Best Sci-Fi Books: The 70 Best Sci-Fi Novels of All Time

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Looking for the best sci-fi books of all time? You’re in the right place!

From Orwell to Asimov to Huxley; from Simmons to Chiang to Le Guin, I’ve done the exploring and gathered the best sci-fi series and best science fiction books in the solar system for you here, in one list.

Note: This list of best sci-fi books is strictly limited to the sci-fi genre. For my top fantasy picks, go check out this reading list of the 70 best fantasy books of all time. Or click here to explore all TAoL‘s book recommendations.

Where should you start? I’m a huge fan of classic science fiction and because my ranking algorithm factors in publication date (more details below), it has a tendency to promote older, time-tested titles to top spots.

That said, from the Hyperion Cantos (#29) to Red Rising (#55) to the Commonwealth Saga (#62), there are some incredible, must-read modern science fiction books to be found further down the page. So while the rankings still stand, the fact is you won’t go far wrong with ANY of the best sci-fi books on this list.

My advice? Don’t overthink it.

Scan the titles, pick the first book that excites you and start reading!

And whatever you choose, I hope you find wonder, I hope you find wisdom and I hope you remember not to panic on your rollercoaster ride through the multiverse.

The 70 Best Sci-Fi Books Of All Time

Why these best sci-fi books and not others? The best sci-fi books below are the top picks from my long list of hundreds of books, ranked by a combination of Goodreads rating, number of Goodreads reviews and first publication date. The aim is to surface what’s most loved, what’s most popular and what’s proven timelessly relevant.

Note: To maximise diversity I’ve only included the top-ranked science fiction novel from any sci-fi book series where multiple books from that series would have made the list. Where the book listed below is not the first in a sequence, you may want to click through and start with the first in the series.

Think something’s missing? Leave a comment or email me and I’ll add it to the next round of updates. I honestly love hearing from you so please, do get in touch!

Books 1-10: The Top 10 Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time

Here are the top 10 best sci-fi books from my database…

1. 1984 – George Orwell

Published 1949 // 237 pages // Rated 4.2 over 3,055,100 reviews on Goodreads

2. Second Foundation (Foundation, #3) – Isaac Asimov

Published 1953 // 256 pages // Rated 4.3 over 139,900 reviews on Goodreads

3. I, Robot (Robot, #0.1) – Isaac Asimov

Published 1950 // 224 pages // Rated 4.2 over 270,300 reviews on Goodreads

4. Brave New World – Aldous Huxley

Published 1932 // 288 pages // Rated 4.0 over 1,412,600 reviews on Goodreads

5. Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1) – Frank Herbert

Published 1965 // 604 pages // Rated 4.2 over 728,700 reviews on Goodreads

6. Childhood’s End – Arthur C. Clarke

Published 1953 // 224 pages // Rated 4.1 over 126,600 reviews on Goodreads

7. The End of Eternity – Isaac Asimov

Published 1955 // 192 pages // Rated 4.2 over 42,700 reviews on Goodreads

8. Cat’s Cradle – Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Published 1963 // 306 pages // Rated 4.2 over 334,900 reviews on Goodreads

9. The Sirens of Titan – Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Published 1959 // 224 pages // Rated 4.2 over 111,300 reviews on Goodreads

10. Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury

Published 1953 // 194 pages // Rated 4.0 over 1,638,800 reviews on Goodreads

BONUS: The Top 10 Best Sci-fi Books (Ignoring Publication Date)

Books that are proven survivors usually have something worth saying. That’s why I almost always use publication date as a factor in my book-ranking algorithm.

But when it comes to the best sci-fi books of all time, I understand that a modern perspective has its advantages. Which is why you’ll find a quick top 10 sci-fi book list below that only considers what’s most loved and most popular…

1. Ender’s Game (Ender’s Saga, #1) – Orson Scott Card

Published 1985 // 324 pages // Rated 4.3 over 1,109,700 reviews on Goodreads

2. Golden Son (Red Rising Saga, #2) – Pierce Brown

Published 2015 // 430 pages // Rated 4.4 over 143,100 reviews on Goodreads

3. Ready Player One (Ready Player One, #1) – Ernest Cline

Published 2011 // 374 pages // Rated 4.3 over 835,700 reviews on Goodreads

4. Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1) – James S.A. Corey

Published 2011 // 561 pages // Rated 4.3 over 162,300 reviews on Goodreads

5. Dune (Dune Chronicles, #1) – Frank Herbert

Published 1965 // 604 pages // Rated 4.2 over 728,700 reviews on Goodreads

6. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Hitchhiker, #1) – Douglas Adams

Published 1979 // 193 pages // Rated 4.2 over 1,402,600 reviews on Goodreads

7. The Fifth Season (The Broken Earth, #1) – N.K. Jemisin

Published 2015 // 468 pages // Rated 4.3 over 135,100 reviews on Goodreads

8. Second Foundation (Foundation, #3) – Isaac Asimov

Published 1953 // 256 pages // Rated 4.3 over 139,900 reviews on Goodreads

9. Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, #1) – Dan Simmons

Published 1989 // 482 pages // Rated 4.2 over 180,700 reviews on Goodreads

10. 1984 – George Orwell

Published 1949 // 237 pages // Rated 4.2 over 3,055,100 reviews on Goodreads

Books 11-70: More Great Sci-Fi Books to Read

Here are the next 60 books on my list of best sci-fi books of all time (with publication date factored back in)…

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Arthur Worsley

Arthur is a thinker and writer who helps people who want more from their lives learn to be more productive, find more balance and live life more meaningfully. Want to know more? Take this 2-minute quiz to discover your Productivity Quotient (PQ) and learn how to get BIG things done. Take the Quiz →