The best books for science fiction beginners

An alien is sent to earth to prevent an important breakthrough, a giant technological leap forward for the human race. The alien takes the form of Professor Andrew Martin, a prominent mathematician who made the discovery. The visitor moves into Martin's home with his wife and teenage son. Tasked with eliminating anyone with knowledge of the discovery, he searches for people Martin may have told. Knowing nothing of their ways, the alien is at first repulsed by humans. But over time, his views change. He develops a bond with the son and grows to love Martin's wife. But he has a mission to accomplish and he is being watched.  

The book dives deeply into the core of what it means to be human. It has both humorous and emotional moments that will tug at your heartstrings. I highly recommend The Humans.

Jason Desson has a happy life but harbors a few regrets. One night, on the way home from a local pub, he is abducted. He wakes up in a bizarre world, surrounded by strangers. Closely watched and fearing for his life, he escapes only to later discover he never married, and his son was never born. On the run from his abductors, he struggles to solve the mystery. Jason finds himself in a life-or-death struggle to return home, but that may not be possible in this strange world. Brilliantly plotted and mind-bending, I could not put it down. It will keep you on the edge of your seat to the end. Whether you are a sci-fi fan or not, I would highly recommend this book.

November 22, 1963, a day that forever changed the course of history. Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher who has a chance to go back in time and prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Unlike any other King novel, this one leaves out much of the gore, but none of the excitement and intricate storylines. King is a master of character development and plot. I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good time-travel story with a twist.

Alone and drifting in space, Ryland Grace wakes from a coma with no knowledge of how he got there. As memories return he discovers he was sent on a mission to save the world from destruction. Along the way he meets an alien who was sent for the same reason, to save his planet. The alien, who he calls Rocky, and Ryland develop a bond working towards a common goal. There is some technological jargon which may be a bit much for first-time sci-fi readers, but the story of friendship and trust developed with a strange being will warm your heart. I highly recommend this one.

This is a classic I read back in high school. Charlie Gordon is born with an unusually low IQ. He has a job and is self-sufficient. He is offered a procedure that could greatly increase his intelligence, and eventually accepts. The experiment is initially a success and his intelligence grows, eventually surpassing everyone around him. But with his intelligence comes new-found problems, and Charlie has difficulty dealing with them. I will not ruin the ending but suffice it to say this is a heart-warming, coming-of-age story dealing with the complicated social and development issues we all experience. A must-read if you have not read it or seen the movie, Charly, adapted from the book.