Culture
Since ancient times, people have been fascinated by cosmic phenomena and stars, dreaming of getting to them someday.
And stories about how this is finally happening in human life are a fundamental part of this vast dream.
Worthy science fiction works about space can impress and motivate, warn, raise questions in the head and amaze, as well as inspire people to creativity and new exploits, achievements and discoveries.
In this article, we'll tell you about the best, latest and most successful works about space worlds and science fiction galaxies.
Space fiction books
Nnedi Okorafor, Binti
Binti is the first girl from the Hibma ethnic group on Earth to be admitted to the prestigious Umza Yuni Intergalactic University. Upon learning that she has been accepted, Binti runs away from home and boards a ship bound for university. On the way to Umza Yuni, the ship is hijacked by Jellyfish, jelly-like alien creatures that have previously fought against another human ethnic group.
After Medusa kills all the other passengers on the ship, Binti manages to get to her cabin. She later learns that a piece of ancient artifact she took with her from Earth can provide her with a direct link to Jellyfish and also has healing properties by falling on their tentacles.
Binti befriends Okwu, one of the youngest and most hot-tempered Jellyfish, and subsequently establishes a shaky truce with the hijackers. Upon arrival at the university, she works to establish lasting peace between Jellyfish and people before starting her studies at one of the most prestigious intergalactic universities.
Carl Sagan, Contact
Carl Sagan was one of the greatest and most prominent minds, as well as an active disseminator of scientific ideas at the end of the last century. His incredible charm and interest in science — both professionally and personally, with a deep understanding of the ins and outs of intelligent extraterrestrial life — allowed him to break into the scientific world literature with its only but talented work.
The result of his hard work is Contact, a fascinating story about the very first human contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. This work was written based on Sagan's own research, theories, and his in-depth knowledge of alien life.
The novel deals with the contact of an alien civilization with the inhabitants of the Earth. At first, it seemed impossible and incomprehensible to the mind — a radio signal coming not from Earth, but from somewhere outside of it! However, when this signal was translated, it became clear that humanity was dealing with something creepy and terrifying.
Shortly after the signal occurs, it turns out that it contains information that will make it possible to build a spacecraft that can fly to the stars. A device that will make it possible for people to meet the creatures that sent the signal. They can't wait to meet people; they've been waiting for this for years, watching from the sidelines. And now it's their time, and it's up to them to decide.
Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
It is difficult for any other works to compete with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in absurd audacity, fantasy, bombastic and unique humor. This very bold and rich in vivid images has an incomprehensible plot, but at the same time fits into the clear framework of science fiction as we know it.
This is both a sharp satire and absurd humor, riddled with a note of cynicism and surprisingly solid logic. All in all, you won't find anything like The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is why you should definitely read it.
A few seconds before the complete destruction of the Earth, carried out to build a huge intergalactic highway in its place, an ordinary resident Arthur Dent and his friend are rapidly moves to an alien ship.
From this point on, friends begin to travel, taking advice from a hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy. During an unusual journey, they will meet a variety of fellow travelers — funny and depressing, friendly and not so friendly, many with their own oddities. But they all have one thing in common — they're all looking for something important for themselves.
Becky Chambers, Long Walk to an Angry Little Planet
This space opera has recently received a kind of “revival” in the form of films such as Thor and Guardians of the Galaxy. This novel is a kind of gateway for readers to the world of science fiction. This extraordinary story of a ship's crew, made up of humans and alien creatures, is an easy-to-read book with deep characters and a captivating romantic line. A Long Walk to an Angry Little Planet can be a great addition to your leisure time.
In fact, Rosemary Harper did not have much hope to become part of a now-defunct ship called The Wanderer. Despite the fact that the ship's heyday is long gone, and nothing is left of its former gloss, it is still a roof over your head and a unique opportunity to learn more about Galaxies that once seemed unattainable.
Most importantly, however, the ship provides her with an opportunity to get away from her past forever. After meeting the crew, Rosemary realizes that she has definitely never had such an amazing company in her life. In the pilot's place are the exotic reptile Sissix, Kizzie and Jenks, who never stop chatting — engineers who keep the ship on the move. This extraordinary company is led by a majestic captain, Ashby.
