The greatest long-running science fiction book series

[ToddPence]

Minimum ten volumes, all have to be by the same author (to eliminate stuff like Perry Rhodan). Here are my choices.

#1: The Captain Future series, by Edmond Hamilton (27 novels)

Hamilton's saga is everything that gosh-whiz-bang space opera should be. Reading a Captain Future novel will transform a thirty-something back into a wide-eyed ten-year old. (Okay, and I've already violated my opening rule: a scant few of the 27 Captain Future novels were written by authors other than Hamilton. So sue me.)

#2: The Timewars series, by Simon Hawke. (12 novels)

I consider myself lucky to own all twelve volumes of this hard-to-collect, magnificent "Timecop" series. The characters in this saga are unforgettable.

#3: The Mars ("Barsoom") series by Edgar Rice Burroughs. (10 novels plus one noveltte.)

One of the landmarks in sci-fi history. Although to modern readers it carries more the trappings of Fantasy for readers used to "hard" science fiction, Burroughs' tales of derring-do by the likes of John Carter, Ulysses Paxton and Tan Hadron will never grow old as long as readers remain young at heart.

#4: The Dumarest series by E.C. Tubb (33 novels).

Earl Dumarest is a hard-bitten, resourceful adevnturer, a galactic wanderer on a quest through a densley populated galaxy. He is trying to find the planet he was born on, which no one seems to know the location of and everyone he meets considers a myth. The name of the planet . . . Earth.

#5: The John Grimes saga by A. Bertram Chandler (22 books, plus numerous short stories).

Chandler was science fiction's answer to C.S. Forrester, as John Grimes was to Horatio Horblower.

What are your choices?

 

[Canadave]

The only book series I can think of that I read is Terry Pratchett's Discworld, which is currently at 38 books. Otherwise, though, I tend my fiction to be a little more self-contained; trilogies and the like.

 

[Snaploud]

The Honor Harrington series is a good one. David Weber is the only writer for the main book series (12 published so far). Though, he has let other writers into the sub-series and short-story anthologies.

 

[timothy]

now are we including military sci fi as cuase the horuse heresy series which is published by the black library it up to 20 books and still going strong.

I love sci fi , military sci fi , alternate history , space opera , vampires and high fantasy .

currently reading star wars knight errant and tales of the slayer vol. 2.
currently watching smallville season 4 & supernatural season 4.

after I finish these to I want to do george r. r. martin's game of throne series and stephen king's dark tower saga .

 

[psikeyhackr]

The Vorkosigan series by Bujold.

http://psikeyhackr.livejournal.com/

It is now downloadable.

http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com/24-CryoburnCD/CryoburnCD/index.htm

It goes beyond the gee whiz level. More characters are more interesting than David Weber's.

Supporting evidence:

Award Winners
">Falling Free: Nebula Award for best new novel of 1988; Hugo Award for best SF novel of 1988
“The Mountains of Mourning”: Nebula Award for Best novella of 1989; Hugo Award for best new novella of 1989
The Vor Game: Hugo Award for best new novel of 1990
Barrayar: Nebula Award for best novel of 1991
Mirror Dance: Hugo Award for best new novel of 1994
A Civil Campaign: 1st in the Sapphire Awards from the Science Fiction Romance Newsletter; PEARL (Paranormal Excellence Award in Romantic Literature) Award; Nominee for both Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novel of 2000
Diplomatic Immunity: Nominee for Nebula Award for best novel of 2003

psik

 

[label]

1. The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King: While the actual series itself is 7 books long (most of which are fairly long books each), the series also contains tie-in short stories and directly ties in with many of his other novels (The Stand, Salem's Lot, Heart's In Atlantis, etc, etc) and the series has been added to with a collection of graphic novels. On top of all that, King is writing another book that will add to the series so I think it more than qualifies.

2. Mission: Earth L. Ron Hubbard.

3. Discworld : Pratchett (though this series isn't strictly sequential/serial)

 

[Lonemagpie]

now are we including military sci fi as cuase the horuse heresy series which is published by the black library it up to 20 books and still going strong..

Has a variety of writers though.

 

[Mistral]

now are we including military sci fi as cuase the horuse heresy series which is published by the black library it up to 20 books and still going strong..

Has a variety of writers though.

The 1632 series is amazing but has multiple writers...

McDevitt has his Xeno-archeology series (Chindi, etc) that's at about 8 books...hard to keep it going strong, though.

christopher stasheff has the Warlock series.... first couple are great, the rest are amusing...

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Perry Rhodan.

 

[timothy]

I read the 1632 books those they were great . There is a series which is done by s.m. stirling which is being done in trilogy story arcs. The first trilogy deals with the island of nantucket set today mysteriously dissapears and travels back in time . the first book is called the island and the sea of time. the second and third trilogy's are set today and deals the ramifications of the timealtercation which nullifies all tech.

second greatest military science fiction series which has multiple author's is battletech.

 

[Mistral]

I read the 1632 books those they were great . There is a series which is done by s.m. stirling which is being done in trilogy story arcs. The first trilogy deals with the island of nantucket set today mysteriously dissapears and travels back in time . the first book is called the island and the sea of time. the second and third trilogy's are set today and deals the ramifications of the timealtercation which nullifies all tech.

second greatest military science fiction series which has multiple author's is battletech.

Liked the first trilogy in Stirling's series-the rest headed for witchcraft and mysticism and bored me in the end...

 

[stj]

Robert A. Heinlein's Future History seems to qualify as a candidate, counting short story collections as books. Isaac Asimov's blend of the Foundation and Robot novels certainly counts as a candidate. Good call on the McDevitt series (which does feature a single character, Priscilla Hutchens, albeit in a number of different roles and ages.)

I haven't read any Captain Future but E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series and Skylark series both have been extraordinarily influential.

 

[23skidoo]

Can we count the 50+ Doctor Who novels written by Terrance Dicks? No? OK...

I'd have to go with Discworld as well. Pratchett came up with some really imaginative ideas, has managed to create and maintain a rather complex universe, and at the same time he's put the wind up the whole SF&F genre. I'm just surprised that it took until only a few years ago before people started making movies of them.

Alex

 

[Greg Cox]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned PERN or DUNE yet.

 

[Sephiroth]

^isn't dune a series of books about a galaxy addicted to sand-worm shit?

 

[OmahaStar]

The Southern Vampire books by Charlaine Harris. Currently 11 books and more short stories/novellas than you can shake a stick at.

 

[Mistral]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned PERN or DUNE yet.

While the original novels had their moments, both are series I gave up on by the third book. And both are science fiction-but so outre that they sometimes seem to barely qualify....

 

[JoeZhang]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned PERN or DUNE yet.

There were only six dune books so not particularly long running.


(Before anyone corrects me - there were ONLY six dune books).

 

[Mysterion]

The Honor Harrington series is a good one. David Weber is the only writer for the main book series (12 published so far). Though, he has let other writers into the sub-series and short-story anthologies.

I'd put these high on the list as well. However, after the last couple of books, I think Weber needs a stronger editor.

 

[stj]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned PERN or DUNE yet.

Well, the "greatest" sort of eliminates all the Pern books from my consideration. And the only two Dune books I think of very highly are Dune and Dune Messiah, which isn't very long running. It is well known that many disagree with me, though, particularly on these two.