firecat

what an odd list. will clicking the link explain why the author picked these novels? suspect not, so i'll pass and guess instead; more fun anyway.

i would say watchmen is on the list because it's sort of the quintessential take on the superhero mythology, and it's pretty much on any "must read" list of comics. geeks often like comics -- there's your connection.

stranger in a strange land has "grok" in it.

consider phlebas is an odd choice; i would pick the player of games as banks' primary geek novel because it's about gaming. this is also the banks i'd recommend reading first. i am a huge fan of his writing.

androids is much different from the movie. you might like it better -- then again, you might not. dick doesn't appeal to everyone. i wonder whether there isn't some confusion between the book and the movie going on in the inclusion here.

dune is probably on the list because of its quoteworthiness in geek circles.

1984 and brave new world are read by every growing european geek in school; they're quite formative, i would guess. certainly were for me.

i don't grok (*heh*) american gods' inclusion. sandman, now, that i could see.