This page is meant to cover the basics works and stellar pieces of science fiction literature. While the bulk of Science Fiction is trashy genre-work there are genuine masterpieces. The purpose of this article is to illustrate those masterpieces as best as possible. As always however, this list is imperfect and always growing. If there is anything missing please add to it.
Contents
The Big Three[edit | edit source]
Isaac Asimov[edit | edit source]
| Title | Author | Description | Pages | Book Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Caves of Steel | Isaac Asimov |
In this novel, Isaac Asimov introduces Elijah Baley and R. Daneel Olivaw, who would later become his favorite protagonists. They live roughly three millennia in Earth's future, a time when hyperspace travel has been discovered, and a few worlds relatively close to Earth have been colonized—fifty planets known as the "Spacer Worlds". The Spacer worlds are rich, have low population density (average population of one hundred million each), and use robot labor very heavily. Meanwhile, Earth is overpopulated (with a total population of eight billion), and strict rules against robots have been passed. The eponymous "caves of steel" are vast city complexes covered by huge metal domes, capable of supporting tens of millions each. The New York City of that era, for example, encompasses present-day New York City, as well as large tracts of New Jersey. Asimov imagines the present day's underground transit connected to malls and apartment blocks, extended to a point where no one ever exits to the outside world. Indeed, most of the population cannot leave, as they suffer from extreme agoraphobia. Even though the Robot and Foundation series were not considered to be part of the same fictional universe until much later, those "caves of steel" resemble the planet Trantor. |
288 |  |
| The Complete Robot | Isaac Asimov | A collection of 31 of Isaac Asimov's short stories, they share a theme of the interaction of humans, robots and morality, and put together tell a larger story of Asimov's fictional history of robotics. Includes the story "Runaround" which outlines Asimov's laws of Robotics. | 496 |  |
| The Gods Themselves | Isaac Asimov | The main plotline is a project by aliens who inhabit a parallel universe (the para-Universe) with different physical laws from this one. By exchanging matter with Earth, they seek to exploit these differences in physical laws. The exchange of matter provides an alternative source of energy in their dying Universe. However, the exchange of physical laws will have consequences. | 304 |  |
| The Foundation Trilogy | Isaac Asimov | Orignally published as a series of novelettes, the foundation trilogy is regarded by many as a itself a key foundation of science fiction. Asimov published another three stories in set in this universe. Before finally wrapping together the timelines of these stories with those of his robots stories. | 678 |  |
| The Naked Sun | Isaac Asimov | Another Science Fiction/Mystery Novel that features Elijah Bailey and R. Daneel, who investigate a murder in a outer space world which has its economy, culture and society closely tied with subservient robots that obey the Three Laws of Robotics. | 288 |  |
Arthur C. Clarke[edit | edit source]
| Title | Author | Description | Pages | Book Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001: A Space Odyssey | Arthur C. Clarke | It's 2001. I shouldn't have to give an introduction | 320 |  |
| Childhood's End | Arthur C. Clarke | Story regarding the future of mankind after the advent of an alien race appears and offers them a golden era of prosperity. | 256 |  |
| The Collected Short Stories of Arthur C. Clarke | Arthur C. Clarke | A Collection of nearly every short story Arthur Clarke has ever published tallying at over 100. Includes: The Nine Billions Names of God, The Sentinel, and his flash fiction "God said, 'Cancel Program GENESIS.' The universe ceased to exist." | 976 |  |
| The Fountains of Paradise | Arthur C. Clarke | 332 |  | |
| Rendevous with Rama | Arthur C. Clarke | Classic book featuring mankind's encounter with the alien vessel Rama. | 274 |  |
Robert Heinlein[edit | edit source]
| Title | Author | Description | Pages | Book Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | Robert Heinlein | The tale of a genetically modified female, designed to be superior physically, and mentally to normal human beings. The story follows her struggles with the prejudice against artificial humans and her attempts to assimilate. | 368 |  |
| Have Space Suit - Will Travel | Robert Heinlein | boy wins space suit in a lottery, goes to space and has adventures. | 256 |  |
| Methuselah's Children | Robert Heinlein | 183 |  | |
| The Moon is a Harsh Mistress | Robert Heinlein | The moon is a penal colony declaring independence from Earth, with a spontaneously self aware computer to help. Lots of philosophy of government, alternate social organism, alternate marriage arrangements. | 384 |  |
| Orphans of the Sky | Robert Heinlein | 224 |  | |
| Starship Troopers | Robert Heinlein | One of Heinlein's most famous pieces of science fiction, Starship Troopers follows the eyes of a human soldier going through the ranks in an alien war. | 263 |  |
| Stranger in a Strange Land | Robert Heinlein | Boy raised by Martians theoretically owns Mars, has strange powers due to his upbringing. Grok that. | 528 |  |
| Time for the Stars | Robert Heinlein | sup light interstellar travel and consequences, plus mental telegraphy and other odd ideas. | 256 |  |
Early and Proto Science Fiction[edit | edit source]
| Title | Author | Description | Pages | Book Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea | Verne, Jules | 426 |  | |
| A Journey to the Center of the Earth | Verne, Jules | 256 |  | |
| A Voyage to Arcturus | Lindsay, David | 274 |  | |
| Frankenstein | Shelley, Mary | 328 |  | |
| The Invisible Man | Wells, H.G. | 208 |  | |
| The Island of Dr. Moreau | Wells, H.G. | 160 |  | |
| The Last Man | Shelley, Mary | 352 |  | |
| True History | Lucian of Samosata | 44 |  | |
| Micromegas | Voltaire | 48 |  | |
| The Time Machine | Wells, H.G. | 104 |  | |
| The War of the Worlds | Wells, H.G. | 138 |  |
Golden Age Science Fiction[edit | edit source]
| Title | Author | Description | Pages | Book Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Princess of Mars | Burroughs, Edgar Rice | 160 |  | |
| The Big Time | Leiber, Fritz | 152 |  | |
| The Day of the Triffids | Wyndham, John | 256 |  | |
| The Demolished Man | Bester, Alfred | 256 |  | |
| Dorsai! | Dickson, Gordon R. | 288 |  | |
| The Martian Chronicles | Bradbury, Ray | 288 |  | |
| Mission of Gravity | Clement, Hal | good hard science about being on the surface of a 300 gravity world. | 203 |  |
| Out of the Silent Planet | Lewis, C.S. | 160 |  | |
| Slan | van Vogt, A.E. | 272 |  | |
| Star Maker | Stapledon, Olaf | 232 |  | |
| Stars My Destination | Bester, Alfred | 272 |  | |
| To Your Scattered Bodies Go | Farmer, Philip Jóse | 184 |  | |
| Triplanetary | Smith, Edward E. | 240 |  | |
| The Voyage of the Space Beagle | van Vogt, A.E. | 224 |  | |
| Who? | Budrys, Algis | 158 |  | |
| Who Goes There | Campbell Jr., John W. | 168 |  | |
| The World of Null-A | van Vogt, A.E. | 272 |  |
Modern Science Fiction[edit | edit source]
Cyberpunk[edit | edit source]
Post Apocalyptic[edit | edit source]
Dystopian[edit | edit source]
