Top 5 Wednesday #16: Classics and SFF

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly meme created by GingerReadsLainey and now managed by Sam from Thoughts on Tomes. For more information on this meme, visit the Goodreads group.

I skipped last week’s topic because I was too busy to post and it was difficult to think of answers for it. Last week’s topic was

Future classics

which refers to books that we think will one day be considered classics. I consider a book a classic not because it’s old or very popular, but because it presents an idea/topic in a novel way, sparks conversation or change by upseting norms, or is a forerunner of a genre, type of writing, or certain trend. Such books are also well composed. With that in mind, I chose these 5 books as my future classics:

Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling

This was the first answer that came to mind. The Harry Potter books are already considered classics and have become a staple of children’s literature. It’s been 20 years since it was published and it still has a huge influence on the publishing industry, which began by changing how children’s books are considered for publishing and for sale and how they are presented on best-seller lists. Also, it’s still a best seller despite being published two decades ago. It will always be considered a classic.

The Sculptor by Scott McCloud (illus.)

Unlike the Harry Potter books, I’m not sure if The Sculptor and the other books below will be considered future classics. However, in my opinion, they contain certain qualities that can make them so. I consider The Sculptor a future classic because it’s a magical realism story presented in a comic story, which is new for me. The story has a lot of depth and touches on various themes on aesthetics and morality.

The Arrival by Shaun Tan (illus.)

The Arrival is an illustrated book about a man immigrating to another country in search for a safe place for his family. The story is told without words. I’m sure this is not the first illustrated book to present a story without words, but I consider this a classic because of the length of the story and how the illustrations skillfully convey the characters’ emotions in subtle ways and hold the reader captive throughout. Considering that immigration has always been an issue throughout history, I think this is a story that will continue to resonate with folks for years.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

I think Paul Kalanithi’s memoir about his battle with cancer can be considered a future classic as well. It’s so well written. It’s the work of a man with a magnificent mind who was able to draw on his love for literature and medicine and his tendency to mull over questions on morality and humanity to create a work that resonates with many readers. It should be a required reading for college students, whether the student is considering medicine or literature or not.

Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin

I believe the Song of Ice and Fire books are almost as influential as the Lord of the Rings books today. Its influence shows that there is more to fantasy than just witches, wizards, and magical swords; and that even those who do not care for imaginary lands in fantasy can become just as engrossed in such stories because of the political intrigue that drives the story. These books have become so popular that I sometimes wonder if GRRM is overwhelmed. On the positive side, apparently the sixth book will be out in November.

---

Ending with a fantasy novel above is a great segue to this week’s topic:

Top SFF books on my TBR

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

I’m so upset with myself that I’ve yet to read this. I was so eager for its publication and am still interested in reading it, but I keep procrastinating and have too many books going at once right now.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

This I must read and review before the end of the year. I’ve put it off for way too long. I’m curious to see if I’ll love it as much as others do.

Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold

The second in the World of Five Gods series by Bujold. I read the first book, The Curse of Chalion, and loved it so I’d like to read the other books as well.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by John Tiffany and Jack Thorne

I was eager to read this at first, but now I’m just curious to see if I’ll like it or not. I think I’ll reread the last of the series again before starting on this.

I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1 by Skottie Young

I have many comics to read. This is one of the fantasy ones.

That’s it. What books do you consider future classics?

Advertisement