The 10 best science fiction books that will blow your mind!

Science Fiction is fascinating, it’s something we indulge in every time we day dream, imagining an alternative universe full of “what if’s” and “maybe’s.” Whatsmore, the prospect that these fantasies might one day become reality just makes it even more enticing! It’s the literature of ideas, where we try to catch a glimpse of what the future holds in store.

Take a look at our top 10 science fiction books that will blow your mind!

Dark Run — Mike Brooks

We usually keep a tight lid on the darker sides of our past, especially if you happen to be a smuggler or a soldier of fortune. So naturally tension would be quite high when Captain Ichabod Drift is blackmailed into taking a job back on Old Earth. The whole crew begin to grow wary of their companions as nobody’s dark history is safe anymore. In space you can escape everything but your past!

Ready Player One — Ernest Cline

If the title didn’t give it away, this book is brilliant for anyone with the slightest interest in video games! Set in the not-so-distant 2044, in a world devoid of fossil fuels and suffering from an energy crisis, the only solace for the populace is escaping into virtual reality. A number of companies have created their own little virtual societies, each with their own currency and customs. Think World of Warcraft or BattleStar Galactica Online, but in Virtual Reality. When the founder of the most established virtual reality simulator dies he leaves his inheritance to the first person who finds this Easter Egg. This sci-fi thriller is sure to keep you going, hopefully before Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation comes out!

1984 — George Orwell

There’s a reason this work of literature became a number one bestseller following Trump’s election! Privacy has become a major issue, with our personal data being sold to the highest bidder. Thought itself is subject to manipulation by the media, what to buy, what to work, how to do this or that. Even language has been tweaked, twisted and skewed to structure our beliefs and thoughts. Big Brother is watching you. Well, that wraps up 1984 we suppose.

Dune — Frank Herbert

The first book of the Dune Saga, this book already has quite the cult following. Planets are loaned out to noble families who are bound to the Padishah Emperor in exchange. Of course when the stakes are high, political intrigue is just around the corner. The novel follows Paul Atreides, whose family has taken rule over Arrakis, a desert planet which is the sole producer of a highly valuable and essential spice in the Universe. Of course, the Atreides weren’t the only house who sought control over the desert planet as others vie for power!

The Fifth Season — N. K. Jemisin

We tend to take the seasons and the weather for granted, consider what might happen if we were to have a fifth season. A season in which results in massive climate change and rubs the slate clean. This might sound particularly dystopian, it explores the possibility that even behind the greatest tragedies, there is consolation — especially if what is destroyed is wretched a monstrous. The society that Jemisin brings to life is strewn with lore, various races and social castes, all of which offer insight into how we live together nowadays.

The Book of the New Sun — Gene Wolfe

This book started the distinguished “Solar Cycle” Universe, in which other books by Wolfe are set. This gives the novel a rich and intense lore which the reader can easily get lost in. The Books of the New Sun follows the exile of the executioner Severian, who is granted a particular clemency after he helps a prisoner commit suicide. Such mercy is rare in a world where the sun has dimmed and when mercy is given for ulterior motives. The book is written from Severian’s perspective, this unreliable narrator helps to give the book a more confessional feel as we see his story unfold and empathise.

Altered Carbon — Richard Morgan

Imagine a world in which consciousness can be stored, saved and transferred, as though on a flash drive. Well, mortality becomes a thing of the past in theory. But such treatment would be expensive and only the very rich would be able to afford it. Faster-than-light travel would also be possible as consciousness is transferred over great distances into a new body, not without its own side-effects however. The story follows Takeshi Kovacs, a former U.N elite soldier who investigates the suspicious murder of a wealthy man’s death.

The Three-Body Problem — Cixin Liu

This is a tough one to explain, but the crux of it all is the three-body problem. The three-body problem refers to the difficulty in calculating the trajectory of an object when acted upon by two other bodies, so say a spaceship flying between two planets. This whole idea serves as a recurring symbol as three factions all push and pulls one another. Earth, an invading alien race set to arrive in 400 years and a misanthropic scientist. The book forms part of a trilogy each exploring as judgement day looms closer and the initial facts are slowly distorted by time. It sounds confusing, but it’ll knock your socks off, its brilliant.

The Martian — Andy Weir

The inspiration behind the movie directed by Ridley Scott! Astronaut Mark Watney is stranded on Mars in the year 2035, his attempt to survive results in a book with gripping suspense and drama and how far people go to help those in need, even when it seems so futile. A modern Robinson Crusoe story!

2001: A Space Odyssey — Arthur C. Clarke

A heavy-weight champion in science fiction, 2001: A Space Odyssey has inspired numerous ideas to date. Whether it is exploring evolution of intelligent life, from man to Artificial Intelligence. What is the next step in our evolutionary process? What could happen if technology continues to become more and more intelligent? It is also fascinating to see man’s earlier speculation about things which have become the norm, such as space travel. The questions this book asked are still being discussed by philosophers and scientists to this day, now that’s impressive!

Hopefully this has piqued your interest! These books are sure to blow your mind as they examine a variety of concepts which one day might very well come to pass. The future can be daunting, but it’s good to wonder what it might hold in store for us. Be sure to pick these little wonders up from an Agenda Store near you!