Replay by Ken Grimwood. You will think you are just reading an interesting sci-fi story, but subtly, by the end of the book you will have reexamined your reason for existing and be at peace with it. And I’m not the only person who has reacted to this book this way. An absolute must read.
Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin …The Jurisdiction series by Susan Matthews, The first book is An Exchange of Hostages…The Calculating Stars: A Lady Astronaut Novel by Mary Robinette Kowal..
The Phoenix Legacy trilogy by MK Wren which will make you think about how a culture can skip into a dark age. Starship Troopers by Heinlein which will make you think about the nature of government and patriotism. The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold which will make you consider disabilities differently. Cyteen by Cherryh which will make you think about the implications of cloning. Also Cherryh’s Foreigner series which considers communication across cultural barriers.
Among Others. YA, but well worth reading. Amazingly well done, almost like a book about books because the protagonist speaks in first-person and talks about all kinds of SF that she has read–albeit a lot of it is fantasy and not SF.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is good and so are his Martian Chronicles. Animal Farm by George Orwell is another good one. They are older works of fiction, but still relevant today.
The Hike by Drew Magary. One of the best sci fi books that I’ve read in awhile. The Assassins Series by Robin Hood. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams.
I read it ages ago but one of my favorites was Stranger in a Strange Land. Definitely made you think.
Ive heard about that one!
Stranger in a Strange Land changed my life!
@Kris -absolutely!
The Mote in God’s Eye, by Larry Niven. One of the greatest science fiction books I’ve ever read!
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/100365.The_Mote_in_God_s_Eye?ac=1&from_search=true
Speak by Louisa Hall. it’s heady, not a high action book. i also agree with @Kris
The Sparrow
@Beth And Children of God, it’s sequel.
Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card and its sequel Speaker for the Dead
YES! ten times, yes.
Was about the say the same. Speaker for the Dead messed with my mind. Both definitely made me think.
And the 3rd book, Xenocide, is even better.
They are all soooooo good!
Veracity by Laura Bynum
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Mind bending!
Sylvain Neuvel’s trilogy, it starts with Sleeping Giant.
I second these! Great books!
Childhood’s End – Arthur C Clarke
The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
Replay by Ken Grimwood. You will think you are just reading an interesting sci-fi story, but subtly, by the end of the book you will have reexamined your reason for existing and be at peace with it. And I’m not the only person who has reacted to this book this way. An absolute must read.
OMG, this is one of my all-time favorites, but I had forgotten all about it! Thanks for reminding me…
The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury
The girl with all the gifts and the boy on the bridge
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.
Artimus and Ready Player One
Just started Laviathon Wakes from the Expanse series by James Corely. So far, I can hardly put it down!
@Jillian have read the whole series so far. Have you seen the show based on the books?
@Jillian it just gets better and better!
Wool by Hugh Howey
I’ve suggested Wool to many others and they end up enjoying it just as much as me
The Fifth Season
@Shannon it was amazing. I’m starting the second book this weekend and I’m thankful that the baby sleeps at noon (3 whole reading hours :))
@Shannon Fantastic well-written trilogy. Certainly in my top five. Loved it.
Ender’s Game
Dune
Haven’t read it but someone I trust when it comes to books reccomended Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
Really, just Neal Stephenson. All of his books are top-level.
“Last and First Men” and “Starmaker”, Olaf Stapledon.
Oryx and crake – Margaret Atwood. Stranger in a strange land, or basically anything by isaac Asimov
The red rising series by pierce brown is really good
“Kindred” by Octavia Butler.
“Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes.
Roger Zelazny’s Chronicles of Amber, for sure!
Ready Player One, The Accidental Time Machine, Doomsday Book, Dark Matter, Lock In,
Ancillary Justice trilogy by Anne Leckie
Ender’s Game and the sequel Speaker for the Dead is amazing
Have you read The Martian by Andrew Weir! Excellent
@Trasi his second novel, Artemis, was pretty good, too, but not nearly as good as The Martian!
