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Ask HN: What are the best Sci-Fi books you've ever read? ↗

The books people recommended

2018-07-15 · 92 points · 137 comments · 127 books named by at least one person here and at least 3 people overall. The number on the left is how many people named it in this thread.

  1. 10

    Dune

    Frank Herbert

    10 here · 250 all-time · #3 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.7 out of 5, 104,032 ratings on Amazon
  2. 9Hyperion Cantos

    Hyperion Cantos

    Dan Simmons

    9 here · 19 all-time · #342 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 18,239 ratings on Amazon
  3. 7

    The Three-Body Problem

    Cixin Liu

    7 here · 152 all-time · #11 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 53,978 ratings on Amazon
  4. 6

    Foundation

    Isaac Asimov

    6 here · 110 all-time · #20 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 36,591 ratings on Amazon
  5. 6

    The Martian

    Andy Weir

    6 here · 103 all-time · #25 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 187,449 ratings on Amazon
  6. 5

    Snow Crash

    Neal Stephenson

    5 here · 119 all-time · #16 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 20,720 ratings on Amazon
  7. 5

    Neuromancer

    William Gibson

    5 here · 117 all-time · #17 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 20,213 ratings on Amazon
  8. 5

    The Diamond Age

    Neal Stephenson

    5 here · 64 all-time · #58 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 5,358 ratings on Amazon
  9. 5

    Discworld

    Terry Pratchett

    5 here · 50 all-time · #87 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 28,137 ratings on Amazon
  10. 5

    A Fire Upon the Deep

    Vernor Vinge

    5 here · 47 all-time · #93 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 5,097 ratings on Amazon
  11. 5

    The Stars My Destination

    Alfred Bester

    5 here · 20 all-time · #317 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.2 out of 5, 4,493 ratings on Amazon
  12. 4

    Cryptonomicon

    Neal Stephenson

    4 here · 106 all-time · #23 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 8,425 ratings on Amazon
  13. 4

    Blindsight

    Peter Watts

    4 here · 70 all-time · #48 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.2 out of 5, 8,527 ratings on Amazon
  14. 4

    The Expanse

    James S. A. Corey

    4 here · 43 all-time · #112 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 38,667 ratings on Amazon
  15. 4

    Accelerando

    Charles Stross

    4 here · 33 all-time · #162 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.2 out of 5, 1,553 ratings on Amazon
  16. 4

    Ubik

    Philip K. Dick

    4 here · 25 all-time · #234 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 7,135 ratings on Amazon
  17. 4A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

    A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

    Becky Chambers

    4 here · 15 all-time · #425 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 30,763 ratings on Amazon
  18. 4Story of Your Life

    Story of Your Life

    Ted Chiang

    4 here · 8 all-time · #896 overall

  19. 3

    Ender's Game

    Orson Scott Card

    3 here · 109 all-time · #21 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 45,794 ratings on Amazon
  20. 3

    The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

    Douglas Adams

    3 here · 101 all-time · #28 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 30,738 ratings on Amazon
  21. 3

    Anathem

    Neal Stephenson

    3 here · 83 all-time · #40 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 5,275 ratings on Amazon
  22. 3

    Seveneves

    Neal Stephenson

    3 here · 58 all-time · #64 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 31,865 ratings on Amazon
  23. 3

    Stranger in a Strange Land

    Robert A. Heinlein

    3 here · 55 all-time · #70 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 12,077 ratings on Amazon
  24. 3

    Diaspora

    Greg Egan

    3 here · 45 all-time · #101 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 2,393 ratings on Amazon
  25. 3

    A Deepness in the Sky

    Vernor Vinge

    3 here · 41 all-time · #121 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 3,418 ratings on Amazon
  26. 3Solaris

    Solaris

    Stanisław Lem

    3 here · 29 all-time · #197 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.1 out of 5, 6,713 ratings on Amazon
  27. 3

    Player of Games

    Iain M. Banks

    3 here · 28 all-time · #202 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 11,218 ratings on Amazon
  28. 3Bobiverse

    Bobiverse

    Dennis E. Taylor

    3 here · 28 all-time · #207 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 34,413 ratings on Amazon
  29. 3Rendezvous with Rama

