Science fiction books are some of the best books that you will ever read. They are unlike anything else and will pique your interest. Keep reading for our list of the 30 best science fiction books that you must read!
With countless science fiction novels to choose from, making this list was difficult. People forget just how influential sci-fi novels are. Many of these books have been adapted into movies and that trend will continue. That is because sci-fi novels have some of the best plots ever written. You can see the full list below!
The 30 Best Science Fiction Books That You Must Read
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
- Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
- Foundation by Isaac Asimov
- The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
- The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide by Douglas Adams
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
- The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- Hyperion by Dan Simmons
- Ringworld by Larry Niven
- I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
- Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
- The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
- The Children of Men by PD James
- Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
- 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
- The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
- The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut
- Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
- Kindred by Octavia Butler
- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Science Fiction Books Worth Reading
One of my personal favorites on this list is Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. It is a brilliant novel that has an expected plot twist. The writing is precise and the tension is palpable. Another favorite of mine is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick. The novel makes you think and ask questions that are hard to answer.
A newer book that made the list is Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. It is a novel that you will think about long after you have finished reading it. Mandel has become one of my favorite authors over the years and this book showcases her amazing talents.
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.
Conclusion
That concludes our list of the 30 best science fiction books that you must read. How many of these novels have you read? What novels would you have included on the list? Let us know in the comments below!
I’ve read most of these, so time to fill the gaps.
Not one book by Stanislaw Lem?!
Speaker for the Dead, the sequel to Ender’s Game is a much book, also very different. Really explores cultural differences, misunderstandings and discrimination ala Becky Chambers who is a glaring omission from this list. Also M. John Harrison’s Light is an absolutely brilliant classic. All in all I think this list is too weighted to older books and ignores some better, brilliant newer works.
I’ve read about half of these.
Never quite sure how 1984 makes SF lists; this is not the first time.
And while ‘Blade Runner’ is one of the great SF movies, particularly the original, do not be fooled, ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ is one of the worst. A poor story, poorly written.
Reading books all my life, especially Sci-Fi for decades. Must mention few, which one left a mark:
Vorkosigan Saga, Killdozer by Theodore Sturgeon, Rama by Arthur C. Clarke