The Martian is a must-read for sf fans.
@Kris I agree. I’d give The Martian 8.5/10 and Artemis 6/10.
COSMOS by Carl Sagan.
@TG that’s not fiction tho
@Robert oh sorry. I meant Contact by Carl Sagan.
The three body problem
Yes this. The whole trilogy!
Dark Matter!
Haven’t seen these mentioned…
The ship who sang by Anne McCaffrey
Or
Canticle for Liebowitz by Walter Miller
Canticle is a fantastic book! One of my favorites!
The Sparrow. Definitely thought provoking
The Genius Plague by David Walton, Wool (as mentioned above) and anything by Ray Bradbury.
The Road. Could not stop thinking about it for a long time after I read it.
Fahrenheit 451
Anything by Paulo Bacigalupi
Try Robin Cook’s books, for example Mindbend.
The Sparrow, and its sequel. https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-679-45150-1
Station Eleven. It’s dystopian/sci-fi.
The doomsday book by Connie Willis
Foundation by Isaac Asimov.
Sphere by Michael Crichton
The man in the high castle – Philip K. Dick
Brave New World
Child of the hive by Jessica Meats is really good.
“Earth Abides”
-George Stewart
Dune
The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guin
Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke- classics.
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Tagging onto this one – I just finished her Earthseed series which is excellent
@Bridget yes, definitely!
Native Tongue by Suzette Haden Elgin …The Jurisdiction series by Susan Matthews, The first book is An Exchange of Hostages…The Calculating Stars: A Lady Astronaut Novel by Mary Robinette Kowal..
The Phoenix Legacy trilogy by MK Wren which will make you think about how a culture can skip into a dark age. Starship Troopers by Heinlein which will make you think about the nature of government and patriotism. The Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold which will make you consider disabilities differently. Cyteen by Cherryh which will make you think about the implications of cloning. Also Cherryh’s Foreigner series which considers communication across cultural barriers.
Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clark
Among Others. YA, but well worth reading. Amazingly well done, almost like a book about books because the protagonist speaks in first-person and talks about all kinds of SF that she has read–albeit a lot of it is fantasy and not SF.
The Hunger Games trilogy. The Circle. The Forever War.
I just finished the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy by Cixin Liu and it’s basically a socio/philosophical treatise disguised as Sci-Fi
I was just going to recommend this one too
I like stuff like that
I liked Hugh Howie’s Wool series–very thought provoking.
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson is brilliant! And also the Passage Trilogy by Justin Cronin.
The Expanse Series by James A Corey is about expanding life outside Earth. Spellbinding, once you read the first one you will want to read the rest.
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury is good and so are his Martian Chronicles. Animal Farm by George Orwell is another good one. They are older works of fiction, but still relevant today.
Ray Bradbury stories are great!
The Martian. Andy Weir. Awesome book and a real thinker.
Cat’s Cradle…Vonnegut
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch. Don’t try to understand. Just go with it.
I want to read this!!
Wait…I feel like this book looks really familiar. Just looked it up again. I might have this book already!
It’s not Foundation or Dune deep but trying to keep track of all the craziness and speculative science will have your brain on edge.
I like books like that! I read a ton of books that dont make you think at all but i also like the heavily convoluted ones that stretch your thinking.
Keeping track of the overall concept will have your mind occupied for sure.
Turns out i just put it on my wish list, didn’t buy it/rent it yet lol
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell
OMG! I finished this one a few months ago. What a read! Those last few pages were rough! Not for the faint of heart.
I have always been a fan of Ender ‘s Game series by Orson Scott Card.
Following
The Hike by Drew Magary. One of the best sci fi books that I’ve read in awhile. The Assassins Series by Robin Hood. The Dragonbone Chair by Tad Williams.
Artemis by Andy Weir ❤️
Dune series read it once as is then think of the ramifications.
The Bobiverse Trilogy or Snowcrash by Neal Stephenson