Apps for the Conscientious SF Reader

Call me old fashion, but I take pride in knowing the Biggies of SF & F.  As such, I try to stay well-versed in the “classics.”  That in itself is a mighty undertaking, nearly impossible for one reader to do.  One tact, of course, is to immerse oneself in the award winners, but even that is a task that requires some scholarship and digging around.  Naturally, with all the tech that’s out there, the astute reader can find shortcuts.  Two handy ways I’ve discovered are the SciFi Booklist and the Sci-Fi Library.

The SciFi Booklist is essentially two lists: Hugo and Nebula novel winners.  With this app, all you have to do is scroll down the list to see all the winners.  Touch a title and you are taken to a screen where you can id the book as “Own It” or “Read It.”  There are also links to the novel’s Wikipedia page and Amazon.com.  At the end of the list are some stats that let you know what percentage of each that you’ve read and own.  It’s neat, nice and very easy to use.

The other, the Sci-Fi Library, offers several more options.  In addition to Hugo and Nebula winners, the SF Library includes World Fantasy Award winners.  Choose “Awards” on the menu at the bottom of the screen and you’re taken to another menu which can take you to a separate list for each award.   Choose a title and you can mark it as “No” (haven’t read), “Want it,” “Reading,” and “Read It.”  Below those options is a toggle for “I own this book.”  Below that is a link to Amazon.com. 

Besides the award winners on the main menu, you can go to your history, wish list or what you’re currently reading.  There’s also an “Explore” option that lets you search for books by title or ISBN. 

Both are great in their own way and easy to use, but more importantly, both are free at iTunes.  So why not get both to play around with and see which best fits your needs.

Sci-Fi Library

Compatibility: Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.    

SciFi Booklist

Compatibility: Requires iOS 4.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.