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50 Essential Science Fiction Books

List compiled by Richard Davies for AbeBooks.
"This was a virtually impossible task. Put together a list of 50 must-read science fiction books and don't make anyone angry. Science fiction is the most discussed and argued over genre in literature but it actually goes way beyond books and into film, TV, video games and even toys." -Richard Davies
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1
Journey to the Center of the Earth (Jules Verne)
Journey to the Center of the Earth
Jules Verne
2
The War of the Worlds (H.G. Wells)
The War of the Worlds
H.G. Wells
3
Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley
4
When Worlds Collide (Edwin Balmer & Philip Wylie (1933))
When Worlds Collide
Edwin Balmer & Philip Wylie (1933)
5
Odd John (O. Stapledon)
Odd John
O. Stapledon
6
1984 (George Orwell)
1984
George Orwell
7
Earth Abides
Earth Abides
8
Foundation (Isaac Asimov)
Foundation
Isaac Asimov
9
The Illustrated Man (Ray Bradbury)
The Illustrated Man
Ray Bradbury
10
The Demolished Man
The Demolished Man
11
Ring Around the Sun, Clifford D. Simak (1953)
Ring Around the Sun, Clifford D. Simak (1953)
12
Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement (1954)
Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement (1954)
13
The Long Tomorrow, Leigh Brackett (1955)
The Long Tomorrow, Leigh Brackett (1955)
14
The Chrysalids (John Wyndham)
The Chrysalids
John Wyndham
15
The Death of Grass, John Christopher (1956)
The Death of Grass, John Christopher (1956)
16
Starship Troopers (Robert A. Heinlein)
Starship Troopers
Robert A. Heinlein
17
The Sirens of Titan, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1959)
The Sirens of Titan, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1959)
18
Alas, Babylon
Alas, Babylon
19
A Canticle for Leibowitz (Walter M. Miller, Jr.)
A Canticle for Leibowitz
Walter M. Miller, Jr.
20
Venus Plus X, Theodore Sturgeon (1960)
Venus Plus X, Theodore Sturgeon (1960)
21
Solaris (Stanislaw Lem)
Solaris
Stanislaw Lem
22
The Drowned World, J. G. Ballard (1962)
The Drowned World, J. G. Ballard (1962)
23
Hothouse, Brian W. Aldiss (1962)
Hothouse, Brian W. Aldiss (1962)
24
A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine L'engle)
A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L'engle
25
Dune (Frank Herbert)
Dune
Frank Herbert
26
Make Room! Make Room!, Harry Harrison (1966)
Make Room! Make Room!, Harry Harrison (1966)
27
Logan's Run (William F Nolan)
Logan's Run
William F Nolan
28
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick (1968)
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick (1968)
29
The Left Hand of Darkness (Ursula K. Le Guin)
The Left Hand of Darkness
Ursula K. Le Guin
30
Behold the Man (Michael Moorcock)
Behold the Man
Michael Moorcock
31
Ringworld (Larry Niven)
Ringworld
Larry Niven
32
Rendezvous With Rama (Arthur C. Clarke)
Rendezvous With Rama
Arthur C. Clarke
33
Roadside Picnic
Roadside Picnic
34
The Female Man (Joanna Russ)
The Female Man
Joanna Russ
35
Man Plus
Man Plus
36
The Stand (Stephen King)
The Stand
Stephen King
37
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
38
Nor Crystal Tears (Alan Dean Foster)
Nor Crystal Tears
Alan Dean Foster
39
Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card)
Ender's Game
Orson Scott Card
40
Consider Phlebas
Consider Phlebas
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