The most distinguished science fiction novelist of all time is Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis, better known as Connie Willis. She’s been nominated for the Hugo Award thirteen times and has won it at least ten times. She has been nominated for the Nebula Award eight more times and has won it seven times. The Locus Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, the World Fantasy Award, the John W. Campbell Memorial Award, the Damon Knight Memorial Grand Master Award, and several more have all recognized her work in some way. In Willis’ stories and books, common people heroes and subdued comedy are featured. Because so many of her heroes are relatable women who overcome difficult circumstances, her writing is particularly accessible to female readers. She does a fantastic job at capturing the fundamental turmoil of life by beginning in media res. Willis particularly likes to discuss time travel, and World War II, and make references to great literature and film.
In order to determine which novels by Connie Willis were the best, we examined all of her publications and compared their ratings on Goodreads, Amazon, and LibraryThing. The titles in the list below are ordered according to which books, when compared to all the other works by the same author, have received the highest overall ratings across the three review sites. The method isn’t particularly scientific, and most books aren’t really “better” than other novels—rather, they’re just different. Having said that, we still like to see where our favorite novels are placed, and if you are unfamiliar with the author in any way, the rankings might show you which books could be the best to start with.
Additionally, below the countdown at the bottom of the page is a link to the whole ranking chart. If/when Connie Willis publishes a new book, we’ll update this page. However, it’s unlikely to happen right away, giving the ratings on each website some time to settle and avoiding being unduly impacted by the early, frequently much more opinionated, users.
Well, I’ll be listing the Best Connie Willis Books, Novels, and Award-Winning Short Stories. Note that this is not a sponsored post, all books listed below are highly recommended by psychology experts.
Contents
Best Connie Willis Books, Novels, and Award-Winning Short Stories
The following are the Best Connie Willis Books, Novels, and Award-Winning Short Stories you should be considering:
- Fire Watch (Novelette)
- Water Witch (1982)
- A Lot Like Christmas
- At the Rialto (Short Story)
- Lincoln’s Dreams (1987)
- Miracle and Other Christmas Stories
- Bellwether (Novel)
Fire Watch (Novelette)
In her world of time-traveling historians at Oxford University, Fire Watch is a 1983 novelette. Bartholomew, the main character of Willi’s first adventure in this realm, travels back in time to save London’s famous St. Paul’s Cathedral during the Blitz. This story is offered individually and may be found in the anthologies of short stories The Best of Connie Willis (2013), The Winds of Marble Arch And Other Stories (2007), and Fire Watch (1984).
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Water Witch (1982)
“On the arid planet Mahali, the ruler of the water commands an empire. Water Witches, who could feel the ebb and flow of priceless water in their very bones, ruled Mahali for eons. However, a bloody coup resulted in the murder of the royal family, and control of Mahali’s water was given to a vast computer network.
The plan was created by Deza’s father, who had Deza dress in ceremonial attire and pose as the final surviving member of the royal family. Deza displayed water control through illusions and manipulations, and as a result, traders from other worlds who desired unfathomable wealth generously fed and bought off her and her father. They would stop trying when their tricks stopped working and move on to the next con.
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A Lot Like Christmas
This reprint collection by SFWA Grand Master Willis (Crosstalk), taken from over 30 years of work, serves you a heaping helping of holiday pleasure with a dash of mystery and enchantment. She starts off by talking about how much she loves everything about Christmas and what she thinks makes a good Christmas tale. All of the tales share a science fiction and romantic comedy tone. Many incorporate Willis’s choices for holiday entertainment, so “Miracle” includes the original Miracle the 34th Street (which she likes to It’s a Wonderful Life) and the Spirit of Christmas Present (one of many nods to her favorite Dickens).
The song “All Seated on the Ground” imagines a first encounter with aliens in which carols are the only form of communication. In “Inn,” the Holy Family appears to be initially unwelcome again due to time travel or dimensional warping, while in “Epiphany,” modern-day magi arrive from the East. In “Just Like the Ones We Used to Know,” there is mysterious snowfall, and in “Cat’s Paw,” a Christmas murder parodies Conan Doyle, Christie, and Poe. There are robots and Rockettes, holiday decorations, newsletters, and a lot more happy-ending folderols everywhere. Fans of Willis’s funny science fiction who are celebrating Christmas will love this as a stocking stuffer. (Oct.)
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At the Rialto (Short Story)
Willis’ 1989 short story A Screwball romantic comedy and a quantum physics tale are both present in At the Rialto. Actually, Willis’ point is that the best way to understand quantum physics is as a screwball comedy. This is one of many Willis stories where a scientific idea is incorporated into the story’s premise. While attending a conference at the Hollywood Rialto Hotel, scientist Ruth flirts with her colleague David and tries to figure out the hilarious quantum abnormalities. The reader is taken on an enjoyable journey by the novel, and perhaps even learns a little bit about quantum mechanics. The short story collections The Best of Connie Willis (2013) and The Winds of Marble Arch And Other Stories (2007) both contain this piece.
