TOP 10 SCIENCE FICTION BOOKS: NEW WAVE (UK with Some Americans...) #sciencefiction #sf

In this feature-length special, Steve talks you through the ten books he feels are most representative and significant in the early history of New Wave SF, that most radical and revolutionary of moments in Genre Science Fiction history, when a fresh rebellious cadre of young writers from both sides of the Atlantic reclaimed SF from the ghetto and mashed into the counterculture and literary mainstream. Music: Steve Holmes (c) #sciencefictionbooks #bookcollecting #booktube #bookcollecting #bookrecommendations #literaryfiction #fantasybooks

[Tallis]

Absolutely brilliant video! I came to Burroughs and Ballard by way of bands such as Ultravox in the late 70s and never looked back. You’ve done an amazing job putting this era of such energy and experiment in perfect context.

[comicbookcrazy]

Wow! Fantastic video! This exceeded even my high expectations. I really enjoy learning about the history of SF and Steve is the best tour guide to the cosmos. This video has really whetted my appetite for when he gets around to the US new wave. Bravo, Steve, bravo!

[rickkearn]

Wow. Nobody could riff like that for over an hour (with or without crib notes, I'm sure) other than the distinguished Stephen Andrews! Great points on this era in SF, ones I'd never contemplated. Kudos to you for sharing your enviable insight old chap. Yet another posh post! Love the vibe here. Cheers.

[zkinak]

Oh wow! I listened to an audiobook production of JG ballards “The Terminal Beach” on YouTube in 2020 before YouTube took down the production and the channel who posted it. I forgot the name of the short story until I watched your video and saw the cover art! Thanks!

[mikeprendergast]

Thank you so much for these New Wave posts. These have been so interesting, so informative. I've been a fan of New Wave for year's but never knew 'about'/New Wave but your posts have opened up this subject and given me a new passion for New Wave fiction. Thank you for all the hard work that goes into these type of posts. I am really looking forward to the Jerry Cornelius posts. This character has been my favorite anti-hero and my first introduction into the New Wave movement but it was Behold the Man that sealed my love of Moorcock's works. Thanks again and I hope you feel better soon

[ledatape]

Thanks mate. What a gripping overview! I've been reading this stuff for 40 for years and you summed it up so well. Plenty of new stuff to press on with now I'm reinspired! I agree with your conclusions especially re Langdon Jones and trb although I never made that connection. I am a bookseller by profession and I do believe that we make the best critics! Cheers mate from Oz and keep on chooglin! Love your work.

[frankshifreen]

did you know that two British artists _ Malcolm NcNeill and Bob Gale, collaborated with Borroughs when he lived in Britain in the 70’s- early 80’s?

[mathewguglielmi]

Thanks for your crash course into the New Wave. I now know how influential it was as a literary movement. You have made me want to dip into the New Wave. I have a copy of Thomas M Disch's adaptation of the tv series, The Prisoner.

Sage advice at the end.

[keithdixonnovels]

Ah, New Worlds, my period! I had all the Quarterly paperbacks until I lost them in a flood. Would look forward to them being published and was distraught when a deadline was missed ... looked forward to stories by Barrington Bayley, because I knew I wouldn't understand them ... (there was one about the 4 Colour Problem ...?). Tom Disch was probably my favourite and I've recently re-read Echo Round his Bones and bought a copy of Camp Concentration, which was *definitely* my favourite of his. I seem to have read or owned practically all of the books you mentioned, often in the same editions you showed us ... now they're gone, all gone ... ! Nice to see your love for Pavane, though, which I always thought was criminally under-rated - I had what I think was the original British paperback edition but that's vanished now. I console myself with the fact that my first published story was rejected by Michael Moorcock for New Worlds - with a very nice note - but then published later by a short-lived magazine, Vortex, which also featured 'The End of All Songs'. a Jerry Cornelius story by Moorcock. A brush with greatness!

