Although I grew up reading fantasy, 20+ years in the tech industry inevitably drew me to science fiction. Even so, I felt the genre often focused too much on the technical aspects of storytelling and not enough on people. I also admired the bold authors who blended radically different concepts into seamless and compelling stories that even non-science-fiction fans could enjoy. And so with each of the 12 books I’ve written to date, I’ve endeavored to push the boundaries of science fiction in new and interesting directions while keeping it centered on the human experience and accessible to general readers, just as the books in this list have.
Dawnwas the first book that nailed my jaw to the table from the opening chapter right through to the last page. I marveled not only at Butler’s wonderful style and inventiveness, but at the boundaries she crossed that I had never dared, and did so without inflicting emotional destruction. Better, she married these shocking concepts with complex social relationships, sensuality, a brilliantly emergent plot, and radical views of a future that still make me squirm (in a good way). An absolute masterpiece that changed my definition of science fiction done well.
'One of the most significant literary artists of the twentieth century' JUNOT DIAZ
'Octavia Butler was playing out our very real possibilities as humans. I think she can help each of us to do the same' GLORIA STEINEM
One woman is called upon to reconstruct humanity in this hopeful, thought-provoking novel by the bestselling, award-winning author. For readers of Margaret Atwood, Toni Morrison and Ursula K. Le Guin.
When Lilith lyapo wakes in a small white room with no doors or windows, she remembers a devastating war, and a husband and child long lost to her.
Before I watched the first season of The Expanse, I made sure to read the book it was based on,Leviathan Wakes. I’d been expecting hard science fiction but was thrilled when Corey delivered futuristic realism with a healthy dose of character development, a delightful writing style, mystery, intrigue, character relationships, and Miller’s tragic fantasy-affair with a dead girl. It weaved so many unique elements together so brilliantly that I couldn’t put it down, and became terrified of being disappointed by the screen version—which, thankfully, I wasn’t. A bar-raising novel to say the least.
Humanity has colonized the planets - interstellar travel is still beyond our reach, but the solar system has become a dense network of colonies. But there are tensions - the mineral-rich outer planets resent their dependence on Earth and Mars and the political and military clout they wield over the Belt and beyond. Now, when Captain Jim Holden's ice miner stumbles across a derelict, abandoned ship, he uncovers a secret that threatens to throw the entire system into war. Attacked by a stealth ship belonging to the Mars fleet, Holden must find a way to uncover the motives behind the…
Bright but unassuming Marilyn Jones has some grown-up decisions to make, especially after Mama goes to prison for drugs and larceny. With no one to take care of them, Marilyn and her younger, mentally challenged brother, Carol, get tossed into the foster care…
Ever been told, “This book is fantastic!” Then promptly ignored that advice, only to discover 20 years later they were face-palmingly right?Ender’s Gamewas that should-have-read-it novel that might have lured me into science fiction (as opposed to fantasy) at a much earlier age. An enchanting blend of science fiction in a future militaristic society through the eyes of a child prodigy who must grow up very quickly if he wants the chance to grow up at all. Card blended it into an engaging story that almost made me forget it was science fiction.
Orson Scott Card's science fiction classic Ender's Game is the winner of the 1985 Nebula Award for Best Novel and the 1986 Hugo Award for Best Novel.
In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race's next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers. A brilliant young boy, Andrew "Ender" Wiggin lives with his kind but distant parents, his sadistic brother Peter, and the person he loves more than anyone else, his sister Valentine. Peter and Valentine were candidates for the soldier-training program but didn't make the cut―young Ender is the Wiggin drafted…
Unlike the other books on this list, which do an amazing job of melding hard science fiction with other compelling elements,All Systems Redejects the technical details into deep space and tells a cozy futuristic story from the perspective of self-named Murderbot, whose sole purpose is protecting a small group of colonists from environmental hazards and other competing colonists. What makes this unique? Its first-person perspective is uncommon in science fiction, but works perfectly while we explore Murderbot’s amusing and conflicting views about its own existence.
Whatever you do, don’t ask Murderbot about its feelings. Ever.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells begins The Murderbot Diaries, a new science fiction action and adventure series that tackles questions of the ethics of sentient robotics. It appeals to fans of Westworld, Ex Machina, Ann Leckie's Imperial Raadch series, or lain M. Banks' Culture novels. The main character is a deadly security droid that has bucked its restrictive programming and is balanced between contemplative self discovery and an idle instinct to kill all humans. In a corporate dominated s pa cef a ring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by…
He’s riddled with guilt. She’s annoyed with the status quo.
The death of a crime boss’s daughter forces Detective Neil Caldera to leave NYC. He seeks refuge in the tranquil embrace of a small town, where he finds himself entangled in the labyrinth of a teenage girl’s murder. Tess Fleishman’s…
Ancillary Justice struck me because it accomplished on a larger scale what I’d struggled to do in one of my own books. The protagonist is a ship AI whose consciousness exists in hundreds or thousands of bodies simultaneously across as many locations. Leckie not only managed to convey this without breaking my single-threaded human mind, she also created a compelling story of individual struggle, discovery, and growth, while gently building around it a living galaxy of politics and conflict. One of the most unique and engaging science fiction stories I’ve read.
Once, she was the Justice of Toren -- a colossal starship with an artificial intelligence linking thousands of soldiers in the service of the Radch, the empire that conquered the galaxy. Now, an act of treachery has ripped it all away, leaving her with one fragile human body, unanswered questions, and a burning desire for vengeance.
Holtondome residents live in strict isolation from the outside world, free of the burdens that brought about The Fall. Knowledge of other cities is forbidden. Literacy is a crime. No art. No books. Their history passes from generation to generation only through stories.
For Seg Holton, this simple life isn’t enough. He yearns to leave his farming dome and travel the ravaged Earth, or even to Mars Colony. Only a few things stand in his way: an authoritarian government, deadly storms, and an enchanting outsider who isn’t who—or even what—she seems. A farmer-to-hero post-apocalyptic science fiction novel with mythological tones set 500 years in Earth’s future.
"A haunting YA mystery. Touching on everything from police ineptitude and community solidarity to the endless frustration of being patronized as a young person, this paranormal thriller confidently combines timely and relatable themes within a page-turning storyline." - Self-Publishing Review
"Biel's writing is fast-paced and sharp!" - author Christy Wopat…
