The Sci-Fi Book Classics You Need to Read Before You Die

Popsugar ^ | 09/06/2014 | NICOLE NGUYEN

[Fzob]

Happy National Read a Book Day! Celebrate with these essential sci-fi classics. Space, dystopian futures, robots, technology, aliens . . . what is there not to love about science fiction, a genre that stretches the imagination and offers a glimpse into what lies in a galaxy and time far, far away? Now that you've indulged on the most compelling, classic epic fantasy series, it's time to switch gears. Onward, futurists!

We recruited our own POPSUGAR editors to help compile the ultimate list of geeky reads. And this week, we're showcasing the best sci-fi narratives, with all the traditional elements of the genre: artificial intelligence, travel to remote parts of the universe, futuristic gadgets, wormholes, apocalyptic political systems, and extraterrestrials.

This list of essential geek reads isn't complete — there are plenty of time-travel, tech, and graphic novel editions still to come. But in the meanwhile, take a look at our recommendations for science fiction stories every geek must know, and tell us which books you'd add to the list.

[Lurker]

Well put. I hope you don’t mind if I use it.

[P.O.E.]

Orphans of the Sky - Heinlein
Fahrenheit 451 - Bradbury
I, Robot - Asimov
Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep? - Dick
Out of the Silent Planet - Lewis

Just off the top of my head.

[PIF]

The majority of the works mentioned are all written in the period of 1950 - 1980s. - probably the heyday of classic science fiction - back when America believed anything was possible.

More recent science fiction works that are notable and hold their own or surpass older works include:

Gene Simmons Hyperion series: Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, The Rise of Endymion;

Iain M. Banks Culture series (Earth date): Consider Phlebas (1331 AD), The State of the Art (1977 AD), Excession (2067 AD), The Player of Games (2083 AD), Matter (2087 AD), Use of Weapons (2092 AD), Look to Windward (2170 AD), The Hydrogen Sonata (2375–2567 AD), Surface Detail (2970 AD). Also non-Culture: The Algebraist;

Steven Baxter’s Xeelee series: Timelike Infinity, Vacuum Diagrams, Flux, Ring, Raft;

And;

Gene Wolf’s The Book of the New Sun series (which, for those unfamiliar, Wolf’s prose approaches that of Lawrence Durrell for the best use of the English language in any venue today): The Shadow of the Torturer, The Claw of the Conciliator - (collectively reprinted as Shadow and Citadel); The Sword of the Lictor, The Citadel of the Autarch - (collectively reprinted as Sword and Claw); The Urth of the New Sun.

Worthy mentions go to:

Gregory Benford’s Galactic Center Series: In the Ocean of Night, Across the Sea of Suns, Great Sky River, Tides of Light, Furious Gulf, Sailing Bright Eternity;
Vernor Vinge: A Fire Upon the Deep;
Neal Stephenson: Snow Crash;
David Zindell: Neverness;
James Hogan: Cradle of Saturn;
Peter F Hamilton: The Naked God.

[Fzob]

Thanks for the comments

[barbarianbabs]

My favorite short story is
The Long Walk by Stephen King

[Smokin' Joe]

I lost a pristine paperback first edition of that in a fire recently. (Richard Bachman), before he changed pen names.

I bought mine at a thrift store, and was stunned to see what it would cost to replace it.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Real Science Fiction readers do NOT use the derisive and irritating term “Sci Fi.”

Real Science Fiction reader are not big on following arbitrary rules.

[Brother Cracker]

Real Science Fiction readers don't eat quiche

[HandyDandy]

Yes, those were the big three back when I was an avid science-fiction reader. Gotta name-drop and must mention “R is for Rocket”. Elton Johns “Rocket Man” was based on a Bradbury story of the same name. Might also lump Arthur C Clarke in there.

[barbarianbabs]

Is Stephen King also Peter Straub??

[BlueLancer]

The Past Through Tomorrow Omnibus by Robert Heinlein.

[Smokin' Joe]

No. Different guys. Richard Bachman was Stephen King's pen name when he wrote What later came to be known as The Bachman Books The Long Walk was redone for a movie The Running Man, Rage is even more valuable as a first edition.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Exactly.

:)

[Psalm 73]

"Read ALL Michael Crighton books!"

I read his first when I was in 6th Grade, read the next three of four, then dropped him for whatever reason.
(I often go in spurts: will read as many Vonnegut's as I can for a year, then read a ton of Hawthorne, then maybe it was on to Kipling, etc...)

[winodog]

I like Ringworld and most all the man kzin wars. Lots of stuff by Sheffeld like Resurgence.
I heard good things about Hyperion and read the first book which was disappointing and I will likely pass on the rest of the series

[winodog]

I have almost everything by Heinlen and Niven and reread them all the time.
Someone here mentioned Hogan last time and I like his stuff too
Two not so well known books I liked are interstellar patrol books by Christopher Anvil and I especially liked Threshold by Janet and Chris Morris. The second book of the series was not as good but the third book picked up again.

[x]

“Ramona and Beezus” by Beverly Cleary.

LOL!

I liked when they used dilithium crystals to fix the photon torpedoes. Genius!

[Swordmaker]

TRIPLANETARY, first book of "Doc" Smith's Lensman series available for free at Project Gutenberg. Most of his other early books available for free as well. Enjoy.

I went looking for them again on my Macbook Air after posting and downloaded all six in the series as PDFs then emailed them to myself and installed them on my iPad iBook. Happy am I.

[Swordmaker]

The Door Into Summer, by Robert A. Heinlein. I think it may be my favorite book by him.

[Swordmaker]

The Great Time Machine Hoax, by Keith Laumer.

A Trace of Memory, also by Laumer.