Life aboard the Wanderer is in full swing — pure madness, and it takes on a dangerous twist when the crew takes on a job on one small and angry planet. Of course, it will be possible to get there using space wormholes, but Rosemary definitely did not plan to risk her life.
In the far reaches of space, the tiny crew of the Wanderer will face many falls and setbacks, with a bunch of exciting adventures that will force them to band together and stick together until the last one. To survive, Rosemary will have to come to terms with the fact that the family she now has isn't the worst thing in the universe.
Andy Weir, “The Martian”
Andy Weir's The Martian is a novel that captivates readers and keeps them on their toes from the very first sentence to the end. In his debut novel, the American writer found the perfect balance of exciting plot twists, sometimes black humor and cutting-edge science. Not without common sense and close to reality, “The Martian” is a true testament to human ingenuity and adventure spirit.
Six days ago, Mark Watney was one of the first people to be honored to set foot on Mars. And now he's sure he'll die there. As a result of a severe sandstorm, the entire crew, thinking that Mark is dead, is evacuated from Mars. Now the survivor is left alone with his problems and fears, because he does not even have the opportunity to tell Earth that he is alive and well.
In addition, even if he could send even a weak signal, his survival supplies would run out before help could be sent for him. However, it is unlikely that he would have starved to death. More likely, damaged equipment, a ruthless environment and human error would have killed the “Martian” much sooner.
However, Mark is not ready to give up at all. Using his ingenuity, ingenuity and accumulated skills, and, of course, his persistent reluctance to give up what he started, he begins to explore existence on a seemingly lifeless planet. Will he be able to overcome himself and do the impossible?
Ray Bradbury, The Martian Chronicles
Ray Bradbury's The Martian Chronicles is the story of a serious conflict that lasted decades, in which both sides were devastated and defeated. It all starts when a group of colonists from Earth arrive on Mars to establish their own settlement there, but their journey ends in a destructive war with the local population.
The writer himself is a master of short stories, which is why The Martian Chronicles should be read at least once in a lifetime. This is an amazing, somewhat strange and at the same time beautiful story about human experience and experiences on Mars, filled with vivid images and visions.
Another attempt by the colonialists to conquer the red planet. There were very few of the first ones. Most of them fell victim to a mysterious illness when they saw their home planet shrink to the size of a fist. They had a strange feeling that they were never born. But those few survivors also received a very cold reception on Mars.
The locals, who were able to change their shape, were unfriendly and captured the arrivals. However, other rockets soon arrived from Earth, then invading Martians' territory again and again. People carried with them harm and prejudices, their desires, fantasies and destructive dreams. Of course, the locals did not like this situation.
Also read: 20+ best new and iconic science fiction books you can't put down
The best books about space
Peter F. Hamilton, Pandora's Star
This is Hamilton's first book in two about a future in which humans are virtually immortal and use wormholes to conquer and colonize hundreds of planets. Pandora's Star is remarkable for its amazing and incredibly alien aliens. Combining the key concepts of a detective novel with the stable foundations of science fiction, Hamilton independently explores all the possible dangers and pleasures of the human future.
The year is 2380, and the action takes place in the Galactic Commonwealth, a huge sphere of stars about four hundred thousand light years in diameter. It has more than 600 worlds connected by a network of long transport “tunnels”, better known as wormholes.
In one of the farthest corners of the Commonwealth, astronomer Dudley Bose notices an oddity that, in principle, is impossible — more than a thousand light years away, one of the stars is simply… disappears. It's not a supernova, and it's not turning into a black hole. It just disappears.
Because the distance is too long to reach it via a wormhole, an ultra-fast ship, Second Chance, goes there. It will help you find out what really happened there and whether it poses a danger to the Commonwealth.
Larry Niven, Ring World
The first part of the eponymous book series was the most successful of the four and won the author a number of prestigious awards. This 1970 classic about a joint crew of humans and aliens exploring a massive ring formed around a sun-like star has so influenced global culture and science that many theoretical alien megastructures began to be called the Niven Rings, after the author of the novel.
In addition to ideas about the possibilities of colonizing outer space by intelligent civilizations, “Ring World” contains a fascinating adventure story with a very convincing point of view about man's place in the universe.
