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"We Keep Playing The Same Record": A Conversation With Octavia E. Butler
#70 = Volume 23, Part 3 = November 1996 Stephen W. Potts "We Keep Playing the Same Record": A Conversation with Octavia E. ButlerFor readers of this journal, Octavia E. Butler literally needs no introduction. Her exquisite, insightful works—especially the three XENOGENESIS novels, (Dawn, Adulthood Rites, Imago) and her award-winning story "Bloodchild"— have been discussed and analyzed more than once in these pages.
One usually has to get up early in the morning to reach Ms. Butler. A private person, she prefers writing in the predawn hours and by eight AM is frequently out of the house on the day's business. She has other claims to uniqueness: she is a native of Los Angeles who does not drive; she is a woman of color working in a genre that has almost none, and she is a science-fiction author who has received a prestigious literary award, to wit, a 1995 grant from the MacArthur Foundation.
The following conversation took place by telephone early one morning in February 1996. It has been edited only to eliminate digressions, redundancies, and irrelevancies and to bridge some technical difficulties; Ms. Butler was given the opportunity to review and amend the finished version.
Stephen W. Potts: Your name has been turning up with increasing frequency in journals (such as SCIENCE-FICTION STUDIES) devoted to the serious study of science fiction. Do you read reviews or literary criticism of your work?
Octavia E. Butler: I do, but I tend to get angry. Not when I disagree with someone's interpretation, but when people clearly have not read the whole book. I'm not too upset when they are factually wrong about some incident, which can happen to anybody, but I am when they are inaccurate about something sweeping. For example, somebody writing a review of Parable of the Sower said, "Oh, the Earthseed religion is just warmed over Christianity," and I thought this person could not have been troubled to read the Earthseed verses and just drew that conclusion from the title.
SWP: I ask because a substantial part of modern literary theory dwells on relationships of power and on the human body as a site of conflict: between men and women, among classes and races, between imperial and colonial peoples. These issues intersect nicely with the subject matter of your fiction. I was wondering if you were at all familiar with cultural theory.
OEB: Ah. No, I avoid all critical theory because I worry about it feeding into my work. I mean, I don't worry about nonfiction in general feeding in—in fact, I hope it will—but I worry about criticism influencing me because it can create a vicious circle or something worse. It's just an impression of mine, but in some cases critics and authors seem to be massaging each other. It's not very good for storytelling.
SWP: The first work of yours I read was the story "Bloodchild" in its original printing in Asimov's. I remember being particularly impressed that you had taken the invading bug-eyed monster of classic science fiction and turned it into a seductively nurturing, maternal figure.
OEB: It is basically a love story. There are many different kinds of love in it: family love, physical love . . . The alien needs the boy for procreation, and she makes it easier on him by showing him affection and earning his in return. After all, she is going to have her children with him.
SWP: In fact, she will impregnate him.
OEB: Right. But so many critics have read this as a story about slavery, probably just because I am black.
SWP: I was going to ask you later about the extent to which your work addresses slavery.
OEB: The only places I am writing about slavery is where I actually say so.
SWP: As in Kindred.
OEB: And in Mind of My Mind and Wild Seed. What I was trying to do in "Bloodchild" was something different with the invasion story. So often you read novels about humans colonizing other planets and you see the story taking one of two courses. Either the aliens resist and we have to conquer them violently, or they submit and become good servants. In the latter case, I am thinking of a specific novel, but I don't want to mention it by name. I don't like either of those alternatives, and I wanted to create a new one. I mean, science fiction is supposed to be about exploring new ideas and possibilities. In the case of "Bloodchild," I was creating an alien that was different from us, though still recognizable—a centipede-like creature. But you're not supposed to regard it as evil.
SWP: Something similar is going on in the XENOGENESIS trilogy, isn't it? While teaching the books in my university classes, I have encountered disagreement over which species comes off worse, the humans or the Oankali. Humanity has this hierarchical flaw, particularly in the male, but the Oankali are the ultimate users, adapting not only the entire human genome for its own purposes but ultimately destroying the planet for all other life as well. Are we supposed to see a balance of vices here?
OEB: Both species have their strengths and weaknesses. You have small groups of violent humans, but we don't see all humans rampaging as a result of their Contradiction. For the most part, the Oankali do not force or rush humans into mating but try to bring them in gradually. In fact, in Adulthood Rites, the construct Akin convinces the Oankali that they cannot destroy the human beings who refuse to participate. The Oankali decide that humans do deserve an untouched world of their own, even if it's Mars.
SWP: In the case of both humans and Oankali, you offer sociobiological arguments for behavior: humans are bent toward destroying themselves and others; the Oankali are biologically driven to co-opt the genome of other species and to literally rip off their biospheres. Do you largely accept sociobiological principles?
