Whenyouhearscifi,doyounormallythinkofH.G.Wells,IsaacAsimov,JulesVerne,ArthurC.Clarke,RayBradbury,orGeorgeOrwellOrdosomemorerecentauthorscometomind
Inthisarticle,we’vecompiledalistofthebestsciencefictionbooksofalltime.Happyreading!
Tocompilethislist,wecompiledsomeofthebiggestreaderpollsfromGoodreadsandNationalPublicRadio’sBooks,whichwerevotedonbythousandsofdevotedsciencefictionreaders.
Sciencefictionisanoldgenre,butplentyofnewwritersareinnovatingandpushingthegenreforward.Hereare15ofthebestscifibooksof2022.
Amustreadif:youloveepicspaceoperasandexplorationsofaliencultures.
ADesolationCalledPeaceisthesequeltoMartine’sspectaculardebutAMemoryCalledEmpire,whichwontheHugoAward.
AnalienarmadaissoontobreachtheTeixcalaanliEmpire.MahitDzmareandThreeSeagrassmustfigureouthowtocommunicatewithaliensentirelydifferentfromanyonethey’vemetbefore,orelseriskthepotentialdestructionoftheirempire.
Amustreadif:youlikecharacter-drivenbooksthatblendliteraryfictionwithtimetravelandmetaphysics.
InSeaofTranquility,EmilySt.JohnMandeldeftlybraidstogetherthreeseparatetimelines:oneintheCanadianwildernessin1912,oneinthe22ndcentury,andoneinthedistantfuture.
Allthreestoriescometogetherwhenatimetravelertriestodiscoverthetruthbehindthestrangeanomaliesthatoccurineachplaceandtime.
Amustreadif:youloveepicwarfaresetinspacewiththefateoftheuniversehanginginthebalance.
ThesecondbookinTchaikovsky’sTheFinalArchitectureseries,thisspaceoperafollowstheHumanColonieswhoareunderattackbytheArchitects.Thisbookhaseverythingyoucouldwantfromanexcellentspaceopera:interstellartravel,politicalwars,aliencultists,andeverythinginbetween.
Amustreadif:youwanttoprocessthepandemicthroughtender,character-drivenstories.
Inthisseriesofvignettes,Nagamatsupaintsacomplexpictureofafuturesocietydealingwithapandemic.Thedarkest,strangest,andmosttenderaspectsofhumannaturecometolightinthesebrilliantstories.
Amustreadif:youlovecozyadventureswithheart-warmingcharacters.
ThesecondbookinChambers’MonkandRobot,APrayerfortheCrown-ShyfollowsSiblingDex,ateamonk,andMosscap,arobot,whojourneytogetheracrossthemoontheycallhometotrytofindphilosophicalanswersaboutlifeandtheuniverse.
Thisbookisgentle,wholesome,andsweet.
Amustreadif:youlikethought-provokingfictionaltechnologies.
BixBoutonhasinventedanewtechnology,“OwnYourUnconscious,”whichallowsyoutoaccessyourmemoriesandsharetheminexchangeforaccesstothememoriesofothers.
TheCandyHouseexplorestheeffectsofthistechnologyandwhattheysayaboutprivacyandintimacy.
Amustreadif:you’veeverbeentroubledbysociety’srestrictivenormsforwomanhoodandmotherhood.
Onaparticularlybadday,FridaLiuleavesherdaughterathomeunsupervised,whichgetshersenttoaninstitutionthatwillteachherhowtobea“good”mother.TheSchoolforGoodMothersisachillingandtimelyreadthatexaminessocietalnormsinanewway.
Amustreadif:youlikefunny,fantasticaladventuresandstrangecreatures.
TheKaijuPreservationSocietyisan“animalrightsorganization”thatprotectsanimalsfromanalternatedimension.Scalzibringstogetherthebestofsciencefiction,fantasy,andcomedyinanexciting,genre-blendingtale.
Amustreadif:youlikehorrorstoriesandsciencefictionsetinspace.