The action takes place during an expedition to an unusual artifact — a ring six hundred miles long and ninety million wide. The puppeteers who discover the ring decide to explore it, but, for obvious reasons, are very afraid to run into the person who created it.
Despite this, they assemble a very unusual crew and embark on an expedition full of mysteries and secrets. The sudden wreck of their ship forces the crew to embark on a desperate and dangerous journey across the Ring.
Andy Weir, Artemis
The author of “The Martian”, which we already talked about earlier, is “rich” in several more amazing works. One of them is Artemis. From it, we learn the story of Jazz, a girl who works as a courier in Artemis, the first and only city on the entire moon. This book is intriguing with details about a possible future base on the Moon, and also amazes the imagination with its plot twists. If you're ever interested in science fiction, don't miss Artemis.
In fact, Jazz is no ordinary courier. She's a criminal… in some ways. Life on Artemis is difficult unless you're a wealthy tourist or a local eccentric billionaire. So, harmless smuggling in small quantities doesn't count at all, right? Especially if you have a lot of debts, and the income from your main, legal job is barely enough to cover your rent.
However, everything changes when Jazz is given a unique opportunity to commit the perfect crime, and the reward for it is too profitable to simply refuse. However, doing the almost impossible is only a small part of her problems. She finds out she's embroiled in a plot to control Artemis. And just to survive, Jazz must take the risk it has never risked before.
James Corey, “The Leviathan Awakens”
In fact, this is just one part of everything in the cycle. In general, this work, full of plot twists and sometimes even unique humor, although not known to the whole world, will not leave the sophisticated reader indifferent.
The future is 200 years from now, humanity has explored and populated the Solar System. Everything is now available to him: Venus, Mars, the Asteroid Belts — but the stars themselves are still unreachable. Captain Jim Holden travels from Saturn's rings to the Asteroid Belt on his service ship and back.
One day he and his crew stumble upon the Skopuli, an abandoned ship without a crew, and find themselves embroiled in an unpleasant story full of secrets and dangers. Mysteries that some are even willing to kill for. If Jim doesn't figure out who left the ship, when, and why, the system will go to war.
Kim Stanley Robinson, Aurora
After giving the world novels and short stories about human development in the near and distant future, as well as in the distant past, a master of his craft and one of the outstanding authors in the scientific genre fiction Kim Stanley Robinson introduces the reader to her new work.
This time it's an astounding detailed description of complex interstellar travel in his book Aurora. This unique novel combines all the author's best and even, to some extent, crazy ideas.
A man's first journey to a star in Aurora is an exciting, impeccably planned, audacious and ambitious challenge to all past scientific discoveries. The novel begins at the end of a 170-year trip aboard a spaceship carrying about two thousand people to the moon of one of the planets located in the immediate vicinity of the stars.
Aurora, in which the main part of the story is told on behalf of an on-board computer, focuses the reader's attention on the fragile union of the living and the inanimate aboard a ship speeding across the open spaces vast space.
Read also: A short video about our future in space
Books about space — science fiction
Dan Simmons, Hyperion
Hyperion is a true masterpiece of science fiction that resonates with excitement and ingenuity. This novel is only one part of the series, but it will be enough to immerse yourself in the colorful world of science fiction.
In a world called Hyperion, outside the laws of local society — Human Hegemony — lives a mysterious creature, a monster, Shrike. Many Hyperion residents worship him. There are also those who are extremely afraid of him. And there are those who have sworn to kill him once and for all.
In the Valley of the Tombs of Time, among huge thoughtful structures that move back through time, Shrike awaits them all. On the verge of Armageddon, a terrible war in this galaxy, seven pilgrims embark on their final journey to Hyperion, in search of answers to all the unsolved mysteries of their lives. Behind their souls, each of them has a desperate hope and a terrible secret. In the hands of one of them is the fate of all humanity.
Frederick Paul, The Gates
This novel has earned its author each of the major prestigious awards in the field of scientific literature. Namely, Nebulu in 1977, Hugo and Locus in 1978. It can certainly be called an intense read that opens our eyes to why we make certain choices, and how we deal with the consequences in the vast expanse of our vast expanse Galaxies.