OEB: Some readers see me as totally sociobiological, but that is not true. I do think we need to accept that our behavior is controlled to some extent by biological forces. Sometimes a small change in the brain, for instance—just a few cells—can completely alter the way a person or animal behaves.
SWP: Are you thinking of Oliver Sacks's books, such as The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat?
OEB: Exactly. Or the fungus that causes tropical ants to climb trees to spread its spores, or the disease that makes a wildebeest spend its last days spinning in circles. But I don't accept what I would call classical sociobiology. Sometimes we can work around our programming if we understand it.
SWP: The exploitation of reproduction and, by extension, of family arises in a number of your works. Doro in the Patternist novels is breeding a master race and uses family ties with heroines like Anyanwu in Wild Seed and Mary in Mind of My Mind to help keep them under control. Family ties control the problematic bond between Dana and Rufus in Kindred. Reproduction and family lie at the crux of the relationship in "Bloodchild" and between the humans and Oankali in XENOGENESIS. Do you intentionally focus on reproductive and family issues as a central theme, or did this just happen?
OEB: Perhaps as a woman, I can't help dwelling on the importance of family and reproduction. I don't know how men feel about it. Even though I don't have a husband and children, I have other family, and it seems to me our most important set of relationships. It is so much of what we are. Family does not have to mean purely biological relationships either. I know families that have adopted outside individuals; I don't mean legally adopted children but other adults, friends, people who simply came into the household and stayed. Family bonds can even survive really terrible abuse.
SWP: Of course, you show the power of such bonds operating in either direction; for instance, Anyanwu in Wild Seed and Dana in Kindred both ultimately take advantage of the fact that their respective "masters" need them.
OEB: They don't recognize these men as their masters.
SWP: I was putting the word in quotation marks. Are you suggesting that people in subordinate positions should recognize and exploit what power they do have?
OEB: You do what you have to do. You make the best use of whatever power you have.
SWP: We even see that humans have more power than they realize over the Oankali. Especially with the construct ooloi in Imago: they have no identity without human mates. Aaor devolves into a slug.
OEB: The constructs are an experiment. They do not know what they are going to be, or when it is going to happen. And they do not need humans specifically, even though they prefer them; they can bond with anything. But they have to bond.
SWP: I would like to go back a bit in your literary history. Who were your authorial influences as an apprentice writer?
OEB: I read a lot of science fiction with absolutely no discrimination when I was growing up—I mean, good, bad, or awful [laughs]. It didn't matter. I remember latching onto people and reading everything I could find by them, people like John Brunner, who wrote a lot. I could pick up Ace Doubles at the used book store for a nickel or a dime, so I was always reading John Brunner. And Theodore Sturgeon—by the time I was reading adult science fiction, he had a considerable body of work. Of course, Robert A. Heinlein. I can remember my very first adult science fiction, a story called "Lorelei of the Red Mist." If I am not mistaken, it was Ray Bradbury's first published story. Leigh Brackett began it and he finished it.
SWP: Can you think of anybody outside of science fiction?
OEB: I tended to read whatever was in the house, which meant that I read a lot of odd stuff. Who was that guy that used to write about men's clubs all the time? John O'Hara. It was Mars for me. I like British between-the-wars mysteries for the same reason. They take place on Mars; they're different worlds.
SWP: Might we suggest that since John O'Hara writes about upper-class white culture, his world would be almost as alien to you as the worlds of science fiction?
OEB: Absolutely. There was a book of his stories in the house, as well as books by James Thurber and James Baldwin. I did not read any Langston Hughes until I was an adult, but I remember being carried away by him and Gwendolyn Brooks. When I was growing up, the only blacks you came across in school were slaves—who were always well treated—and later, when we got to individuals, Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. Booker T. Washington started a college, and Carver did something with peanuts; we never knew what. We did not read anything by a black writer except [James Weldon] Johnson's The Creation, and that was in high school. We managed to get through adolescence without being introduced to any black culture.
SWP: I was in that same generation, and I remember that it wasn't really until the seventies that we started opening up the canon. Actually, the issue is still controversial, judging from the so-called "culture war" over how inclusive the canon should be or whether we should even have one.
OEB: Yes, it's too bad when . . . Well, there was one person I had a lot of respect for, but he could not find a single black person to put into the canon, so I lost my respect for him rather badly.
SWP: On its surface, Parable of the Sower looks like a change in direction from your earlier work.
OEB: Not really. It is still fundamentally about social power.