ClaireKovalikandhercrewpickupadistresssignalinspaceandfindtheAurora,afamousspace-linerthatvanishedonitsfirstvoyage.Asthecrewexplorestheship,theyrealizethatsomethingwentverywrong.DeadSilencehasbeendescribedasTitanicmeetsTheShining.
Amustreadif:youlikeBlackMirrorandEternalSunshineoftheSpotlessMind.
InTellMeanEnding,thousandsofpeopleareshockedtolearnthattheyoncechosetohaveamemoryerasedfromtheirminds,andnowtheyhavetheopportunitytogetthatmemoryback.
Thisdystopiannovelexplorestheconsequencesofleavingmemoriesburiedversusconfrontingthemhead-on.
Amustreadif:youlikesciencefictionthatholdsupamirrortotheracismandclassisminourworld.
Inthispowerfulstory,Onyebuchiexploresafuturewheretherichhavemigratedtospacecolonies,forcingpoorer,largelyBIPOCpopulationstosurviveonanapocalypticEarth.Goliathfollowsmultiplecharactersastheysearchformeaninginasystemthat’sdesignedtopushthemdown.
Amustreadif:youlikethrillingmysterystoriesandtime-travelconspiracies.
TheParadoxHotelisanestablishmentwheretherichcanvisitdifferenterasoftime,fromtheJurassicPeriodtoWWIIandeverythinginbetween.
JanuaryCole,thehotel’sheadofsecurity,mustsolveamurderonthehotel’spremiseswhileensuringnobodymesseswiththetimeline.
Amustreadif:youlikeentertaining,wittystorieswithseriousthemes.
Mickey7isanExpendable,adisposableemployeesentondangerousmissionsthatnobodyelseiswillingtoundertake.Eachtimehedies,hegetsputintoanewbody.
Butwhensomethinggoeswrongonascoutingmissionandherealizeshe’sbeenreplacedbyMickey8,Mickey7mustfigureouthowtoavoiddyingforgood.
Amustreadif:youlikethrilling,fast-pacedstoriesaboutgeneticengineering.
LoganRamsey’sgenomehasbeenhacked,causinghisbodytochangeinunexpectedways:hecanconcentratebetter,readfaster,andmore.Inordertodefeattheenemyathand,he’sgoingtohavetobecomesomethingotherthanhuman.
Amustreadif:youlikeyourscifiwithasideofromance.
OctaviaZarolaandherbountyhuntingcrewacceptajobforapricetheycan’trefuse.Buttheysoonrealizethattheymightbeonthevergeofstartinganewwar.Thisexcitingscifiromanceisfullofplottwistsandfoundfamily.
Nowit’stimetolookatsomeofthebestscifibooksofalltime.Theseclassicshavebeenbelovedforgenerations.
Amustreadif:youlikeliteraturethatexaminestheprejudicesinherentinhumanpsychologyandsociety.
Firstpublishedin1969,TheLeftHandofDarknessfollowsahumanambassadorsenttoaplanetfreeofsexism,whereallinhabitantshavefluidgendersandbelieveinfairerphilosophiesthanhumansocietiesdo.
Halfacenturylater,thislandmarknovelisstillconsideredoneofthegreatestsciencefictionmasterpiecesofalltime.
Amustreadif:theubiquityoftechnologyandgovernmentsurveillanceconcernsyou.
Afuturisticsocietywhereatotalitariangovernmentwatchesoverallcitizensandorchestratesallactivities.Withthemesofnationalism,censorship,andsurveillance,thisclassicsciencefictionnovelisjustasrelevanttodayasitwaswhenitwaspublishedin1949.
Amustreadif:youwanttomeetsomeofthefunniestandoriginalaliensintheuniverse.
Firstinthiscomedyscifiseries,TheHitch-Hiker’sGuidetotheGalaxyfollowsArthurDentonhisadventuresthroughthegalaxy.
AstheonlysurvivorafterEarthisdestroyedtomakewayforanintergalacticbypass,DentrunsintoamotleycastofaliensincludingZaphodBeeblebrox,PresidentoftheGalaxy,andMarvinthedepressedandroid.
