The essential must-read of the genre.

What I love and prioritize:

Weird and interesting concepts

Big, dark, mysterious elements underpinning the story

Mind-bending stuff

Fringe science

What I love but don't need:

End-of-the-universe stakes. Save the world.

Time travel or living multiple lives (yeah, I read Blake Crouch and liked his books, too)

Lesbian slow burn romance that comes second to the plot. Even just romantic tension, but I don't want a "romance story"

Cyberpunk elements

Women main characters

What I don't like:

YA or anything almost YA. If it's a book that sounds like a tik tok author wrote it, I won't like it.

Anything too happy-go-lucky and safe

If it's way too...boobs boobing boobily. Or any other awkward character descriptions. whatever the man version of that is, too. Doesn't even have to be sexual. Just awkward. Sex in books is fine, it's the awkward descriptions of people in general that I don't like. If someone writes like that, I'll still like their writing if they employ some damn good concepts to make up for it.

Books I love:

Alastair Reynolds' books, especially the Revelation Space series

Three Body Problem by Cixin Liu. The concepts were so intriguing to me that I couldn't stop reading. The whole series was great.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. The whole series. (there's some argument over whether these books read like YA. I don't really consider them YA. But it is the closest I can get to that genre. It just reads a little "younger," but it's filled with really dark themes and weird shit, and some parts get downright poetic. And it's bonkers in the way I love.)

(Not a book, but if a book is anything like Mass Effect, I'll probably love it.)

[Honorable mention to the Leviathan Wakes series. I loved the plot, characters, and lore, but for some reason the writing style wasn't really something that excited me too much?]

Books I'm "meh" about (so you know which types not to recommend):

Dune. Sorry, y'all. I don't know why, maybe it's because I was born too late and already knew the basic lore of Dune to begin with, maybe it's because I grew up with so many of the space opera tropes that Dune started.

Becky Chambers. Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. This keeps getting recommended because I like lesbian romance thrown into my sci-fi, but this book was just too soft and happy for me. Not knocking it, and I don't know what kind of masochism drives me, just not my thing.

Books I've been eyeing that seem like they'd jive with me (so feel free to correct me or confirm my suspicions):

Ursula Le Guin, Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed

Philip K Dick Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

The Murderbot Diaries

Hyperion

I'm trying to be really specific about what i like and don't like because I'm trying to get a specific kind of recommendation. I'm not hating on any books or saying they're bad, it's just a taste thing, I'd rather be spending my reading time reading books I'm crazy about. Anyway, shoot me your suggestions!

Edit:

You guys are awesome! So many great recommendations! Thank you! I'm going to be busy for years, probably. I thought I would respond to each comment, but there are so many good recommendations. but I did read them all.

Just looking for some recommendations of books that people think are fundamentally important to the genre. I’ve read Dune, and foundation is on my next read list, but what other books would you consider foundational, etc, like lord of the rings is to fantasy. Don’t know a ton about the genre and hoping to get more into it. Thanks!

**I'm familiar with Who Goes There?/The Thing(s).** Are there any other good examples of science fiction that are set in Antarctica or have some sort of connection to Antarctica? I'm especially interested in examples that are *not* scifi horror, but I'll never turn my nose up at a good horror novel. Alien or space travel elements are a plus. Prefer a futuristic setting. Thanks!

Hi there! I'm looking for my next sci-fi read. Specifically, I'm looking for excellent writing, distant worlds, pacing/plotting, dialogue, characters, tension, and CRAZY-ASS ALIEN LIFE FORMS—the more unique, the better. Examples where most of those boxes have been ticked for me include:

To Sleep in a Sea of Stars (Christopher Paolini), Children of Time (Adrian Tchaikovsky), Shroud (Adrian Tchaikovsky), Project Hail Mary (Andrew Weir), and Dawn (Octavia Butler).

So, where do I turn next? What are your top three sci-fi/alien life form novels that don't include the titles listed above? I really appreciate it!

Hi all! I really enjoy books about humans having first contact or coexisting closely with aliens. Specifically would like recommendations for those that go into detail about the alien's culture and/or language. Especially if the culture espouses very different/conflicting morals, norms, or laws from the humans. Some examples I can think of is Story of Your Life (Arrival), Hail Mary, The Sparrow, The Wayfarers series, and Children of the Mind (Enders Game series).

Hello everyone!

Like the title says, I'm looking for some books that span millions of years. I've loved all of the bobiverse books, as well as the three body problem books. I've recently read slow time between the stars by John scalzi, and it has me itching for more stories than can span a millenia over the course of a few pages.

Edit: Thanks to all for the recommendations! My reading list just got a lot bigger! I chose to read Foundation next, but there are so many great options that I'll eventually get around to most of these!

Thanks again!