The gates were opened to everyone in the Galaxy… and to the incredible horror they could cause. Those who wanted to become fabulously rich tried their luck, but she did not smile at everyone. But there were also lucky ones who, one might say, hit the jackpot.
When aspiring prospector Robinette Broadhead heads to the Gates aboard Hichey's ship, he is sure to find a way to change his destiny and become successful. Three journeys later, Rob, now famous and wealthy, must face what happened to him and discover who he has become. And his path to self-acceptance will be much more difficult and thorny than a risky journey between the stars into the frightening unknown…
Soviet books about space — science fiction
Pierce Brown, “The Scarlet Uprising”
“My dream is for my children to be born free! So that they themselves can choose who to become. To own the land they inherited from their father.”
“And I'm living for you”
Darrow is one of the scarlet, a member of the lower caste in a future society where social levels are characterized by color. Like his friend Reds, he works all day and sincerely believes that they are improving the surface of Mars for people to live on it.
Despite the difficulties, he continues to live because he knows that one day his sweat and blood will make the world a better place for his future children. Everything falls apart at one point when Darrow finds out that he has been brutally deceived all this time, because humanity already came to the surface of a distant red planet many years ago. Darrow and his buddy are nothing more than slaves to higher castes.
Inspired by a passion for justice and driven by memories of lost love, Darrow sacrifices what he has left to face the most powerful Golden Caste. In order to eliminate his archenemies, he may have to become one of them…
Arthur Clark, 2001: A Space Odyssey
This classic novel, later filmed, characterizes and defines the era of science fiction literature as a whole. As one of the best-selling science fiction titles, Space Odyssey will keep you on your toes until the very last line.
The moon reveals its secret, previously unexplored sides. The consequences of this incredible discovery are so great that for the first time in history, a person goes deep into the solar system, into the thick of things. However, long before reaching the goal, things do not go according to plan — unexpected, terrible and inexplicable.
Read also: The scariest things in space
Beth Ravis, Across the Universe
Love is timeless. A spaceship built on intrigue, mystery, and bones. Seventeen-year-old Amy and her parents are cryogenically frozen aboard the Godspeed spacecraft, waiting to wake up on another planet 300 years later. So far, she does not even realize that her icy dream will end in 50 years, and she will find herself in a completely new and unknown world aboard a ship living by her own rules.
She soon realizes that her sudden awakening was not the result of an ordinary computer malfunction. The thing is that an unknown person — one of the ship's inhabitants — tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't take action, her parents will be next. She is racing against time to uncover Godspeed's secrets. However, her list of would-be killers includes one main suspect: Elder, who will soon become captain of the ship and a love she never expected.
George Lucas, Donald Gluth, James Kahn, Star Wars
More than 40 years ago, the innovative and extraordinary Star Wars: A New Hope movie first literally broke into the big screens around the world, and since then it has been one of the most loved and popular sagas in history. Together, the three original films — A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi — tell one heroic story about lost purity and honor, accumulated wisdom, and fall, death, and atonement.
But the most important thing is about the never-ending struggle between good and evil. After reading the story of three films on the pages of books, you will rediscover the wonderful world of the legendary Star Wars.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
Luke Skywalker lived and worked on his uncle's farm on the remote planet Tatooine, but since childhood he wanted to travel to the farthest reaches of the universe. Then one day he found himself embroiled in a lifelong adventure.
Luke Skyoker, the proud princess Leia, the stubborn and risky Han Solo, the ruthless Darth Vader, the wise Obi-Wan Kenobi, the amazing R2-D2 and C-3PO droids, everyone's favorite Chewbacca and, of course, the incomprehensible Master Yoda. These characters are well known to anyone who is even a little familiar with foreign cinema. They are forever loved by fans of science fiction. And now they come to life on the pages of the book, frozen in vivid images in the imagination.
The Star Wars trilogy is a must-read for anyone who wants to experience excitement, magic, surprise, and pride. To everyone who wants to be part of the legendary saga once and for all.
Robert Heinlein, “I have a spacesuit and I'm ready to travel”
The bibliography of Robert Heinlein, an American science fiction writer, is rich in science fiction works of various sizes and trends. Many of them have brought various prestigious awards to the writer's piggy bank. This man, who worked in the middle of the last century, influenced the development of science fiction in general and made a huge contribution to its development.