SWP: But it is much more a close extrapolation from current trends: the increasing class gap, the fear of crime, the chaos of the cities spreading to the suburbs, the centrifugal forces tearing our society apart.
OEB: Yes. It really distresses me that we see these things happening now in American society when they don't have to. Some people insist that all civilizations have to rise and fall—like the British before us—but we have brought this on ourselves. What you see today has happened before: a few powerful people take over with the approval of a class below them who has nothing to gain and even much to lose as a result. It's like the Civil War: most of the men who fought to preserve slavery were actually being hurt by it. As farmers they could not compete with the plantations, and they could not even hire themselves out as labor in competition with the slaves who could be hired out more cheaply by their owners. But they supported the slave system anyway.
SWP: They probably opposed affirmative action.
OEB: [laughs] Right. I guess many people just need someone to feel superior to to make themselves feel better. You see Americans doing it now, unfortunately, while voting against their own interests. It is that kind of shortsighted behavior that is destroying us.
SWP: Are these problems somehow unique to American society?
OEB: Oh no, of course not.
SWP: I was sure you'd say that.
OEB: We are seeing a particular American form here, but look at the Soviet Union. When capitalism took over, it is amazing how quickly they developed a crime problem. Unfortunately, the most successful capitalists over there now seem to be the criminals.
SWP: Which is ironic because in classic Soviet Marxist theory the capitalist class was associated with the criminal class.
OEB: That may be the problem. We are getting into murky territory here: I heard about an old man in Russia who tried to turn his farm into a successful private enterprise, but his neighbors came over and destroyed his efforts. He was not a criminal, but to them that kind of individualistic profit-making was criminal behavior. I guess to succeed in Russia you have to be someone who (a) doesn't care what the neighbors think and (b) has a bodyguard. And if you're in that position, you probably are a criminal.
SWP: To get back to Parable of the Sower, Lauren Olamina is empathic—
OEB: She is not empathic. She feels herself to be. Usually in science fiction "empathic" means that you really are suffering, that you are actively interacting telepathically with another person, and she is not. She has this delusion that she cannot shake. It's kind of biologically programmed into her.
SWP: Interesting. So what is happening, say, when she feels the pain of the wounded dog she ends up killing?
OEB: Oh, even if it is not there, she feels it. In the first chapter of the book, she talks about her brother playing tricks on her—pretending to be hurt, pretending to bleed, and causing her to suffer. I have been really annoyed with people who claim Lauren is a telepath, who insist that she has this power. What she has is a rather crippling delusion.
SWP: So we should maintain some ironic distance from her?
OEB: No.
SWP: We should still identify with her.
OEB: I hope readers will identify with all my characters, at least while they're reading.
SWP: Through Earthseed, Lauren hopes to bring back a sense of communal purpose and meaning by turning people's eyes back to the stars. It made me think: the space program of the sixties really was part of the general hopefulness of the decade, part of our sense that anything was possible if we strove together as a people.
OEB: And that was the decade of my adolescence. We keep playing the same record. Earlier I was talking about it: we begin something and then we grow it to a certain point and then it destroys itself or else it is destroyed from the outside—whether it is Egypt or Rome or Greece, this country or Great Britain, you name it. I do feel that we are either going to continue to play the same record until it shatters—and I said it in the book, though not in those words—or we are going to do something else. And I think the best way to do something else is to go someplace else where the demands on us will be different. Not because we are going to go someplace else and change ourselves, but because we will go someplace else and be forced to change.
SWP: Do you think we will be better for that change?
OEB: It's possible. We could be better; we could be worse. There's no insurance policy.
SWP: I gather that we can expect another book to pick up where Parable of the Sower left off.
OEB: Parable of the Talents is the book I am working on now.
SWP: It will be interesting to see where you go with the story.
OEB: Well, in Parable of the Sower I focused on the problems—the things we have done wrong, that we appear to be doing wrong, and where those things can lead us. I made a real effort to talk about what could actually happen or is in the process of happening: the walled communities and the illiteracy and the global warming and lots of other things. In Parable of the Talents I want to give my characters the chance to work on the solutions, to say, "Here is the solution!"
SWP: Parable of the Sower was published by a small press (Four Walls Eight Windows), as was your collection Bloodchild and Other Stories. Kindred was republished by a small press (Beacon). As a successful science-fiction author, what made you turn to less commercial publishers?
OEB: I had probably reached some kind of plateau in science fiction, and I couldn't seem to get off it. I knew I had three audiences at least, but I couldn't get my science-fiction publisher to pay any attention. I could tell them all day and all night, but they would answer, "Yes, that's right," and then go off and do something else. You know, the best way to defeat an argument is to agree with it and then forget about it. I had wanted to try one of the big publishers not normally associated with science fiction, and then my agent came up with this small publisher. I thought I would take the chance.
