A genre that is sometimes underappreciated is science fiction. But once people overcome their ignorance of the genre and dive into it, they realize how vast and different novels in this genre can be. That is why we decided to list the ten best science fiction books that you must read!
Choosing only ten novels for this novel means that a bunch of great sci-fi novels won’t make the list. But that just means that there are a lot more novels to read once you get past these ten books. Many of the novels selected are classics and some of them overlap in other genres. You can see the full list below!
The 10 Best Science Fiction Books That You Must Read
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
The Best Sci-Fi Novels
A novel that jumps out from the sci-fi genre has to be Dune by Frank Herbert. Whether or not you have read much sci-fi books, there is a good chance that you heard about this novel. It is a sci-fi novel that has amazing world building and has resonated with many readers. Many critics consider this the best sci-fi book ever written.
Even if you aren’t an avid book reader, there is a good chance you read The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. It is taught in most schools across the United States. The brilliant dystopian novel tackles heavy themes which has made it one of the most censored books in the world.
If you love horror, then you should know that many authors have written a horror/sci-fi novel. And Frankenstein by Mary Shelley falls under that category. It is considered one of the first horror novels and is a classic novel for a reason. Even over a century later, the novel is still as popular as ever.
Conclusion
These are the ten best science fiction books that you must read. While there are a few others that can make a case for making this list, I believe these are the best of the best. How many of these novels have you read? What novels would you have included on the list? Let us know in the comments below!
Great list. I might suggest Stranger in A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein, as well.
I enjoyed that book a lot but I didn’t think it should make the top ten list. Maybe the top 20.
I’ve read them all but I feel that while it’s a good children’s book (and series), A Wrinkle in Time is in no way “essential reading” in terms of Science Fiction. Better choices would be the highly influential Neuromancer by William Gibson (the godfather of cyberpunk), The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (space war written by a Vietnam vet just after the end of the war) or Kindred by Octavia E Butler (a brilliantly written work by one of the foremost African American writers).
Fair enough. 🙂
A personal favourite, and possible honourable mention: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin.
How about- anything by Arthur.C. Clark? Surly, the best Sci-Fi author?
Slaughterhouse five is sf???
What about Isaac Asimof? With Dune the best sci fi by far!!
John Brunner’s Stand on Zanzibar should be included.
Stand on Zanzibar should be included.
What about Stanisław Lem?
Foundation
Why is Jack Vance always left out
#1 – ANDY WEIR – PROJECT HAIL MARY ❤️
No Heinlein,Asimov, Clarke or Bradbury…hmmm
“Earth Abides” George R. Stewart should be on there as well. I think 10 slots isn’t enough. There’s a ton of sf books out there.
Since it has an artificial intelligence is at its center, maybe Heinlein’s, the Moon is a Harsh Mistress, will now get the credit it deserves.