Since the publication of the first-ever sci-fi book—arguably Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel Frankenstein—the genre has been in constant dialogue with our present. Sci-fi books encourage readers to envision new realities, and often prove prescient, both in imagining tech that eventually becomes real, and predicting events that come to pass.
The breadth of the genre can make it seem intimidating to new readers, but we recommend 50 of the best sci-fi novels ever to start your reading voyage. Or, you can explore sci-fi’s eras in chronological order, from the early classics by authors such as Jules Verne and H.G Wells and the so-called Golden Age of Sci-Fi, to the New Wave, to more recent must-reads from the past few decades.
Alternatively, it’s possible to break your sci-fi book exploration down into subgenres. Do you prefer interstellar epics with drama on a galactic scale? Consider space opera. Do you want your stories to be grounded in reality and natural sciences? Then hard sci-fi is probably for you.
Or perhaps you’re a veteran sci-fi reader whose shelves are heavy with staples of the genre. In that case, The Portalist recommends hidden gems and underrated books to complete your collection.
Regardless of where you are on your sci-fi reading journey, The Portalist’s sci-fi book stories can guide you on your voyage among the stars
In this excerpt, iconic author Ursula K. Le Guin envisions a plane of existence where no one dreams alone.
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By Carolyn Cox
We're offering our readers another chance to win a 10-book bundle.
These spellbinding reads are one with the Force.
The award-winning writer talks sexuality, race, and letting readers experience his work without authorial interference.
Ring in the new year with a chance to win ten out-of-this-world books.
After escaping from prison, three people from different centuries run from the religious zealot who pursues them.
By Olivia Mason
In celebration of the re-release of "A Matter of Oaths," the author reveals how her space opera found an unexpected protagonist.
The latest preview for the adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's classic story doesn't disappoint.
By Carolyn Cox
You can't save the world alone. Luckily, these books can help.
In Greg Bear's "The Infinity Concerto," an infamous melody carries an aspiring poet into a place of magic and myth...
By Olivia Mason
This beautifully written space opera explores race, class, and history.
In its second season, Netflix's runaway hit "Stranger Things" continued to challenge sci-fi and horror tropes.
With great power comes great responsibility.
By Olivia Mason
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By Carolyn Cox
One of Octavia E. Butler's editors shares how a new opera highlights the prescience and beauty of the late author's dystopian masterpiece.
Double the X chromosomes, double the badassery.
By Olivia Mason
"This is not going to go the way you think."
By Carolyn Cox