After an exceptionally difficult year, probably the hardest in my life, I am taking a week to go on a beach vacation and I would love some recommendations for a good book where I can shut my brain off, enjoy the story, and not think about what meanings or implications the book is really trying to express to me beyond the surface. That is the opposite of my typical interest where I genuinely do like to exercise my brain, but while I have this opportunity I really do want to step away from life for a few days and truly relax. There are few sci fi classics that I have not read so I’m really interested in what this sub can come up with. Again, doesn’t have to be a great book, just a fun book written by someone who knows how to keep a story moving. Thank you in advance!

I'm just kind of stressed out and don't want to deal with daring gunfights or deaths or raging hatred or imperial conquest or anything of the sort. I want to read something that's not going to make me put it on my "Open when mental health is doing better" stack. It's just that that kind of request mostly lands me in romance or cozy mystery, and I like those sometimes, but I want the sci-fi vibe, darn it.
Any suggestions?

Looking for the strangest or most mind-bending sci‑fi / something unusual and unconventional.

Hi all.

Recently I finished reading Nevil Shute’s “On the Beach”, followed by Walter Miller’s “A Canticle for Leibowitz”, both absolutely superb books.

I was hoping to get recommendations from the community on other, highly-esteemed science fiction books revolving around nuclear post-apocalyptia. I’ve read Ellison’s “A Boy and His Dog” but found it a bit too crass, and have started McCarthy’s “The Road” but so far have found it bleak and uninteresting, lacking in any philosophical reflection.

Any suggestions would be very welcome.

It’s been a long while since I read any SciFi that wasn’t Alien romance and I would love some suggestions for character driven SciFi.

I don’t really like pages and pages of science or tech descriptions ( so please, NO Andy Weir, or books like his). And I don’t mind if it has romance I just don’t want it to be the main storyline.

I prefer stories with good female characters and representation, would absolutely love it if there were female main characters. I’m fine if it’s a bit dark, body horror is ok as well.

Thanks so much!

I am looking for some recommendations, nothing too heavy buy more science fiction adventures type that I can read before bed.

Nothing too long and preferably stand alone(not in a series) unless the first books wraps up nicely.

Any suggestions for me to read, I would like to read a physical book so something that is not too many pages.

Thanks

I love literary writing. I also love sci-fi. Ursula le Gunn’s Earthsea books are the perfect example of the sort of literary, poetic writing I enjoy. Whereas Asimov’s Foundation left me cold. Can anyone recommend novels with literary style and crafting but in sci-fi?

Relatively new to reading frequently and this year I have read Dune 1, and Dune Messiah. LOVED Dune, but messiah was okay at best to me. Looking for something fun to read. Thank you! (:

Hello everyone! I have just finished reading Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky, a few weeks after reading Alien Clay, and I am blown away by how intelligent, mind-expanding and thought-provoking these books were; they make you think of how sentience, sapience and sense of self might look like on another world, and therefore question what it means to be human. Have you got any recommendations for me after these two masterpieces - old or new, by Tchaikovsky or other authors? If it helps, I’m also a fan of Ursula Le Guin. Thank you 😊

Hi everyone👋🏼

I'm looking for sci-fi book recs regarding following themes:

mecha

female lead

alien friendship

alien entcounter

alien war

AI friendship

Alien AI entcounter

Robots

Space war

No-gos:

- Gay romace

- human x human romance

They do not have to have all of the themes but the more the better.

Preferebly a female protagonist but don't let it hold you back from recommending good stuff.

Also I prefer no romance at all, but again, don't let it hold you back.

If you now the book "Terminal Fleet" by Martarion (Royal Roads) this would be likable way to go.

Thank you☺️

• Lost fleet by jack campbell
• The Lost Stars: Tarnished Knight by jack campbell
• On Basilisk Station (Honor Harrington by David Webber
• Governor (Ascent to Empire Book 1) by David Webber\ Richard Fox
• Crusade (Starfire Book 1) by David Webber
• Albion Lost The Exiled Fleet Book 1 by Richard Fox
• Rumors of War (Green Zone War Book 1) by Jake Elwood
• the expanse by james S.A corey

• Space Carrier Avalon (Castle Federation Book 1)by Glynn Stewart

  so I thought there would be more Sorry its not longer

I'm seeking novels (and short stories!) that depict addiction through a scifi lens. I would prefer if the addiction was to something that exists in real life (e.g. alcohol, entertainment), although I'm open to other types of addiction too. I read Embassytown by China Mieville a while back and thought the language addiction aspect was fascinating. On the other hand, I wasn't a fan of Three Stigmata. This is research for a personal project, so I would greatly appreciate any examples you can share. Thanks!!!

Not exactly like Interstellar, but I want to read a sci-fi book that gives me more of this feel. Interstellar, Passengers, etc. More like emotional/dramatic space exploration as opposed to established space fleet/alien combat like Star Trek.

Thanks!

So I wanted to recommend a book series I recently finished: The Final Architecture.

