Sci-Fiction you should consider Reading
Posted in Ripped right out of Wikipedia.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) by Arthur C. Clarke, major work on alien contact, artificial intelligence, and interplanetary exploration
A Canticle for Leibowitz (1959) by Walter M. Miller, Jr., definitive work of post-apocalyptic fiction
Alas, Babylon (1959) by Pat Frank, major work of post-apocalyptic fiction
Just read it and microchunk your thoughts.
Childhood’s End (1953) by Arthur C. Clarke, major work on alien contact and the transformation of humanity
Cyteen (1988) by C. J. Cherryh, pioneering work on bioengineering
Darwin’s Radio (1999) by Greg Bear, major work on evolution
The Dispossessed (1974) by Ursula K. Le Guin, pioneering work on utopian/political Sf
Dorsai! (1959) by Gordon R. Dickson, definitive work of military science fiction
Downbelow Station (1981) by C. J. Cherryh, major work on interstellar conflict
Dune (novel) (1965) by Frank Herbert, pioneering work on environmental and economic science fiction
Ender’s Game (1985) by Orson Scott Card, definitive work of interstellar conflict and human prodigy
Fahrenheit 451 (1953) by Ray Bradbury, major work of political dystopian future
The Forever War (1974) by Joe Haldeman, definitive work on the consequences and limitations of interstellar conflict
Foundation (1951; some parts as stories beginning in 1942) by Isaac Asimov, groundbreaking work on galactic civilization
The Fountains of Paradise (1979) by Arthur C. Clarke, inventing the concept of the space elevator
Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley, pioneering work on the creation of artificial life and dangers of scientific experimentation
On the Beach by Nevil ShuteI, Robot (1950; collection of stories from 1940 on) by Isaac Asimov, seminal work on robots and artificial intelligence
The Lensman series (1937-1954) by E. E. “Doc” Smith, important early works of space opera
Lord of Light (1967) by Roger Zelazny, definitive work on technology as a path to deification
The Man in the High Castle (1962) by Philip K. Dick, profound alternate history novel
Man Plus (1976) by Frederik Pohl, major work on technological adaptation to environment
The Mars trilogy (1992-1996) by Kim Stanley Robinson, definitive work on terraforming
Mission of Gravity (1953) by Hal Clement, seminal work on world-building
Neuromancer (1984) by William Gibson, definitive cyberpunk novel
Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) by George Orwell, pioneering political dystopia novel
On the Beach (1957) by Nevil Shute, pioneering work of post-atomic war fiction
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966) by Robert Heinlein, definitive work of political SF on space colonization
Ringworld (1970) by Larry Niven, pioneering hard SF work on astronomical engineering
Starship Troopers (1959) by Robert Heinlein, major work of military SF
Startide Rising (1983) by David Brin, major work on bioengineering and interspecies conflict
Stranger in a Strange Land (1961) by Robert Heinlein, major work of sociopolitical commentary in SF
The Time Machine (1895) by H. G. Wells, definitive early work on time travel
The War of the Worlds (1898) by H. G. Wells, pioneering work on alien conflict
fiction futurePopularity: 5% [?]
Wayne,
Given your preference for alternate realities, i’m surprised you didnt add philip k dick’s do android’s dream of electronic sheep, starship troopers in there too…
Piers Anthony’s Xanth and Incarnations of Immortality and Michael Moorcock’s Eternal Champion series are good for a mindset/paradigm shift too.
[sarcasm]What?! No Battlefield Earth??[/sarcasm]
He must’ve left it out together with the Hitchhiker’s Guide series.
Smo- B.E. was ok “Man, the Endangered Species” was original title I think, but hardly vintage it came out in 1980….
I hit the guide here Don’t Panic…appropriate.
Wayne, you may also like the interview I did with Noam Cohen on the relationship between sci-fi and Web 2.0; it’s posted here.
Thanks Adam injected that into Twitter too!