4.21 avg rating — 840,363 ratings

"It is one of the best books of all time because it holds literary merit and makes full use of the paints that a writer can have at his or her paintbox. It also is both a commentary on the reality in which it is being written and yet is still current and readable today (and many of the commentaries that Hugo makes in it still work for today). The world-building is extraordinary. It includes everything from forbidden romance to revolt to thriller. It has many storylines. One doesn't have to like the main one. "

4.03 avg rating — 333,155 ratings

"For which Tolkien came up with an entire world history/mythology and language for Middle Earth, involving the battle against the gods, Morgoth's armies, and everything in between. I is utterly magnificent."

4.06 avg rating — 55,265 ratings

"World-building extraordinaire. The first of its kind (proto-cyberpunk). In an era all about Asimov, it was the first one to write a scifi book which begins like Tale of Two Cities' "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times," continue in a version Count of Monte Cristo fashion, and think about socio/political economics changes would happen if people learned to teleport. Everyone who has read it, including William Gibson, Neil Gaiman and J. Michael Straczynski, to name a few, could not put it down."