SWP: Would you like to break down some of the walls between generic marketing categories?
OEB: Oh, that's not possible. You know how we are; if we kill off some, we will invent others.
SWP: I ask in part because I noticed that Beacon Press published Kindred as a book in its "Black Women Writers" series.
OEB: Yes, I mentioned having three audiences: the science-fiction audience, the black audience, and the feminist audience.
SWP: And being marketed through such categories doesn't trouble you.
OEB: Well, they're there, as I was just saying, and there's nothing you can do about it.
SWP: I remember that during the New Wave of the Sixties—
OEB: Oh, where is it now?
SWP: —I was among those who believed that science fiction was moving to the forefront of literature.
OEB: Well, parts of it did move into the mainstream. In other cases, people simply did not call what they were doing "science fiction." I mean, Robin Cook did not announce that he was doing medical science fiction, and Dean Koontz does not publish his work as science fiction. And there are a lot of people who write science fiction although the word does not appear anywhere on the cover or inside. It doesn't mean they don't like science fiction; it means they want to make a good living.
SWP: As I pointed out initially, your treatments of power, gender, and race coincide with many of the interests of current literary theory, and your own race and gender inevitably come into literary critiques of your work. Has being an African-American woman influenced your choice of theme and approach?
OEB: I don't think it could do otherwise. All writers are influenced by who they are. If you are white, you could write about being Chinese, but you would bring in a lot of what you are as well.
SWP: I cannot help noting—as you yourself observe in your essay—"Positive Obsession"—that you are unique in the science-fiction community. While there are more women working in the field than there were thirty years ago, there are few African Americans, and I still cannot think of another African-American woman.
OEB: I have heard of some who have published stories. The ones who are actually writing books are not calling themselves science-fiction authors, which is right because they are actually writing horror or fantasy. For instance, the woman who wrote the lesbian vampire stories, the Gilda stories, Jewelle Gomez—she's not science fiction but she is fantasy, and that's in the family. But I don't think she even presented her work as that.
SWP: Do you think many people are still under the impression that science fiction is primarily a white male genre?
OEB: Yes. In fact, sometimes when I speak to general audiences they are surprised there are a lot of women in science fiction. Because people do have a rather fixed notion of what science fiction is; it either comes from television or they pick it up somehow from the air, the ambience.
SWP: Any last words to the science-fiction critical community about how to approach your work?
OEB: Oh, good heavens, no!
SWP: [laughs]
OEB: As far as criticism goes, what a reader brings to the work is as important as what I put into it, so I don't get upset when I am misinterpreted. Except when I say what I really meant was so-and-so, and I am told, "Oh, but subconsciously you must have meant this." I mean—leave me alone! [laughs] I don't mind attempts to interpret my fiction, but I am not willing to have critics interpret my subconscious. I doubt they are qualified.
WORKS CITED
Butler, Octavia E. Adulthood Rites. NY: Warner Books, 1988.
-----. "Bloodchild." Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine (June 1984): 34-54.
-----. Bloodchild and Other Stories. NY: Four Walls Eight Windows, 1995.
-----. Dawn. NY: Warner Books, 1987.
Irenosen Okojie: 'June Jordan Reminds Me Of The Irrepressible Power And Spirit Of Black Women'
My earliest reading memoryRoald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox, aged eight at boarding school in Norfolk. It was so wacky, fiendish and humorous. It didn't patronise young readers, which I appreciated. I had just started my first term at that school, which was a period of great change in my life having moved from Lagos to England. I missed my parents but reading this gave me such joy. It unlocked my imagination; I caught the reading bug then never stopped.
My favourite book growing upThe Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. It's a mesmerising book. I love its exploration of complex familial ties; what living in a rigid, suffocating environment can do to adolescent minds.
The book that changed me as a teenagerToni Morrison's Jazz – the verve and audaciousness with which it captures the multiplicities of black lives. I was 14, back home in London on a break from school. To see black characters given such depth made quite an impact on me. It was so rich and complex I was deeply affected for weeks after reading it.
The writer who changed my mindJune Jordan, a bisexual virtuosic poet and activist ahead of her time, persuaded me that it was possible to move between mediums without compromising as a writer – that you could unapologetically be yourself. Her poem I Must Become a Menace to My Enemies remains seared into my consciousness. I read it whenever I want to kick some ass. It reminds me of the irrepressible power and spirit of black women.