    Rendezvous with Rama

    Arthur C. Clarke

    3 here · 25 all-time · #233 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 16,602 ratings on Amazon
  30. 3Old Man's War

    Old Man's War

    John Scalzi

    3 here · 21 all-time · #295 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 32,356 ratings on Amazon
  31. 3The Martian Chronicles

    The Martian Chronicles

    Ray Bradbury

    3 here · 13 all-time · #486 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 8,036 ratings on Amazon
  32. 2Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality

    Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality

    Eliezer Yudkowsky

    2 here · 101 all-time · #27 overall

    Buy on Amazon
  33. 2

    Ready Player One

    Ernest Cline

    2 here · 69 all-time · #52 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 155,485 ratings on Amazon
  34. 2

    Daemon

    Daniel Suarez

    2 here · 52 all-time · #78 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 6,091 ratings on Amazon
  35. 2

    Mistborn

    Brandon Sanderson

    2 here · 41 all-time · #119 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.7 out of 5, 60,557 ratings on Amazon
  36. 2

    The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

    Robert A. Heinlein

    2 here · 38 all-time · #127 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 9,404 ratings on Amazon
  37. 2

    Wool

    Hugh Howey

    2 here · 23 all-time · #262 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 53,808 ratings on Amazon
  38. 2Remembrance of Earth's Past

    Remembrance of Earth's Past

    Liu Cixin

    2 here · 20 all-time · #321 overall

  39. 2Excession

    Excession

    Iain M. Banks

    2 here · 16 all-time · #394 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 6,008 ratings on Amazon
  40. 2Lord of Light

    Lord of Light

    Roger Zelazny

    2 here · 16 all-time · #405 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 1,960 ratings on Amazon
  41. 2The Mote in God's Eye

    The Mote in God's Eye

    Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle

    2 here · 13 all-time · #496 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.1 out of 5, 22 ratings on Amazon
  42. 2Ringworld

    Ringworld

    Larry Niven

    2 here · 11 all-time · #569 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 8,555 ratings on Amazon
  43. 2The Shockwave Rider

    The Shockwave Rider

    John Brunner

    2 here · 7 all-time · #1000 overall

  44. 2Star Maker

    Star Maker

    Olaf Stapledon

    2 here · 6 all-time · #1140 overall

  45. 2The Dark Side of the Sun

    The Dark Side of the Sun

    Terry Pratchett

    2 here · 4 all-time · #1793 overall

  46. 1Permutation City

    Permutation City

    Greg Egan

    1 here · 73 all-time · #45 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.2 out of 5, 2,604 ratings on Amazon
  47. 1

    Hyperion

    Dan Simmons

    1 here · 56 all-time · #69 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 30,786 ratings on Amazon
  48. 1

    The Left Hand of Darkness

    Ursula K. Le Guin

    1 here · 36 all-time · #140 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 15,332 ratings on Amazon
  49. 1

    Red Rising

    Pierce Brown

    1 here · 35 all-time · #147 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 111,087 ratings on Amazon
  50. 1

    Children of Time

    Adrian Tchaikovsky

    1 here · 34 all-time · #157 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 51,405 ratings on Amazon
  51. 1

    The Dark Forest

    Cixin Liu

    1 here · 27 all-time · #210 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 34,505 ratings on Amazon
  52. 1

    The Book of the New Sun

    Gene Wolfe

    1 here · 27 all-time · #211 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.2 out of 5, 3,428 ratings on Amazon
  53. 1Reamde

    Reamde

    Neal Stephenson

    1 here · 26 all-time · #218 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 5,708 ratings on Amazon
  54. 1

    Roadside Picnic

    Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

    1 here · 25 all-time · #237 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 4,708 ratings on Amazon
  55. 1

    The Sirens of Titan

    Kurt Vonnegut

    1 here · 23 all-time · #257 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 8,999 ratings on Amazon
  56. 1

    Freedom

    Daniel Suarez

    1 here · 23 all-time · #260 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 5,152 ratings on Amazon
  57. 1Starship Troopers

    Starship Troopers

    Robert A. Heinlein

    1 here · 21 all-time · #292 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 20,764 ratings on Amazon
  58. 1

    The Forever War

    Joe Haldeman

    1 here · 21 all-time · #294 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 18,724 ratings on Amazon
  59. 1The Cyberiad