Thismightbeoneofthefunniestandwittiestbooksinthesciencefictiongenre.
Amustreadif:youlovethein-depthstrategyofspacewars.
Inthis1985militaryscifinovel,EnderWigginisachildprodigywhogetsdraftedtoBattleSchooltotrainfortheinterplanetarywaragainstthealienBuggers.
Cardcreatesamulti-layeredworldfulloffascinatingalientechnologyandthemesrelatedtotheconsequencesofprejudiceandwar.
Amustreadif:youlovedelvingdeepintothepoliticsandfactionsofinterstellarnoblehouses.
Setinthedistantfuture,wherelifeandculturerevolvearoundtheuseandexchangeofthespicemelange.DunefollowsyoungPaulAtreides,heirofHouseAtreides,andexploresthecomplexpolitics,religion,ecology,andtechnologyamongthemanyfactionsvyingforcontrolofthespicetrade.
Amustreadif:you'veeverbeenhorrifiedbysomeonewantingtobanabook.
Inthis1953dystopiannovel,televisiondominatesandbooksareoutlawed.Soundslikeanightmare,butthiscontroversialbookisstillafavorite.
Onefireman,whosejobitistostartfires,beginstoseethevalueofprintedliterature.Profoundandheartwrenching,Fahrenheit451iswidelyregardedasoneofRayBradbury’sbestworks.
Amustreadif:you'veeverworriedabouttechnologycontrollingthemasses.
Aclassicpropheticnovel,BraveNewWorlddescribesthehorrorsofafutureworldwithnoindividualfreedomatall—onewherematerialcomfortandphysicalpleasureprovidedbydrugsandsexaretheonlyconcerns.
Amustreadif:youwanttoexperiencethegreatestallegoryeverwritten.
Animalsonafarmoverthrowtheirhumanownersandsetupadeeplyflawedgovernmentthatseemsweirdlyfamiliar.ThisbookisaninterestingandengagingcritiqueoftheRussianRevolutionof1917.
ManyhighschoolsstillrequirestudentstoreadAnimalFarm,becauseit’ssuchaclassicworkofsciencefiction.
Amustreadif:youloveworld-savingheroesandintergalacticcoups.
Abandofpsychologists,ledbypsycho-historianHardSeldon,planacolonythatencouragesart,science,andtechnologyonthedecliningGalacticEmpiretopreservehumankind’sknowledge.
TheplanistobuildFoundationsthatwillreducetheDarkAgefrom30,000yearsto1,000years.
Amustreadif:youwanttoknowwheretheterms“cyberspace”and“theMatrix”camefrom.
Aburned-outcomputerwhizstealsasecuritycodelockedinthemostheavilyguardeddatabankinthesolarsystem.
WilliamGibson’sNeuromanceriscompletewiththeriseofmegacorporations,ColdWarespionage,militaryconspiracies,andmuchmore.
Amustreadif:youwanttochallengeyoursocialandculturalnorms.
ValentineMichaelSmith,bornandraisedonMars,comestoEarthandstunsWesternculturewithhissuperhumanabilities.MikehasaclaimtolegalownershipofMars,whichmakeshimavaluablecommoditytoEarth’sgovernment.
StrangerinaStrangeLandisaclassiccritiqueofpoliticalsystemsandorganizedreligion.
Amustreadif:youwantacomplexstorythatispartslavememoir,partfantasy,andparthistoricalfiction.
Ayoungblackwomanlivingin1970sCaliforniasuddenlyandinexplicablyfindsherselfin1815onaslaveplantationinMaryland.
Whenshesavesawhitechildfromdrowning,sherealizesthatheisherancestorand,eventhoughhegrowsintoadespicable,slave-owningman,shemustprotecthislifeifsheeverhopestobeborn.
Amustreadif:youwanttounderstandtheeffectsofwarandgetafewlaughsatthesametime.
