When it comes to making a list of the best sci-fi books for beginners, it’s really hard. There’s no shortage of options, as the genre encompasses so many different kinds of work from all over the planet.
I have felt that sci-fi books are usually pretty easy to get into, but beginners can get stuck if the plot is too complex. Usually, the genre already contains several dystopian and alternate concepts that might not exist in our world. Hence, going through a relatively easy plot (but not dull) will be the best experience for beginners or relatively younger readers.
This list is ranked chronologically, and all of them can be great reads for readers of all ages trying to break into the sci-fi genre.
Frankenstein
Frankenstein is one of my earliest memories of reading a sci-fi book, and it’s a classic in every right. Mary Shelley’s original work forms a testament to what too much tinkering can create. In a world where science has come a long way since the 1800s, it’s best to remember that humankind shouldn’t try to play God. The classic has been adapted and made into cartoons, movies, and TV series and also inspired a lot of similar creations in fan fiction.
The War of the Worlds
H.G. Wells is one of my favorite sci-fi writers from the classical eras, and you can unquestioningly pick any of his works. The War of the Worlds holds a unique space, as it portrays aliens in a very different way. Their invasion of Earth was strictly for one purpose – to capture humans and raid the planet for resources. Over the years, the story has also been adapted into movies and series, all of which have found fair success.
I, Robot
If you love sci-fi books and short stories, I, Robot will be the perfect companion to get you started. The stories, written by the legendary Isaac Asimov, were originally published in different publishers. Interestingly, Asimov chose the 21st century to showcase in his stories, and you will find some eerie similarities between today’s world and his writings. While the stories can be enjoyed as standalone pieces, all of them deal with the differences between man and machine, and how the two have to walk on a thin thread to balance their co-existence.
Neuromancer
When I read Neuromancer for the first time, I had no idea when it was penned by William Gibson (I would never have guessed that it was in 1985!) Winner of multiple awards, Gibson’s debut novel has a strong influence on the cyberpunk theme. As a younger version of myself, I really loved how I could relate the story with The Matrix movies, which were based heavily on works like Neuromancer. Expect a lot of futuristic concepts and a journey into the proper potential of supercomputers, but Gibson’s masterpiece makes all of it very lucid for the reader.
Ender’s Game
A novel that marries military action, space, and sci-fi is undoubtedly a dream plot, and I loved every page of this grand opera. Ender’s Game follows a young child named Ender, trained from an early age to be a commander and last hope for humankind in a war against the insect-like alien Formics. Along the way, Ender has to deal with tensions among other Battle School candidates and cope with the psychological issues from being raised for war by the adults. It’s a fantastic novel from start to end, and the books are available worldwide.
Jurassic Park
This is a very different journey from the other titles mentioned on this list, as it’s a bit more about creatures than space or neon. Crichton’s Jurassic Park is a visionary work. While mankind has always wanted to play God, the first novel witnessed them bringing back dinosaurs from the extinct. As it turns out, a lot of things can go wrong when trying to make a zoo with dinosaurs. The novel has since been adapted into a movie, which is a good adaptation of the book, but the original novel has even more detail and merit all its own.
The Martian
Andy Weir’s debut novel is his most famous book at this point in time, propelled by the success of the tie-in movie. Getting stranded anywhere is terrible, but things get a lot worse if it’s the Red Planet and you have the bare minimum resources to survive. Mark Watney’s journey makes you want to cheer for him, as every day until his rescue is a struggle. The Martian is an excellent testament to real-life risks that our astronauts and space explorers undertake, and a fascinating look at what survival in space could really look like.
Leviathan Wakes
Call me biased, but I can’t make a list of sci-fi books without including The Expanse series. Leviathan Wakes is where everything begins, and it’s a classic tale of power, corruption, and betrayal. The futuristic setting has three main factions: Earth, Mars, and the OPA. It all starts with the destruction of the Canterbury hauler, sparking growing dissent within the Milky Way. However, there’s another part of the story that involves a conspiracy involving an unknown organic growth that leaves death in its trail. Do note that while the Leviathan Wakes is a fantastic sci-fi book on its own, The Expanse series has even more novels that carry the story forward.
Pines
Blake Crouch has an enviable list of sci-fi novels under his portfolio, and Pines is an awesome amalgamation of sci-fi and post-apocalyptic survival. However, this isn’t your run-of-the-mill stuff, and at first, Pines will appear more of a time-travel mystery. It revolves around Ethan Blake surviving an accident, only to realize that there’s no way to escape from Wayward Pines. While the place seems nice at first, there’s something very nefarious going on, and the first book of the trilogy sets an incredible plot for readers to uncover.
Scythe
Scythe is a lot lighter read compared to some of the other entries on this list. Written by Shusterman in 2016, Scythe deals with an alternate timeline where diseases and death have become a matter of the past. However, the population still needs to be kept in check, and the Scythedom has to do the unpleasant job. The first novel revolves around Rowan and Cintra, who are chosen as apprentices to become Scythedom. However, keeping two apprentices is against the rule, leading to the beginning of a deep conspiracy. Two more novels have been released by Shusterman, forming a trilogy.
