theFantasyReviews.com yesterday published "9 Essential Science Fiction Books for Beginners" (link below). I don't agree with them all, so I thought I'd ask here, what are the top 5-ish books you would pick to introduce someone (let's say ages 15-99) to science fiction?
https://thefantasyreviews.com/2023/03/05/9-essential-science-fiction-books-for-beginners/
For my own list, and keeping in mind that I was asking about accessible, enjoyable books for newbies, as a science fiction introduction, I'd probably say:
Stories of Your Life and Others (short stories) by Ted Chiang
The Martian by Andy Weir
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Providence by Max Barry
The Peacemaker's Code by Deepak Malhotra
@codeWhisperer Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
@codeWhisperer True about the Three Body Problem,
A Wrinkle in Time,
Any Terry Pratchett
(I was started out in 6th grade with The Martian Chronicles)
@codeWhisperer Lois McMaster bujold, first barrayar book. Simak, time is the simplest thing. Sturgeon, more than human.
I put up the list that I did because I think they are all accessible and a good mix of classic, modern, opera, etc. They are all engaging, yet none beats you over the head with worldbuilding.
I'm torn on OSC, so I didn't list it - yes, he's problematic, but Ender's Game is absolutely brilliant. Cosmic Jr. loved it and it's how I got him to read sci-fi.
without thinking much:
Stranger in a Strange Land - Heinlein
Stand on Zanzibar - Brunner
any William Gibson
Dahlgren - Delany
I, Robot - Asimov
@tgraph52 Ah, see? This is one reason I love these types of questions. You have just mentioned a book I've never read (Stand on Zanzibar), so now it is on my list-of-books-to-read. Thanks!
it's impossible to make these lists... I can think of so many other books and authors now.
@codeWhisperer "9 Essential Science Fiction Books for Beginners"
Not sure why they put in 2 Ender books (Speaker for the Dead is FAR better than either).
If the list were to reflect old-school SF, then "Stranger in a Strange Land" should be on there. Also, "The Mote in God's Eye," "The Left Hand of Darkness."
New stuff?
The Hail Mary Project,
Parable of the Sower,
The Three Body Problem,
Klara and the Sun,
House in the Cerulean Sea,
The City We Became,
@codeWhisperer - Enders game, The Martian, Wool (trilogy since book 1 is just a short story), I Robot, F⁰ 451, Hyperion, Leviathan Wakes (expanse book 1), Snow Crash, Hunger games, Cyber Storm, Darknet , just off the top of my head.
@codeWhisperer Ringworld, Dune, Childhood's End, City, Neuromancer
@Avidspark @codeWhisperer I would also add Rendezvous with Rama by Clarke
@codeWhisperer looks like they don't like women. And no one should read Card.
@DavidKMresists This is an apt observation, and I appreciate your input.
Ancillary Justice (Ann Leckie)
Binti (Nnedi Okorafor)
Dune (Frank Herbert)
Snow Crash (Neal Stephenson)
Foundation (Isaac Asimov)
Redshirts (John Scalzi)
Parable of the Sower (Octavia Butler)
@codeWhisperer
Robert A. Heinlein was my gateway drug.
1: Sixth Colum (1949, simplistic but fun)
2: Starship Troopers (1959)
3: Stranger in a Strange Land (1961)
5: Time Enough for Love (1973)
4: Adrian Tchaikovsky's Cage of Souls (2019)
My favorite Sci-fi book that I have read in the last 2 years, a fun adventure story & very imaginative.
@Bix Ooh, thanks! I love Tchaikovsky's Children of Time, so now I'll have to get Cage of Souls!
@codeWhisperer in the early 70's a police dispatcher co-worker suggested sci-fi books for me to read. The first was Dune, the second was the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the 3rd was I Robot and then the Foundation Trilogy. Man, I never forgot that woman. She passed away without me knowing in January 2023 at 95yo. Sigh. The ceremony was private. She was one hell of a smart woman with something smart alecky to say to me whenever I was babbling. She was a fantastically smart woman who i treasured.
@tirebiter73 It sounds like she was amazing person. Just curious, have you shared these memories with her kids/grandkids (if she had any)? If not, I bet they'd appreciate hearing it. 🙂
@codeWhisperer I only knew her at work, did not know her family except I knew she had 4 kids 2 girls and 2 boys. Because her services were in Feb. and was private, I didn't get to go to her funeral. Sigh.
NOTE that I did not ask "what are the BEST science fiction books". I am talking more about accessible and enjoyable as an introduction. For example, recommending The Three Body Problem (or if we want to stretch the definition of SciFi a bit and include something like Gravity's Rainbow) to someone who's never read science fiction before, you'd almost certainly be turning them OFF to science fiction for good (opinion)