BillyPilgrimreturnshomefromWorldWarIIonlytobekidnappedbyaliensfromtheplanetTralfamadore,whoteachhimthattimeisaneternalpresent.Billytravelsbackandforthintime,visitinghisbirth,death,andallthemomentsinbetweenrepeatedlyandoutoforder.
Amustreadif:youareterrifiedbytheprospectofmencontrollingwomen’sreproductivesystems.
OffredisaHandmaidintheRepublicofGilead,whichwasoncetheUnitedStates.Gileadisnowanoppressiveworldwherewomenmaynotreadandarevaluedonlyaslongastheyareviableforreproduction.
Thirtyyearsafteritspublication,TheHandmaid’sTaleremainsterrifyinglyrelevanttoAmericanwomentoday.
Amust-readif:you’reinterestedinintelligentpeoplewhocareaboutintelligence.
2001:ASpaceOdysseyfollowstwoastronautsontheirjourneyintospaceandhowtheirlivesarejeopardizedbythejealousyoftheircomputer,HAL.Atenseshowdownbetweenmanandmachineresultsinamind-bendingtrekthroughspaceandtime.
Amust-readif:youlikesciencefictionthatdrawsfromrealphysicsincreativeways.
InTheThreeBodyProblem,LiudepictsafuturewhereEarthisawaitinganinvasionfromtheneareststarsystem,whichconsistsofthreestarsthatorbiteachother.TheEarth-likeplanetinthissystemisbeingjuggledbetweenallthreestars,affectingtheevolutionofitscivilizations.
ThisbookwasthefirstAsiannoveltowinaHugoAward,anditiswidelyacclaimedasoneofthebestChinesesciencefictionnovelsofalltime.
Amust-readif:youlikedBladerunnerandwanttoreadtheoriginalstory.
Inaworldwhereandroidsaresosophisticatedthatit’snearlyimpossibletotellthemapartfromorganichumans,RickDeckard,abountyhunter,makesalivingfindingrogueandroidsand“retiring”them.Butsometimes,theandroidsfightback.
This1968novelisawidelyacclaimedmasterpiece.
Amust-readif:youlikeclonestorieswithdeep,complexcharactersandthemes.
ArianeEmoryisascientistandpoliticianwhorunsacloningresearchfacilityonCyteen,thehomeplanetoftheUnion.HertaskistocreateanarmyofgeneticallyengineeredsoldiersfortheUnion.
Cyteenexploresthenatureofhumankindandtheethicsofcloninginanuancedanddeeplyoriginalstory.
Amust-readif:youlikemind-bendinggenre-busters.
InspectorTyadorBorlúinvestigatesamurderbytravelingfromBeszeltoUlQoma.Butthejourneybetweenthesetwocitiesisstrangeandterrifying.Thisgenre-bendingbookliessomewhereontheedgebetweenmystery,sciencefiction,andfantasy.
Amust-readif:youlikeromance,comedy,andspaceoperas.
Thefirstfull-lengthnovelintheVorkosiganSaga,ShardsofHonorfollowsCordeliaNaismith,thecaptainofasurveyship,whogetsmaroonedonaplanetwithCaptainLordAralVorkosigan.
Facedwithdeadlyaliens,dwindlingrations,andthedifferencesbetweentheirsocieties,theywillhavetolearnhowtocooperateinordertosurvive.
Amust-readif:youlikecyberpunkandwanttoreadthebookthatcoinedtheterm“metaverse.”
Intherealworld,HiroProtagonistisapizzadeliverydriver,butintheMetaverse,he’sahackerandawarriorprince.Hehastodiscoverthesourceofthedrug“SnowCrash,”whichissopowerfulthatitcanreprogramyourbrain.
Publishedin1992,SnowCrashwasaheadofitstimeinpredictingtheeffectsoftheinternetandthemetaverseonhumanpsychology.
Amustreadif:youlikeheartwarmingstoriesaboutmisfitsinspace.
ThefirstbookinBeckyChambers’Wayfarersseries,thisbookfollowstheragtagcrewoftheWayfarerandtheiradventuresindeepspace.Thisfeel-good,character-drivennovelisfullofaliensandhumansthatyoucanrelatetoandrootfor.
