Sometimes we need a book to take us out of our head, to get us to stop thinking about whatever else is going on in the world. Sometimes though we have so much going on in our lives that we need a book that takes us off the freaking planet! Books about space are abundant but sometimes they focus too much on world-building and it gets easy to skim the boring descriptions to get on with the story. The good books about space keep you so captivated that you have to read every single word because you just can’t help yourself. Here’s a list of the top sci-fi books that are out of this world good!
Dune by Frank Herbert
Dune is often cited as the world’s best-selling sci-fi novel. The story focuses on Paul Atreides and his family as they take control of the desert planet Arrakis, the only source of the most important substance in their cosmos. So it can’t be surprising when multiple forces of the empire vie for control of Arrakis and put Paul and his family in the center of an interstellar conflict.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A sci-fi take on a Roman hierarchy 700 years in the future, Red Rising follows sixteen-year old Darrow and his goal to take down the entire system. For Feyble’s rave review of the Red Rising series, click here.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
When an alien race is attempting to invade Earth, Ender Wiggin, a six-year old boy, will be tasked with the impossible – saving the human race.
The Martian by Andy Weir
Mark Watney is one of the first people to walk on Mars…and one of the first to likely die on Mars too. After Mark is left for dead following a devastating dust storm, it’ll take all his skills and ingenuity to survive before help can arrive.
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
A robot that may be more than his makers intended? This is quintessential sci-fi. Following an aware SecUnit and his defense of a team of scientists, All Systems Red is an entertaining and fun read.
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi
Reaching retirement age means joining the Colonial Defense Force to defend Earth against those alien races that have no problem maintaining a decades-long war. John Perry has no idea what to expect when he enlists but he’s about to find out what’s really happening far, far away from home.
Illuminae by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
Talk about a unique way to tell a story! Illuminae includes interviews, memos, emails, and depositions that build a fascinatingly smooth story about a corporation who will go through any means to control a planet, a deadly plague on the escaping ship, and an AI that may be the biggest threat of all.
Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein
A cult favorite, Starship Troopers is probably best known for that exciting movie with Denise Richards. If you weren’t a fan, don’t let that keep you from reading the book (books are almost always better)! The book is fun, fast paced, and easy to read. Young recruits enlist in the Terran Mobile Infantry to fight in The Bug War, a war against humanity’s most dangerous enemy.
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
This list wouldn’t be complete without 2001: A Space Odyssey. Something is going on with the moon and to figure out what’s happening a mission is sent to Saturn. Little do they know that the more pressing danger is in the ship itself.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Always Carry a Towel. Learn more exciting tips by reading about this action-packed journey through space.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
The Canterbury Tales mixed in with an epic space war? Definitely worth giving it a shot!
Sweep of the Blade by Ilona Andrews
This is a little different than your regular sci-fi because it throws in some yummy romance but Ilona Andrews, the wife/husband writing duo, keeps true to planetary escapes, battles, and rescues. A fun sci-fi read that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Rules of Redemption by T.A. White
Kira Forrest is a war hero who only wants to scavenge and be alone on her ship. When the ship takes damage and she’s forced to dock at a space station, she’s forced to deal with the Tuann, a technologically advanced alien race. Again, this book is exciting and full of space battles but it’s definitely for the romance-inclined.
Alyssa Flores
Alyssa reads hundreds of books a year and is on a never-ending quest to find the perfect book.
