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Nov 22, 2021 · Looking for your next sci-fi must-read? Cyberpunk, space operas, dystopias – we've pulled together some of the WIRED team's favourite science fiction novels.
Mar 21, 2022 · In ranked order, here are the best science fiction books of all time, featuring 'Dune,' 'Annihilation,' '1984,' 'Three Body Problem,' and more.
- awestenfeld@hearst.com
- Books And Fiction Editor
100+ Best Sci-Fi Books to Take You to Infinity and Beyond. Fans of science fiction are drawn to the genre for a variety of reasons. If you were to look at some of the best sci-fi books through literary history, you'd see such a range of titles and authors that you'd barely believe that they could be shelved in the same part of the bookstore.
- Reedsy
- From classics to critically acclaimed new novels, here's the best science fiction to read this summer.
- Sea of Tranquillity by Emily St. John Mandel
- Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler
- Leech by Hiron Ennes
- The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz
- Cataclysm (Star Wars: The High Republic) by Lydia Kang
- Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro
- IGN\r Recommends
By Rosie Knight
Updated: Jan 20, 2024 12:59 am
Posted: Jul 16, 2023 4:45 pm
Science fiction has and continues to shape and encompass many of our favorite movies and TV shows, from Star Wars to Star Trek, Blade Runner to Dark Star, Avengers: Endgame to Wall-E; sci-fi is a big part of our lives. And like every great genre, it's built on brilliant books. The first sci-fi novel—which we've of course included here—is generally seen as being released in 1818, and since then, readers have been spoilt for choice when it comes to great sci-fi storytelling. So we've created a list of must-read science fiction for you to enjoy; from classics to weird new gems, all the way through heartbreakers and game changers. These are the sci-fi books you need to read. Be sure to let us know which are your favorite sci-fi reads in the comments below!
Sea of Tranquility
13% off $17.00
$14.79
If you enjoyed HBO's Station Eleven, you may already be a fan of Mandel, the author behind that transformative dystopian tale. While you don't need to have read that book or her follow up The Glass House, the author does seamlessly connect the novels via characters and tone. In Sea of Tranquility readers traverse centuries as we follow three men on a metaphysical journey through time and space. This is ostensibly a story about a plague — Mandel wrote it during COVID 19 — but it's also a tale about love, life, and discovery. Just like her other books, this is an experimental feat of science fiction that you'll be thinking of long after it's over.
Parable of the Sower
32% off $16.99
$11.63
Butler is one of the most influential sci-fi authors of all time. A trailblazer in speculative writing, her genre-bending masterpieces have long been shaping the genre. This 1993 novel launched a never finished series, and centers on a dystopian future where the world is ravaged by climate change. Set in 2024 it's nightmarishly prescient as society struggles to survive corporate greed, wealth inequality, and extreme climate shifts. At the center of it all is Lauren, whose journal guides us through the landscape. But Lauren has powers and as she explores the country outside her door she finds that she might have a greater role than expected in its future.
Leech by Hiron Ennes
45% off $27.99
$15.39
If you're a fan of Cronenbergian body horror then you'll fall instantly for Ennes' surreal and haunting Gothic horror. A doctor takes on a new role after the death of his predecessor and soon becomes embroiled in a strange mystery. But while that would be a simple enough set up Ennes has far more up their sleeve as we learn about an all-encroaching parasite and its long-reaching grasp on the world at hand. This is a book unlike any other which will lull you with its dreamlike prose before striking a death blow with its horrifying secrets. Just like the titular Leech this book won't let go of you for a long time after you've finished the last page.
The Terraformers
28% off $28.99
$20.49
While many of our picks focus on the darker or more apocalyptic sides of sci-fi, Newitz's story is decidedly optimistic and honest. On Sask-E, Destry has devoted her life to terraforming the planet and protecting its ecosystems. But all is not as it seems and when a new on-planet community is discovered Destry must question everything she thought she knew. Filled with a vibrant cast, a beautifully hewn world, and a vital message for all of us this is a unique and powerful sci-fi story that'll engage you constantly while always making you think.
Cataclysm
30% off $29.99
$20.98
The High Republic line of books and comics has been nothing short of a joy since it launched a couple of years ago introducing an entirely new era of Star Wars canon. It's a time when the Jedi were at the peak of their powers and peace ruled the Galaxy Far, Far Away. The second phase of the publishing initiative "Quest of the Jedi" launched last October and the most recent book Cataclysm showcases the absolute power of the line and its impact. It all begins when a treaty signing on Jeddah goes wrong and the royal heirs Phan-tu Zenn and Xiri A'lbaran must visit to broker a fragile peace. But nothing's that simple. Here Kang delivers a brilliant, complex sci-fi book that brings characters from the previous books together in moving and unexpected ways.
Never Let Me Go
42% off $17.00
$9.89
Topping this list off with one of the most devastating sci-fi books of all time. In this seminally sad story Ishiguro invites readers into the lush grounds of Hailsham, a British boarding school where young people are prepped and shaped for their futures in the world. Three students Tommy, Ruth, and Kathy spend their days there, learning, painting, gardening, and becoming ever more entwined in each other's lives. But this is no ordinary academy and the children have no chance at an ordinary life. This is an atmospheric and infinitely readable story that'll lure you in before revealing its teeth. There's a reason this has become such a classic, so read it now and find out.
For more sci-fi:
•Best Sci-Fi Movies
- Rosie Knight
- Pan Macmillan Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 1 Pan Macmillan Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Credit: Macmillan. When Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein in 1816, she didn't set out to create a cultural touchstone that would spin out into an entire genre.
- Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel 2 Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel. Now 44% Off. Credit: Knopf. If you loved Station Eleven, you'll devour this dystopian novel that's as much about time travel as what happens when we lose sight of what's truly important.
- Ace The Dune Saga by Frank Herbert 3 Ace The Dune Saga by Frank Herbert. Now 44% Off. Credit: Ace. I first read Dune as a teenager after my uncle passed me his dog-eared copy, and the far-future plant of Arrakis, where spice reigns supreme, immediately captured my imagination.
- Square Fish A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle 4 Square Fish A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. Now 23% Off. Credit: Square Fish reprint edition. This bewitching story has served as many children's introduction to the genre for generations, and it's well worth a reread if you haven't done so since grade school.
May 3, 2019 · What are the top sci-fi books, including the best sci-fi series? This post offers a list of highest-rated, must-read science fiction books on Goodreads.
Sep 2, 2019 · Looking for your next sci-fi must-read? Cyberpunk, space operas, dystopias – we’ve pulled together some of the WIRED team’s favorite science fiction novels. Some are eerily plausible, others are wild trips of the imagination, but all present compelling visions of our possible future.