The book that made me want to be a writerWild Seed by Octavia Butler. It was a gift from an ex-boyfriend during my 20s. The irony is that I avoided reading it for a while because of that connection. When I finally picked it up, it blew my mind. Butler's imagination, the scope of the book as well as its daring themes and ideas showed me what was possible. Here was an ambitious black woman writing SF when black voices weren't in that space, marching to the beat of her own drum and bucking expectations. She is truly inspiring.
The book I came back toUlysses by James Joyce. I found it too dense and slow as a teenager. I picked it up again in my 20s but I'm afraid I still put it down again. The quality of his writing is undeniable but I'm not a book martyr.
The book I rereadI Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell. These essays about O'Farrell's near-death experiences are astonishing and profound. I'm not only impressed by her guts but also her lack of sentimentality. It's a book I often recommend to other women because it's empowering in ways that aren't immediately obvious.
The book I could never read againRoll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D Taylor. It's an unforgettable young adult novel about a black family growing up in Mississippi during the Great Depression – told through the voice of a feisty African American girl protagonist, Cassie Logan, who must contend with the realities of racism. There's no denying its power but it is also emotionally devastating. I would find it difficult to pick it up now. It's an indictment of horrific histories, which don't seem that long ago.
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Jonathan Escoffery: 'Langston Hughes shifted my worldview'
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The book I discovered later in lifeAt the Bottom of the River by Jamaica Kincaid. It's a superb work because it defies easy categorisation. Technically, this is a collection of stories set in Antigua, but not as you know it. The landscapes shift; some stories have a hallucinatory feel, others seem like paintings. I love that it flips notions around the masculine and feminine, presents inanimate objects like a table or a pen with a consciousness, and explores the role of memory in childhood, as well as the wonder and destructiveness of nature.
The book I am currently readingI'm rereading Bernardine Evaristo's incredible prose poetry novel The Emperor's Babe. This lyrical, inventive work showcases exactly why she's a force to be reckoned with.
My comfort readCome Let Us Sing Anyway. Leone Ross's terrific collection of short stories is strange, funny and sexy. I find the imaginative, sensual way Leone writes about bodies so refreshing. She's a writer who excites me a great deal.
Irenosen Okojie is the founder of Black to the Future. For tickets to forthcoming events and more information, visit blacktothefuture.Space/events
The Best Sci-Fi Books Of 2023
There's a good chance you'll find your next great read among the best sci-fi books of all time. Science fiction is a broad genre that contains everything from military fiction to steampunk, robots, and alien worlds. There's a backlog of classics that you don't want to miss, like "Frankenstein," "War of the Worlds," and at least one Jules Verne novel. And new books by authors like Nnedi Okorafor are reshaping the look and feel of the genre.
The novel that qualifies as one of the best sci-fi books of all time is highly subjective, and you can find many great, in-depth debates on the subject. We picked books that represent the best of the best within certain categories. Here's our list of the best sci-fi books, along with a few tips to help you pick one that's most likely to transport you to a civilization, planet, or time you've never experienced before.
— Best Classic: "Frankenstein"— Best New: "Remote Control"— Best Climate Change Sci-Fi: "The Ministry for the Future"— Best Prophetic Sci-Fi: "Parable of the Sower" — Best Sci-Fi Turned Movie: "The Martian"— Best Sci-Fi Graphic Novel: "On a Sunbeam"— Best Visionary Sci-Fi: "The City We Became"— Best Series: "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"— Best Fantasy: "Dune"— Best Young Adult: "A Wrinkle in Time"
How We Chose the Best Sci-Fi Books MethodologyThere are many fascinating, exciting, and introspective sci-fi books to read that it wasn't easy to decide on which ones made the list. We've been avid sci-fi readers for years, so we based our decisions on the writing and story quality, effect on the genre, and reviews/popularity of the book.
Writing and Story Quality: Writing and story quality can be subjective, but books that continue to remain popular and relevant despite the passage of time highlight quality.
Affect on the Genre: We looked for books that not only had an impact on their readers but on the genre as a whole. Certain books open ideas and writing forms that continue to influence science fiction, both written and visual, for decades.
Reviews/Popularity: The books on the list have been popular in their time and many well beyond their time. Not everyone will like a book, but the book should have at least four stars to make the list. You can read your favorites with the best ereaders.
The Best Sci-Fi Books: Our Picks Best Classic: "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley Mary ShelleyWhy It Made The Cut: This genre-bending novel made waves when it was first published and continues to shape our understanding of sci-fi and horror, making it the best classic sci-fi book.
Specs:— Length: 222 pages— Series Length: One— Original Publication Date: 1818
Pros:— Familiar story with many film adaptations— Excellent setting descriptions— Explores morality and humanity
Cons:— Language may feel outdated
The story of Frankenstein's monster is familiar, thanks to many film and television adaptations. Author Mary Shelley started the book while still a teenager and managed to write one of the first recognized science fiction novels. In the process, she managed to mix it with horror enough to affect the foundations of two major genres.
