Lucifer's hammer don't remember their names.

[bobby.223]

They might not fit this category but I’ll suggest the ‘Doc Savage’ pulps from the 1930’s and 1940’s written by Lester Dent. Good stuff!!

[henkster]

I read “The Iron Dream” in 7th grade. It absolutely blew my mind.

[Kip Russell]

Man, Kelly Freas was a great artist!

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

The Outlaw of Torn, be Edgar Rice Burrows.

[txhurl]

Lovecraft was Stephen King’s muse/motivator.

[Billthedrill]

Dunno if you'd consider it obscure, but I loved Harry Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series. Slan by Van Vogt, although that's more classic than obscure. Glen Cook has an outrageously good "Garrett, P.I." series that is a tough detective noir in a fantasy world. Great stuff.

[DBrow]

“Will this book change my life if I ever get to read it?”

Yes. There are many levels. Come on over and borrow mine!

[FredZarguna]

No, there’s a steady undercurrent of Lovecraft. I was surprised both of my sons discovered him through friends, with no encouragement from me. Considering how unspeakably awful film treatments of his works have been, his durability is remarkable.

[Bon of Babble]

His writing of the old west ARE the best.

Love this book, my favorite L'amour, War Party

[Kip Russell]

The moat in Gods eye, for science fiction. Same two writers Lucifer's hammer don't remember their names.

Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle. Not obscure (it was nominated for a Hugo), but an excellent book!

[henkster]

Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle

[DBrow]

Niven and Pournelle

[Freedom_Is_Not_Free]

Is “Hammer’s Slammers” obscure?

[GeronL]

I don't really have favorites, I'm not soo sure how obscure this is either

Can anyone else see that?

[bigbob]

Just now reading “If at Faust You Don’t Succeed” by
by Roger Zelazny and Robert Sheckley. It definitely fits all of your criteria (obscure, fantasy and SF). Good, too.

[jocon307]

I don’t know if this counts as obscure since I’m not a big sci-fi person but one book I really liked was “No Blade of Grass” by John Christopher. (You can buy it used on Amazon where I just went to look up the author’s name.)

My first boyfriend, a huge sci-fi fan bought it for me as an “easy” example of the genre years ago. I don’t remember the story, but I do remember I enjoyed it very much.

More recently hubby got me “The White Plague” by Herbert, which he always said was one of his faves.

Still like No Blade of Grass better, as of now.

[henkster]

The “Ace Doubles” were great sci-fi books.