[Valeyard]

What would you consider a must for any science fiction fan to read?

Of course there's
- The original Foundation trilogy
- Dune
- Neuromancer (although personally I wasn't that impressed)

[Vitriol]

I'd add:

Farenheit 451
1984
Brave New World

And possibly also

The Martian Chronicles
Rama

[Penumbra]

Please add:

The Time Machine - H.G.Wells
The Boat of A Million Years - Poul Anderson
Contact - Carl Sagan

[fluffy bunny]

On of THE essential novels is:

The Stars My Destination (Alfred Bester).
Note this was originally called Tiger Tiger when it came out in 1968.

[SusF]

War of the Worlds?
I, Robot?
Stranger in a Strange Land?
2001?
Childhood's End?
Tau Zero?

Susan

[Sammie]

I'd second

1984 - Orwell
Brave New World - Huxley
The Time Machine - HGWells

[Erebus]

Earth Abides by George R. Stewart - written in the fifties, but an absolute classic!

[Bond]

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
"The Last Question" by Isaac Asimov (short story)

[This message has been edited by Bond (edited January 09, 2002).]

[James Barclay]

I would say there are no 'musts' for a Sci Fi fan or fan of any other genre to read. That way lies elitism...

[Lamanai]

That just depends on how you define a "must".

I'd define a must as a clasic that people who enjoy said genre tend to think is a great book. I'd consider all the great dystopias musts. Sci-Fi fans tend, by and large, to enjoy them. I'd consider Asimov's Foundation series a must. It's one that almost all Sci-Fi readers enjoy. Does that mean that everyone has to read it. No. In fact, I could never, in good conscience, recommend Foundation. I hated it. But most fantasy readers seem to enjoy it. So I'd say it's a must for someone beginning their Sci-Fi reading career.