The best science fiction authors of our time. The most famous science fiction writers

Currently, so many science fiction books have been written that it is impossible to read them all in one human lifetime. Even if you devote all your time to this, a person still lives too short to master the entire cumulative volume of such works.

Because of large selection avid readers often dig through literary “junk” and cannot choose a worthy thing to read. Meanwhile, at the moment, not just a lot of science fiction books have been written, but a lot of good, simply excellent science fiction books. Some of them became not only recognized masterpieces in their genre, but also influenced the development of literature as a whole.

American science fiction writers of the 20th century were at the origins of the genre. Along with their British colleagues, they practically created science fiction, made it mass and super popular. Some of them were included in the list of “masters of science fiction.” And if you count yourself among the fans of reading in general and the genre we are considering in particular, then be sure to get acquainted with these writers and their best works.

Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons (date of birth - 04/04/1948) is a modern American science fiction writer who does not give preference to any one literary direction. From his pen came books in the genres of fantasy, classic science fiction, horror, thriller, historical novel and action-packed detective story. But first of all, Dan Simmons is known as the author of one of the best space operas - the tetralogy “The Song of Hyperion”.

Here are his most significant works:

"Songs of Hyperion":

1. "Hyperion" (1989).
2. "The Fall of Hyperion" (1990).
3. "Endymion" (1996).
4. "Endymion Rising" (1997).

Also included in this cycle is the short story “The Orphans of the Spiral,” published in 1990.

“Darwin's Razor” (2000) is an action-packed detective story, flavored with a fair amount of black humor. A book about the confrontation of a famous expert on car accidents and the Russian mafia.

“Terror” (2007) - in this work two genres are organically intertwined - a historical novel and a mystical thriller with elements of horror. The plot was based on true story about the tragic expedition of the ships "Terror" and "Erebos", but the author added to the plot, in addition to the quite plausible struggle of the crew with the Arctic cold and lack of food, also an attack on the people by a huge monster. In March 2018, the series based on the novel “The Terror” began airing.

Trilogy "Night":

1. "Summer of Night" (1991).
2. "Children of the Night" (1992).
3. "Winter Ghosts" (2002).

The first and third books are connected by plot and common characters. All works belong to the horror genre.

Octavia Butler

This writer has become an iconic figure in African-American culture. Her work is a wonderful blend of science fiction, historical fiction, African American literature, and feminist ideas. She is one of the few female science fiction writers who have received worldwide recognition. Octavia Butler (06/22/1947 - 02/24/2006) is the winner of many awards, including two Hugos and two Nebulas. Her debut novel became the most famous and recognized of all works - this is "Kin" (1979). It's about a black woman who, while rescuing a white man, travels back in time and has to learn first-hand what it's like to be a slave. Interestingly, the book was rejected several times due to the fact that it raised a topic that was usually hushed up. But today this work is included in the compulsory reading program in almost all US colleges.

Here are some more of Octavia Butler's best works:

1. “Fledgling” (2005).

2. Cycle “Xenogenesis”:

• "Dawn" (1987).
• “Rituals of Adulthood (1988).
• "Imago" (1989).

3. Cycle “Parables”:

• "Parable of the Sower" (1993).
• "The Parable of the Talents" (1998).

Octavia Butler also wrote five works, united under the name Patternist.

If we remember all the masters of science fiction, we cannot fail to mention Kurt Vonnegut. "Cat's Cradle" is the author's most famous novel, which brought him worldwide popularity. The plot of the work is based on the fact that scientists managed to invent a new, previously unknown substance - ice 9. Just one crystal of modified water turns an entire reservoir into a block of ice, and any leak threatens to turn into a global catastrophe.

The writer’s work organically combines science fiction with elements of the grotesque and parable. Vonnegut considered himself a humanist and therefore in many of his works touched upon the theme of the responsibility of the world of science for latest discoveries and their impact on the planet.

