Someone on our forums recently asked about what books to read if you are thinking about starting to read science-fiction. And it struck me, that might not be as obvious an answer to some people as it is to me.
So here is what I would consider a basic primer for building a foundation into the world of science-fiction enjoyment for the beginner. Or, if you've missed any of these, for the more seasoned veteran as well. This is NOT intended as a comprehensive list, but more as a guide to establishing a well-rounded narrative from which you can start to make your own decisions about what to read next.
DUNE by Frank Herbert
I always recommend DUNE first because it is extremely well written, engaging, and thought-provoking. The themes are timeless, the world expansive, and Herbert's love of ecology is as important now as it was when he wrote it. You can also choose to read just the first book, or dive deeper into the entire series. Personally I would recommend the entire run of original Frank Herbert books. Dune is an excellent place to start because it mixes so many genres together so well.
FOUNDATION by Isaac Asimov
The next cornerstone series is by the great Isaac Asimov and is called FOUNDATION. It is a must read for any science-fiction fan and will open your eyes to big ideas, timeless history, and engaging thoughts about the future of humanity. Again, like DUNE, this is a series and any of the original books are worthy of your time.
Ray Bradbury
There are two authors in this post that I am going to treat in a special way, Ray Bradbury being one of them. They deserve this special treatment because they are incredibly talented writers, and because you can essentially pick up anything they've written and be the better for reading it. In addition, they are both prolific short-story writers and make for excellent "in-between" reads, for when you've finished a novel and want something short before you start another. At least that is how I read. Pick up a Bradbury, sit back, and let him tell you a story. You won't regret it.
Harlan Ellison
The other special author is Harlan Ellison. Another incredible short story author whose works push the boundaries and expand the mind of anyone that reads them. In addition, his Dangerous Vision anthologies are cornerstone works into many other authors and I can't recommend them enough. But also check out his classic collections, or just pick up The Essential Ellison and dive right in.
Robert Heinlein
You can't go wrong with choosing any Robert Heinlein novel, but I'd recommend starting with "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" and then moving on to Arthur C. Clarke's "Childhood's End" and then maybe freak yourself out with "Stranger in a Strange Land". But there are so many great books in his collection, you can't go wrong with any of them.
RINGWORLD by Larry Niven
Larry Niven's Ringworld series is another cornerstone must-read for any science-fiction fan. Featuring one of the biggest ideas in all of science-fiction, Niven manages to paint a future that is massive and yet extremely personal at the same time.
HYPERION by Dan Simmons
This is another series that I often recommend to the beginning reader for various reasons. Mr. Simmons is a more modern author, but more than that this series expands upon what science-fiction is really about at its core and twists it in ways that are unusual and engaging. As with all of these suggestions, this series will open doors to other pathways and authors that you may want to investigate further.
TITAN by John Varley
Like Hyperion, John Varley's Titan trilogy (Titan, Wizard, Demon) are amazing works on their own, but they also provide a great beginning into additional works and other pathways that you may want to explore on your own.
Stainless Steel Rat by Harry Harrison
I can't recommend these books enough. Science-fiction isn't always stuffy and serious and the Stainless Steel Rat series is the perfect place to enjoy a rather lite adventure series with a sense of humor.
And that is a rather brief, but rather comprehensive, foundation to a life of enjoying science-fiction. There are literally hundreds of other authors, books, and series that could be on this list. The history of science-fiction is rife with hidden treasures and amazing tales, but you have to start somewhere. And these are great places to get started, without diving all the way to the Time Machine and HG Wells.
Enjoy and remember, reading is fundamental.
Feel free to make any other suggestions in the comments for those visiting.
Comments
I'd probably add Julian May's Pliocene/Intervention/Milieu series (three series, one story).
I've read all of these myself back in the day, except the Stainless Steel Rat stuff. All are excellent, "Ringworld" being the first "adult" SF read for me in 1976. But it took me to the age of 45 to finally read "Rendezvous with Rama" by Clarke, another great introductory novel indeed.
For more contemporary, I suggest Neal Stephenson, as he hilariously entertains and educates at the same time. "Snow Crash" and "The Diamond Age" are the shorter works. Dive in to the 2800 page "Baroque Cycle" when wanting historical fiction, presented in the SF mode. "Anathem" is probably my favorite novel of all time.
Dune, on the other hand, is timeless. Say what you will about Herbert, Dune is a classic for the ages.
My own contributions:
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Neuromancer by William Gibson
Doorways in the Sand by Roger Zelazney
Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh
The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi
Great list, Rixx. I'd also recommend Elizabeth Bear's science fiction. Her fantasy is a bit maudlin and melodramatic for my tastes, but the sci-fi is often very deep, modern and poignant. She writes better short fiction, in my opinion, so her collection "Shoggoths in Bloom," is a good starting point.
My first sci fi was Heinlein's "Have Space Suit Will Travel" at age 8 or so. My favorite of his, however, is "Starship Troopers" - a fantastic novel that was made into a terrible movie. Also for those without a lot of religious sensitivity, "Job: A Comedy of Justice" is fun.
I'll also second the cyberpunk suggestions of Mord & James on Snow Crash, Diamond Age and Neuromancer. The Baroque Cycle James mentions is amazing but is not your typical sci fi. I'll also second some of the very early stuff - Journey to the Center of the Earth was also one of my early favorites.
