Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World in 1931 and is considered one of the first real science fiction novels and a classic work of literature. Set in a dystopian future, the people are manipulated in a variety of psychological ways for the benefit of The World State. The novel shares many similarities with Orwell's 1984 and is considered one of the best best sci fi novels ever written.
Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is another science fiction classic. The story is set in a dystopian near future where "Firemen" burn books. One such Fireman is Guy Montag who lives a desolate and lonely existence in a world where people do not read, enjoy their natural surroundings or think for themselves. Montag begins to question his life before eventually discovering literature. He then decides to bravely save all the books and restore his life. The title is names after the temperature at which paper spontaneously ignites.
Another classic science fiction novel is Dune by Frank Herbert. Set in a far away planet called Arrakis, the story revolves around a feuding family and their control over a drug called mellange that gives those who take it immortality. The protagonist, Duke Paul Atreide fights the families for his rightful place on the throne.
Phillip L Dick's novel. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was turned into a cult movie known as Bladerunner. It is a post-apocalyptic story and humans have fled to Mars. While on Mars humans have androids that work for them as slaves. Many of the androids escaped and returned to earth. The book's protagonist, Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter who tracks down and retires these androids. He finds himself on a quest to find eight androids that killed their masters back on mars.
Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars is a must-read for any science fiction fan. It is set in the near future where humans have begun to colonise Mars. Back on Earth, arguments erupt regarding whether to make another Earth via terraforming or to leave the planet as it is.
The famous astro-physicist, Carl Sagan's novel Contact is set in the near future. The protagonist, Ellie Arroway works for SET and discovers radio signals from a planet 25 light years away, indicating that the planet contains intelligent life. The novel explores how humans may react when they make first contact with extra-terrestrial intelligence.
Issac Asimov's Foundation trilogy is set in the far distant future and humans have now colonized the galaxy. However, their empire is about to collapse due to bureaucracy, corruption and political turmoil. Historian Hai Seldon sets about starting a new dawn for humanity by bringing together scientists and scholars to produce a vast encyclopedia.
No list of science fiction novels is complete without HG Wells War of the Worlds. The plot is well known; Earth is invaded by Martians that operate huge tripod like vehicles. They use total war to subdue humans because they want to get hold of the Earth's resources. In 1938, Orson Wells read the first chapter of story on the radio, which sent many listeners into a panic because they thought the story was a news flash!
Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 is another science fiction classic. The story is set in a dystopian near future where "Firemen" burn books. One such Fireman is Guy Montag who lives a desolate and lonely existence in a world where people do not read, enjoy their natural surroundings or think for themselves. Montag begins to question his life before eventually discovering literature. He then decides to bravely save all the books and restore his life. The title is names after the temperature at which paper spontaneously ignites.
Another classic science fiction novel is Dune by Frank Herbert. Set in a far away planet called Arrakis, the story revolves around a feuding family and their control over a drug called mellange that gives those who take it immortality. The protagonist, Duke Paul Atreide fights the families for his rightful place on the throne.
Phillip L Dick's novel. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep was turned into a cult movie known as Bladerunner. It is a post-apocalyptic story and humans have fled to Mars. While on Mars humans have androids that work for them as slaves. Many of the androids escaped and returned to earth. The book's protagonist, Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter who tracks down and retires these androids. He finds himself on a quest to find eight androids that killed their masters back on mars.
Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars is a must-read for any science fiction fan. It is set in the near future where humans have begun to colonise Mars. Back on Earth, arguments erupt regarding whether to make another Earth via terraforming or to leave the planet as it is.
The famous astro-physicist, Carl Sagan's novel Contact is set in the near future. The protagonist, Ellie Arroway works for SET and discovers radio signals from a planet 25 light years away, indicating that the planet contains intelligent life. The novel explores how humans may react when they make first contact with extra-terrestrial intelligence.
Issac Asimov's Foundation trilogy is set in the far distant future and humans have now colonized the galaxy. However, their empire is about to collapse due to bureaucracy, corruption and political turmoil. Historian Hai Seldon sets about starting a new dawn for humanity by bringing together scientists and scholars to produce a vast encyclopedia.
No list of science fiction novels is complete without HG Wells War of the Worlds. The plot is well known; Earth is invaded by Martians that operate huge tripod like vehicles. They use total war to subdue humans because they want to get hold of the Earth's resources. In 1938, Orson Wells read the first chapter of story on the radio, which sent many listeners into a panic because they thought the story was a news flash!
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