The best way to travel to another world or planet is by reading s sci-fi novel. With so many classics out there, choosing one to read isn’t always easy. That is why we decided to create a list of the 20 sci-fi books that everyone should read once in their lives. Keep reading to find out which books made our list!
There isn’t another genre like science fiction. Even though it is often times mentioned together with fantasy novels, it is too unique to be combined together. They share a few elements but just within a few pages, you can tell which one is which.
Our fascination with sci-fi is everlasting, from Frankenstein being the first sci-fi novel to be written to modern novels pushing the genre forward. As our understanding of the universe has grown, new ideas and fears have made an appearance in recent literature.
But some ideas like time travel and meeting new life forms will stay around for a long time. These novels cover popular themes that we always seem to gravitate to. You can see the full list below!
20 Essential Science Fiction Novels Everyone Should Explore
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
- Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
- The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
- Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
- Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
- Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke
- Hyperion by Dan Simmons
- Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
- 1984 by George Orwell
- 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
- The Martian by Andy Weir
- Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein
- Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
- Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
One of my all-time favorite novels and series has to be The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. The writing is brilliant and the humor is timeless. The fate of planet Earth is at stake yet Adams has the reader laughing throughout the series.
If it wasn’t for this novel, I don’t think I would love sci-fi novels as much as I do. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy showed me that sci-fi novels can be entertaining as well as funny. Without this novel, I can’t imagine how this genre would look like today!
Ender’s Game
Another classic sci-fi novel that is beloved by millions of reader’s is Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. The books follows the adventures of “Ender” Wiggin, a six-year-old boy who is sent to training camp.
He has to play simulated war games where he faces off against aliens in order to train for an upcoming invasion. The plot, writing and questions about morality make this a novel unlike any other. It is a must read for any fans of sci-fi and aliens.
The Time Machine
The concept of time travel by a vehicle moving forward or purposely travel forward or backward in time was first introduced in The Time Machine by H. G. Wells. This was Wells’ first novel and it has become memorable for its invention of time travel, a term Wells is credited as creating. While this novel does leave a lot to be desired, its influence on the science fiction genre cannot be ignored.
1984
You can’t have a list of essential science fiction books and not have 1984 by George Orwell on it. The novel takes place during the Soviet Union in the era of Stalinism and Nazi Germany. But when Americans realized that their government was secretly spying on them, this novel soared in popularity.
As digital media has taken over the world, many people have seen their privacy invaded. Orwell’s novel was a grim prediction that has come to become a reality. The trust in governments has been eroded and has led to many people turning to this novel for its accuracy.
Station Eleven
Emily St. John Mendel’s novel Station Eleven is one of the best dystopian novels ever written in my opinion. And it is also a great sci-fi novel even though it leans more towards the former genre. Still, it is a novel that I love and still think about to this day.
The novel is about a band of actors and musicians who travel around the Great Lake region in a post-apocalyptic word. But the band runs into trouble when they encounter a self-proclaimed ‘Prophet’ who uses violence to get whatever he desires.
Hyperion
A sci-fi novel that you will get immersed in is Hyperion by Dan Simmons. This might be my favorite sci-fi novel of all time just because of the amazing storytelling. Simmons has become one of my favorite authors and this novel is one of the reasons why!
It follows a group of people who travel to Hyperion, and the travelers share their stories of how they were chosen for the pilgrimage. The writing, storytelling, and world building make this one of the best sci-fi books out there.
Frankenstein
When talking about must read sci-fi novels, then Frankenstein is a must. Not only because it is one of the first sci-fi novels ever written, it is just a enjoyable novel.
Even two centuries later, readers still flock to this novel as Mary Shelley makes us wonder who is right; Frankenstein or his monster? And yes, the monster’s name is not Frankenstein but the doctor’s.
Conclusion
These are the 20 sci-fi books that everyone should read once in their lives. With tons of amazing sci-fi novels out there, only choosing 20 was not easy. But we feel like this list covers the essential science fiction novels.
How many of these novels have you read or plan to read? What other sci0fi novels are must reads in your opinion? Let us know in the comments below. Until next time, happy reading!
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Great list. I’d be tempted to make it a list of 15 and include Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” and J G Ballards “High Rise”
I’ve read four of them, the latest was in December. It was Station Eleven. Found it a mobius strip of a sci-fi novel. ~Nan
Loved station eleven!
Foundation??
I’ve read sixteen of them. I would add: Hothouse (Aldiss); Foundation (Asimov & sequels); Use of weapons (Banks); Cities in Flight (Blish); The Kinsman Saga (Bova); The Uplift War (Brin); The Pride of Chanur (Cherryh); The Blade Runner (Dick); A Private Cosmos (Farmer); Deathworld (Harrison); Glory Road (Heinlein); A Plague of Demons (Laumer); The Wailing Asteroid (Leinster); Restoree (McCaffrey).
All these authors have. other related book.
The Philip K Dick book that the movie Blade Runner was based on was already on the list. It’s called “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”
I’ve only read half of them. I would remove Ender’s Game from the list, replace it with Ringworld. Or Foundation.
It took me many tries to read The Left Hand of Darkness. I would get about 100 pages in and fall asleep. When I woke I didn’t remember what I’d read, so it went back on the shelf.
Four I’ve never heard of, and two only because of recent movies.
Several great books are missing, I think:
– Foundation or I, robot by Asimov
– Gateway by Pohl
– Ringworld by Niven
– Neuromancer by Gibson
Some titles from list are pure classic but there are some I never heard of…it’s ok, everyone has favorites:)… there are so many excellent SF books