[afroscifizianzcomix]

Thank you for another wonderful video. I am chuffed that I am aware of the majority of writers you have praised and recommended.
Speaking on race and ethnicity it should be noted that according to science fiction writer Tade Thompson African science fiction writers were suppressed by gatekeepers to African fiction. China Achebe has been named as one of the gatekeepers. He felt that African writers should talk about colonialism and that science fiction wasn't the literary form to talk about it. Anybody who has read Warlord of the Air will know how ridiculous that is. There may be many unpublished science fiction in Africa waiting to be published.
I am sure you are aware of THE COMET by W.E.B. DuBois published in 1920 or Black No More by George S Schuyler ( about Black Americans having a technology that can change them into Europeans) published in 1931. Black people have always played a part in SF. Yes, the population in Britain is extremely small so there will be less SF writers in general. I am a person of colour ( utterly ridiculous label) and I have always loved SF and now seems to be a very good time for Black science fiction authors. I thoroughly enjoyed the Afro SF anthology from a few years ago edited by Ivor W Hartmann.
Can't wait to see your Jerry Cornelius video. Please keep on putting out great educational and informative content. You are needed on youtube. Take care. Love your work.

[adamgabriele]

In an older comment I mentioned I was reading a bunch of the books you've recommended and you said you wanted to know what I thought. So, in brief: 1) The Magus - absolutely engrossing. I can't remember the last time I've been so engaged with prose. I learned a lot about myself while reading it. E.g. I think years ago it would have depressed the hell out of me as I saw a lot of myself in the main character, but now I could distance myself from those similarities, which seems to me an indicator that I've grown a lot since then. 2) Interesting structure and twists, intriguing ultimate conclusion, but unlike the Magus I thought the prose was quite staid and I actually sped-read quite a lot of it. While it had plenty of insight, it lacked beauty and evocation. 3) The Pastel Towers: great characters in a macabre world descending. The descriptions of swamps and wastelands reminded me of William Gibson and the cyberpunk penchant for advanced vocab/layered description. Many of its elements were very predictable, though. Eager to read the sequels. What do those stars say!? 4) The Broken Sword: Anderson is a master of pacing. Scenes like navigating the storms to reach Jotunland were invigorating and then he would point out the serenity of the goddess depicted on the bowsprit to tell you there is still hope in this maelstrom. He left much to the imagination in a very saga-esque way, but I didn't feel like it was neglected, just the style of writing about heroes who would have been involved in adventures their whole lives. I liked how much mirroring there was in theme, character, structure, and narrative arcs. Liked the menacing figure of the Christian god only ever mentioned, and the small moment where the main female protagonist reveals herself to not be so pious as she thinks. Beautiful prose. Also an absolute master of irony. Some of the dialogue between the doomed lovers is bittersweet but also funny! 5) The Tartar Steppe: I love it. I love the episodic, drifting nature of it. The way it moves away from the ostensible protagonist and returns a couple chapters later. Pretty heavy on allegory I felt, but I don't mind that. Also had this unique tension throughout. I was waiting for SOMETHING to HAPPEN. And I realized I was experiencing what the characters themselves were experiencing. Lovely prose and very interesting dialogue which I imagine is somewhat a product of the translation. Very good book. 6) A Boy and His Dog: I can't truck with rape scenes so I stopped reading after that and skipped to the end. Funny twist there but a bit to "old-fashioned" for me. Al in all, I feel greatly enriched by these recommendations and will continue to read ones you suggest. I think I'll read Nifft the Lean next. Thanks for your work!

[frankshifreen]

Great video- needed - 😮thanks for bringing it back

[kkchome]

Great video and plenty of interesting options for my tbr list.

[iantoo]

Thanks, for great video! I have several ways forward from here, probably through Ballard the Brunner. I have them in my - rather substantial - to read pile. Must get hold of Pavane.

[JulesBurt]

Fascinating and informative as always Steve, thanks 👍

[ashley-r-pollard]

Sadly, I've always bounced off Delaney's Dhalgren but, Triton was an eye-opening novel, loved it.

[stephenmurphy]

Great video. Lots of great books to look into. Would like a see an introduction to the later writers you mentioned towards the end.

[kidMedia]

Stand on Zanzibar is an absolute must read. Even today The Shockwave Rider holds up well.

[jeroenadmiraal]

Great video! I am only half an hour in but learned a lot already. Looking forward to the rest of it. I wish there was a new new wave today. I think that the genre needs. Fantasy even more so than science fiction. It feels like today's writers are just endlessly regurgitating the same ideas with very little social or political commentary to be found.

[holydissolution]

I really enjoyed this one ...& learned a lot...