In addition to Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut (11.11.1922-11.04.2007) wrote many novels and short stories, among which the following can be highlighted:

1. "Sirens of Titan" (1959).
2. “Mechanical Piano” (1952) - in Russian translation “Utopia”.
3. “Slaughterhouse No. 5” (1969) is the author’s second most important novel, which reflects his military background.
4. “Time Crash” (1997) is a work that left a noticeable mark on American literature.

The books of Isaac Asimov occupy an honorable place in the golden fund of world literature. “I, Robot” (1950), “Bicentennial Man (1957), “Robots of the Dawn” are not just stories and novels, they are the best examples of socio-fiction prose. They have long been considered cult, and hundreds of other writers use such concepts as “laws of robotics” and “Asimov’s robots.”

The books of Isaac Asimov (01/02/1920-04/06/1992) do not immediately drag you in - the narrative is leisurely, detailed, and the reader is gradually immersed completely in the book. But after the “buildup” a complete merger occurs.

In addition to the novels mentioned, Isaac Asimov's books are definitely worth reading:

1. "Foundation" (1951) or "Academy" is an unfinished series of novels that other science fiction authors continued to write.
2. A series of fantasy detective novels and stories about police officer Elijah Bailey and the humanoid robot Daniel Olivo (this also includes "Robots of the Dawn").
3. "The Gods Themselves" (1972).

Asimov's most notable contribution to world literature is his understanding of the problem of confrontation between artificial intelligence and man. Some scientists predict that the conclusions drawn by the author will help avoid many mistakes in the future.

Stephen King

It is difficult to find a more famous, popular, read and filmed American science fiction writer than Stephen King. Some critics rate his literary talent rather low, considering him the author of second-rate horror novels. Not bad, but not significant for literature as a whole.

However, it cannot be denied that Stephen King is number one on the list of American science fiction writers today. He became a phenomenon in the writing world. Stephen King is super popular and very prolific, so he delights fans with new releases every year. And his novels are distinguished by their detailed character development, so that the reader perceives them as living people. And although the books contain many unpleasant “physiological” details, they are quite forgivable.

Stephen King is the winner of many literary awards (“Stoker's Burmese”, “World Fantasy Award”, “For Contribution to World Science Fiction”, etc.). Among his works the best are considered:

1. The Dark Tower series (1982-2012) - eight novels connected by a single plot. A cult item, an object of veneration for many fans around the world. References to this work are found in many of the author’s novels. Filmed, but extremely unsuccessfully.
2. "The Shining" (1977). A novel about an ancient hotel with bloodthirsty ghosts, in which the caretaker’s family, cut off from the rest of the world, winters. The work has been filmed several times.
3. “It” (1985) - a two-volume book about a scary clown monster who kills children. Filmed twice.
4. "Dreamcatcher" (2001) - fantasy novel about an alien invasion.
5. "The Green Mile" (1996).
6. "Under the Dome" (2009).
7. "The Stand" (1978) - A superflu virus has nearly wiped out the human race, and a handful of survivors must fight back against the forces of evil.

In addition to novels, the writer wrote many short stories and published several collections of his own.

Clifford Simak

Clifford Simak is the greatest American science fiction writer. Distinctive feature his works are a belief in reason, in the good nature of people or non-humans, a call for the unification of humanity and cooperation between all rational beings. His best works are considered:

1. "City" (1953) - they live on the land of the future intelligent dogs and robots. Only ancient legends remain about people. The writer received the International Science Fiction Prize for this novel.
2. “Photos of the Battle of Marathon” is the author’s collection of stories.
3. “Live by Supreme Grace” - the novel describes the games of the supermind to create a better civilization by selecting candidates from different times and worlds.
4. "Goblin Sanctuary" is an amazing mixture of fantasy and science fiction, in which there was a place for ghosts, Neanderthals, space travel and a mysterious artifact.
5. “What could be simpler than time” (1961) - in the future, a person can only send his mind to other planets. But one of the travelers returned changed.

