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Best Firsts: Science Fiction Novels

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic (by 2 people)   Your rating: 1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic

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My novel The Silk Code won the 2000 Locus Award for Best First Novel.  I've since published Borrowed Tides (2001),  The Consciousness Plague (2002),...  (more...)

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There's something wonderful and magical about first novels - sometimes they turn out to be the author's best work, sometimes the worst, but I find them always interesting.  They offer a look at authors before they become famous, jaded, discouraged, bored, masters or hacks. 

I'm presenting two lists of first science fiction novels here.  The first are my choices.  The second will be yours.  If you're an author, don't be shy about putting your science fiction novel on this list.  If you're a fan, I'd love to hear from you in this second list, too. 

The only requirements are that the novel be a first novel, and it be science fiction (but I'm pretty flexible about my definitions of the genre). And it needs to be available on Amazon (which provides the images and links for these lists).  Also, the expectation is that novel be relatively recent - say, published in the last 10-15 years or so (but I'm flexible about that, too).

Over the long run, I will try to read some of the novels that appeal to me in the second list - and if I really like them, I will add them to the first list.

The picture for this lens is of my own first science fiction novel, The Silk Code, published by Tor Books in 1999.  It introduced my character, Dr. Phil D'Amato, in novel form - he had previously appeared in three novelettes published in Analog, including The Chronology Protection Case, later made into a low-budget movie and a radio.  The Silk Code went on to win the Locus Award for best first novel on 1999.

Lev's picks 

my original order, when I put this list up here, was (starting at the top): Red Moon, Edward Maret, Counting Heads, Dusk Before Dawn, Dykstra's War, Alien Taste, and (with a rare touch of modesty, The Silk Code) ... you can't add to or remove from this list - go to the Your Picks list, for that, immediately below - but you're welcome to rank these any way you like ... (and I'll note here any new titles that I add from Your Pics) ...*added March 2008: Legacy by Cayla M. Kluver...

The Silk Code (Phil D'Amato) by Paul Levinson

The Silk Code (Phil D'Amato) by Paul Levinson

hey, I'm too egotistical not to list this here - b more...2 points

Red Moon - A Novel by David S. Michaels and Daniel Brenton

Red Moon - A Novel by David S. Michaels and Daniel Brenton

not just one of the best first sf novels I've read more...2 points

Legacy by Cayla M. Kluver

Legacy by Cayla M. Kluver

A surprisingly rich, lyrical, rewarding tapestry o more...2 points

Dusk Before the Dawn by Larry Ketchersid

Dusk Before the Dawn by Larry Ketchersid

intelligent, scenic, fast-paced tale that grabs yo more...1 point

Edward Maret: A Novel of the Future by Robert I. Katz

Edward Maret: A Novel of the Future by Robert I. Katz

thoughful, philosophic, compelling, plangent: this more...0 points

Counting Heads by David Marusek

Counting Heads by David Marusek

exquisitely written, by one of the (young) masters more...0 points

Dykstra's War by Jeffery D. Kooistra

Dykstra's War by Jeffery D. Kooistra

golden-age adventure in a bright, new case: scienc more...0 points

Alien Taste (Ukiah Oregon Novels) by Wen Spencer

Alien Taste (Ukiah Oregon Novels) by Wen Spencer

refreshing, authentic, original voice: an exhilira more...0 points

Moonstruck by Edward M. Lerner

Moonstruck by Edward M. Lerner

media-savvy, classic, thinking-person's first enco more...0 points

your picks 

everyone welcome here - your friends too!

add whatever you like - authors are as welcome here as fans - only requirements are the novels be science fiction (but I'm pretty easy going about that), they be first novels, and they be available via Amazon - oh, also, please sign your explanations of the entries - by initials, complete names, whatever - so we know who made them ... thanks!

The Year of Our War by Steph Swainston

The Year of Our War by Steph Swainston

Steph's 1st novel (the sequel is out as well) is t more...1 point

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

The best novel I read in 1996. [-Anonymous]1 point

Tractrix by R., J. Archer

Tractrix by R., J. Archer

In the SciFi adventure series dubbed "See more...1 point

The Big God Network by J.C. McGowan

The Big God Network by J.C. McGowan

An entertaining and thought-provoking blend of Von more...1 point

Phobos by Ty Drago

Phobos by Ty Drago

I added this just to get the ball rolling - I've h more...0 points

Bridge of the Gods by Len Robertson

Bridge of the Gods by Len Robertson

The author brought this novel to my attention over more...0 points

Ammonite by Nicola Griffith

Ammonite by Nicola Griffith

Excellent novel, with one of the more rational exp more...0 points

reviews, thoughts, comments welcome here 

go for it!

suggest first science fiction novels that you see on Amazon, but can't seem to add here ... critique the above lists ... praise them ... do both .. or just say hello... hey, by all means talk about your unpublished novel, if you like

Gildersleeve

His first books are written in the First Person point of View .. I find it very refreshing ... but on his website long ago he told us to be published it has to be in a different point of view .. his later books all comply but ... He keeps his first as he Intended it to be .. so far he has not changed the Point of view in the first series of books .. by far his Best yet.

