# Help me build a classic science fiction reading list! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 11, 2017, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986 "2017-07-11T06:23:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trapezoidal_jellyfish)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/1 "2017-07-11T06:23:34Z")
I am trying to put together a reading list of 15-20 classics of science fiction. This was inspired by a conversation with someone who mentioned a book that he claimed was a science fiction classic, which I had never heard of. I decided that if I’m going to consider myself a fan of science fiction, I should make sure I’ve read the books that are considered to be the most famous, influential, noteworthy, and/or genre-defining. The trouble is, the ones I can think of are mostly ones I’ve already read. I need help coming up with the rest of them! Please feel free to offer suggestions, or tell me that something I’ve listed here is actually pretty irrelevant to the genre. So far I have: Foundation trilogy Brave New World 1984 Farenheit 451 The Call of Cthulhu 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Dune Probably at least one book by Heinlein? Something by Arthur C. Clarke? ---
**Author:** ![Marci\_Al](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Marci\_Al](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marci_Al)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/2 "2017-07-11T06:40:58Z")
Robot Series (Caves of Steel, The Naked Sun, Robots of Dawn) Andromeda Strain The Invisible Man War of the Worlds Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde ---
**Author:** ![wintertime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c68b51/32.png) [@wintertime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wintertime)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/3 "2017-07-11T07:34:28Z")
My essentials up to the mid 1970s (some books are not Science Fiction from a modern point of view but they are milestones in the development of the genre) Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818) The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells (1898) [The Machine Stops](http://archive.ncsa.illinois.edu/prajlich/forster.html) by E.M. Forster (1909) A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1917) R.U.R. by Carel Capek (1920) Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon (1930) When Worlds Collide by Edwin Balmer & Philip Wylie (1933) Odd John by Olaf Stapledon (1935) Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon (1937) Earth Abides by George R. Stewart (1949) The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury (1950) Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke (1953) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (1953) More than Human by Theodore Sturgeon (1953) The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester (1953) Mission of Gravity by Hal Clement (1953) A Case of Conscience by James Blish (1958) Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank (1959) Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein (1959) A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller, Jr. (1960) Solaris by Stanislaw Lem (1961) Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein (1961) The Drowned World by J.G. Ballard (1962) The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick (1962) Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut (1963) Way Station by Clifford D. Simak (1963) Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany (1966) Make Room! Make Room! by Harry Harrison (1966) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (1966) The Crystal World by J. G. Ballard (1966) The Moon is a harsh Mistress by Robert A. Heinlein (1966) Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner (1968) The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1969) Ringworld by Larry Niven (1970) Rendesvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (1972) Roadside Picnic by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky (1972) The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (1974) The Mote in God’s Eye by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle (1974) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/4 "2017-07-11T07:48:57Z")
A few in no particular order: Arthur C. Clarke - Rendezvous with Rama Isaac Asimov - I, Robot Robert Heinlein - Stranger in a Strange Land John Wyndham - Day of the Triffids Ursula le Guin - The Left Hand of Darkness Philip K. Dick - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Walter M. Miller - A Canticle for Leibowitz Frank Herbert - Dune Ray Bradbury - The Martian Chronicles H.G. Wells - The Time Machine A.E van Vogt - Slan Clifford D. Simak - City Hal Clement - Mission of Gravity Joe Haldeman - The Forever War Cordwainer Smith - The Instrumentality Of Mankind ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/5 "2017-07-11T07:57:07Z")
> [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](#): > > The Call of Cthulhu Not science fiction but fantasy/horror. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/6 "2017-07-11T08:33:44Z")
My 20 Favorite Science Fiction Long Works (greater than 25,000 words) 1. Olaf Stapledon _First and Last Men_ and _Starmaker_ 2. Philip Jose Farmer The Riverworld Series (_To Your Scattered Bodies Go_, _The Fabulous Riverboat_, _The Dark Design_, _The Magic Labyrinth_, and _Gods of Riverworld_) 3. Frank Herbert _Dune_ 4. Walter Miller _A Canticle for Leibowitz_ 5. Alfred Bester _The Stars My Destination_ 6. Ursula K. Le Guin _The Left Hand of Darkness_ 7. Philip K. Dick _The Man in the High Castle_ 8. Frederik Pohl and C. M. Kornbluth _The Space Merchant_s 9. Theodore Sturgeon _More than Human_ 10. Roger Zelazny _Lord of Light_ 11. Arthur C. Clarke _Against the Fall of Night_ 12. Stanislaw Lem _Solaris_ 13. Ken Grimwood _Replay_ 14. H. G. Wells _The Time Machine_ 15. Joe Haldeman _The Forever War_ 16. Clifford Simak _City_ 17. Michael Frayn _The Tin Men_ 18. Samuel R. Delany _The Einstein Intersection_ 19. Isaac Asimov _The End of Eternity_ 20. Robert Heinlein _Stranger in a Strange Land_ ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 9:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/7 "2017-07-11T09:37:54Z")
William Gibson, \*Neuromancer \* ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/8 "2017-07-11T12:21:26Z")