The story of the mad scientist Frankenstein explores themes we still see today, making it one of the best classic sci fi books . Though Frankenstein can give life to dead tissue, should he? Where are the moral lines in science? He's unwilling to then accept responsibility for the monster he's created, leaving the reader to wonder who's the real monster in the story.
"Frankenstein" came out in 1818, with revisions made in 1831. It can take some time to adjust to the language. Some readers don't have a problem with that, while others may find it too stilted for their tastes. Or pick up one of the best space gifts instead.
Best New: "Remote Control" by Nnedi Okorafor Nnedi OkoraforWhy It Made The Cut: "Remote Control" is classic Okorafor, which is to say, exciting, surprising, and brilliantly written, making it the best new sci-fi book.
Specs:— Length: 156 pages— Series Length: One— Original Publication Date: 2021
Pros:— Complex main character that's both relatable and admirable— Imaginative world— Intriguing 'what if' theory behind the plot
Cons:— Heavy emotions can be intense
Nnedi Okorafor continues to create imaginative, insightful science fiction with "Remote Control." The main character faces the loss of everything and everyone she knows when she becomes the adopted daughter of death. The book, which is relatively short, explores intense feelings, which can be a bit heavy for some readers. However, Okorafor successfully creates a world that's enough like our own to spark personal introspection but foreign enough to draw inquisitive readers into the plot. In the end, it's a great story that will leave you thinking long after you've flipped the last page. For another great new read, check out "Zoey Punches the Future in the D**k."
Best Climate: "The Ministry for the Future" by Kim Stanley Robinson Kim Stanley RobinsonWhy It Made The Cut: "The Ministry for the Future" is urgent science fiction firmly grounded in the present, bending genre to help readers face the terrors of climate change.
Specs:— Length: 576 pages— Series Length: One— Original Publication Date: 2020
Pros:— Extremely relevant to our present situation— Raises important questions and possible solutions— Fast-paced narrative
Cons:— Some readers may be seeking lighter topics
Similar to the genre of horror, dystopian sci-fi offers a way for people to explore the primal fear evoked by worst-case scenarios. However, because global climate change has been impacting our mental health for years, science fiction dystopias about the issue can hit a little too close to home.
In "The Ministry for the Future", acclaimed science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson erodes the boundary between dystopias and the current moment by setting his story just slightly ahead of where we are now. Details in the fictional story — from home particulate meters to cataclysmic weather events — could easily be found in our current reality.
The book's narrow degree of separation from the present, coupled with vivid storytelling, provides an inventive way for readers to grapple with urgent questions of personal and societal responsibility. You may find both motivation to act and room for hope. And you can start saving energy with some of the best solar panels.
Best Prophetic: "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler Octavia ButlerWhy It Made The Cut: Written almost three decades ago, in "Parable of the Sower" legendary science fiction author Octavia Butler shows us 2025 with unsettling foresight.
Specs: — Length: 336 pages— Series Length: Two— Original Publication Date: 1993
Pros: — Part of a two-book series— Insight to apply to modern life— Philosophical exploration of religion
Cons: — A third book was never completed
In September 2020, "Parable of the Sower" was number 14 on the "New York Times" bestseller list of paperback trade fiction. While wildfires altered the sky color in San Francisco and the world struggled during the early months of the pandemic, readers were discovering that Butler's book, written nearly thirty years before, was proving increasingly relevant.
Octavia Butler's work is a must-read for any fan of science fiction, and some call her the mother of Afrofuturism. If science fiction is a vehicle for predicting humanity's worst future impulses and showing how our best qualities can counteract the damage, reading this book in the very time period it was set offers thrilling comparisons and opportunities for introspection. Readers will appreciate following the story in 1998's "Parable of the Talents," but unfortunately a third book in the series was not finished.
Best Sci-Fi Turned Movie: "The Martian" by Andy Weir Andy WeirWhy It Made The Cut: "The Martian" will delight sci-fi fans who feel that the strongest representations of the genre prioritize scientific realism over the author's imagination.
Specs: — Length: 387 pages— Series Length: One— Original Publication Date: 2011
Pros: — Enjoy in multiple mediums— Plausibility— Conversational style
Cons: — Some readers may get tired of the setting
One of the biggest draws of "The Martian" by Andy Weir is the author's grounding his book in plausible scenarios such as what scientists knew about Mars at the time the book was written. Mark Whatney's hero's journey as an astronaut stranded on the Red Planet is a classic tale of surviving against all odds while awaiting rescue, told through an informal diary style that helps readers feel like they too could be forced to grow potatoes fueled by their own poop.