In a major and important contest for the main character, a boy named Clifford “Kip” Russell, where participants had to come up with the best advertising slogan about soap, there are two prizes. The first and most desirable is sponsoring the trip to the moon, which a teenager has been dreaming of for so long. And the second, incentive, is an old spacesuit.
When Kip gets it, he knows for sure that someday, the spacesuit will definitely come in handy for his long-awaited journey to the stars. However, that very “someday” happens too soon and unexpectedly. While testing his updated suit in his backyard, he suddenly finds himself far away from home, aboard a pirate ship that takes him into the frightening unknown…
Science fiction about spaceships
David Breen, Star Tide
This is the second novel in David Brin's The Saga of the Rise, and it is certainly worth reading, because all his works are fascinating and fascinating stories. Together, three novels — Leap Into the Sun, Star Tide, and The War for the Ascension — make up one of the most important sagas in the science fiction world.
David Brin's stories are set in the universe of the future, where no race or species of living creature, animals or birds, can develop and become intelligent without so-called “exaltation” the dominant, protective race of people. However, one of the most important questions of all times is still open: who directly “uplifted” the people themselves?
“Swift” — a ship from Earth with an unusual crew stumbles upon an abandoned fleet that was once of paramount importance for the whole world. As a result, the chased ship crashes on the unexplored water planet Kitroup. Now the ship's crew, consisting of chimpanzees, humans and dolphins, is forced to fight enemies and the enemy planet to keep the secret of the discovered fleet and the First Race, thanks to which the Rise has become available all over the universe.
Peter Hamilton, Reality Dysfunction
In 2600 AD, the human race finally began to fully realize its great potential. Many colonized planets scattered across the galaxy are now home to thriving and unique cultures and communities. Genetic engineering has literally pushed evolution far beyond nature, defeating previously incurable diseases and creating new cosmic creatures.
Huge fleets of merchant ships are literally drowning in the abundance made possible by the industrialization of entire star systems. The Confederate Navy is responsible for peace throughout the Galaxy. This is a true golden era for everyone.
But things don't always go the way they should, and one day things get catastrophically wrong. On one of the primitive colonial planets, the chance encounter of a convicted criminal with a completely alien alien entity unleashes all of the Confederacy's darkest fears. It condemns the Galaxy to what dead races from ages ago called “Reality Dysfunction.” A nightmare that has been wandering around since the beginning of time is on the loose…
Peter Hamilton, “The Sleeping Abyss”
The year is 3589, fifteen centuries have passed since Commonwealth forces narrowly prevented the death of all mankind in a terrible war. However, now there is another, more serious danger everywhere: not only all living things, but also the entire universe as a whole may die.
At its very heart is the Abyss, a self-existing microuniverse in which it is impossible to break a hole, which cannot be destroyed, because it is constantly expanding in all directions, absorbing everything in its path: planets, stars, civilizations. The only thing we know for certain about it is that it has existed for countless millions of years. Even the oldest and most technologically advanced race in the universe doesn't know how the Abyss came into being, who created it, or what its purpose was.
One day, Inigo, an astrophysicist who studies the Abyss and specializes in it, begins to have strange dreams. In these dreams, human thoughts materialize and dreams come true. Inigo sees paradise within the Abyss. Due to the fact that everything in his world is connected by a special system, thousands and millions of other people can see these dreams. This is how the religion of Living Dreams is born, represented by Inigo. But one day he disappears… for how long?
Robert Charles Wilson, Bios
In the 22nd century, humankind finally colonized the Solar System. Interplanetary travel is now possible, but not everyone can afford it, so most human resources are focused on Isis, a small populated world similar to Earth and not so located far away from her. This world is full of heavenly greenery, plants with complex DNA and extraordinary animals.
However, every molecule of local life is extremely toxic to humans… Despite this, Isis is the most interesting discovery of mankind in recent millennia: alternative flora and fauna , which can also tell us a lot about our earthly nature. It's also one of the loneliest places in the galaxy, full of surprises and challenges.
Zoe Fisher was born to explore Isis. Literally. Cloned and improved by engineering, it was designed to withstand the dangers of a hostile planet. And she finally arrives at her destination. Zoey has her own hidden secrets that she doesn't even know about. But Isis isn't that simple either — it contains mysteries that change our understanding of life in the universe.