Robert Heinlein is one of the most famous American science fiction writers, who largely determined the “face” of modern science fiction. He was repeatedly awarded the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards. And he is the only author who has received the Hugo Award 5 times for novels and twice more for other literary works.

The best books by Robert Hanlein:

1. The series “The World as a Myth” is a tetralogy about multiverses.
2. Starship Troopers (1959) is a parody novel about a militarized society. Moreover, the parody is so subtle that it was not immediately recognized, and for quite a long time the author was accused of promoting ideas about a “police state.”
3. "Stepchildren of the Universe" (1963).
4. “Tunnel in the Sky” (1955) is a work about cadets stuck on an alien planet with no way to return home.
5. "Double Star" (1956).
6. "Time Enough for Love (1973).

Robert Sheckley - maestro small form in fantasy literature. From his pen came several hundred original stories that surprise not only with unexpected plot twists, but also with an abyss of black humor and satire. Reading at least a few of them is the primary task of any science fiction fan. They can be found in one of 13 author's collections.

But besides short stories, Robert Sheckley also wrote several novels. The most famous among them are: Immortality, Inc. (1958) and Mind Swap (1965).

Philip K. Dick

Philip K. Dick (12/16/1928-03/02/1982) is an American science fiction writer, whose books gained much greater popularity only after the death of the writer. This happened largely thanks to the cult film “Blade Runner” (a sequel to the film has already been released). The film is based on the author’s novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” (1968). In addition to him, Philip K. Dick is a must-read:

1. Transmigration (1981).
2. "A Scanner Darkly" (1977).
3. “Let Your Tears Fall” (1970).
4. "Doctor Death, or How We Lived After the Bomb" (1963).

Frank Herbert

(08.11.1920-11.02.1986) wrote many books. But they know and love him primarily for “The Dune Chronicles” - a collection of six original books that combine a science fiction plot and many philosophical ideas.

He died before finishing his story. But his son Brian Herbert, as a co-author, completed the cycle, writing two more novels. The basis was the writer's drafts.

In addition, The Chronicles of Dune spawned about two dozen sequels from different authors.

William Gibson

(date of birth - 03/17/1948) - famous American science fiction writer. His popularity was brought to him by the book “Neuromancer” (1984), which at that time became a revelation in the world of literature and opened the genre of cyberpunk to readers. Many of the author’s works describe the influence of computers on human life. Despite the fact that the era of computerization was just emerging, William Gibson was already operating with such concepts as “cyberspace”, “ a virtual reality" and "hackers". The best novels by the author:

1. Cyberspace is a trilogy that includes Neuromancer.
2. "The Bridge Trilogy" (1993-1999).
3. "Bigend Trilogy" (2003-2010).

Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury is a science fiction writer who is especially loved in our country. It is customary to associate him with science fiction, although the writer wrote many poems, plays and fairy tales. The author's most famous work is the story "Fahrenheit 451". This is a dystopia in which the author showed a world without books, without spirituality, without individuality - and therefore the reader is not at all surprised by the natural outcome.

Also, Ray Bradbury (02/22/1920-06/05/2012) is a must-read:

1. “The Martian Chronicles” (1950) - a series of stories about the colonization of the red planet.
2. “Dandelion Wine” (1957) is a story with autobiographical elements.
3. “The Illustrated Man” (1951) is the author’s collection of 18 stories.
4. "Trouble Is Coming" (1962). You can also find the title “Something terrible is coming.”
5. “And There Came Thunder” (1952) is a work about a hunter who, going on a safari into the past, accidentally kills a butterfly, thereby changing the present.

Harry Harrison

Harry Harrison (03/12/1925-08/15/2012) is considered one of the great American science fiction writers based on the totality of his merits. He is not so famous, although his works are popular all over the world. Not as famous as Stephen King or Ray Bradbury. But at the same time, Harry Harrison wrote what can be called classic science fiction. Moreover, all works are written with a fair amount of humor.

