# What should be my first science fiction novel? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880 "2012-07-20T20:04:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/1 "2012-07-20T20:04:04Z")
At least, I _think_ it would be my first. Background: I’ve done a good bit of reading in my time, but science fiction has never called to me, at least in book form. Favorite (non sci-fi) authors include John Irving, Mark Helprin, Cormac McCarthy, and Don Delillo; some favorite books include “A Confederacy of Dunces” and “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay”, and “A Prayer for Owen Meany”. Moving now to sci-fi TV and movies…I liked Battlestar Galactica quite a bit, never saw a full episode of Star Trek, never saw Dr. Who or Firefly. The original 3 Star Wars were OK, the others, meh. I love the original Twilight Zone episodes (not considered strictly sci-fi, probably). I like Aliens, Avatar was all right, 2001 not so much. Two recent movies I loved: “District 9” and “Moon”. So…I know who the major science fiction authors are, but I don’t know which should be my first, or which particular book. Help a brother out? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/2 "2012-07-20T20:11:14Z")
_The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress_, by Robert Heinlein, is a good place to start. The dean of the genre at the height of his powers. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/3 "2012-07-20T20:11:46Z")
While you’re waiting for people to respond in this thread, you could take a look at these old threads: [Recommend a sci-fi book for someone who has never read science-fiction](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=494271) [Ten S-F Books for Complete Beginners…](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=569092) [What is the quintessential science fiction novel?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=299248) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/4 "2012-07-20T20:20:32Z")
Guessing from your OP, _Stranger in a Strange Land_ _The Voyage of the Space Beagle_ _Foundation_ ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/5 "2012-07-20T20:20:33Z")
Seconding _Moon is a Harsh Mistress_. Not only is it a good book, well reflective of what’s best in sci-fi, but it is a good opening into the Heinlein-verse. Poke around there but save _Time Enough for Love_ until you’ve got a few under your belt. You also can’t go wrong tangenting to _Stranger in a Strange Land_. ---
**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 20, 2012, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/6 "2012-07-20T20:38:01Z")
Alfred Bester’s **The Stars My Destination**. Better characterization the Heinlein, better writing in general, more fascinating society, no political digressions, classic plot. Bester’s **The Demolished Man** is almost as good. Since Bester was ahead of his time, they hold up very well. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/7 "2012-07-20T20:54:52Z")
This is an excellent list: What are the classics of science fiction? Who gets to decide? Do the fans know best, or the critics? I decided to use the wisdom of crowds. I gathered polls where fans voted for their all-time favorite books, found critics who wrote books on science fiction and included lists of their critical favorites, discovered books by science fiction writers recommending books that influenced their writing, added lists of award winners, and even made a list of which science fiction books have been made into movies, and put them all in a database. I ended up with 28 lists. From there I generated a new list, using any book being on at least seven of the original lists, and I called the results, [The Classics of Science Fiction](http://classics.jameswallaceharris.com/ByRank.php). One of my personal favorites is [The Forever War](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forever_War) by Haldeman. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/8 "2012-07-20T20:57:59Z")
The first sci-fi book I ever read, I think, was _Ender’s Game_. I don’t know if that’s a great starting point, but I really enjoyed the book way back when. The best sci-fi book that immediately comes to mind is probably _Dune_. That has some themes that might kinda sorta correlate well with District 9. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/9 "2012-07-20T22:12:44Z")
_Slaughterhouse-Five_, Kurt Vonnegut, but I’m betting you’re going to come back saying, “Ok, what should be my _second_ science fiction novel?” ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/10 "2012-07-20T22:15:11Z")
I’ll recommend a couple of Roger Zelazny books: _Lord of Light_ and _This Immortal_ (aka …and _Call Me Conrad_). They both won the Hugo award for best novel of the year. **Lord of Light** is rich and deep, while **Immortal** is a charming trifle. Zelazny was one of SF’s better prose guy and more philosophically sophisticated than myself. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/11 "2012-07-20T22:17:20Z")
> [@Kyrie\_Eleison](#): > > _Slaughterhouse-Five_, Kurt Vonnegut, but I’m betting you’re going to come back saying, “Ok, what should be my _second_ science fiction novel?” Meaning, I loved it so much I want more? Or it was so bad I couldn’t get through it? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/12 "2012-07-20T22:23:47Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Meaning, I loved it so much I want more? > > Or it was so bad I couldn’t get through it? > mmm I think they were betting you’d already read it, and hadn’t thought of it as science fiction at the time. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/13 "2012-07-20T22:35:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Guessing from your OP, > > _Stranger in a Strange Land_ > _The Voyage of the Space Beagle_ > _Foundation_ Oh, hell no. _Stranger_ is an awful place to start, for anything. Start with _The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress_ or _Rendevous With Rama_. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/14 "2012-07-20T22:38:09Z")
> [@Frylock](#): > > I think they were betting you’d already read it, and hadn’t thought of it as science fiction at the time. Exactly right. A lot of people think of science fiction as pulp without much literary merit. _Slaughterhouse-Five_ has serious literary cred though, and consequently, it’s often not perceived as science fiction. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/15 "2012-07-20T22:42:12Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Oh, hell no. > > _Stranger_ is an awful place to start, for anything. Start with _The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress_ or _Rendevous With Rama_. You realize you’re agreeing with me, right? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/16 "2012-07-20T22:49:00Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Guessing from your OP, > > _Stranger in a Strange Land_ > _The Voyage of the Space Beagle_ > _Foundation_ I’d also disagree. _Stranger in a Strange Land_ is good if you’re really into Heinlein at his most Heinleinesque - but it’s no book to use as an introduction to the SF genre. I’m not sure I’d even recommend _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_ for that. If I were picking a Heinlein book as an introduction to science fiction, I’d go with _Double Star_. I haven’t read _The Voyage of the Space Beagle_ so I can’t comment there. But it’s time for us SF fans to admit the uncomfortable truth: Isaac Asimov was a hack. Which doesn’t make his stuff worthless - if you like SF you can read his work and love it despite the hackiness. But there’s no way he should be used to introduce anyone to science fiction. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/17 "2012-07-20T22:56:41Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > You realize you’re agreeing with me, right? It was bound to happen sooner or later. I blame Goibniu. ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/18 "2012-07-20T23:05:03Z")
[The Sparrow](http://www.amazon.com/The-Sparrow-Mary-Doria-Russell/dp/0449912558) by Mary Doria Russell. Great, amazing book. I would compare it to “District 9” in that it raises both practical and philosophical questions about what might happen when humans encounter intelligent aliens, for realsies. the plots are not similar though. Personally, I actually don’t think most of the “classics” are very approachable if you’re over the age of 13 and have never read SF before. I would recommend against Heinlein, Asimov, Clarke, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/19 "2012-07-20T23:06:05Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > At least, I _think_ it would be my first. Background: I’ve done a good bit of reading in my time, but science fiction has never called to me, at least in book form. Favorite (non sci-fi) authors include John Irving, Mark Helprin, Cormac McCarthy, and Don Delillo; some favorite books include “A Confederacy of Dunces” and “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay”, and “A Prayer for Owen Meany”. Since you have 2 of my all time favorites listed right there, I’m guessing we might just share similar tastes. With that in mind, I’m going to recommend Ray Bradbury’s “The Martian Chronicles”. I predict you won’t be disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2012, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880/20 "2012-07-20T23:10:44Z")
Based on the OP’s choices, I wouldn’t suggest anything along the lines of the Asimovs, Heinleins, or the like. He’s listing literary novels and Asimov, to use him as an example, was not literary. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-be-my-first-science-fiction-novel/628880.md?page=2)