Masterpieces: 25 of The Best Science Fiction Books Ever Written
This is a list of 25 science fiction books that will go down or already are considered masterpieces.
Throughout Science Fiction’s history there have been hundreds perhaps thousands of great novels. Lots of these books were ground breaking in their approach and subject matter thereby adding to their appeal for readers. Although I could easily have considered 50 or 100 books to be on this list I have decided to just focus on twenty five books that are definitely masterpieces of science fiction. Now I know I will be excluding some books from this list that deserve to be on it but I am only putting on paper what I consider to be twenty five that deserve it. In any list ever created there will always be some books/authors that get left off no matter how big the list is so please consider this before posting any comments. I also limited each author to only one book each for this list. The list is no particular order so number one does not mean overall best. Here are my twenty five masterpieces of science fiction:
- War of the Worlds HG Wells
- Brave New World Aldous Huxley
- 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Jules Verne
- The Foundation Trilogy Isaac Asimov
- 2001: A Space Odyssey Arthur C. Clarke
- Dune Frank Herbert
- Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury
- Stranger in a Strange Land Robert Heinlein
- Man in the High Castle Philip K. Dick
- World of Null A AE Van Vogt
- The Forever War Joe Haldeman
- Flowers For Algernon Daniel Keyes
- Slaughterhouse Five Kurt Vonnegut
- 1984 George Orwell
- A Clockwork Orange Anthony Burgess
- Ringworld Larry Niven
- Princess of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Nueromancer William Gibson
- Ender’s Game Orson Scott Card
- Left Hand of Darkness Ursula K. LeGuin
- Hyperion Dan Simmons
- Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy & Mostly Harmless Douglas Adams
- The Andromeda Strain Michael Chrichton
- Gateway Frederick Pohl
- A Fire Upon the Deep Vernor Vinge
Here are my personal favorite books not listed above (once again different authors) but all are probably considered or will be masterpieces too):
- Mote in God’s Eye Jerry Pournelle & Larry Niven
- Contact Carl Sagan
- The Day of the Triffids John Wyndham
- Solaris Stanislaw Lem
- Red Mars Kim Stanley Robinson
- A Canticle for Leibowitz Walter Miller
- Startide Rising David Brin
- To Your Scattered Bodies Go Philip Jose Farmer
- Doomsday Book Connie Willis
- The Speed of Dark Elizabeth Moon
Liked it
I don’t really get into reading
Wow, I should really read some of them. Great work!
Ender’s Game was awesome. Good picks.
I was pleased to see A Princess Of Mars on your list.
While no one will point to Mr. Burroughs as a great writer he possesed a great imagination and was a hell of a story teller.
Jules Verne was a master writer. I love his books. He has people going to the moon and captains of 15 years young etc in the 19th century.
I respond here in the hope for your responce. I have, book of the century, book of the decade, best seller for weeks runing, a book I must write in the service of the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY WHOSE reality, the magnificance of which must be articulated with a deeper understanding so HIS greatnes and the properties of reality (E=MC (square) which apply to HIM can be better (Proverbs 4:7Kjv) understood and comonly spoken of globally. HIS reality and the magnificance of HIS person must be written of in “ROAD KILL” my book and to write my book I want to know what the primary eliments or component parts of a book that is a masterpiece are.I would like so much to hear or read these eliments or component parts of a book that is a masterpiece compared and contrasted in conversation so I can do with my book what is spoken of in such great conversations. I have a (Genesis 26:5Kjv) Charge to write this book which is more a text book or manual which must be as a Romans 12:1Kjv) living sacrifice holy and acceptable to GOD and ( Matt 5:48Kjv) perfecteven a the FAATHER which is in HEAVEN is paerfect and with out (Exodus 12:5Kjv) blemish so He will be pleased and bless me to write well when I fast beyond 36hours and get into, “deep thought” for a depth of understanding and clearness of mind with an acute ability to express myself plainly.
Don’t much like readin wurds n stuff. Book learnin never done me much good.
Some nice books there, including some of my favorites. Have you ever read any Philip Jose Farmer?
I’d recommend giving his Riverworld series of books a try, plus Dayworld Rebel.
Oops! Just reread your post, and I see you list ‘To Your Scattered Bodies Go’…. Cool! We have similar tastes in scifi – you’ve got some real classics there.
Particularly glad to see A.E.Van Vogt in your list – seems he doesn’t usually get the credit he deserved.
How about Gordon R. Dickson’s class Childe Cycle novels? (my favorites being ‘Tactics of Mistake’ and ‘Other’)