CULTUREDEMANDSGEEKS TOP 3 SCIENCE FICTION READS…

Science fiction is one of the more exciting genres in literature. Not only does it seek to investigate humanity’s biggest questions, but it often does so while also containing elements of action, drama, romance, adventure, and mystery. It allows us to look through a crystal ball to see society’s imagined reactions to new technology, races, or strange new worlds.

Basically, what it all comes down to is that sci-fi is a genre that can truly have something for everyone. But unfortunately, we are only listing our top three reads (and we hear cry’s of anguish flood the universe of literature!) sorry folks, but three is the magic number, especially when writing on a Sunday. Sit in, belt up, wrap those striped pyjamas tightly around your body and drink that hot mug of sweet tea…

Author: Frank Herbert

Published in 1965, Dune is the first instalment in Frank Herbert’s Dune saga, as well as the winner of the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel. Set in the distant future, Dune plays out similarly to an interstellar version of Game of Thrones, with a feudal society of noble houses, each of which controls individual planets whom all owe allegiance to the power-hungry Padishah Emperor.

While Dune might not be revolutionary by any means, it did lay the foundation for a great deal of the themes and constructs in modern science fiction. However, even though Herbert is an intrinsic part of the genre, his style of writing can feel dated at times, making Dune a laborious read for some. Still, by the time you reach the end of this book, you realize that Herbert achieves the pinnacle of what a sci-fi author aspires to rise to; authentic world building.

Author: Douglas Adams

Published in 1979, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is the first of five books in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy comedy science fiction series. Seconds before Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent and his friend Ford Prefect take off on a journey through space, aided by a galaxy full of fellow travellers.

Adams’ wit and wisdom still baffle with their greatness. By showing a universe that makes no sense and having his characters constantly question it, Adams is subtly hinting that this is the natural human state, and the fact that we laugh and sympathize shows that it must be true. This episodic account of several random adventures in the cosmic space almost immediately lures you in, and before you even realize it, you’re probably already laughing. Additionally, Adams introduces some highly intriguing ideologies, making this book both laugh-out-loud funny and vastly entertaining.

Author: Ernest Cline

The most recent entry on this list is Ernest Cline’s Ready Player One, which was published a mere 6 years ago in 2011. Set in the year 2044, the story takes place in a world that has been gripped by an energy crisis due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the consequences of global warming, causing widespread socio-economical hysteria. To escape these harsh realities of life, people turn to a virtual reality simulator known as OASIS, as the virtual society proves to be more stable than their own. However, hidden within OASIS is an Easter egg, left behind by the program’s creator, and the first person to find it will inherit the man’s massive fortune.

The main strength of the book lies not within its plot or characters but within the concepts and tributes to every single popular entertainment media in the 80’s and 90’s. Cline’s passion for gaming truly shines through, and he goes to great lengths to justify the replacement of the real for the virtual. This is Willy Wonka meets The Matrix in the near future online game age and Cline makes an intelligent, humanistic observation about where our world is now and where it is heading with the loneliness and isolation that comes when the cyber-world is more interesting – and more vital – than the real world.