Maybe you just watched The Martian or maybe you love Firefly. Either way, now your in the mood for Sci-Fi, but don’t know where to start.
I’m here to help.
Sci-Fi is not my typical genre, so I can’t pretend this is the best list out there. BUT, and there’s always a but, this may be a good list for someone who would like to dabble in Sci-Fi without going all in. That describes my experience with it. It’s not a genre I’ve real a lot of, but it is one I certainly enjoy. I love a good space opera and I’m quite fond of aliens, so that is what this list focuses on. Although aliens invading earth and abduction are always fun (or scary) too…
So, never mind, this list had a little bit of everything. In no particular order:
10. Fortune’s Pawn // Rachel Bach
09. The Universe in Miniature in Miniature // Patrick Somerville. One of the short stories in this one reminds me of Pixar’s Lifted.
08. The Martian // Andy Weir. A space pirate colonizes Mars (a strange, but true summary).
07. Armada // Ernest Cline. Not as good as Ready Player One, but solid enough for a space adventure.
06. The 100 // Kass Morgan. Humans living in outer space and returning to earth. Very Lord of the Flies… (TV is better than the book, in my opinion).
05. Dune // Frank Herbert. Enough has already been said without me adding to it.
04. Invasion of the Body Snatchers // Jack Finney. A classic! That doesn’t make it stellar, mind you, but important nonetheless.
03. The Tommyknockers //Stephen King. A bloated, overwritten (yet compulsively readable) brick of a book, but still a Stephen King novel. So…
02. Communion: A True Story // Whitney Strieber. Okay, so this one scared me (abductions).
01. Slaughterhouse-Five // Kurt Vonnegut. Listen: Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time. A worthy classic.
For more mood based recommendations, go here.
flannel and folklore 
Sci-fi is not my normal alley to hang out in, either, but I have to say some of my favorite books have been sci-fi-ish. I adored The Martian. Have you read Replay by Ken Grimwood? So very good. Now that I think about it, I read it decades ago and should give it another go-round. In any event, I have to say how excited I am to see The 100 on your list. I’m trying to get my 16-yo nephew more into books and on top of giving him some titles I’m asking him what he likes to read so I can read it and we can talk about it. He mentioned this series, which I didn’t even know was in book form. The tv series has been on my “to watch” list forever and now I need to get to both of them.
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Sci-fi is not my typical genre either, but I did love Fortune’s Pawn and The Martian so I think I’ll give some of these a chance.
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I don’t do gore… and I don’t do space… why? I just don’t know… (but I did see the movie of The Martian and it was good).
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I don’t normally do sci-fi, but some of my favorite reading last year was actually sci-fi. Color me shocked! Illuminae, The Martian, and especially The Girl with All the Gifts are great, and Illuminae is the only one that really reads like a fantasy/sci-fi type of book. Great choice of mood reading list!
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Another whose main reading isn’t sci-if but, The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell is right up there, Margaret Atwoods MaddAddam series, and of course Fahrenheit 451
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I’m not going to lie either – the TV is much better than the book (speaking of the 100). Love that show. lol. I’ve been thinking about picking up The Martian. You’ve officially convinced me. (Took a peek at your review. Space Piracy o/). Great list!
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I [finally] just watched The Martian last week. I think it’s satisfied my sci-fi cravings for now, but I would like to read Slaughterhouse-Five at some point.
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I could use some more space. I’m in a bit of a sci/fi mood i think.
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Love your description of the Martian! I’ve read only a few space novels myself. I did enjoy Joe Haldeman’s classic The Forever War.
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Awesome list! I really need to read Armada. I haven’t got a copy yet which is shocking!
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It’s not nearly as good as Ready Player One, but not much is, so…
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I wanna read Dune so I have an excuse to buy the Folio Society edition http://www.foliosociety.com/book/DFH/dune-frank-herbert
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Aside from that price, it’s perfect.
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This list is so helpful- one of the my students’ requirements for outside reading this semester is a book that’s either a sci-fi text, a graphic novel, or a play. My knowledge of sci-fi is limited and I trust you, so this is GREAT!
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I have only read The martian, and I liked it very much, but I don’t know if sci-fi, in general, is my genre.
For example, I tried once to watch the film “Dune”, but I just couldn’t finish it, so I don’t know… I should try more though.
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Maybe if the right one comes your way, if not, there are plenty of great books to read that aren’t science fictin.
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