Science fiction is defined as “fiction based on imagined future scientific or technological advances and major social or environmental changes, frequently portraying space or time travel and life on other planets.” Essentially these portrayals exist in the realm of possibility making it more realistic than fantasy as a genre but straying off the path of contemporary into an imagined world.

Science fiction emerged over two hundred years ago resulting in a diverse range of books, however, the genre we know and love today developed mainly during the 20th century. This boom was largely due to the increase of scientific innovation and the integration of science into everyday life leading to an interest in books exploring the link between technology and society itself.

Delving into sci-fi can sometimes seem a bit intimidating, which may prevent you picking up books like Frankenstein or The War of the Worlds, so with this in mind, we have composed a list of five books you should read if you’re thinking of dipping your toes into the genre. These books are definite page turners so they should put you well on your way to finding a new genre to love!

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal
The Calculating Stars was Kowal’s sci-fi debut and won her the Nebula, Locus and Hugo Awards for Best Novel. It is is fairly realistic in that it draws on events that actually happened, like NASA employing women as calculators, and only features humans, not any other species. This book is part of the Lady Astronaut Series, which currently consists of three books—so if you love this one, there’s two more for you!

The plot follows Elma York, a WWII pilot and mathematician, after a meteorite destroys Washington DC and triggers global warming on an alarming scale. With her husband, Elma figures out that this means the oceans will heat up to such a degree that Earth itself will be inhabitable. The result is the formation of the International Aerospace Coalition (IAC) in order to explore Space and potentially find humanity a new home on the Moon or Mars. The problem is, it’s 1952, and much like in the early days of NASA (or rather the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics as it started out as) women were not employed as astronauts and Elma can only get a position as a calculator. She is brilliant at maths but she wants to explore the stars from a rocket and not from the ground. 

The Calculating Stars explores what it’s like for Elma to fight for herself and other female pilots to have the right to become respected astronauts but it also explores how the system is rigged to discourage Black and POC women from making it too. Elma is a white woman who throughout the book has various realisations and learning experiences with the black community, opening up her eyes to systemic racism. This is definitely not the focus of the book but it is good that it was included. This book also features anxiety rep as Elma has severe anxiety (to the point of vomiting) about speaking in a public space, to the press or on TV. The root cause of this is explained and her anxiety was explored in a way that would have made sense both in the 50’s and as an astronaut in the public eye. The side characters are developed well and the plot moves at a steady pace.

Overall, if you are looking for a strong female main character against a backdrop of the early days of space exploration, this is the one to read.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
This one is an absolute page turner and seriously underrated! It is part of a duology but this first book is the better read.

April May is leaving work in NYC at 3am when she stumbles across what looks at first glance, to be a ten foot tall statue in samurai gear. Instead of walking past it as she, and probably most of the city, would usually do, she stops and calls her best friend Andy. Together, they film a video and post it online. When April wakes up, she finds out that the video they had filmed has gone viral—the statue they called Carl, isn’t the only one.

These ‘Carls’ have appeared overnight all over the world and April and Andy were the first to document it, thus establishing themselves as somewhat unconventional experts. Thrust into the spotlight, April has to deal with the instant pressure that comes with fame whilst trying to find out everything she can on the sudden emergence of the Carls. 

This book is better the less you know. It is a compulsive and hugely relevant novel about the demands of fame and the influence it can have on an individual, about what happens when a group of people learn to work together and about vilification and mob mentality. 

The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
This book is easily a popular one and for good reason. If you like your books on the heartwarming side with a big dollop of found family, then add this to your TBR. It was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Bailey’s Women’s Prize for Fiction 2016 and is part of a series that are set in the same world but can be read as standalone novels.

““Ninety percent of all problems are caused by people being assholes.”
“What causes the other ten percent?” asked Kizzy.
“Natural disasters,” said Nib.”

This book follows the crew of the Wayfarer and their newest recruit, Rosemary Harper as they travel through space punching holes and building tunnels. The Wayfarer crew are a mix of species, each with their own distinct personalities that really shine through. They are given the opportunity of a lifetime—their chance to build a tunnel to a distant planet the galaxy has just formed an alliance with, thus earning them a large payout. But as everyone knows, the jobs that pay the most are never the easy ones.

A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet tackles so many issues that are relevant today including gun control, colonialism, xenophobia, and racism. It serves as a stark reminder that whether we stay on Earth or manage to expand to other planets in the Universe, these things will still be something we need to address, we can’t just leave them behind. The characters don’t conform to the gender binary (one character is Non-Binary and another starts life as female, then changes to male and end their life as Non-Binary) and there is LGBTQ+ rep. Not only that but the characters are loveable and perfectly flawed. This book is a warm comforting hug and the epitome of found family. Perfect for cuddling up to on a rainy day with your favourite hot drink.