Amustreadif:youloveambitiousfirst-contactstoriesandyou’renotafraidofspiders.
HumankindhasescapedadyingEarthtofindanewhomeamongthestars,andtheyfindaworldterraformedandreadyforhumanlife.
Butanewracealreadyliveshere—intelligentspidersthathavecreatedcomplextechnology.ChildrenofTimeisastoryaboutwhathappenswhentwocivilizationscollide.
Amustreadif:youwanttoreadoneofthefirstbooksinthegenresofsciencefictionandhorror.
It’shardtobelievethatShelleywroteFrankensteinwhenshewasonly18.ThisclassictalefollowsDr.VictorFrankensteinwhocreatesamonsterinhislab.Shelleythenexploresthepsychologyofthemonsterasherealizeshe’sallaloneintheworld.
Publishedin1818,andwidelyacclaimedasthefirstsciencefictionbook,Frankensteinnotonlycreatedanewgenrebutalsoenduresthetestoftime.
Amustreadif:you'reinterestedintherelationshipbetweenspaceandtimetravel.
ABritishinventorcreatesatimemachinethatsendshimfarintothefuture,A.D.802,701,wheresubterraneanMorlockspreyonthechildlikeEloi.
TheTimeMachineisawarningthatthingsdon'talwaysgetbetterastimegoeson;theyjustchange.
Amustreadif:youwantafuturistic(andoftenterrifying)underseaadventure.
ProfessorArronaxandhistwocompanionsaretrappedaboardafantasticsubmarinewiththederangedCaptainNemo.Theygettoseeexoticoceancreaturesandstrangesightshiddenfromthoseabove.
Originallypublishedin1870,20,000LeaguesUndertheSearemainsanexcitingandrelatableadventure.
Amustreadif:youlikeyoursocksscaredoffbyalieninvasions.
InTheWaroftheWorlds,alienswithadvancedtechnologylaunchaninvasionofEarth,threateningthefutureofhumanity.Anordinarymanandhisbrotherfighttosurvive.
Amustreadif:you’reinterestedinfilmsandgamesfromthe1980s.
WadeWattsfeelsbestwhenhe’sinthevirtualworldcalledOASIS.Hetriestosolveitscreator’scomplicatedgametowintheultimateprizeandtoconfronttherealworldhewantstoescape.
ReadyPlayerOnewasoneofthemostwell-reviewedbooksof2011,captivatingtheheartsofthousandsofreaders,andwasadaptedintoaStevenSpielbergfilmin2018.
Amustreadif:youlovetheplanetMars.
RedMarsisthefirstnovelintheMarstrilogy,whichdocumentsthesettlementandterraformingoftheredplanetoverthecourseoftwocenturies.KimStanleyRobinsonshowsushowhumanscanestablishanewculturalidentityinanewenvironment.
Amustreadif:youdon’tseecomplicatedissuesinblackandwhite.
Winnerofthe1961HugoAwardforBestNovel,ACanticleforLeibowitztakesachillingandprovocativelookatapost-apocalypticfuture.TheMonksoftheOrderofSt.Leibowitzattempttopreserveremnantsofcivilization.
Amustreadif:thephrase“acreaturewhichdefiedphysicallawsandwhichcommunicatedonlythroughdeath”frightensorintriguesyou.
SevenpilgrimsundertakeavoyagetotheworldofHyperion.DominatedbyafearsomeandmysteriouscreaturecalledtheShrike,thepilgrimshopetolearnthesecrettosavehumanity.
Amustreadif:youponderthebigquestions,suchaswhatitmeanstobe“civilized.”
AfatherandsonwalkalonethroughburnedAmericatoreachthecoast.Nothingmoves.It’scoldanddark,andtheyhavenothingbutapistoltodefendthemselves,theclothesthey’rewearing,andacanofscavengedfood.
Thispost-apocalypticsciencefictionnovelisterrifyingbutprofound.
Amustreadif:youlovesciencefictionanddetectivestoriesrolledintoone.