Posted April 21, 2008

CC Mandl

An offbeat combination of SF/F Humour and real life.

Posted January 14, 2008

PaulLev

[above comment by TechnoMom about Ammonite by Nicola Griffth]

Posted December 31, 2006

TechnoMom

Excellent novel, with an intriguing look at a "utopia" and one of the more rational postulations I've seen for a one-gender human society.

Posted December 31, 2006

The Silk Code trailer 

23-second trailer for The Silk Code, from the 2002 History Channel "Evolution of Science Fiction"...

Silk Code trailer (guitar ending)

trailer for Paul Levinson's 1999 novel, The Silk Code ... winner of the Locus Award for best first science fiction of 1999...

Runtime: 0:23
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trailer for The Chronology Protection Case short film 

by Jay Kensinger from Paul Levinson's novelette (Phil D'Amato's debut)

In case you want see what Dr. Phil D'Amato looks like - at least, one of the ways ... his first appearance...

My novelette, "The Chronology Protection Case," was first published in Analog Magazine in 1995. It was nominated for several major awards and reprinted numerous times. Jay Kensinger's low-budget movie was released in 2002, followed by Mark Shanahan's radioplay, which was nominated for the Edgar Award for best mystery play of 2002.

You can hear the complete 38-minute radioplay - from a live performance at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York City - on Paul Levinson's blog- scroll down a bit on the right, and you'll see the audio player.

"The Chronology Protection Case" also introduced by NYC forensic detective character, Dr. Phil D'Amato, who later appeared in The Silk Code and two other novels. Check out my Levinson's novels lens here on Squidoo.

The Chronology Protection Case - trailer

Trailer for a 40-minute 2002 short film I made from Paul Levinson's Nebula-nominated novelette. Enjoy!

Runtime: 1:48
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The Silk Code podiobook - free! 

The Silk Code podiobook, performed and produced by Shaun Farrell, in Top 20 Podiobooks of 2007 ... FREE!
The Silk Code podiobook
complete, unabridged, listen at your leisure ...

Phil D'Amato's bibliography 

complete list of Phil D'Amato's appearances in short stories, novels, movies, radioplays, podcasts

all stories and novels by Paul Levinson

1995: "The Chronology Protection Case," Analog Magazine, nominated for Nebula and Sturgeon Awards, reprinted five times...

1996: "The Copyright Notice Case," Analog Magazine, nominated for Nebula Award

1997: "The Mendelian Lamp Case," Analog Magazine

1999: The Silk Code, Tor Books, winner of Locus Award for Best First Science Fiction Novel of 1999

2002: The Consciousness Plague, Tor Books

2002: Jay Kensinger's short film of "The Chronology Protection Case"

2002: Mark Shanahan's radio play of "The Chronology Protection Case," nominated for the Edgar Award

2003: The Pixel Eye, Tor Books, nominated for Prometheus Award

2007: The Silk Code podiobook, performed and produced by Shaun Farrell, in Top 20 Podiobooks of 2007

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Hi, I'm PaulLev

PaulLev

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My novel The Silk Code won the 2000 Locus Award for Best First Novel.  I've since published Borrowed Tides (2001),  The Consciousness Plague (2002), The Pixel Eye (2003), and The Plot
To Save Socrates  (2006).  My science fiction and mystery short stories have been nominated for Nebula, Hugo, Edgar, and  Sturgeon Awards.  My eight nonfiction books, including  The Soft Edge (1997),  Digital  McLuhan (1999),  Realspace (2003), and Cellphone (2004), have been the subject of major articles in the New York Times,  Wired, the Christian Science Monitor, and have been translated into nine languages. I appear on "The O'Reilly Factor" (Fox News),  "The CBS Evening News," "Scarborough Country" (MSNBC),  the "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" (PBS), "Nightline" (ABC) and numerous national and  international TV and radio programs.  I'm interviewed about media issues every Sunday, 7:15am, on KNX1070 Radio in Southern California.  I'm Professor and Chair of  Communication & Media Studies at  Fordham University in New York City.



home page: www.sff.net/people/paullevinson
blog: www.paullevinson.blogspot.com
videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006
podcast: lightonlightthrough.com

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