Building a SciFi/Fantasy Library discussion

John DeNardo's SF SIGNAL blog today features a mind-meld (multi author) column with the topic: WHAT ARE THE FORGOTTEN BOOKS OF SF/F/H?

I'm one of the contributors along with Ellen Datlow, Eugie Foster, Christopher Paul Carey, Heather Massey and more. Check it out, list your UNforgettable faves:

http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2009...

Thanks, ~Linnea
www.linneasinclair.com

Here's at least one unforgettable (if forgotten) fave:

Jack Vance, Galactic Effectuator. It's two novellas about Miro Hetzel, a private eye in Vance's Gaean Reach. Typical Vance so you know it's stylish, witty and acerbic.

Gone, but not forgotten, are Karl Edward Wagner's books. While some of his Kane & Conan books are readily available, I noticed today that In a Lonely Place, a bunch of his horror short stories, are about unavailable. On Amazon, there are 4 hardbacks available for $100 or you can get the mass market paperback for $156! Ouch!!! I picked it up for $2.25, I think. Luckily, I still have it.

Some old books are coming back as ebooks, thank goodness. An old favorite Man of Many Minds is a free PDF or you can get it as a Kindle book, which is cool.

Nice URL! Thanks for posting. Oh no another list of must-reads (have read about 1/3 of them, but the rest are very compelling).

Gone...forgotten:
San Diego Lightfoot Sue and Other Stories
Tom Reamy. Two stories were nebula/hugo nominated.

Forgotten is such a relative term, making it somewhat difficult to offer suggestions. Oldtimers will have a much different perception of what is forgotten, than do younglings.

I suppose an objective way would be to search for an author on amazon or bookfinder.com and find nothing in print as I did last night, searching for a Harry Bates whose novella/short story "Farewell to the Master" was the basis of the great 1953 movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (this after watching the disappointing 2008 version).

A couple of authors I might mention are Dion Fortune who wrote 'occult fantasy' and Lord Dunsany who wrote both Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Both are listed on Goodreads, so are obviously not "forgotten".

August Derleth, Frank Belknap Long, Clark Ashtom Smith, William Hope Hodgeson, Arthur Machen...

Christopher Anvil, Anthony Boucher....

And, arguably, H. Beam Piper (depending on how 'forgotten' you think he is).

Paul, I think you mean Clark Ashton Smith (n, not m). I could swear I've read something by him, but none of the books look familiar.

If you look at This site has most of his stuff

Terence wrote: "...Jack Vance, Galactic Effectuator. It's two novellas about Miro Hetzel, a private eye in Vance's Gaean Reach. Typical Vance so ..."

Thanks, Terence! I just read this the other day on your recommendation. It was good.