Following the rise of New Wave science fiction from the 1960s onwards, the next decade paved the way for SF that not only tackled genre trappings but continued to experiment with form and technique, competing with literary fiction titles. Moreover, for a (mostly) white male dominated field, several women writers broke into the scene during the 1970s, publishing as themselves (such as Joanna Russ) or under a pseudonym (like James Tiptree Jr).
From stories that were merely set in space or featured robots, there was a serious shift to address all kinds of societal issues within a science fictional setting. Whether you’re just dipping your toes into the pool of genre history, or you’re longing for a trip down memory lane, these sci-fi classics from the 1970s should be on your TBR list.

Tau Zero
Published in 1970, Poul Anderson’s Tau Zero is an unforgettable timey-wimey space opera. A carefully crafted novel, it applies the laws of physics and our understanding of general relativity to paint a plausible picture of time travel and examine its consequences. It follows the plight of the crew members aboard a spaceship that slowly approaches the speed of light and probes into the profound isolation that results. While some elements of the novel haven’t aged well (like the depiction of female characters), the science fiction aspects are quite grand and mind-altering.

The Female Man
Most of Joanna Ross’s novels particularly put a feminist spin on sci-fi, using the tools of the genre to confront patriarchy and imagine better and alternate futures for women. That also literally is the plot of 1975's The Female Man, which follows four women inhabiting different parallel universes, at different points in space and time. Thus, when they encounter each other, they come face to face with various inequalities as well as an approximation of what an ideal society could be like.

The Forever War
Published in 1974, Joe Haldeman’s military SF novel The Forever War eschews action-packed adventure for a meditative story about human soldiers embroiled in an interstellar war against an alien race. The author drew upon his experiences in the Vietnam War, turning the alienation of the soldiers and the horrors of war all the more real and relevant.

Rendezvous with Rama
One of the chief classics of New Age SF is 1973's Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. The work explores the limits of human perception and understanding when confronted with the unknown. It follows a group of explorers who come into contact with an alien vessel and board it, yet the exploration of its quarters proves to be an utterly perplexing, de-familiarizing quest.
In the end, it appears that we can only make sense of the world based on what we know—imposing our history and narratives over the unknowable. If you’re looking for something deeply philosophical, you won’t go wrong with this.

Dreamsnake
The 1978 landmark book that emerged during the second wave feminism, Dreamsnake by author and biologist Vonda N. McIntyre, subverts gender roles as well as misogynistic tropes in genre fiction. The story unfolds on our home planet post a nuclear holocaust, and follows a heroine called Snake who uses genetically modified serpents to heal people. Told episodically, this feminist novel focuses heavily on healing and manages to be a memorably thought-provoking read.

The Dispossessed
Le Guin’s celebrated 1974 novel The Dispossessed probes into anarchism and the concept of utopias in her fictional planets of Annares and Urras. The chapters alternate between the two planets, with a high level of realistic detail, highlighting the potential of sci-fi to tell stories about people and the problems they face, while also imagining solutions to them.

The Futurological Congress
An underrated classic from the 1974, Polish author Stanislaw Lem’s The Futurological Congress bristles with surrealism and inventive ideas. Specifically, Lem anticipates a world where everyone is addicted to chemically-induced hallucinogens, tuned into an artificial dreamscape where all their wildest desires are fulfilled, even as they slowly waste away in a dystopian reality. Oddly prescient and an absolutely stunning feat of the imagination, The Futurological Congress is probably unlike anything you’ve ever read before.

Her Smoke Rose Up Forever
Although this omnibus collection was published in the '90s, it collects several of James Tiptree Jr.’s award-winning stories that were published in the '70s such as “The Women Men Don’t See,” “The Girl Who Was Plugged In,” “The Love Is The Plan the Plan Is Death.” Not only are her stories very captivatingly titled, they intelligently probe into feminist and other societal issues. Moreover, since the author published under a male pseudonym, the reveal of her gender caused quite a stir within the SFF community, especially among stalwarts like Robert Silverberg. Additionally, the author also led a vividly colorful life—she served in the United States Army Air Forces, had her paintings exhibited in galleries and even worked as an art critic.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Finally, if you’re in the mood for something light-hearted and hilarious but also engaging and thoroughly thought-provoking, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a classic for a reason. Originally created as a radio comedy broadcast for BBC Radio 4 in 1978, it was later adapted into a novel series with six books. The radio play, the books and other adaptations continue to have a lasting influence on western pop culture.
Featured image: Volodymyr Hryshchenko / Unsplash