Science fiction is an important part of the literary world, and it’s a genre that has been around for over 100 years. However, there are some science fiction books that have stood the test of time and become classics in their own right. These books are not only entertaining but also thought provoking. Some of them even changed the way we think about life itself.

If you don’t have time for a whole series of books, try this list of great standalone classic science fiction novels.

Here are the best science fiction book series out there:

1. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Series by Douglas Adams

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is one of the most popular science fiction book series ever written. It was published in 1979 and became a cult classic almost immediately after its release. The story revolves around Arthur Dent, who wakes up on Earth from his sleep-induced coma with no memory of how he got there or what happened before. He soon learns that he is the last human being alive and decides to travel across space in search of answers. Along the way, he meets many interesting characters and encounters various obstacles on his journey. This book series is full of humor and satire, which makes it very enjoyable to read.

It’s also been turned into a movie.

Books:

1. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – 1979
2. The Restaurant at the End of the Universe – 1980
3. Life, the Universe and Everything – 1982
4. So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish – 1984
5. Mostly Harmless – 1992

2. Takeshi Kovacs Series by Richard K. Morgan

Richard K. Morgan’s Takeshi Kovacs series is set in a dystopian future where corporations rule the world through mind control. In this futuristic society, people are divided into two classes – Citizens and Freelancers. The citizens live in peace while the freelancers are forced to work for the corporations and fight against each other in illegal underground wars. As the series progresses, we learn more about Takeshi’s past and why he joined the army. His experiences during the war change him forever.

Watch the TV show Altered Carbon.

Books:

1. Altered Carbon – 2002
2. Broken Angels – 2003
3. Woken Furies – 2005

3. The Dune Series by Frank Herbert

The Dune series is set on a desert planet called Arrakis where the waterless landscape is home to giant sandworms, immense sand seas, and mysterious Fremen people. Paul Atreides, the main character, travels to Arrakis to claim the duchy of the planet. While there, he discovers that the Fremen people are fighting against the corrupt leaders of the Emperor’s Sardaukar army. He then joins forces with the Fremen to overthrow the emperor and take control of Arrakis. Since then, the rest of the Dune series explores the thousands of years that come after and all the political and strategic intrigue that goes on in the Imperium of Man.

Watch the new 2021 Dune film.

Books by Frank Herbert:

1. Dune – 1965
2. Dune Messiah – 1969
3. Children of Dune – 1976
4. God Emperor of Dune – 1981
5. Heretics of Dune – 1984
6. Chapterhouse: Dune – 1985

Get the whole Dune series in a bundle.

Books by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson:

1. Dune: House Atreides – 1999
2. Dune: House Harkonnen – 2000
3. Dune: House Corrino – 2001
4. Dune: The Butlerian Jihad – 2002
5. Dune: The Machine Crusade – 2003
6. Dune: The Battle Of Corrin – 2004
7. The Road To Dune – 2005
8. Hunters of Dune – 2006
9. Sandworms Of Dune – 2007
10. Paul Of Dune – 2008
11. The Winds Of Dune – 2009
12. Sisterhood Of Dune – 2012
13. Mentats of Dune – 2014

4. Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov

Foundation is a collection of three short stories by American author Isaac Asimov. It won both the Hugo Award and Nebula Award. The first story tells us how the Galactic Empire came into existence. The second story focuses on the government’s attempts to control population growth while the third story explores mental health issues. All these stories revolve around the concept of psychohistory—the study of history using mathematics.

Books:

1. Foundation – 1951
2. Foundation and Empire – 1952
3. Second Foundation – 1953
4. Foundation’s Edge – 1982
5. Foundation and Earth – 1986
6. Prelude to Foundation – 1988
7. Forward the Foundation – 1993

Get the Foundation series bundle.

5. Hainish Cycle Series by Ursula Le Guin

This is an alternate universe version of Earth from the novel A Wizard of Earthsea. This series follows Ged, who was raised by his aunt following the death of his parents. After being trained by wizards, he becomes a wizard himself and sets out to find his father. Along the way, he meets many characters and learns about different cultures.

Books:

1. Rocannon’s World – 1966
2. Planet of Exile – 1966
3. City of Illusions – 1967
4. The Left Hand of Darkness – 1969
5. The Dispossessed – 1974
6. The Word for World Is Forest – 1976
7. The Telling – 2000

6. Blade Runner series by Philip K Dick

Do Androids Dream of electric sheep? is a 1968 science fiction novel by American writer Philip K Dick. It describes a dystopian near-future in which advanced android models are used as pets and workers. The story follows a number of different perspectives, including that of Roy Batty, a bounty hunter who chases down rogue androids. You might know this book by it’s film adaptation title: Blade Runner.

Books:

1. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – 1968
2. Blade Runner 2: The Edge of Human – 1995
3. Blade Runner 3: Replicant Night – 1996
4. Blade Runner 4: Eye and Talon – 2000

7. Ringworld series by Larry Niven

Ringworld is a 1970 science fiction novel by American author Larry Niven. Set on an artificial world called “Ringworld”, the story explores humanity’s relationship with robots and machines. The plot unfolds following the discovery of the first sentient robot, known as “Lawgiver”, by the inhabitants of the ringworld. This book series would lay the foundation and inspiration for the Halo video game series.