The writer wrote about two hundred stories and 35 novels, the best of which are:

1. The Steel Rat series (1985-2010) - 11 novels about the adventures of the best thief and swindler in the Galaxy.
2. The Bill - Hero of the Galaxy series (1965-1992) - eight satirical novels and a story about how to become an excellent soldier.
3. “World of Death” series (1960-2001) - 9 works, some of them written in collaboration with other writers.

Alan Dean Foster

Alan Dean Foster is that rare science fiction writer who writes in different genres, and at the same time you can read absolutely all his works. There are no weak things, but if you choose the best of the best, then it’s worth reading:

1. The Adventures of Flinx series (1983 -2017). In Russia there are only the first six books; the remaining nine have not been translated or published.
2. "The Wizard with the Guitar" (1983-2004) - nine novels that are one of the best fantasy sagas. All books in this series are read in one sitting.
3. The series “Chelanxian Federation” - 15 works, half of them have been translated into Russian.

Books by American science fiction writers from this list are known and loved all over the world. And although many of the authors mentioned have already written their last books, they are remembered for their works.

For some reason, we generally believe that science fiction as a genre remained in the 20th century, unable to withstand competition at the beginning of the century with the fantasy genre that had rapidly soared to the top. This is probably what happened within the post-Soviet space. And other branches of science fiction have gained a lot of momentum in the new millennium - urban fantasy, teenage dystopias and zombie romance novels have concentrated the majority of reader attention. But thanks to new authors (Vernor Vinge, Alastair Reynolds, Peter Watts) abroad, SF is alive and well and even becoming more intelligent, artsy and deep than ever. Fortunately, domestic publishing houses are gradually beginning to translate new foreign classics of science fiction. This top will introduce you to the best SF novels already translated and published in Ukraine.

For some reason, we generally believe that science fiction as a genre remained in the 20th century, unable to withstand competition at the beginning of the century with the fantasy genre that had soared to the top. This is probably what happened within the post-Soviet space. And other branches of science fiction have gained a lot of momentum in the new millennium - urban fantasy, teenage dystopias and zombie romance novels have concentrated the majority of reader attention. But thanks to new authors (Vernor Vinge, Alastair Reynolds, Peter Watts) abroad, SF is alive and well and even becoming more intelligent, artsy and deep than ever. Fortunately, domestic publishing houses are gradually beginning to translate new foreign classics of science fiction. This top will introduce you to the best SF novels already translated and published in Ukraine.

Robert Ibatullin “Rose and Worm” (2015)

The year of publishing: 2016
Publisher: Celado
Who will like it: for fans of Robert Wilson's Spin trilogy and fans of Asimov's Foundation
Why you should read: meticulous scientific accuracy of what is happening and the realistically possible, thoughtful future of humanity

The Earth was attacked by an alien race called the Aquilians. After long and fierce battles, humanity managed to recapture their homeland, but the planet is becoming uninhabitable. Meanwhile, the Cosmoflot, created by people on Venus, is successfully mastering the solar system, and the military is preparing the superweapon “Swarm of Fireflies”, which repelled enemy attacks, for war with the already independent earthly colonies. In a brief civil brawl, the Cosmoflot loses, and the former colonies of Earth gain official independence. While people are fighting by hook or by crook for the remnants of power, humanity begins to face a danger a hundred times worse than the attack of the Aquilians and the civil war.

The author of the novel, Robert Ibatullin, is a physicist by training. As he himself admits, beautiful rendering of words is not his strong point, but as far as scientific reliability is concerned, in this book all the assumptions and facts are proven by the writer’s calculations. Yes, critics criticize the work for its poor language in places, but this deficiency is compensated by the author’s meticulousness in scientific details, as well as by the real, bright and living world of the possible future of the Earth. This is the same classic “hard” science fiction that modern readers have inexplicably buried and refuse to believe in its existence. Read for all non-believers in living and living SF. Take in small portions to avoid scientific overdose.

