Five Science Fiction Book Recommendations for Beginners

A lot of us find it easier to read Fantasy books. Personally, I find Science Fiction a lot more intimidating, and for no reason. But lately, I have been reading a lot more sci-fi than I used to, and I’ve found that there’s really no reason to not pick it up.

I still read a lot of what I call “soft science fiction”, books set in space or containing robots, or of that sort, that choose to explore character, and can pretty much be viewed as stuff that could easily be fantasy, if not for the setting. Not so hard when you think about that, I know, but making that leap and reading a few books could help you settle in the genre better.

So here, I decided to list a few books that helped me go from wanting not to touch science fiction books with a stick to wanting as many of them in my hands as possible.

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The Martian by Andy Weir

Everyone knows the movie, and consequently the book. One of the most helpful things you can do when you want to get comfortable with a new genre, is find a title that offers accessibility of consumption, and the movie will help in this case. If you are anything like me and don’t want to watch the movie, you’ll still happily get through this book without trouble.

The main character is really smart, but the author is smarter at ensuring that he explains all the science-y concepts involved in this book (there aren’t many wild ones) to the reader, without it sounding dumbed down. And this guy deserves to survive more than anyone I have ever read about. He is determined, and I’m sure you’ll want to root for him if you pick this up. This is my ultimate recommendation for anybody who has never picked up a science fiction book in their life.

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Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

I know UPGRADE by Blake Crouch is hot on the shelves, but this is the one you want to pick up. This has suspense, and is a science fiction thriller that will keep you on tenterhooks to find out how/if everything will be ok. Blake Crouch excels at showing readers the main characters emotions, hurt, disapppointment, but most of all, his drive to get back to the family he has built, the one he loves so much. This is a book that revolves around an abducted man’s desperation to find out why he’s in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by people he has never met, but yet who behave like they know him well. This book has some science, but it will also tug at your heartstrings.

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The Last Gifts of the Universe by Rory August

This is an SPSFC finalist this year, and it’s very very well deserved. It is a short, soothing book that deals with the theme of acceptance. And yeah, it has a space cat. I don’t think it yet has the readership it truly deserves, so please go check it out. You can also read my review here.

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The Combat Codes by Alexander Darwin

This might not strictly be science fiction (Let’s not start that now) but it is a really good one for those who read a lot of fantasy. It blends a few genres and is set in a dystopian world where nations settle disputes with one-to-one MMA style combat, instead of engaging in large-scale war. It uses many well-known tropes from fantasy refreshingly well, and has very consistent pacing. This was self-published but will be re-launched by Orbit Books this June, so place your pre-orders. You can find my review of this book here.

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A Psalm for the Wild Built by Becky Chambers

The world could end and I would still be shouting about this book. This is one of the coziest books I’ve read over the years, and it’s defintiely for those who need reminding that a break isn’t something you deserve, it is something you need. It is set in a utopian future, and is the first book in the delightful Monk and Robot duology. I assure you that book two is just as delightful, and not much can be better than reading these two over a lazy weekend.

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If you’ve always wanted to read science fiction, and haven’t yet found the right entry point into the genre, try one of these and let me know how you feel about them.

If you do read a lot of science fiction, which rookie-friendly additions would you make to this list?

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