With the sheer variety of literary genres, it's almost surprising that so many book lovers get stuck reading only one type of book. Some serious readers even go so far as to read only novels that have won a slew of prizes or are considered classics and they won't think about reading a 'light' genre such as sci-fi. Little do they know that many of the award-winning classics they prefer are also some of the best science fiction books in history.
Science fiction, more often called sci-fi, encompasses many different subgenres. They may focus on technological innovations, on societal structures or both. Monsters, aliens, outer space, cyberspace, time travel, mad scientists and post-apocalyptic societies are just some themes you may find in the genre. What makes sci-fi so enjoyable to read is that the authors come up with highly imaginative ideas, some of which even became a reality long after the works were published.
Sci-fi has a long history, with authors as far back as the 2nd century already beginning to explore it. Many later sci-fi experts say that the genre really started early in the 17th century with the publication of Johannes Kepler's novel 'Somnium'. Some of the classics from the 18th and early 19th century were really sci-fi too, including Jonathan Swift's timeless adventure story 'Gulliver's Travels' and Mary Shelley's dark novel 'Frankenstein'.
Toward the end of the 19th century, technological innovation inspired several writers. Jules Verne was one, with novels that explored travel into the depths of the planet or deep underneath the sea. Another writer who, like Verne, had a huge influence on later writers was H. G. Wells, author of works such as 'The Time Machine', 'The Island of Doctor Moreau' and 'The War of the Worlds'.
The 20th century produced many great sci-fi writers. Arthur C. Clarke was a pioneer, as was Isaac Asimov. The dystopian novel is normally classified as sci-fi too and in this subgenre the two works that are most famous are Aldous Huxley's work about cloning, 'Brave New World', and George Orwell's work about total government control, 'Nineteen Eighty-Four'.
Many writers who aren't normally known for sci-fi have written classics in the genre. Mark Twain did it with 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court', featuring time travel. Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote some sci-fi poems. Among the Nobel Prize laureates who explored sci-fi themes are British writer Doris Lessing, Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges and Portuguese writer Jose Saramago.
Many sci-fi novels have been made into movies. They include several film versions of 'Frankenstein', 'Planet of the Apes' and the works of Jules Verne. Other classics include 'The Andromeda Strain', the 'Jurassic Park' series, 'A Clockwork Orange', '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'Dune' and 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe'.
To find great sci-fi novels, you can ask at your local library or bookstore. Even better is to check online booksellers. In this way you can read the reviews first, because like in any other genre, there are great works but also ones that are terrible.
Science fiction, more often called sci-fi, encompasses many different subgenres. They may focus on technological innovations, on societal structures or both. Monsters, aliens, outer space, cyberspace, time travel, mad scientists and post-apocalyptic societies are just some themes you may find in the genre. What makes sci-fi so enjoyable to read is that the authors come up with highly imaginative ideas, some of which even became a reality long after the works were published.
Sci-fi has a long history, with authors as far back as the 2nd century already beginning to explore it. Many later sci-fi experts say that the genre really started early in the 17th century with the publication of Johannes Kepler's novel 'Somnium'. Some of the classics from the 18th and early 19th century were really sci-fi too, including Jonathan Swift's timeless adventure story 'Gulliver's Travels' and Mary Shelley's dark novel 'Frankenstein'.
Toward the end of the 19th century, technological innovation inspired several writers. Jules Verne was one, with novels that explored travel into the depths of the planet or deep underneath the sea. Another writer who, like Verne, had a huge influence on later writers was H. G. Wells, author of works such as 'The Time Machine', 'The Island of Doctor Moreau' and 'The War of the Worlds'.
The 20th century produced many great sci-fi writers. Arthur C. Clarke was a pioneer, as was Isaac Asimov. The dystopian novel is normally classified as sci-fi too and in this subgenre the two works that are most famous are Aldous Huxley's work about cloning, 'Brave New World', and George Orwell's work about total government control, 'Nineteen Eighty-Four'.
Many writers who aren't normally known for sci-fi have written classics in the genre. Mark Twain did it with 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court', featuring time travel. Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote some sci-fi poems. Among the Nobel Prize laureates who explored sci-fi themes are British writer Doris Lessing, Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges and Portuguese writer Jose Saramago.
Many sci-fi novels have been made into movies. They include several film versions of 'Frankenstein', 'Planet of the Apes' and the works of Jules Verne. Other classics include 'The Andromeda Strain', the 'Jurassic Park' series, 'A Clockwork Orange', '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'Dune' and 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe'.
To find great sci-fi novels, you can ask at your local library or bookstore. Even better is to check online booksellers. In this way you can read the reviews first, because like in any other genre, there are great works but also ones that are terrible.
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