For those who love everything beyond our stars, this Jan. 2. is the perfect day for you. It is National Science Fiction Day, celebrated by millions across the United States. Sci-fi lovers will turn to their favorite novels, television shows, and movies for the annual celebration, held on the birthday of famed writer Isaac Asimov.
Many books in the science fiction genre can be read or revisited to celebrate National Science Fiction Day. The field is so vast that it can be overwhelming to narrow down the choices. However, some books stand out even within the massive array of choices available thanks to their world-building and characters. Here are five must-read science fiction novels that are perfect for reading in honor of National Science Fiction Day.
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Foundation by Isaac Asimov
This list would be incomplete if Isaac Asimov was not on it. After all, it is his birthday upon which we celebrate National Science Fiction Day. Born Isaak Yudovich Ozimov, the author was a professor of biochemistry at Boston University and left us a plethora of renowned science fiction books before he died in 1992.
Foundation is his most famous book series, with the first novel sharing the same name. The story follows Hari Seldon, a psychohistorian whose job is to predict the future using mathematics and probability. For the Galactic Empire to thrive, Seldon must be able to predict how it would fall and prevent the dark ages. It has since been adapted into an Apple TV+ show. It is renewed for a third season as of Dec. 10.
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The first of the seven-book Foundation series was released in 1951 and had an unwavering effect on its genre. The Dune series (featured below), Star Wars, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy are all largely believed to be inspired by the Foundation series.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card
Many Sci-fi books have a young protagonist. Few, however, have a young character such as Ender Wiggin, who, alongside the other children, was groomed for battle since adolescence. Ender’s Game, written by Orson Scott Card in 1985, shows the consequences of war. It does so through the lens of a society built around its need to defend itself from an alien race.
In Ender’s Game, Wiggins is chosen at age six to become one of the Earth’s saviors. He will attend Battle School to help defend from the Buggers, an alien species that attacked the planet years prior. But along the way, we begin to see how Wiggins is manipulated by the people meant to guide him in his patriotic sacrifice. Isolated from his family and thrown into a spaceship where he has to fight to survive amongst his peers, we see the moral complexities that come with leadership.
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This story is one about compassion, and about maintaining it when thrown into a world that seems to want to destroy it. Furthermore, this is the first book in a series, meaning that if you love this book, there are many to follow! Otherwise, I believe it to be a wonderful standalone book.
Fury by Henry Kuttner
Earth is long gone in Henry Kuttner’s Fury, with Venus serving as the home for all humans. However, 27th-century society is very different from what it once was, forced beneath the ground because of the brutality of land survival. A caste system is in place, with the ruling “Immortals” towering over the rest of society due to their exceptionally long lives. The story follows Sam Reed, an immortal who was abandoned and maimed by his immortal father as punishment for his mother dying during childbirth. Reed becomes a streetwise criminal, violent and reactionary, and does not realize he is immortal until after waking from what is essentially a coma.
Fury explores the consequences of complacency and the need for human innovation. Reed is selfish, has no conscience, and flees from one place to another as it pleases him. However, his wits and ambition help bring some people to Venus’ surface. Called the Free Companions, these men are effectively manipulated by Reed to come to the surface, and while the human race has been saved from decline by Reed’s ruthlessness, he still was duplicitous. Reed is an interesting anti-hero to follow in Fury, serving the role of a leader but deceiving the people meant to follow him.
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Kuttner’s 1947 story has a unique spin to it. It is the “lesser” group in society that looks to move forward and go above ground, despite their mortality. Meanwhile, the strong, well-educated Immortals procrastinate and waste their life away, while claiming their superiority. Fury is a short, straightforward read with a moving ending, and is a great read if you are looking for a book you can finish in a day.
Dune by Frank Herbert
Two years ago, Dune was a blockbuster film met with acclaim by cinephiles. Now, I am going to tell you that the Dune series is worth revisiting for more than seeing Timothée Chalamet on the screen. The novel series is extraordinary and has been admired by book lovers for nearly six decades.
Written by Frank Herbert, you should read Dune if you are interested in a complex and convoluted plot. Somehow, the story is set in the distant future, yet has a feudal society reminiscent of the Dark Ages. It follows Paul Atreides, a nobleman who goes to the planet Arrakis, a desert wasteland valuable only for its melange, also called “spice.” The drug extends life and is necessary for space navigation, making it crucial to society’s survival.
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Dune explores politics, religion, technology, human emotion, and the struggle for control over melange. Atreides rises to lead a desert army and control the planet’s spice. Dune is part of a six-part series, and while they are long books, they have cemented their place in science fiction, and are must-reads for fans of the genre. Dune: Part Two is set to hit cinemas in 2024.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury is one of the most celebrated authors of the 20th century. His works have created discourse on the threat of uncontrolled technology, book censorship, and the human condition. Fahrenheit 451, written by Bradbury in 1953, features all these themes in a powerful, concise way. Books are forbidden in this novella, and its main character, Guy Montag, is a “firefighter” who sets the banned works ablaze.
“It was a pleasure to burn,” the opening line reads. The story follows Montag is his journey towards self-realization. The death of a young girl forces him to realize the intent that his society tries to censor learning and knowledge to maintain control. All of a sudden, Montag knows he needs to get his own hands on a book.
This dystopian novel defends literature as necessary to civilization, and is an important read today, especially as so many school districts call for book banning in schools. It is ironic that for the longest time, Fahrenheit 451 was a banned book.
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Science fiction is a powerful genre. The power of the human spirit and society is explored through it, providing us the catalyst to ponder our world. With science fiction, we can examine our world by looking at another one entirely. This Jan. 2, use National Science Fiction Day as the reason you pick up a new book in the genre!
https://www.geekgirlauthority.com/most-anticipated-debut-books-2024/
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