Peter Watts "False Blindness"

The year of publishing: 2006
Translation: 2009
Publisher: AST
Who will like it: fans of Stanislaw Lem, in particular the work "Fiasco"
Why you should read: deep, thoughtful plot, perfect fantasy world where you want to visit

On one day in 2082, thousands of millions of lights lit up in the sky of our planet. People nicknamed them fireflies, and later discovered alien activity on the border solar system. To reconnaissance the situation and possible first contact with aliens, people send spaceship"Theseus". Only a completely unusual crew dared to make such a trip - the crew list includes a complete schizophrenic linguist, a vampire and, for some unknown reason, a person without emotions who is here.

The name of Peter Watts has long been thundering among foreign fans of space science fiction. The novel “False Blindness” was published in the West back in 2006. A translation into Russian was published in 2009, and last year the book was republished and the novel became available new life. And yes, Watts writes complexly, twistedly and as deeply as possible. But at the same time, the author chews on his extensive knowledge of the exact sciences and puts into the reader’s mouth the quintessence of an ideal science fiction book, which you want to read to the end even if it’s already dawn outside.

Chris Beckett "In the Darkness of Eden"

The year of publishing: 2012
Translation: 2016
Publisher: AST
Who will like it: those who like “The Village” by Kir Bulychev and “Stepchildren of the Universe” by Robert Heinlein
Why you should read: indescribable and cozy atmosphere of old and “Golden” science fiction,

John Krasnosvet is fifteen years old. He and his relatives live on the unknown planet Eden. The fact is that John and his relatives are long-standing descendants of earthlings who were once in this system, founded a base here, left the settlers and never returned. And the heirs of these people are still waiting for the return of their ancestors and with varying success explore an unfriendly world called Eden.

Despite the fact that the main character of the book is a teenager, this is a classic sci-fi work that has received many awards, including the Arthur C. Clarke Award. "In the Darkness of Eden" takes the reader back to the time of the "Golden Age" of science fiction, when aliens were always scary six-eyed creatures with teeth on their hands, and telepathic monkeys lurked on unknown planets with acidic vegetation. Despite the seeming banality, Chris Beckett created, based on hundreds of genre clichés, a bright and surprisingly detailed world that you definitely want to visit. And it seems that behind the nearest tree you will definitely meet Alisa Selezneva and her famous team. Recommended for everyone who misses good old science fiction.

Adam Roberts "Glass Jack"

The year of publishing: 2006
Translation: 2015
Publisher: AST
Who will like it: for fans of Alfred Bester's works “Tiger! Tiger!" And
Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Sign of Four"
Why you should read: strong philosophical overtones, an intricate detective story, an ambiguous and charismatic protagonist

Seven notorious criminals are sent to a distant asteroid - they will serve their sentences and mine ore for eleven years. The prisoners know that as soon as they are left alone, a brutal and bloody power struggle will begin. Six of them look like natural-born killers and dominant males, and the seventh is frail, downtrodden, and also legless. The prisoners think that he will die first, but they do not even suspect that the disabled goon will be the most dangerous person on this damned asteroid.

British writer Adam Roberts is known abroad as a researcher of the history of science fiction, and his collection of articles on this topic received the British Science Fiction Association Prize in 2016. And Mr. Roberts is a professor of philology at the University of Cambridge and a lecturer at the University of London.

Therefore, despite the apparent simplicity of the plot with convicts, his novel “Glass Jack” is a complex and often philosophical work, filled with references to the classics of world literature - Shakespeare, Kipling, Dickens, Salinger and others. In addition, this novel, like the collection of articles, also brought Professor Roberst the British Science Fiction Association Prize and the John Campbell Memorial Prize. The novel "Glass Jack" is most likely not suitable for easy and comfortable reading. The book touches on many ethical, philosophical and scientific issues, and also has a detective component. Tell me, isn't this how it should be? perfect example a real, intelligent SF novel?