Books:

1. Ringworld – 1970
2. The Ringworld Engineers – 1979
3. The Ringworld Throne – 1996
4. Ringworld’s Children – 2004

8. Neuromancer Trilogy by William Gibson

Neuromancer is a 1984 cyberpunk novel trilogy by American author William Gibson. It depicts the early days of the digital age in 2044, where the distinction between reality and virtual reality disappears. People can enter a semi-matrix state through a neurochip implant and live their lives entirely within cyberspace (or Second Reality). The story follows Case, a tough ex-cop, who tries to find his girlfriend, Molly, after she goes missing.

Books:

1. Neuromancer – 1984
2. Count Zero – 1986
3. Mona Lisa Overdrive – 1988

9. Snow Crash series by Neal Stephenson

Snow Crash is a 1992 science fiction novel series written by American author Neal Stephenson. In the distant future, it is winter and the entire surface of the earth has been transformed by a massive snow crash. This results in the emergence of several underground cities, each run by a powerful mafia family – the Church. Although Stephenson’s second novel in this series is often argues as merely lightly existing in the same world as Snow Crash, parallels show up too often that you can consider this a continuation a few years after the events of the first book.

Books:

1. Snow Crash – 1992
2. The Diamond Age – 1995

10. The Forever War Series by Joe Haldeman

The Forever War is a 1974 science fiction novel by American writer Joe Haldeman. It won both the Hugo Award and Nebula Award for best novel in 1975. The book describes the experiences of three soldiers during the First Contact Campaign of the Terran Confederation Army.

Books:

1. The Forever War – 1974
2. A Separate War – 1999
3. Forever Free – 1999

11. The Massive Warhammer 40,000 Black Library by Games Workshop

The Warhammer 40,000 universe was created by Games Workshop Ltd. in 1977. The setting consists of a vast galactic empire ruled over by the Emperor and his Knights of Chaos and the Adeptus Mechanicus, an order devoted to preserving the Imperium from the forces of destruction. The novels describe the battles fought by the various factions of Space Marines and Orks against one another. Countless talented authors have pitched in to providing fantastic escapes into this grim-dark universe amassing over 200+ books in the series.

Books:

1. Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader – 1980
2. Warhammer 40,0000: Blood Bowl – 1981
3. Warhammer 40,00: Deathwatch – 1983
4. and 200 more titles…

12. Halo Novel Series by Bungie & Microsoft

Halo is a 2001 science fiction video game developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game takes place in the year 2552, when humans are forced out of the solar system due to the Covenant, a ruthless alien race bent on destroying them. A group of marines are sent back to Earth to destroy the Covenant threat once and for all. The novel series written by a handful of authors follow the original story as well as the expanded universe and offshoot stories and characters not seen in the games.

Books:

1. Halo: The Fall of Reach – 2001
2. Halo: The Flood – 2003
3. Halo: First Strike – 2003
4. Halo: Ghosts of Onyx – 2006
5. Halo: Contact Harvest – 2007
6. Halo: The Cole Protocol – 2008

13. Gears of War Novel Series by Epic Games

Gears of War is a series of action role-playing video games developed by Epic Games and released between 2006 and 2014. The series follows the exploits of Marcus Fenix and Delta Squad, two special forces operatives who must stop Locust Horde invasion of human settlements across the planet Sera. The novels based on the games were written by different authors and expand into the lore and history of

Books:

1. Aspho Fields – 2008
2. Jacinto’s Remnant – 2009
3. Anvil Gate – 2010
4. Coalition’s End – 2011
5. The Slab – 2012
6. Kilo Squad: The Survivor’s Log – 2014
7. Ascendance – 2019
8. Bloodlines – 2020
9. Ephyra Rising – 2021

14. Mass Effect Novel Series by Bioware & Electronic Arts

Mass Effect is a science fiction role-playing video game franchise developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. The series follows the adventures of Commander Shepard, a character in the game’s fictional universe, as he or she leads humanity’s struggle against the Reapers, a race of gigantic extra-terrestrial machines that seek to exterminate organic life throughout the galaxy.

Books:

1. Mass Effect: Revelation – 2007
2. Mass Effect: Ascension – 2008
3. Mass Effect: Retribution – 2010
4. Mass Effect: Deception – 2012

15. The Expanse Series by Jonathan S.A. Corey

The Expanse is a space opera novel series set in the 22nd century, after mankind has colonized the Solar System and spread throughout the Milky Way Galaxy. It tells the story of detective Josephine “Jules” Mariner, her partner Jim Holden, and the crew of the Rocinante, a ship with a diverse collection of characters. Set 400 years in the future, it depicts a near-future where humanity has colonized most of the Solar System, but still struggles with its past. The first book in the series, Leviathan Wakes, won the Hugo Award for best novel in 2015.

The Expanse has gone on to become Amazon’s most viewed shows.

Books:

1. Leviathan Wakes – 2011
2. Caliban’s War – 2012
3. Abaddon’s Gate – 2013
4. Cibola Burn – 2014
5. Nemesis Games – 2015
6. Babylon’s Ashes – 2016
7. Persepolis Rising – 2017
8. Tiamat’s Wrath – 2019

Where to start

If you’re curious where to start, try thinking about a sci fi movie you just loved. Chances are if you liked the movie, you’ll like the book either it’s based on, or a book written to follow the movie. Same exercise goes with video games.