61 Best Science Fiction Books
We analyzed 5+ expert sources, curated book lists, and recommendations from successful people to find the 61 best science fiction books according to the internet — not just one person's opinion. Each book on this list was mentioned by at least two independent sources, and the ranking is based on how frequently each title appears across all sources studied. This consensus-based approach ensures you get recommendations backed by multiple experts, not a single reviewer's bias.
Goal: Find the best Science Fiction books according to the internet (not just one person's opinion).
Method:
- Search for "best science fiction books" and study the top 5+ pages.
- Add only the books mentioned 2+ times.
- Rank the results neatly here.
61 Best Science Fiction Books
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The Martian
The Martian, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Ev Williams, Noah Kagan, Chris Sacca, Matt Ridley, Max Levchin, Christopher Paolini, Tom Hanks
Dune
Snow Crash
Also recommended by:
Tobi Lütke, Larry Page, Naval Ravikant, Sergey Brin, Ev Williams, Seth Godin, Adam Savage, Brandon Stanton, Ryan Shea, Nolan Bushnell, Austen Allred, Cameron Winklevoss, Fred Wilson, Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang
1984
Also recommended by:
Tristan Harris, Jordan Peterson, J. Cole, Emma Watson, Noam Chomsky, Richard Branson, Matt Mullenweg, Christopher Hitchens, Sahil Lavingia, Jenn Im, Winston Churchill, Diane Rehm, Anna Akana, Brad Delong
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Elon Musk, Shah Rukh Khan, Naval Ravikant, Seth Rogen, Richard Branson, Tim Ferriss, Evan Goldberg, Sahil Lavingia, Jack Edwards, Zack D'Aleo
Station Eleven
A Novel
Also recommended by:
Kathryn Minshew, Tyler Cowen, George R. R. Martin, Tim Urban
Hyperion
Hyperion Cantos, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Frankenstein
Also recommended by:
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games, Book 3
Also recommended by:
The Left Hand of Darkness
Also recommended by:
Jurassic Park
Jurassic Park, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Leviathan Wakes
The Expanse, Book 1
Also recommended by:
The Three-Body Problem
The Three-Body Problem, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Doomsday Book
A Novel
Foundation
Neuromancer
Sprawl, Book 1
Oryx and Crake
A Novel
The Blazing World and Other Writings
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet
Wayfarers, Book 1
The Sparrow
A Novel
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Also recommended by:
Elon Musk, Paul Graham, John Carmack, Bill Gates, Christopher Sommer, Ryan Shea
Stories of Your Life and Others / Arrival
Also recommended by:
Stranger in a Strange Land
Also recommended by:
Slaughterhouse-Five
A Novel
Also recommended by:
The Handmaid's Tale
The Handmaid's Tale, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Altered Carbon
Also recommended by:
2001: A Space Odyssey
Space Odyssey, Book 1
Also recommended by:
Binti
The Complete Trilogy
Also recommended by:
Ringworld
Ringworld, Book 1
Also recommended by:
The Fifth Season
Broken Earth, Book 1
Also recommended by:
The Legend Trilogy
Also recommended by:
The Stand
Also recommended by:
A Canticle for Leibowitz
Amatka
Ammonite
Ancillary Justice
Imperial Radch, Book 1
Darwin's Radio
Dhalgren
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Downbelow Station
Company Wars, Book 1
Dragonflight
Dust / Pinion
Jacob's Ladder, Book 1
Illuminae
The Illuminae Files, Book 1
Kindred
Otherland
City of Golden Shadow
Planetfall
A Planetfall Novel, Book 1
Red Rising
Red Rising Series, Book 1
Sleeping Giants
The Themis Files, Book 1
Solaris
The Children of Men
The City & The City
A Novel
The Dispossessed
The Fold
A Novel
The Gone World
The Last Policeman
A Novel
The Real Story
The Gap into Conflict
The War of the Worlds
The Windup Girl
Valor's Choice
Valor Novel, Book 1
Watchers
World War Z
An Oral History of the Zombie War
Sources
- 1
29 of the Best Science Fiction Books Everyone Should Read | WIRED UK
wired.co.uk
- 2
The Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time | Penguin Random House
penguinrandomhouse.com
- 3
100+ Best Sci-Fi Books to Take You to Infinity and Beyond | Reedsy Discovery
reedsy.com
- 4
30 Of The Top Sci-Fi Books According To Goodreads Users | Book Riot
bookriot.com
- 5
The most important science fiction books of the last 15 years - Polygon
polygon.com
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.
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