The absolutely iconic status the film holds in 20th century sci-fi cinema also clearly lodged the novel in the collective memory (of Goodreads reviewers, at least). Unusually, 2001: A Space Odyssey was written at the same time as the screenplay to the film of the same name (which was co-written by Clarke and director Stanley Kubrick) and was actually released after the movie’s premiere. Like most of Butler’s books, it builds an incredibly rich and fascinating world, which the author uses to explore race, gender, sexuality, and more. This one-a collection of three volumes ( Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imago) previously published as Xenogenesis-is one of the most popular. Unsurprisingly, Butler’s books are frequently and highly rated on Goodreads. Lilith’s Broodby Octavia Butler (4.33 – 12,363) I was actually kind of disappointed this one didn’t clock in at 4.2 stars. With “classic” defined, basically, as “published in the 20th century and still regularly discussed.” The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (4.38 – 257,751) If you’re new to the genre or want to explore new corners of its galaxy, this list of some of the top sci-fi books out there-according to one particular, idiosyncratic deep-dive on Goodreads-is a great place to start. The result is a bunch of widely and enthusiastically beloved science fiction books. From there, I aimed for a mix of sub-genres, publication time periods, author backgrounds, and other factors. To qualify as top sci-fi books and be included on this list, volumes must have an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars and have been rated at least 4,000 times. Instead, following the model of a previous post on top fantasy books, I spent hours poking around on Goodreads to see what books representing the breadth and scope of science fiction rose to the top. This list isn’t scientific, and I certainly didn’t do any math. So that’s what I did, looking to see the top sci-books according to Goodreads users. It’s actually not a question that’s easy to answer (top according to what metrics? And according to whom?) but one worth trying to. “What are the top sci-fi books?” is a question I’ve heard more than once from someone looking for a guide to the best of such a complex, varied, and multitudinous genre.
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