I would favour _The Dispossessed_ over seeming fan favourite _The Left Hand Of Darkness_ for Le Guin (or why not both :)) and add CJ Cherryh’s _Downbelow Station_ ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/9 "2017-07-11T12:25:01Z")
Alfred Bester, _The Stars My Destination_ Edgar Pangborn, _Davy_ Frank Herbert, _Dune_ (do _not_ read any of the sequels) Robert Heinlein, _Double Star_ (considered by many to be his best) Ursula K. Leguin, _The Left Hand of Darkness_ Samuel R. Delaney, _Babel-17_ (his most accessible major novel; _Dhalgren_ is his masterpiece, but it’s not to everyone’s taste) Daniel Keyes, _Flowers for Algernon_ Norman Spinrad, _Bug Jack Barron_ Poul Anderson, _Tau Zero_ Larry Niven, _Ringworld_ Robert Silverberg, _Dying Inside_ William M. Miller, _A Canticle for Lebowitz_ ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/10 "2017-07-11T12:47:06Z")
[This](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SF_Masterworks) may make a good guide. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/11 "2017-07-11T12:55:24Z")
Don’t forget short stories, which in some ways are a more natural format for science fiction than the novel is. A good way to get a nice broad sampling is through collections of the Hugo winners. And for the novels, you could do a lot worse than starting with Heinlein’s juveniles. You’ll want more than just Heinlein, of course, but they’re a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/12 "2017-07-11T13:18:32Z")
All great suggestions here. I had the same thought as **Chronos** about short stories. One of my favorite collections is the “Women of Wonder” series, which collected short stories by female authors. [These](https://www.amazon.com/Women-Wonder-Classic-Years-Science/dp/0156000318) two [books](https://www.amazon.com/Women-Wonder-Classic-Years-Science/dp/0156000318) have a lot of great (and some not-so-great) sci-fi from some authors you know and many you don’t but should. Also, it broadens what is almost always a near-exclusively male-written list of important works. ---
**Author:** ![Randolph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Randolph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Randolph)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/13 "2017-07-11T13:58:00Z")
Ender’s Game. ---
**Author:** ![Apocalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Apocalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apocalypso)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/14 "2017-07-11T14:17:58Z")
Most of my sci-fi books have already been listed by others in this thread, but I do want to say: Philip Dick’s short story collections are pretty awesome and are highly recommended. The collections I have are by Citadel Press (If you buy collections from different publishers they might have the same stories). Also highly recommending The Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem. It’s a collection of short stories along the lines of Greek Mythology, but told by robotic beings. It’s interesting and hilarious. Signal to Noise and other books by Eric S. Nylund Version 43 by Philip Palmer Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson White Noise by Don Delillo ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/15 "2017-07-11T14:36:58Z")
A few that have not been mentioned: Alfred Bester, _The Demolished Man_ Ahead of its time and very well written Arthur C Clarke _A Fall of Moondust_ Very suspenseful - a challenge to not read in one sitting Frederik Pohl _Gateway_ Unusual narrative structure and psychologically intense. Avoid the sequels though Robert Heinlein _Red Planet_ The best of the “juveline” novels, imho ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/16 "2017-07-11T14:43:10Z")
I was going to mention “Demolished Man” but somebody beat me to it. For shorts you can’t get better than this. > **[The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. 1: 1929-1964: Silverberg, Robert,...](https://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Hall-Fame-Vol/dp/0765305372)** > > The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. 1: 1929-1964 \[Silverberg, Robert, Silverberg, Robert\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol. 1: 1929-1964 ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/17 "2017-07-11T15:16:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Don’t forget short stories, which in some ways are a more natural format for science fiction than the novel is. And [here](http://file770.com/?p=23405) is a great list if those, compiled by fellow readers of another site I spend too much time on. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/18 "2017-07-11T15:28:58Z")
I’m researching robots, so I’ll throw out some stories I think are especially good and/or important that haven’t been mentioned. E. T. A. Hoffmann, “The Sandman” (1817) Villiers de l’Isle-Adam, L’Eve Future (1886) William Wallace Cook, _A Round Trip to the Year 2000, or A Flight Through Time_ (1903) Eando Binder, _Adam Link - Robot_ (collects stories from 1939-1942) C. L. Moore, “No Woman Born” (1944) Jack Williamson, _The Humanoids_ (collects stories from 1947-1948) A little tidbit. The first Adam Link story was called “I, Robot.” It made a huge impression on the young Asimov. However, he never wrote a story with that title. It was imposed on his collection of robot stories by his publisher, over his objections. One of which was that it would diminish Binder. And it came to pass… ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/19 "2017-07-11T15:59:43Z")
_Dangerous Visions_, edited by Harlan Ellison. And you need something by E.E. Smith, either _Skylark of Space_, the first of the _Skylark_ series or _Galactic Patrol_, which is from the _Lensman_ series. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2017, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986/20 "2017-07-11T16:02:40Z")
Seconding the recommendations for the Women of Wonder series, and for short stories in general - some of the masters of the genre work(ed) almost exclusively in that format. Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, James Tiptree Jr (Alice Sheldon), to name three of the most prominent. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-build-a-classic-science-fiction-reading-list/790986.md?page=2)