    The Cyberiad

    Stanisław Lem

    1 here · 21 all-time · #304 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.2 out of 5, 805 ratings on Amazon
  60. 1Speaker for the Dead

    Speaker for the Dead

    Orson Scott Card

    1 here · 18 all-time · #355 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 14,675 ratings on Amazon
  61. 1Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

    Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

    Philip K. Dick

    1 here · 17 all-time · #367 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 25,618 ratings on Amazon
  62. 1Use of Weapons

    Use of Weapons

    Iain M. Banks

    1 here · 17 all-time · #376 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.1 out of 5, 6,573 ratings on Amazon
  63. 1The Last Question

    The Last Question

    Isaac Asimov

    1 here · 17 all-time · #383 overall

    Buy on Amazon3.8 out of 5, 25 ratings on Amazon
  64. 1Worm

    Worm

    Wildbow

    1 here · 16 all-time · #401 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 130 ratings on Amazon
  65. 1Broken Earth

    Broken Earth

    N.K. Jemisin

    1 here · 15 all-time · #439 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.5 out of 5, 42,847 ratings on Amazon
  66. 1The Lathe of Heaven

    The Lathe of Heaven

    Ursula K. Le Guin

    1 here · 14 all-time · #452 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 8,654 ratings on Amazon
  67. 1Off to Be the Wizard

    Off to Be the Wizard

    Scott Meyer

    1 here · 12 all-time · #519 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 8,733 ratings on Amazon
  68. 1The Quantum Thief

    The Quantum Thief

    Hannu Rajaniemi

    1 here · 12 all-time · #530 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.2 out of 5, 2,607 ratings on Amazon
  69. 1Pandora's Star

    Pandora's Star

    Peter F. Hamilton

    1 here · 12 all-time · #538 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 7,049 ratings on Amazon
  70. 1Death's End

    Death's End

    Cixin Liu

    1 here · 11 all-time · #563 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.6 out of 5, 25,031 ratings on Amazon
  71. 1His Master's Voice

    His Master's Voice

    Stanisław Lem

    1 here · 11 all-time · #576 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.1 out of 5, 438 ratings on Amazon
  72. 1VALIS

    VALIS

    Philip K. Dick

    1 here · 11 all-time · #591 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.3 out of 5, 1,214 ratings on Amazon
  73. 1All Systems Red