In addition to sparking discussions about gardening in space, readers can check out photos of places depicted in the novel (and the subsequent Matt Damon blockbuster) on the University of Arizona's website. While this book does not have a sequel, our continuing scientific advances (and perhaps the obsessions of Elon Musk) tease the question of whether a real-life sequel of sorts could happen soon. You can get more perspective on the galaxy with the best telescopes.
Best Graphic Novel: "On a Sunbeam" by Tillie Walden Tillie WaldenWhy It Made The Cut: "On a Sunbeam" offers an escape into a visually arresting universe, with a love story at its heart that brings warmth to the vastness and unknowability of outer space.
Specs:— Length: 544 pages— Series Length: One— Original Publication Date: 2018
Pros:— Beautiful artwork— Cinematic storytelling— Striking color schemes
Cons:— Visual medium has less text than a traditional book
Tillie Walden was only 22 years old when "On a Sunbeam" was published, but this graphic novel holds appeal for adults as well as teenagers. While the origins of the queer love story that unfolds across the book's two timelines take place in a boarding school, we depart from boarding school tropes to revisit the characters after time has passed and their lives have taken different directions.
Nominated for a 2018 Hugo award for best story (given out annually by the World Science Fiction society), some might say it falls under the sci-fi sub-genre of "space opera." For readers intrigued by science fiction but turned off by the sometimes lengthy descriptions and rules of alternate world-building, this book tells the story through dialogue and illustrations in a way that invites the imagination to freely inhabit other places. Travel virtually to other new worlds with the best space games.
Best Visionary Sci-Fi: "The City We Became" by N.K. Jemisin N.K. JemisinWhy It Made The Cut: With "The City We Became," N.K. Jemisin re-envisions New York City through the lens of science fiction and fantasy with striking results.
Specs:— Length: 448 pages— Series Length: Two (thus far)— Original Publication Date: 2020
Pros:— Takes place in a reimagined New York City— Speculative fiction set in modern times— Part of an epic series
Cons:— The next book is not out until November 2022
So many science fiction books take place in worlds that only exist in the author's imagination. In "The City We Became," four-time Hugo award winner N.K. Jemisin creates a visionary new world based on a place where many readers have lived, vacationed in, spent time visiting friends and family, or learned about in the media.
In an interview with "Entertainment Weekly," Jemisin speaks of capturing the minute details of Manhattan's Inwood Hill Park in person to reinforce the reality of the locale in her prose even as the story utterly transforms that reality. Unlike traditional sci-fi classics where the closest you'll get to immersion in the story is visiting a movie set or theme park based on the book, with the book's setting and level of detail readers could find themselves in the very place where an avatar emerged or a tentacle was unleashed.
Best Sci-Fi Series: "The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams Douglas Adams, Neil GaimanWhy It Made The Cut: "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" goes beyond cult classic with a witty, fun, galactic adventure that attracts more than sci-fi fans, making it the best sci-fi series.
Specs:— Length: N/A— Series Length: Five— Original Publication Date: 1979
Pros:— Funny enough to attract those who aren't fans of sci-fi— Makes fun of but integrates classic sci-fi tropes— Series takes beloved characters on interesting adventures through to the very end of the last book
Cons:— May not appeal to hard sci-fi readers
"The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" has been a classic sci-fi hit since its initial release in 1979. The series follows the adventures of Arthur Dent as he makes his way across the galaxy from one humorous situation to another. It's touted as one of the funniest sci-fi series of all time, attracting readers who don't usually appreciate the genre. If you're looking for a laugh-out-loud adventure that lasts for five volumes, this is the best sci-fi book series. However, hard science fiction fans may not appreciate the soft approach to science.
Best Sci-Fi Fantasy: "Dune" by Frank Herbert Frank HerbertWhy It Made The Cut: "Dune" is a sci-fi classic that walks the line between genres with a rich world and deep characters, making it the best sci-fi fantasy book.
Specs:— Length: 890 pages— Series Length: Six— Original Publication Date: 1965
Pros:— Complex world with deep characters— Combines magic-like powers of fantasy with the technology of an advanced civilization— Six books in the series offers reading for months
Cons:— The epic length may turn off some readers
You'd be hard-pressed to tiptoe into the sci-fi section and not run across "Dune," one of the best sci-fi fantasy books. The cult classic walks the line between science fiction and fantasy, with a religion that borders on magic. However, that religion thrives in a technologically advanced world to put the book firmly in both the sci-fi and fantasy camps. This epic novel isn't for the faint of heart. Its length and unique setting can take some commitment to get into, but once you do, the powerful writing and rich culture and characters make it worth the effort.