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Lincoln’s Dreams (1987)
On a very cold night near the end of a protracted winter, reality is redefined for Jeff Johnston, a young historical researcher for a Civil War novelist. He meets Annie, a passionate and endearing young woman who experiences terrible, vivid nightmares. In search of a solution, Jeff takes Annie on an emotional voyage through the Civil War’s heartland while being haunted by the dreamer and her relentless dreams. Their connection grows on long-quiet battlefields where two obsessed lovers are torn apart by a duty that could endanger them both. They are connected by unbreakable chains of history. Lincoln’s Dreams is a book of exceptional imaginative force that is suspenseful, emotional, and extremely fascinating.
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Miracle and Other Christmas Stories
With this collection of eight delightful holiday stories, the funny, educated Willis provides a thoroughly enjoyable homage to Christmas. Willis transforms “Inn” from a sentimental church choir narrative to a moving story with a time-travel twist. The title piece, “Miracle,” is a screwball office comedy in which Miracle on 34th Street soundly defeats It’s a Wonderful Life and the ghost of an environmentally conscious surfer appears to grant the heroine’s heart’s desire. In “In Coppelius’s Toy Shop,” a top-notch jerk receives a Twilight Zone-style retribution, while in the scary “The Pony,” the players discover exactly what they really want under the tree.
With this collection of eight delightful holiday stories, the funny, educated Willis provides a thoroughly enjoyable homage to Christmas. Willis transforms “Inn” from a sentimental church choir narrative to a moving story with a time-travel twist. The title piece, “Miracle,” is a screwball office comedy in which Miracle on 34th Street soundly defeats It’s a Wonderful Life and the ghost of an environmentally conscious surfer appears to grant the heroine’s heart’s desire. In “In Coppelius’s Toy Shop,” a top-notch jerk receives a Twilight Zone-style retribution, while in the scary “The Pony,” the players discover exactly what they really want under the tree.
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Bellwether (Novel)
A bellwether is used in the plot of the enjoyable 1996 book Bellwether, which explores the idea of a bellwether. It has some extremely cool concepts related to chaos theory and statistical forecasting. In a nutshell, Sandra Foster’s romantic interest, Bennet O’Reilly, experiments on sheep to study trends at a corporation in Colorado. There is a ton of enjoyable screwball office comedy and classic Willis romance. Here, her distinctive voice comes through.
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Some other Best Connie Willis Books, Novels, and Award-Winning Short Stories
Below are some other Best Connie Willis Books, Novels, and Award-Winning Short Stories
Blackout (2010)
Crosstalk Connie Willis.
The Winds of Marble Arch (Novella)
Best Connie Willis Books, Novels, and Award-Winning Short Stories FAQs
Who is Willis’s science fiction writer?
Connie Willis is a Grand Master of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America as well as a member of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. She has won eleven Hugo awards and seven Nebula awards for her work, including Blackout, All Clear, a two-part novel, and Doomsday Book.
Who should I read after Colleen Hoover?
If I like Colleen Hoover, what should I read? You should read compelling contemporary romance books by authors like Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, Carley Fortune, Rebecca Serle, Katherine Center, and Jojo Moyes if you enjoy Colleen Hoover’s stories.
In what order should I read Lockwood and Co books?
- The Screaming Staircase (2013)
- The Whispering Skull (2014)
- The Hollow Boy (2015)
- The Creeping Shadow (2016)
- The Empty Grave (2017)
What is the book that matters most?
The bestselling author of The Knitting Circle presents an engrossing tale about love, loss, secrets, friendship, and the therapeutic value of literature. Ava’s 25-year marriage has broken down, and her two adult children are pursuing their own careers and lives abroad.
How old should you be to read Misery by Stephen King?
The language and the overall unpleasant plot are the only things that would deter tweens and teens from reading this book. A mature 13-year-old and older could handle this book, but I believe a 12-year-old could wait to read it.
Where to start with Connie Willis?
Few science fiction writers are better at using it as an icebreaker and a platform for bragging than Willis, so let’s get back to the issue. Therefore, begin with “Blued Moon.” You won’t regret it. How about going on to more sinister material? I’d move on to “Fire Watch,” the initial Hugo and Nebula Award winner.
Is the book Babel a series?
It stands alone as a book, Babel. In contrast to her debut, Kuang published a stand-alone dark academic fantasy that included a lot of historical fiction. So don’t anticipate a series from this. Nothing else is required; it’s done and dusted.
Is Magnum Opus a book?
The short and pleasant adventure story “The Magnum Opus: Seek and You Shall Find” by Christopher Kezelos is based on the animated film “The Maker” by Zealous Creative. The plot of the novel centers on Ario’s battle to right his wrongs.
Which Stephen Fry book should I read?
You’ll enjoy Troy if you enjoyed Mythos and Heroes, the first two parts of Stephen Fry’s mythological trilogy. Fry is a skilled performer, and the audiobook, which he also narrates, is especially charming and attractive to both adults and children. On what did the story center?
What is the synopsis of I must have you a Novel by Joanna Novak?
Lisa, who recently completed inpatient treatment and is dating a nineteen-year-old drug dealer, is Elliot’s best friend and former “client” and the object of her obsession. Elliot’s mother Anna, an erratic professor of poetry, also struggles with an eating disorder and drug addiction.
That is all for this article, where we’ve stated and discussed the Best Connie Willis Books, Novels, and Award-Winning Short Stories. I hope it was helpful. if so, kindly share it with others. Thanks for reading; see you around!