Daniel Suarez "Flow"

The year of publishing: 2015
Translation: 2015
Publisher: AST
Who will like it: those who liked “A Billion Years Before the End of the World” by the Strugatsky Brothers
Why you should read: vigorous space action, with cyber-punk elements, the technologies in the book are created on the basis of real-life inventions

John Grady physicist. He and his team came up with a device that bends gravity. It would seem that scientists are waiting for fame, success, money and entry into the annals of history. But on Earth there is a Bureau of Technical Control, which is designed to hide from humanity the truth about the actual technical progress of people. They close Grady's laboratory, and he is offered to work for them and become one of the many chosen ones who control the history of the planet. And when John refuses, he is sent to the highest-class secret prison “Hibernity”, where all the scientists who at one time made incredible discoveries are kept. Now the forced prisoner and his new genius friends must find out the truth about the Technical Control Bureau and tell the world the real state of affairs.

Writer Daniel Suarez is a relative newcomer to the sci-fi scene. However, his third work, Flux, won the Prometheus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 2015. This is not "hard" sci-fi, rather it is cyberpunk sf. And this is a dizzying action against the backdrop of large-scale conspiracy theories, organically woven into the technologies of the future. And yet, the author thinks through every detail of a realistic continuation of human history, and the technologies in the book are invented on the basis of already existing developments, which makes reading “Flow” interesting for any modern gadget addict and fan of serious science fiction.

Alastair Reynolds "Doomed World"

The year of publishing: 2010
Translation: 2016
Publisher: ABC-Atticus
Who will like it: fans of Jan Weiss and the novel “The House of a Thousand Storeys” and fans of Vernor Vinge’s book “Flame on the Deep”
Why you should read: the perfect combination of sci-fi, thriller and space opera

In the distant future, at the end of Earth's history, there is a huge skyscraper called the Blade that stretches through the layers of the atmosphere. Inside, the building is divided into areas, which, in addition to hostility with each other, differ in the level of technological development - somewhere people have access to the latest modern biotechnologies, and in some areas residents use steam engines. On upper floors that almost touch space, there live angels - posthumans who want to subjugate the entire skyscraper. Quillon works in a morgue in one of the lower districts. Part-time, he is a secret agent of these inhabitants of the Heavenly Floors, and one day he finds out that his owners want to eliminate him, for the unusual information he received and transferred to the “top” turns out to be secret information. He understands that if he does not leave the Blade, the angels will get to him, so Quillon decides to go on a crazy journey across the already dying and deadly planet Earth.

The name Alastair Reynolds is familiar to fans of science fiction and space opera. In addition to his incredible writing talent, Mr. Reynolds has a couple more aces up his sleeve - he is an astrophysicist by training and at one time worked for the European Space Research Center. Therefore, Alastair knows how and what to write about. However, the novel “The Doomed World” is the author’s most unusual work. It's more of a planetary fantasy with elements of action, thriller and space opera. However, the hand of the master reigns here too, so we have before us a novel that can be recommended to absolutely all science fiction lovers. The way and what Alastair Reynolds writes about cannot but please a sensible reader. The book is definitely worth reading.

John Love "Faith"

The year of publishing: 2012
Translation: 2015
Publisher: Fiction Book Club
Who will like it: for those who like Herman Melville's Moby Dick and White whale"and Scott Westerfeld's series "Sequence"
Why you should read: SF with elements of a classical parable and philosophical overtones, the main characters are spaceships

"Vera" is an alien spaceship that helped the human Commonwealth destroy the warlike Shahran Empire. After three hundred years of oblivion, the wonderful alien ship returns, but only now it confronts people. To respond to the super-powerful “Vera,” people are creating new and super-powerful “outsider” class space cruisers - their crews are the most dangerous criminals and thugs in the system, who now need to destroy “Vera” and its masters and prevent humanity from perishing once again. One of these ships, called the Charles Manson, engages in battle with aliens. He even has a slim chance of winning, but what the cruiser will face next makes Vera’s attack child’s play.

