Science fiction can seem like an intimidating genre for the uninitiated, what with its fantastical tales of advanced technologies, otherworldly beings, and, yes, all that science. But in reality, there’s something for everyone in sci-fi, with entries in the literary canon spanning a vast range of scientific accuracy and complexity, overlapping with countless subgenres—fantasy, romance, dystopia, climate fiction, you name it—and, almost always, using their futuristic elements to convey important messages about the current state of humanity.
Whether you’re already a sci-fi savant or just dipping your toes in the speculative waters, here are 21 of the best sci-fi books out there, from genre-defining classics like Frankenstein and The Time Machine to newer favorites like Annie Bot and Dream Hotel, exploring aliens, monsters, time travel, artificial intelligence, parallel universes, and everything in between.
