I think I first read most if not all of these before I graduated high school in 1985. Heck, most of the books I read in elementary school. I remember feeling like they were secrets only I had discovered, worlds only I had explored.
Books 1) Frank Herbert - Dune Still amazing. Why build a world when you can build a galaxy?
Book series 2) H.M. Hoover – Morrow series (Children of Morrow and Treasures of Morrow) Probably my introduction to dystopias and post-apocalyptic settings.
3) Sylvia Engdahl – Elana series (Enchantress from the Stars and The Far Side of Evil) The Prime Directive in action long before Star Trek -- and we're not talking easy choices or lip-service.
4) Robin McKinley – Damar series (The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown) Lawrence of Arabia as a girl.
5) Anne McCaffery – Menolly series (Dragonsong and Dragonsinger) Yes, I wanted a fire lizard. Anyone who says they didn't is a liar.
Short Stories 6) James H. Schimtz – Telzy Amberdon stories Telzy had so much agency! And there were some seriously creepy implications to the technology and psi abilities.
Comics 7) Matt Wagner – Mage 8) Matt Wagner - Grendel Seriously beautiful artwork and mirror-image story-telling -- Mage is all dialogue and tight-focus frames, and Grendel is stained-glass vignettes and text-boxes.
9) Wendy and Richard Pini - Elfquest Elves! Wolves! Orgies! Stealth sci-fi!
10) Bill Willingham - Elementals Probably the first non-Marvel, non-DC superhero book I ever read.
no subject
Books
1) Frank Herbert - Dune
Still amazing. Why build a world when you can build a galaxy?
Book series
2) H.M. Hoover – Morrow series (Children of Morrow and Treasures of Morrow)
Probably my introduction to dystopias and post-apocalyptic settings.
3) Sylvia Engdahl – Elana series (Enchantress from the Stars and The Far Side of Evil)
The Prime Directive in action long before Star Trek -- and we're not talking easy choices or lip-service.
4) Robin McKinley – Damar series (The Blue Sword and The Hero and the Crown)
Lawrence of Arabia as a girl.
5) Anne McCaffery – Menolly series (Dragonsong and Dragonsinger)
Yes, I wanted a fire lizard. Anyone who says they didn't is a liar.
Short Stories
6) James H. Schimtz – Telzy Amberdon stories
Telzy had so much agency! And there were some seriously creepy implications to the technology and psi abilities.
Comics
7) Matt Wagner – Mage
8) Matt Wagner - Grendel
Seriously beautiful artwork and mirror-image story-telling -- Mage is all dialogue and tight-focus frames, and Grendel is stained-glass vignettes and text-boxes.
9) Wendy and Richard Pini - Elfquest
Elves! Wolves! Orgies! Stealth sci-fi!
10) Bill Willingham - Elementals
Probably the first non-Marvel, non-DC superhero book I ever read.