The Starlight Watchmaker by Lauren James
This is a novella so it comes in at a little over a hundred pages. It is a YA aimed at struggling or dyslexic readers so the writing is easy to follow and possible to read through in one sitting. This novella is the perfect thing to read if you aren’t sure if you prefer your sci-fi more on the realistic, mostly human side or are happy with the addition of other species.

Hugo is a watchmaker at a prestigious academy. He is one of the lucky ones—many androids like him are jobless and homeless as their owners get newer and better models, abandoning the old ones without a moment’s notice. But when Dorian nearly breaks down Hugo door demanding his time-travel watch be fixed before his exam, Hugo is thrust into an adventure where he and Dorian have to reconcile their differences and get to the bottom of a mysterious scheme within the academy.

Hugo is a loveable character to follow as a narrator. He knows how androids are viewed so he stays tucked away in his attic, fixing watches and convinces himself he prefers to be by himself, that is until Dorian crashes into his life and pulls him out of his attic to help him find the part to fix his watch.

He slowly realises he actually enjoys being around people and making conversation and it turns into one of the best days he has ever had. The mystery running throughout is just enough to grip you too. It is also great to see interaction between an android, a human and well, a planet who is currently a wall. They are all curious about each other but not to the point of rudeness and it is a great lesson on appreciating everyone’s differences. This is another relevant book, specifically whilst we are still living in COVID times. It is a reminder that no matter who you are or how introverted you are, everyone needs that connection with other people to enrich their lives.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

You can’t really have a sci-fi list without adding The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. It’s a pop-culture classic and has been a radio show, TV series, novel, stage play, comic book and a film. 

The original novel came out in 1979 and it’s part of a series so if you love it, there are more books set in this world. It is full of British satire, irony and biting wit so if that’s not your thing, feel free to skip this one.

This book follows Arthur Dent, who after getting his house bulldozed then finds the Earth getting demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. Mere seconds before this obliteration, Arthur is saved and taken off planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor. Thus follows one crazy, strange road trip in space.

Do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Five Books For Readers Who Are New To Sci-Fi appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Books these days are either surrounded by hype, or they’re just…not. The presence of book community on social media sites as Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube have led to a lot more popularity around books and reading culture, and we all fall victim to buying stacks on stacks of fresh reads because they’ve been so prevalent on every one of our social media platforms. So, I took the time to compile a list of mostly fantasy (some sci-fi) books that whilst not “underrated” in the normal sense of the world, are perhaps a bit older, and may have been left largely untouched by the hype-trains we are all so familiar with.

Either way, if you’re looking for a new book, or even if you’re not, and you haven’t read these guys, give them a go!

1. Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta

Yes, this is definitely a rather bias choice, because it’s my favourite book of all time. But Finnikin of the Rock is amazing, and I definitely don’t see enough people talking about it. Finnikin and his guardian, Sir Topher, have not seen their beloved homeland of Lumatere for ten years. Not since the dark days when the royal family was brutally murdered and the kingdom put under a terrible curse. But after a prophetic dream, Finnikin is summoned to meet Evanjalin, a young woman with an incredible claim; the heir to Lumatere is alive, and she knows how to bring them home.

This book is about lost people, the bonds between family and friends, and what happens to populations when they’re left without a home. It’s moving, funny, and full of action and romance, and I think everyone should read it.

2. Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher

The first book in the Codex Alera series, we are introduced to the world of Alera, where for a thousand years, the people have been united against the aggressive and threatening races that inhabit the world, using their unique bond with the furies: elementals of earth, air, fire, water, and metal. Following young boy, Tavi, who lives in a village far away from danger and politics, but who has a few struggles of his own. At 15, Tavi cannot Furycraft, but one night, after he saves a slave in a storm, he is thrust into a destiny far greater than he could have ever imagined.

Furies of Calderon is full of magic, and absolutely enchanting characters. Written as an experiment in what would happen if you combined Pokemon with the Holy Roman Empire, it’s a wild ride from start to finish.

3. The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

It’s hard to describe The Eye of the World without giving too much away, but the first book in Robert Jordan’s epic Wheel of Time series sees farm boy Rand, along with a few friends, whisked away from the village they’ve lived all their lives by Moiraine, the mysterious Aes Sedai. What follows is the beginning of an epic adventure full of magic and set in an absolute masterpiece of a world that will leave you on the edge of your seat and desperate for the next book. “What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.”