Jack McDevitt, “Military Talent”
Alex Benedict is investigating a mysterious project his uncle was working on just before his death. At the same time, he finds himself involved in the history of a war between human civilization and its neighboring alien race. He begins to uncover secrets that undermine the foundations of modern human government.
Military Talent is a great example of a science fiction detective novel. It would be best to describe him as a detective of the future. If you're looking for wild adventures and spaceship racing, this novel is not on your way. However, if you love science fiction and getting to the bottom of it, and if you're wondering what secrets may appear in the distant future, this is the book for you.
Many critics argue that this novel is not McDevite's most prominent novel, but it may be one of his most famous works. And every sci-fi fan should give it a chance.
Ken McLeod, Newton Wake: Space Opera
After a brutal war triggered by the evolution of artificial intelligence into godlike creatures, few people managed to escape. Some of them even managed to get back on their feet and are now thriving. Like Lucinda Carlisle.
The ambitious entrepreneur has carved a very profitable niche for herself and her loved ones by taking control of a chain of important interstellar gates. However, in the world of Eurydice, on a distant planet at the farthest end of the galaxy, she stumbles upon a forgotten relic of the past that could fundamentally change and even worsen the Carlisle way of life.
After all, in the last moments before the war, a desperate group of scientists scanned billions of human beings and sent them to digital storage, into space, hoping to resurrect them one day. And now armed, dangerous and quite alive, the rebels in the flesh have begun a fatal confrontation that could undermine the balance of power and change reality.
Space travel is fantastic
Samuel Delaney, Nova
After reading Samuel Delaney's novel, the reader will be able to experience the full range of emotions and experiences, both positive and negative. He will face pain, loss and, in some ways, a reset, with communication between people and machines, with creativity and interpersonal relationships, with deprivation, family, and much more.
The balance of power in the 31st century galaxy is centered around Illyrion, the universe's most valuable and abundant source of energy. The ship's motley and, to some extent, exotic crew, led by Captain Van Ray, knows full well that their mission is not safe. They soon learn they're in a death race with the charismatic but vicious leader of a hostile space federation. Moreover, they are unaware of their captain's secret desire: he intends to conquer Illyrion by flying through the very heart of an exploding star.
Vernor Vinge, “Fire Over the Abyss”
Fire Over the Abyss is a big, stunning book that proves once again that Vinge has kept his promise about his career to date. He managed to create an exciting story about intergalactic warfare and tell it on a cosmic scale.
Millennia later, many races and civilizations live in a universe where mental capacity is determined by location in space. For example, super-intellects are in the Transition, and creatures with poor intelligence are in the Mindless Abyss, where simple creatures and technologies function.
No one knows who divided the universe into mental regions or why, but when one of the Transitional Artifacts becomes available, a huge force bursts out and strange things start to happen things: thousands of worlds have been destroyed, intellects have been enslaved.
Fleeing from an impending threat, a family with two children is captured by a hostile alien race with a medieval culture. Now they're just pawns in a merciless struggle for power. Now, an under-human group whose mission is to save children must discover a secret that will save the rest of civilization.
New space fiction 2018
Kim Stanley Robinson, Red Moon
Red Moon is a new novel by American writer Kim Stanley Robinson that has not yet been translated into Russian — it is currently available in its original language, i.e. English. However, don't be upset, because it will be translated next year, 2019. The novel unobtrusively and skillfully mixes drama and realism that will take the reader to the surface of the moon.
The future is 30 years from now, humans have managed to colonize the Moon. American Fred Fredericks makes his first trip to install a communication system at the Chinese lunar station. However, a few hours after his arrival, he unwittingly witnesses a murder and is now forced to go into hiding.
For a famous reporter named Ta Shu, this trip to the moon is also a first and full of discoveries. He has connections and influence, but he'll still have to learn firsthand that the Moon can be a dangerous place for any traveler.
And
finally Chang Qi. She is the daughter of the Minister of Finance and is undoubtedly a target
for those in whose hands power is concentrated. She's on the moon
for personal reasons, but when she does attempt to secretly return to
China, details are revealed that could change everything — both on the Moon
and on To the Earth.