Science fiction books are some of my favorite all times book because of the creativity of the authors. It is not easy writing a science fiction book which is why we decided to take a look at the best science fiction books of all time.
I made the mistake of creating a list of the five best science fiction books of all time and left out many classics. To make up for that mistake, I have decided to create a list of all of the best science fiction books in my opinion.
The Best Science Fiction Books of All Time
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, 1985
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick, 1968
- Dune by Frank Herbert, 1965
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, 1949
- Foundation by Isaac Asimov, 1942
- The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, 1895
- The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide by Douglas Adams, 1979
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, 1818
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, 1985
- The Martian by Andy Weir, 2011
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, 1932
- Hyperion by Dan Simmons, 1989
- Ringworld by Larry Niven, 1970
- I, Robot by Isaac Asimov, 1950
- Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein, 1961
- The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, 1898
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, 1962
- Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne, 1864
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, 1990
- Fahrenheit 451 by by Ray Bradbury, 1953
- Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, 2016
- A Clockwork Orange by by Anthony Burgess, 1962
Timeless Books
The list is in no specific order but what came to my mind first. There are many books on the list that are synonymous with the science fiction genre and the first one I will be talking about is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. The novel tackles a bunch of issues and uses science fiction perfectly to create the worst-case scenario to make the its point. That has led to it being one of the most banned books in the country.
A book that is often credited as being one of the first if not the first science fiction books is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. The novel is over two centuries old and is still relevant today. If that doesn’t speak volume, I don’t know what else will.
Authors Who Have Defined the Genre
Now, I will be shifting the focus on a couple of authors that played an important part in the genre. H. G. Wells has written multiple books that are regarded as some of the best books in the genre. Books like The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds make him vital to this category.
Another author that comes to mind is Isaac Asimov. His Foundation series is a goldmine for fans of the science fiction genre. His novel I, Robot is also worth reading as it tackles a lot of issues when it comes to artificial intelligence.
Conclusion
No list is going to get it right but this list covers most of the major science fiction novels of the past two centuries. From classics like Dune by Frank Herbert to Ringworld which I have heavily recommended by my readers. What do you make of the list? Are there any books that should have made the list? Let us know in the comments below!
Yes, Ursula K Le Guin and Neil Stephenson (Snow Crash, etc.).
And the Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. Terrifying because it’s so close to being possible.
Of course Gibson and Vinge
I don’t know if Handmaid’s Tale was “banned.” The controversy over the book was about what age it is appropriate for and it is impossible to get agreement if you have more than one person in a room. It is an excellent book but at least one graphic sex scene made me pause when I saw the book in the Young Adult section of our local library.