Best Young Adult Sci-Fi: "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle Madeleine L'EngleWhy It Made The Cut: L'Engle's classic novel explains complex concepts in ways that children (and adults) love, making it the best young adult sci-fi book.
Specs:— Length: 206 pages— Series Length: Five— Original Publication Date: 1962
Pros:— Makes science approachable and interesting— Explores children's feelings of not fitting in— Encourages children to embrace their strengths to solve problems
Cons:— More appropriate for middle-grade readers
"A Wrinkle in Time" is the first sci-fi book that many children read. While we've got it categorized as a YA, it more closely appeals to middle-grade readers thanks to the age of the main character, Meg. However, it addresses themes of belonging, family, and friendships that speak to older children and even adults, making it one of the best young adult sci-fi books.
The book was first published in 1962, so there's definitely a Cold War feel to it. However, the characters' ability to face and solve problems on their own while trying to understand complex, abstract principles is a great intro to the genre. L'Engle followed it up with four more books that star other members of the family for readers who want the adventures to continue.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Sci-Fi Book The Book's Sub-genreBooks are broadly categorized into genres and sub-genres. Science fiction used to be its own genre, but today, it's considered a sub-genre of speculative fiction. Before grabbing the first sci-fi book you see, consider additional sub-genres that pique your interest. Popular science fiction sub-genres include:
— Military science fiction— Space opera— Sci-fi romance— Steampunk— Cyberpunk— Hard science fiction— Soft science fiction— Time travel— Superhero fiction
Each of these subgenres follows different tropes and styles that may or may not interest you. For example, military science fiction typically requires a high-level accuracy when depicting military organizations, relationships, and battles, whereas books about our future are left open to the author's interpretation. Hard science fiction typically goes into the detail of the science, which plays a bigger role in the plot. That's where to start if you require strict scientific accuracy.
Book LengthAre you looking for an epic (long) novel or a short story? Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick wrote many short stories, anthologies, and novellas, whereas "Dune" by Frank Herbert is an epic commitment. Consider the time you have and if you enjoy diving into a different world for a few hours or are willing to devote a few days or weeks to a single book.
Publication Date and FormatThe only reason I suggest you look at the publication date is to get a better idea of the societal norms that might be present in the book. Sci-fi novels are known for pushing ideas and boundaries, but they can still have outdated notions and ideas. A book that's had many printings since its publication date may also stand the test of time better than one that's only been printed once. Authors and publishers can, if they choose, make small changes at each printing.
Also, consider the book's available formats. Do you prefer reading on a tablet or ereader, or would you rather listen to an audiobook? There are many more formats than there once were, from a 12min micro book library to novellas and flash fiction, which usually keeps the word count under 3,000 words.
FAQs Q: Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" was based on a book by what celebrated sci-fi author?Ridley Scott's "Blade Runner" was based on Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" The book addresses the question of what if androids had feelings as deep and complex as a human's.
Q: What was the first sci-fi book?Elements of science fiction appeared in early literature among several cultures, making it difficult to pinpoint the first official sci-fi book. "The Blazing World" by Margaret Cavendish, written in 1666, often gets the credit. However, the themes we're most familiar with today appeared for the first time in Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein." She explored not only the abilities of science but the ethics behind what could or should be done with those abilities. The book also sheds light on the human condition through the eyes of the creature and the creator's unwillingness to take responsibility for his creation's actions.
Q: What is the best sci-fi book ever?The best sci-fi book ever is largely a matter of opinion. No matter which novel gets the top award, there will be a hot debate with valid reasons for choosing a different novel. However, the classic "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley wins out for story, themes, and writing, though the language is a bit dated at times. That does not discredit other sci-fi greats that didn't make our list, such as Jules Verne, Orson Wells, and Isaac Asimov.
Q: What makes a book sci-fi?Science fiction is a subgenre of speculative fiction, which contains elements that are not found in real life. Specifically, science fiction asks and explores "what if'' questions. What if a scientist created life from death ("Frankenstein")? What if robots felt as deeply as humans ("Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?")? However, science fiction can but doesn't have to take place in space, the future, have robots, include time travel, or many of the other more common sci-fi settings and plots. Science or technology typically play a role in a science fiction plot though it doesn't have to drive the plot or characters.
Q: What sci-fi fantasy book should I read?We suggest "Dune." Sci-fi and fantasy are interrelated speculative fiction sub-genres that frequently mix and mingle. "Dune" offers one of the most popular and poignant examples. A mystical religion that bestows its followers with near magical powers, yet the world is built on technology t
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