Summer Reading Ideas – Science Fiction Edition

Following along my earlier post about some of my favorite fantasy series, here are a few of my favorite science fiction novels. These aren’t necessarily my top 5, but I feel that they are all worth the read.

Lilith’s Brood (Octavia E. Butler)

This is a series of books, and I felt like I had to include it on my list because the premise is so original and I have never encountered anything like it before or since reading this series. The three books, Dawn, Adulthood Rites, and Imago are incredibly well written.

She won multiple awards for the books in this series. If you haven’t had the opportunity to read them yet, I encourage you to take the time to do so. The story-telling elements found within her books is phenomenal.

Prey (Michael Crichton)

I believe I enjoyed this book as much as I did, because the science highlighted in this book is not only probable, but we currently have the technology to accomplish most of it.

Each time I think about that fact, it scares me (which was more than likely his intention).

I have read many of Crichton’s novels, but this is one of my favorites. It’s intense, it’s believable, and it has a great story.

Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion (Dan Simmons)

I have a more personal reason for including these two books. These were the very first true science fiction novels that I read, and I learned a while later that Dan Simmons was a local author. (I have a signed copy of The Fall of Hyperion).

I fell in love with the story and the premise of these books. They are very well written.

I will add that there are two more books in the series (Endymion and The Rise of Endymion). While they will help the reader conclude the story line, I did not enjoy the later two installments in that series as fully as I did Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion. The Fall of Hyperion remains one of my favorite books of all time.

Einstein’s Bridge (John Cramer)

This particular novel may be difficult to track down, as it is currently out of print, but if you happen to come across a copy in your bookstore travels, I encourage you to pick it up.

This book delves into some quantum physics principles that may be difficult for some people (myself included, at times) to fully understand, but I find some of the ideas presented in this book to be fascinating. Cramer does a remarkable job of writing a very engaging story, while incorporating the science as well.

Darwinia (Robert Charles Wilson)

When I first began reading this book, it had the feel of a modern-day fantasy or adventure novel. The idea of an unexplained phenomena occurring that completely changes the course of our world’s history, just as World War I was about to begin, was captivating.

Once the reader is through approximately 60% of the novel, there is an incredible revelation that truly changes the story and makes this a real science fiction novel. (I won’t go into details for those who have not read this book; I don’t like to give spoilers). It’s a great read and a great adventure.