The debut novel by British science fiction writer John Love caused a lot of noise in the circles of fans of the genre. And although the work did not receive any awards, critics and readers noted the first creation of the Englishman and even put him on a par with the modern classics of the genre Reynolds, Watts and Hamilton. The novel "Vera" is a space opera with elements of a parable, where the main characters not people, but two warring and extraordinary ships “Vera” and “Charles Manson”.

Naturally, these are not all the books of modern science fiction that we would like to talk about. There are still a lot of novels that are already being translated or have been translated into Russian (there is still a lot of trouble with Ukrainian SF book publishing). Most likely, we will talk about them in the following articles, but for now, share your impressions, books you have read and further wishes. What SF caught your attention that we didn't talk about?

The education public on the social network VKontakte has published a list of the 10 best science fiction books published in the 21st century. I added their covers to the titles and descriptions of the books. It would be interesting to ask science fiction and fantasy fans: how representative is this sample?

1. Destined to Win - John Scalzi

The world of the future of the Earth is not as beautiful as humanity, tired of current problems, would like. The colonization of space turns for earthlings into a series of brutal, protracted wars with the inhabitants of other galaxies. There is even a special army - the Colonial Self-Defense Forces - which recruits exclusively older people, promising to restore their youth. Whether this is true or just a trick for simpletons, no one can really say, because the soldiers of this mercenary army never return to Earth. John Perry, one of these mercenaries, signs a contract and almost immediately finds himself drawn into the terrible whirlwind of war. During the battle for the planet Coral, which almost cost John his life, he meets his his own wife, whom he buried before joining the mercenaries. This minute was the new starting point of his radically changed life.

2. " American Gods" — Neil Gaiman

The main character Shadow, after serving 3 years in prison, is released. He does not yet suspect that the main trials await him ahead. His wife Laura dies in a car accident... At home, a strange man named Wednesday awaits Shadow, who introduces himself as a refugee from some distant country and involves the hero in complicated events related to the investigation of a series of murders throughout the United States...

3. “The Name of the Wind” - Patrick Rothfuss

One day, young Kvothe, an edema rue, an actor from a traveling troupe and a student of the arcanist, heard from his father about the Chandrians - strange and terrible demons, either real creatures, or heroes of legends and children's horror songs. No one knew that a song about them would cost Kvothe’s parents and the entire troupe their lives, and would push him onto a road full of adventures and dangers. And whoever he is - a tramp, a University student or an innkeeper - he will be looking for the trail of terrible creatures encountered one night in the ashes where his carefree childhood burned.

4. “False Blindness” - Peter Watts

In 2082, humanity became convinced that it was not alone in the Universe. Countless probes enveloped the Earth in a luminous web. The ship Theseus, carrying a hastily assembled team of specialists, is sent to establish contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. But, upon reaching the goal, the researchers will have to understand that the most incredible fantasies about alien intelligence pale in comparison with reality, and the fate of the Earth and all humanity is at stake.

5. "Kushiel's Arrow" - Jacqueline Carey

The Land of Angels is a land of unsurpassed beauty and grandeur. According to legend, the angels, having come to this earth, found it beautiful... and the race, descended from the seed of angels and people, has lived alone for a long time simple rule: "Love according to your will."

6. “A Storm of Swords” - George R.R. Martin

IN impregnable castle a powerful warlock is weaving the web of a sophisticated conspiracy... In distant, cold lands, the young ruler of the North, Robb from the House of Stark, is gathering strength... More and more warriors are gathering under the banner of Daenerys Stormborn, who rules the last of the remaining dragons in the world... But now in a flaring Others also enter the fire of battles - an army of the living dead, who cannot be stopped either by the power of weapons or by the power of magic. A STORM OF SWORDS is coming to the Seven Kingdoms - and many will fall to the storm...

7. Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell - Suzanne Clarke

England, XIX century. For several centuries now, magic has lived only on the pages of ancient books and in the minds of theoretical magicians, but then two people appear out of nowhere - real practicing sorcerers, ready to resurrect the lost art...

