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
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.