Trackingoneman’sdescentintotheKafkaesqueunderworldofcontemporaryTokyo,JapanesewriterHarukiMurakamiunitesEastandWest,tragedyandfarce,compassionanddetachment,slangandphilosophy.
This1985novelwontheTanizakiPrizeandisdeeplyimaginative.
Amustreadif:you'reatthestageoflifewonderingwhereyoufitinthisworld.
Inthis1950sscificlassic,afundamentalistChristiansocietybelievesanyaberrationfromnormalityisasignofblasphemy.Whenagroupofchildrenshowsignsofmutationintheformoftelepathy,theymustkeepitasecrettoavoidbeingbanishedorevenkilled.
Amustreadif:youlikedeep,philosophicalstoriesaboutstrangenewplanets.
PolishwriterStanislawLemexploresdeepphilosophicalquestionsinthis1961novel.Solarisfollowsateamofhumansonaspacestationtryingtoexploreaplanetwithastrange,mysteriousocean.
Ourlistwouldn’tbecompletewithoutaddingoureditor’stop5books:
Amustreadif:youwanttolearnaboutquantumphysicsonalevelthatevenkidscanrelateto.
MegMurry,hersmallbrotherCharlesWallace,andtheirnewfriendCalvintravelthroughthespaceandtimecontinuum.They'reonaquesttorescueMegandCharles“sfatherwhoisbeingkeptcaptivebyevilforces.
AWrinkleinTimewasoneofmyfavoritebooksasachild,andcontinuestocaptivatechildrenaroundtheworld.
Amust-readif:youlikeextraordinaryworldbuildingandpowerful,heartbreakingepics.
TheFifthSeasonissetontheStillness,aworldwhereearthquakesarecommonandpotentiallyapocalyptic.Thosewiththepowertocontroltheearthareenslavedandforcedtoprotecttherestofcivilization.
ThisHugoAward-winningnoveliscategorizedasasciencefantasynovel,ratherthanpuresciencefiction,butJemisindrawsonreal-worldgeologyandphysicsinthisbrilliantandgroundbreakingworkofliterature.
Amustreadif:youlikealternatehistoriesandcomplexfemalecharacters.
WhatifameteoritefelltoEarthin1952,threateningthefutureoftheplanetandforcinghumankindtoacceleratetheirspaceprogramInthisalternatehistorynovel,ElmaYorkbecomesaLadyAstronautwhojoinsthespacerace.
TheCalculatingStarswonboththeHugoandtheNebulain2019,forgoodreason.
Amustreadif:youhaven'thadagoodcryinawhileandneedanemotionalrelease.
Boymeetsgirlwithafantastictwist:he’satimetravelerwhoslipsinandoutoftime.HenryandClaremeeteachotherthroughouttime,untilthey’refinallyinaplacewheretheiragesmatchandtheycanmarry.ButtimetravelreallytakesitoutofHenry.
TheTimeTraveler’sWifeisaromantic,tender,anddeeplyheartbreakingnovel.
Amustreadif:youdon'tminduglycryingwhilereading.
Experimentalbrainsurgerymakesamouseintoagenius.Thenitworksfordull-wittedCharlieGordon,whobecomesintelligentandinteresting,butsoonthemousebeginstoregress.
FlowersforAlgernon,firstpublishedin1959,willsendyouanemotionalrollercoaster.
Weknowthiswasalengthypostbutwehadtomakesurethatweincludedallthetopcontenders.
Ofcourse,youmayhaveyourownideastoaddsoletusknowyourtoppicksinthecommentsbelow.
HannahYangisaspeculativefictionwriterwhowritesaboutallthingsstrangeandsurreal.HerworkhasappearedinAnalogScienceFiction,ApexMagazine,TheDark,andelsewhere,andtwoofherstorieshavebeenfinalistsfortheLocusAward.Herfavoritehobbiesincludewatercolorpainting,playingguitar,androckclimbing.Youcanfollowherworkonhannahyang.com,orsubscribetohernewsletterforpublicationupdates.