Asimov's "Foundation" should be required reading. Go read it now.
I also recommend a couple of the Old Masters of sci fi with a message: A.E. Van Vogt (The Weapon Shops of Isher) and Theodore Sturgeon (Microcosmic God).
Elizabeth Bear is good as well. Also Greg Bear for some of his novels, there are some of his that I did not enjoy.
Red/Green/Blue Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson
Eon - Greg Bear
I loved Robert Heinlein, right up until A Cat Who Walks Through Walls.
I would toss in Philip K Dick. I am surprised someone has not made Man in the High Castle into a mini series.
For something more recent, Perdido Street Station by China Miéville - one the best pieces of steampunk I have ever read.
Dune remains a classic.
Perhaps a function of age then, I found some of the hard sci-fi authors wrote brilliant science, but poor characterization such that it felt hard to relate. E.E doc Smith lensmen, D'alembert and Tedric series are arguably golden age, but for me were much easier to read. Admittedly they're probably considered sci-fi lite these days. Julian May and the Many Coloured Land likewise, but still very cool. Have to put in a good word for Lois McMaster Bujold and the Vor series.
The two most influential writers in my youth besides Asimov were A.E. van Vogt and Jack Vance because my dad's bookshelf was fileld with those.
When you mention short stories I had to think of Frederick Pohl but not 100% sure.
My favorite Heinlein story is 'Time enough for love', guess I am fascinated with immortality.
Larry Niven!
Did you read Ilium/Olympos by Dan Simmons?
I spent years looking for secondhand copies of John Varley's Titan Trilogy.
Recently I have been all into Alastair Reynolds, David Brin, Iain M. Banks and Peter F. Hamilton.
Special mentions:
Ender by Orson Scott Card
A Plague of Demons by Keith Laumer
Pliocene Saga/Galactiv Milieu by Julian May
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson/Neuromancer by William Gibson
I like stories from the 20's to 40's as well for the insight they offer into culture, thinking of the time and how they influenced later SF writers.
almost all classics mentioned but now peter watts and baciagaluppi are the best current hard S-F autors for me.
(also read something by LEM like Solaris, Eden, Invincible, Fiasco)
For easy/light/pulp but entertaining reading (like word snacking) try Engines of God by Jack McDevitt or "Legacy of Heorot" a story that Niven wrote with Pournelle and Barnes.
For classic mind blowers try Helliconia by Brian Aldiss, or The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Never forget JG Ballard! I recently re-read The Drowned World and High Rise. If you can read High Rise without trying to draw analogies to Null/Low/Hi sec space then congratulations (Mord - I'm looking at you)!
I could go on forever. I think I might spend the day reading. Kudos Rixx.
If I enjoy an author I tend to devour everything they've written, at least as much as possible. There are many great suggestions in these comments. If I had taken the time to mention ALL the authors I enjoy, or consider important to science fiction, I'd probably still be writing the post.
I do believe I've read everything Nive, Pournelle, Pohl, Dick, Haldeman, Adliss, Ballard, Banks, have written. But I have not read Engines of God, so I'm adding that to my list.
I would also recommend Beetle in the Anthill by the Strugatski brothers and Flowers for Algernon, by Keyes.
PS: Red Star, Winter Orbit, by Gibson and Sterling.
One of the best sci-fi short stories, in my opinion.
Starship Troopers by Heinlein
Armor by John Steakley
Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Forever War is supposedly in development as a movie. It'll be...interesting.
Also, I love that Hyperion is on your list, the cantos (Hyperion to the Rise of Endymion) is by far the best SciFi I've ever read.
I'd also suggest reading "Das Boot", even if you have seen the movie. It's no science-fiction ofc but it's almost like flying around in a space-ship somehow.
Hugo Award winner and Nebula Award nominee "A Deepness in the Sky" stands out but I also enjoyed "A Fire upon the Deep" alot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernor_Vinge
And Stephenson rocks... I've read all of his work but my favs are; Reamde, Diamond Age and Cryptonomicon... Cyrpto is an AMAZING ride... I am reading Anathem now...
If you haven't read any Sterling I warn you, the Emberverse is (so far) a highly engrossing 10 novel series... sheesh. But while it is SciFi based it is a bit more Sword & Sorcery (realistic not fantasy) than pure SciFi.
If you prefer pure dyed-in-the-wool SF, try his Lords of Creation series... "In the Courts of the Crimson Kings" is, for me, as if Edgar Rice Burroughs was alive today to re-imagine the tales of Barsoom... I read all of his John Carter of Mars tales over the winter of '68... after that I was hooked forever.
It wrote itself and I must say I was well pleased with it. I started a blog and posted it and... well, that blog is still out there, but I never really got into it after that first story. Now the ubiquitous 'They' say you should 'write about what you know about'... and it was only after I joined EvE that I realized I had SciFi stories to tell! then I started my EvE blog and I have found I enjoy writing as much if not more than I had hoped.
Honor Harrington series by David Weber
CoDominium Future History Bundle by Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven & S. M. Stirling
Hell's series by David Weber and friends
Liaden Unibus I by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller
The Eric John Stark Saga by Edmond Hamilton and Leigh Brackett
Just to say a few.
Also this list made my day. Thank you Rixx for getting the ball rolling here!