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Re: Oh, that's a really good question. DomA Send a noteboard - 10/04/2012 11:33:36 PM
[Ender's Game wins the sci-fi slot by any definition you can go with- practically all sci-fi readers have read and like Ender's Game, and many love it


It depends which fans of SF and from what cultural background you're talking about. I've met many people who would define themselves as big readers of SF who can't abide any of Card's fiction, writing (and much less, his opinions). Very liberal/progressive leaning people in particular have fairly little love for Card or his novels, even Ender's Game. I would say he's way too controversial with some crowds at least, to be qualified as "universally loved" (there's also the fact a fair percentage of SF readers find the Ender series fairly light weight compared to the works of say, someone like Frank Herbert).

Same for Robin Hobb. Unlike Card she doesn't generate much in terms of heated debates (I never met convinced Hobb haters, at least), but I for one never liked (not even finished) any of her novels and I know many who simply ignore her novels, either because they've tried and didn't like it like me, or because friends who know their tastes in Fantasy recommended they skip Hobb (I wouldn't exactly recommend Hobb to anyone who tell me their ideal fantasy writer is someone like Steven Erikson or Bakker, for example).

I don't think there's any work that makes unanimity in Fantasy or SF, no more than there really is in other genres. Even among the established classics, you need to go quite a bit back in time before you come across works which importance is anything like universally appreciated (let alone close to universally loved) .
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Is there a universally liked fantasy book? - 06/04/2012 08:51:12 PM 1879 Views
I like The Fionavar Tapestry, but I don't expect everybody does. - 06/04/2012 09:08:18 PM 1311 Views
Not really - 07/04/2012 01:23:38 AM 1210 Views
That surprises me. I would think you'd have enjoyed LIONS or TIGANA. *NM* - 07/04/2012 07:39:08 AM 485 Views
I disliked Sarantium and Under Heaven - 07/04/2012 07:49:50 AM 1202 Views
Agreed in the case of Lions of al-Rassan. - 07/04/2012 10:34:02 AM 1129 Views
Seems a silly question to ask. - 07/04/2012 07:37:44 AM 1120 Views
Simply--no. - 07/04/2012 04:37:16 PM 1528 Views
Except for LOTR wasn't that original. - 07/04/2012 05:14:49 PM 1017 Views
Perhaps. - 08/04/2012 04:33:07 PM 1202 Views
Re: Perhaps. - 09/04/2012 02:39:42 AM 1041 Views
Agreed. Tolkien is the closest you'll get. - 09/04/2012 12:46:04 AM 1173 Views
I agree about Tolkien - 11/04/2012 12:35:51 AM 1137 Views
Sword of Truth series. *NM* - 07/04/2012 06:11:27 PM 443 Views
Seconded. We should all grow yurds. *NM* - 09/04/2012 07:33:00 PM 560 Views
I haven't read either of those - 07/04/2012 11:52:47 PM 1068 Views
I would've thought Tigana. - 10/04/2012 04:24:56 AM 1016 Views
Horrendous Book - 10/04/2012 12:16:55 PM 1092 Views
I love Tigana, but yeah, Wibble's not the only one who doesn't. - 10/04/2012 07:13:00 PM 1029 Views
Good to know. - 16/04/2012 04:56:48 AM 1367 Views
I read Tigana very recently - 16/04/2012 02:12:38 PM 1147 Views
Well, like I said, it's not one of my faves. - 10/05/2012 03:53:49 AM 1204 Views
Oh, that's a really good question. - 10/04/2012 08:52:51 PM 1121 Views
Re: Oh, that's a really good question. - 10/04/2012 11:33:36 PM 1051 Views
I had Hobb recommende to me - 11/04/2012 03:38:35 AM 1077 Views
Same here. - 16/04/2012 02:14:06 PM 1098 Views
so the tawny man onwards kind of sucked - 01/05/2012 10:27:41 PM 1233 Views
ursula le guin - earthsea? *NM* - 01/05/2012 10:28:35 PM 596 Views
The first one, at least, should be liked by everyone. (IMO) - 01/05/2012 10:59:34 PM 1060 Views

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