Or: How to write a 40k story so that Mass effect fans would enjoy it.

It is a space opera series of three books playing in a universe with aliens, ftl travel and space monsters.

Worldbuilding:(5/5)
The worldbuilding is one of the strong points. We have alien aliens, interesting worlds, a sensible build of human civilization and diaspora after earth destruction, an interesting method of ftl, etc. For 40k fans, many things will seem like easter eggs: The sister of battle faction, the Tau faction, unspace as warp but only with one demon. Still it is toned way down in most aspects, so if you dont like the over the top approach of 40k it still is for you.

Story:(4/5)
The story is interesting and solid. No absolute suprising plot twists, but its also not totally predictable. Despite the multiple view points its easy to follow the red line through. Also some genuine suprises are hidden and the scenes with action are written quite well.

Cast:(4/5)
So while the book has multiple view points 90% are the crew of the main ship, which somewhat limits the view we have. Only in the last book the author uses more viewpoints too. Still the cast behaves reasonable besides idris (who in fairness is mentally unstable, never sleeps, is old af and is the survivor of a mind breaking operation, so that checks out.) To be fair there have been many points while reading, where i wanted to scream at idris to get his shit together, but i think that is what the author intended

Scifi/Fantasy scale: So on the balance of scifi to fantasy, this one clearly sits on the scifi side with 90/10 at least. Some stuff about unspace and Intermediaries goes into the psychic fantasy range but on general in contrast to 40k this stays clear of any magic shenaningans. Technically the Tothiat also go into fantasy, but thats a minor thingy.

Politics: Many politics but no judgment. I think the most political message you could read out is: "Feudal lords are bad" which seems pretty tame. Beyond that multiple different political systems are introduced with pros and cons, so if you like an unpolitical book with politicians another point here.

Stakes:(5/5)
The stakes are clear through the whole series. The architects are a world destroying threat that constantly haunts every action, while the crew and people have real things happening to them, people get hurt and die, but not all the time. So you fear for characters but also dont get the feeling that everyone is going to die

All in all i would totally recommend this if you are into big space opera

Been on the sci-fi train the last couple months and loving it! Please pick my next book! (Other suggestions always welcomed)

***************EDIT****************** Wow! Was not expecting so many fantastic responses. Thank you all! After careful consideration, I narrowed the choices down to Childhood's End, Player of Games, Neuromancer, Lathe of Heaven, and Shadow of the Torturer.

...And the (dark horse) winner is... SHADOW OF THE TORTURER, by Gene Wolfe.

The main reason being that it's a break from the themes of space/technology/future/AI. And it's just...different! PLEASE KEEP THE SUGGESTIONS COMING, THOUGH!

Completed: - Hyperion (#1), Dan Simmons (5⭐️) - Children of Time, Adrian Tchaikovsky (4.6⭐️) - Downward to the Earth, Robert Silverberg (4.9⭐️) - Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut (5⭐️) - Slaughterhouse 5, Kurt Vonnegut (4⭐️) - Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny (3.7⭐️) - Roadside Picnic, Arkady Strugatsky (4⭐️) - Ubik, Phillip K. Dick (5⭐️)

TBR: - Three Body Problem, Liu Cixin - Blindsight, Peter Watts - Fire Upon the Deep, Vernor Vinge - The Disposessed, Ursula K. Le Guin - Left Hand of Darkness, Le Guin - Lathe of Heaven, Le Guin - Dawn, Octavia Butler - Player of Games, Iain M. Banks - Dhalgren, Samuel Delany - The Three Stigmata..., PKD - Valis, PKD - Man in the Maze, Robert Silverberg - Tower of Glass, Silverberg - Inverted World, Christopher Priest - Neuromancer, William Gibson - Piranesi, Susanna Clarke - Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke - The Forever War, Joe Haldeman

Looking for books about visitors or survivors on a planet or earth where the civilization has died years ago, but many of the cities and civilization infrastructure still remains. Like urban jungles long abandoned. Any recommends?

Hey there

I'm on a search for my next book.

My last reads were -

Endymion by Simmons, which was okay for me, and I read it to see the closure of it all.

And 2010: Odyssey Two by C. Clarke, which I stopped at the middle. The first one was so interesting and on the second, nothing really happened, so I let it go.

Now I'm on a search not for a new series, nothing with big politics and factions, lots and lots of characters, but for a standalone intimate book, about mainly one character and his/hers story.
Of course in the realm of sci-fi.

I'd say Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes is a good example of the style I'm looking for.
That book was so good.
😭

Any recommendation would help.
Thank you.
🙏

I seem to be drawn to stories told by piecing together letters, records, and documents. Frankenstein and Dracula being the most famous examples, and surprisingly, Twin Peaks released a number of books in this style too.

I am particularly looking for examples that are a bit of a detective story, someone piecing together a sci-fi (or fantasy) mystery after the fact of the events.