    All Systems Red

    Martha Wells

    1 here · 11 all-time · #609 overall

    Buy on Amazon4.4 out of 5, 69,410 ratings on Amazon
  74. 1The Peripheral

    The Peripheral

    William Gibson

    1 here · 10 all-time · #633 overall

  75. 1Station Eleven

    Station Eleven

    Emily St. John Mandel

    1 here · 9 all-time · #704 overall

  76. 1Cloud Atlas

    Cloud Atlas

    David Mitchell

    1 here · 9 all-time · #725 overall

  77. 1Chronicles of Amber

    Chronicles of Amber

    Roger Zelazny

    1 here · 9 all-time · #734 overall

  78. 1Halting State

    Halting State

    Charles Stross

    1 here · 9 all-time · #745 overall

  79. 1Stand on Zanzibar

    Stand on Zanzibar

    John Brunner

    1 here · 9 all-time · #750 overall

  80. 1Contact

    Contact

    Carl Sagan

    1 here · 8 all-time · #785 overall

  81. 1Spin

    Spin

    Robert Charles Wilson

    1 here · 7 all-time · #917 overall

  82. 1Going Postal

    Going Postal

    Terry Pratchett

    1 here · 7 all-time · #919 overall

  83. 1The Dog Stars

    The Dog Stars

    Peter Heller

    1 here · 7 all-time · #920 overall

  84. 1Gateway

    Gateway

    Frederik Pohl

    1 here · 7 all-time · #921 overall

  85. 1The Futurological Congress

    The Futurological Congress

    Stanislaw Lem

    1 here · 7 all-time · #989 overall

  86. 1The Sheep Look Up

    The Sheep Look Up

    John Brunner

    1 here · 7 all-time · #1001 overall

  87. 1Expeditionary Force

    Expeditionary Force

    Craig Alanson

    1 here · 7 all-time · #1002 overall

  88. 1Summa Technologiae

    Summa Technologiae

    Stanisław Lem

    1 here · 6 all-time · #1106 overall

  89. 1Perdido Street Station

    Perdido Street Station

    China Miéville

    1 here · 6 all-time · #1141 overall

  90. 1Lilith's Brood

    Lilith's Brood

    Octavia E. Butler

    1 here · 6 all-time · #1185 overall

  91. 1Walkaway

    Walkaway

    Cory Doctorow

    1 here · 6 all-time · #1195 overall

  92. 1Convenience Store Woman

    Convenience Store Woman

    Sayaka Murata

    1 here · 5 all-time · #1254 overall

  93. 1Embassytown

    Embassytown

    China Miéville

    1 here · 5 all-time · #1259 overall

  94. 1Ninefox Gambit

    Ninefox Gambit

    Yoon Ha Lee

    1 here · 5 all-time · #1383 overall

  95. 1The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

    The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

    Claire North

    1 here · 5 all-time · #1391 overall

  96. 1Dragon's Egg

    Dragon's Egg

    Robert L. Forward

    1 here · 5 all-time · #1416 overall

  97. 1Mort

    Mort

    Terry Pratchett

    1 here · 5 all-time · #1417 overall

  98. 1The End of Eternity

    The End of Eternity

    Isaac Asimov

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1545 overall

  99. 1Chocky

    Chocky

    John Wyndham

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1560 overall

  100. 1Farmer in the Sky

    Farmer in the Sky

    Robert A. Heinlein

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1570 overall

  101. 1The Bone Clocks

    The Bone Clocks

    David Mitchell

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1583 overall

  102. 1Making Money

    Making Money

    Terry Pratchett

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1584 overall

  103. 1Ward

    Ward

    Wildbow

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1585 overall

  104. 1The Postman

    The Postman

    David Brin

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1586 overall

  105. 1Judas Unchained

    Judas Unchained

    Peter F. Hamilton

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1597 overall

  106. 1Rainbow's End

    Rainbow's End

    Vernor Vinge

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1600 overall

  107. 1Honor Harrington

    Honor Harrington

    David Weber

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1607 overall

  108. 1Citizen of the Galaxy

    Citizen of the Galaxy

    Robert Heinlein

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1637 overall

  109. 1Parable of the Sower

    Parable of the Sower

    Octavia E. Butler

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1639 overall

  110. 1Aurora

    Aurora

    Kim Stanley Robinson

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1640 overall

  111. 1The Sparrow

    The Sparrow

    Mary Doria Russell

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1641 overall

  112. 1Wandering Earth

    Wandering Earth

    Liu Cixin

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1642 overall

  113. 1In the Beginning was the Command Line

    In the Beginning was the Command Line

    Neal Stephenson

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1773 overall

  114. 1Commonwealth

    Commonwealth

    Peter F. Hamilton

    1 here · 4 all-time · #1792 overall

  115. 1Complete Robot

    Complete Robot

    Isaac Asimov

    1 here · 3 all-time · #1984 overall

  116. 1Such Small Hands

    Such Small Hands

    Andres Barba

    1 here · 3 all-time · #1991 overall

  117. 1Trick

    Trick

    Domenico Starnone

    1 here · 3 all-time · #1992 overall

  118. 1Infoquake

    Infoquake

    David Louis Edelman

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2000 overall

  119. 1Dream Park

    Dream Park

    Roger Zelazny and Robert Sheckley

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2028 overall

  120. 1Night Watch

    Night Watch

    Terry Pratchett

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2046 overall

  121. 1The Humans

    The Humans

    Matt Haig

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2125 overall

  122. 1American War

    American War

    Omar El Akkad

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2159 overall

  123. 1The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O

    The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O

    Neal Stephenson, Nicole Galland

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2160 overall

  124. 1Fuzzy Nation

    Fuzzy Nation

    John Scalzi

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2161 overall

  125. 1Guards! Guards!

    Guards! Guards!

    Terry Pratchett

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2162 overall

  126. 1The Traitor Baru Cormorant

    The Traitor Baru Cormorant

    Seth Dickinson

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2437 overall

  127. 1Silo series

    Silo series

    Hugh Howey

    1 here · 3 all-time · #2477 overall