4. Heart of Iron by Ashley Poston

Okay, I’m breaking my own rule here, because this book is definitely sci-fi, not fantasy. But given that these genres get lumped together in bookstores, I’m lumping them together here as well. One of the newer releases on this list, and an Anastasia-inspired story to boot, Heart of Iron is the tale of Ana. A young girl is found floating in space many years ago by the Captain of an outlawed spaceship, with no memory of her past, and an android by her side. Now seventeen, Ana is desperate to find a way to fix D09, her android best friend, who keeps glitching uncontrollably. As she embarks on this reckless quest with a spoiled Ironblood boy by her side, they battle to keep themselves alive, but what they uncover in a lost corner of the universe will change all their lives completely. And Ana is faced with a terrible decision: to save the boy she loves, or protect the kingdom that wanted her dead.

Now, I’m not going to say that the romance in this book isn’t more than a bit cheesy, but space pirates! Adventure! Lost Princesses! Who wouldn’t want to give this a go?

5. Storm Front by Jim Butcher

Our second novel by Jim Butcher on this list, and urban fantasy this time! Meet Harry Dresden: a sarcastic PI and police consultant, and… wizard. Consulting on a grisly double murder for the Chicago P.D, Harry finds himself hunting for a mage who isn’t afraid to use black magic to get what he wants. And perhaps worse, he’s hunting for a mage who knows his name, and is hunting him right back.

Now tell me that you don’t want to read about a wisecracking wizard-for-hire with the most rotten luck imaginable?

6. Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks

Alright, now I’ll be honest with you here, I haven’t actually read this one myself. But, it’s on my TBR and I’m planning on starting it after I finish off my current read, so I’m putting it on here! Plus, the reviews on Goodreads seem fairly controversial, so it counts.

For Azoth, survival is precarious. Something you never take for granted. As a guild rat, he’s grown up in the slums, and learned to judge people quickly – and to take risks. Risks like apprenticing himself to Durzo Blint, the city’s most (in)famous assassin. But to be accepted, Azoth must turn his back on his old life and embrace a new identity and name. As Kylar Stern, he must learn to navigate the assassins’ world of dangerous politics and strange magics – and cultivate a flair for death.

7. Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind

Once again living up to the expectation that fantasy series are both incredibly amazing, and incredibly long, and not to be confused with its poor TV adaptation Legend of the Seeker, Wizard’s First Rule is the first book in the Sword of Truth series.

In the aftermath of his father’s brutal murder, a mysterious woman, Kahlan Amnell, appears in Richard Cypher’s forest sanctuary seeking help. Swept into a world he knows nothing about, and ripe with magic, danger, and politics- Richard and Kahlan find themselves battling to survive… and to not fall in love. “This is the beginning. One book. One Rule. Witness the birth of a legend”.

8. The Gift by Alison Croggon

This one follows a fairly familiar fantasy trope, with main character Maerad living as a slave in an unforgiving mountain settlement. However, unbeknown to her, Maerad possess a gift that marks her a member of the School of Pellinor. It’s only after she is noticed and rescued by Cadvan, a Bard of Lirigon, that she starts of the quest to uncover the true secrets of her destiny. Maerad and Cadvan set out on a perilous quest against dark forces which threaten to overtake the world.

The Gift (also released as “The Naming”) is told almost as a historical retelling, with the author including lore and notes on ‘historical’ texts during her appendices at the end of the novel. This book follows an incredibly well-worn plot, and somehow, here I am recommending it to you; why? Because of the characters. Cadvan and Maerad are noble, and flawed, and a little messed up. They carry the plot beautifully as they attempt to open themselves up to each other enough to work to defeat the darkness that is threatening their world.

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

Such a true sci-fi classic that I don’t even know where to begin in describing it to you, but I’ll give it a go. Seconds before Earth is set to be destroyed to make way for an intergalactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect; out of work actor, researcher for ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ and alien. What follows is the journey through space with a few other interstellar travellers, including a chronically depressed robot, the president of the galaxy, and a girl Arthur hit on at a bar one time.

Douglas Adams writes some of the most quotable and laugh out loud lines of all time (big claim, but I stand by it), and if you only read one book on this list, make it this one. It’s funny, and a little bit existential and all around amazing.

10. Legend by David Gemmell

This is quite possibly the oldest book on this list, first published in 1984 and follows the legend of Druss, the barbarian. His prowess in battle led him to become a living legend, and the stories of him have been told countless times over the land. But he is old, and spends his time in solitude in his mountain lair, awaiting the arrival of his old enemy, Death. But the Drenai fortress of Dros Delnoch is losing the battle against barbarians of the Nadir, and Druss reluctantly agrees to leave retirement to help. But can he live up to his own legend?

This book is hailed by many as a classic in the heroic fantasy genre, and to be honest, it reads a bit like a classic. However, it also embraces themes like honour, loyalty and redemption, and it starts with a very drunk and very reluctant hero getting into a bit of mischief, so what’s not to love?

And there you have it guys! Surely there’s something on here that you haven’t heard of or that interests you, so why not add to your overflowing TBR and give one of these books a go?

Have you read any? Or would you add any others? Tell us your thoughts below in the comments!

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