Seventy-five years ago today, Isaac Asimov officially added ‘published novelist’ to his growing resume. Pebble in the Sky followed on the heels of a decade of short fiction, and helped herald the Golden Age of SF. Asimov would go on to publish more than twenty novels, culminating in Forward the Foundation, written on his deathbed and published posthumously in 1993. An impressive career for a man who never stopped writing.

One thing you might have noticed about me is a general antipathy towards ranking lists. You won’t find top ten lists At Boundary’s Edge. However, given the momentousness of this anniversary, I’m breaking with tradition to give you a ranked list of Isaac Asimov’s novels. Because what are rules for if not to bent on occasion? It’s a one-off event, unless I re-evaluate things for in twenty-five years time.

One quick not before we begin. I’ve decided to omit , Robot, Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation from this list due their nature as fix-ups originally conceived as short fiction. This list is about novels that were always intended for the longer form. If you want to know how those books would fare, you can find my reviews of them on the blog. I have also deliberately not included books co-written with other authors, though I do recommend checking out his collaborations with Robert Silverberg.

Now, in order from weakest to strongest, here are the novels of Isaac Asimov:

Pebble in the Sky

Thankfully, Asimov grew in skill as time went on, and it’s not entirely surprising that his debut ranks as his weakest novel. After an unlikely inciting incident, the plot meanders, and is enlivened only by a chess match, which I did enjoy rather a lot.

The Currents of Space

Though it serves an important role in connecting Asimov’s various series in the Foundation universe, The Currents of Space is fairly standard space opera for the time, with few hints of Asimov’s unique flairs of creativity.

The Stars Like Dust

I’m a little embarrassed to have this one so low down in the rankings, because it’s the one I was gifted a signed copy of by my girlfriend. Nevertheless, it is weaker than most, and even Asimov himself was unafraid to mention this. Once you can look past the America-centric plotline, however, there is quite a bit to enjoy.

Fantastic Voyage: Destination Brain

Not a sequel or prequel to the original Fantastic Voyage, but a reimagining of the story. Though there is some interesting material here, rebooting a story always comes with the pitfalls of re-treading familiar ground, and this is where Asimov stumbles.

The Moons of Jupiter

The final Space Ranger novel is a muted conclusion to the series, leaving me to wonder if another book was planned. It relied a little too heavily on the stupidity of the villains, but remains an exciting story for younger readers.

The Rings of Saturn

The fifth Space Ranger novel, this is where the series started to lose steam. It takes on many of the hallmarks of Asimov’s better SF detective novels, but is hindered by its need for action. The final reveal, however, is well worth the journey it takes to get there.

The Big Sun of Mercury

The fourth Space Ranger novel saw Asimov once again bring his Laws of Robotics into a seemingly unrelated series. The results are mixed, to say the least, and this book possibly bites off more than it can chew. Nevertheless, the end result is a satisfying one.

Fantastic Voyage

A novelisation of the film of the same name, this marks a rare outing for Asimov into somebody else’s playground. Though not given free rein, he turns a trope-filled adventure film into an interesting work of literary science fiction. A successful experiment.

The Gods Themselves

Asimov didn’t write about aliens very often, but in this novel he created aliens who remain unique even when read today. The human side of the story might be lacklustre, but its worth reading for the aliens alone. Now there’s something you don’t expect to read about Isaac Asimov.

The End of Eternity

This one grew on me after a reread. These days, time travel, paradoxes and alternate timelines are everywhere, but Asimov broke new ground with The End of Eternity. It also feature something even rarer than aliens – a love story that is the key to the whole book.

A Whiff of Death

Taking a very slight break from science fiction (I know, I know, stay calm), we have the first of two crime novels. This is Asimov, however, and science proves to be the key to the murder. In another universe, Asimov would have been a worthy successor to Agatha Christie.

The Robots of Dawn

The third Robots novel brought Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw together after many years away, but it was as if they’d ever left. There’s a compelling mystery, new insights into robotics, and some excellent social worldbuilding. Everything you’d expect from the Good Doctor.

Robots and Empire

This is an odd one, because it largely exists to tie Asimov’s Foundation universe together, and to reconcile various irregularities in that universe’s history. In spite of that, it avoids being simply filler material, and manages to provide an interesting story of its own.

Murder at the ABA

Asimov was not the only writer of the Golden Age to include his friends in stories, but this story of crime at a writer’s convention is a cut above the rest. Worth reading for Asimov’s satirical version of himself if nothing else, this is a delightfully fun trip to the history of science fiction literary culture.

The Oceans of Venus

The third Space Ranger novel set the pattern for the rest of the series with a trip to a new planet. The tense mystery element is balanced by some fascinating speculation on alien biology, while the dynamics between the central characters of Lucky and Bigman prove consistently entertaining.

Space Ranger

Originally pitched as a potential TV series, Asimov was uncertain enough about this book to publish it under a pseudonym. He needn’t have worried, however, because Space Ranger and the sequels are among the best juvenile science fiction I’ve come across. A rare book that I would happily give to a twelve year old today.

Prelude to Foundation

The weakest Foundation novel is still a fine piece of fiction. It shows us the early years of Hari Seldon and the formation of psychohistory. Some prequels undercut the mystique of the original work, but every answer given here is a satisfying one.

Foundation’s Edge

Continuing the Foundation series after decades away was never going to be an easy task, but Asimov pulled it off magnificently with this brick of a book. Taking the series’ old ideas and injecting them with a new handle on character proves to be a winner on every level.

Foundation & Earth

Yes, it ends on a cliff-hanger. No, it was never (and likely never will be) resolved, but the furthest point of Asimov’s universe is a haunting revisitation of the worlds that have fallen along the way. Bringing both familiarity and newness, it’s a highpoint of the Foundation‘s second era.

Forward the Foundation

Asimov’s final novel is one tinged with sadness. Here is where the line between Asimov and Seldon blur, to the point that Seldon’s final moments feel almost autobiographic. Though much was left unresolved for the larger series, Forward the Foundation is a fitting capstone for a long career.

Nemesis

A late standalone, Nemesis is my wildcard pick for the best place to start reading Asimov. The characters are strong, the storytelling tight, and the plot as intriguing and exciting as you could ever hope to find. It also offers a still-rare look at what it actually takes to terraform a new home.

Pirates of the Asteroids

I may be biased towards the second Space Ranger novel because it was among the first SF novels I ever read, but on a reread it holds up, both as science fiction, and as children’s fiction. It’s hard to imagine a more accessible book for the young SF reader in your life.

The Caves of Steel

The archetypal science fiction detective novel still stands proud today. The twin leads Baley and Olivaw are the perfect odd couple, and the familiar framework of crime fiction allows for a fast and satisfying mystery to unfold. Robots aside, the science fiction elements are unobtrusive, and the fact that the story works both with and without such elements is a testament to its strength as a novel, and Asimov’s talents as a writer.

The Naked Sun

My pick for Asimov’s best novel is unlikely to be a contentious one. It furthers the robot detective story of its predecessor, but adds new layers of science fictional worldbuilding. The idea of a planet where people no longer meet in person lands differently in a post-pandemic era, while the writing itself is timeless. I defy anyone to say otherwise.

Well, there you have it. If you’ve got thoughts on my rankings, or a proposed list of your own, let me know in the comments. It will be a long while before eyou get another chance.