8. “Anathem” - Neal Stephenson

Stevenson creates a far-future Earth-like planet called Arb, where scientists, philosophers and mathematicians - a religious order in themselves - are locked behind monastery walls. Their role is to preserve knowledge while protecting it from the vicissitudes of the irrational secular outside world. Among the scholars is 19-year-old Raz, who was taken to the monastery at the age of 8 and is now a decad (one who is allowed contact outside the citadel once every ten years). But millennia-old rules are upended when an alien threat appears, and Raz and his companions - one moment engaged in an intellectual debate, the next fighting like unruly teenagers - are called upon to save the world.

9. "Ash and Steel" - Brandon Sanderson

...What if the Chosen One, whose appearance and victory over the Darkness were predicted many centuries ago, suffers a crushing defeat? The Great Prophecy, which was believed, feared, in the name of which they died, turned out to be the ravings of a madman. The Light is defeated, and the Dark Lord triumphs... Unusual, isn't it? But since the paladin heroes failed, it was time for the bandits to try their luck. The thief and renegade Kelsier with a company of inveterate comrades is the last hope in the fight against evil.

10. “Station of Lost Dreams” - China Miéville

In the gigantic metropolis of New Crobuzon, as if it came from the pens of Kafka and Dickens through the mediation of Bosch and Neal Stevenson, people and beetle-headed khepris, mermaids and mermen, man-made mutants-repurposed and cactus people exist side by side. Everyone is busy with their own business: the khepri sculpt statues from colored saliva, drug dealers sell sleeping dope, the police persecute dissidents. And a wingless garuda - a bird-man from distant deserts - appears to the scientist Isaac Dan der Grimnebulin and asks him to teach him to fly again. Meanwhile, Isaac's beetle-headed lover, Lin, receives an equally difficult task: to sculpt a portrait of a powerful mafia leader. Isaac and Lin do not yet know what danger these orders pose - for themselves, the entire city and even the structure of the universe...

Despite the fact that science fiction is still a very popular genre in cinema and literature, many readers know only the classics of the 20th century. Everyone remembers Bradbury, Asimov and Philip K. Dick, but few can name modern science fiction writers. Science fiction is thriving nonetheless - and good novels comes out no less than 50 years ago. Look At Me has collected 12 contemporary science fiction books that are worth reading.

We compiled the list based on several criteria:

Peter Watts

Year of birth: 1958

First novel:"Sea stars" (1999)

Best Novels:"False Blindness", "Starfish", "Echopraxia"

A marine biologist by training, Canadian Peter Watts began writing in the late 90s, but for most of his career he was not noticed until he posted his works freely available on the Internet. After this, readers discovered “False Blindness,” main novel Watts, and now the writer is deservedly considered one of the best modern science fiction writers. "False Blindness" - a book that asks unexpected questions about human neurobiology and questions the evolutionary justification of consciousness. On the one hand, the novel contains everything at once: vampires, posthumanism, aliens, on the other hand, it is an extremely minimalist and clear book in which there is nothing superfluous. Watts' background definitely influences his writing: he looks at humanity from an unconventional angle and invents new creatures based on existing marine organisms.

Ken McLeod

Year of birth: 1954

First novel:"Star faction" (1995)

Best Novels:"Newton's Wake: A Space Opera", "Invasion", "Execution Channel"

Ken McLeod has been called an "anarcho-primitivist" and a "techno-utopian"; his novels always contain socialist, communist and anarchist ideas, and the author himself admits that he is inspired by the views of Leon Trotsky. McLeod takes an active political position and often gives public lectures - and criticizes the state of modern Britain. His books also feature fantastic themes: he is primarily interested in post-humanism, cyborgs and cultural evolution. For example, what would happen to our culture if we uploaded consciousness into a computer? At the same time, McLeod has a sense of humor: his novels are often called satirical, and he himself is very fond of puns - for example, he names the chapters of his books with ambiguous phrases like “revolutionary platform.”

China Miéville

Year of birth: 1972

First novel:"Rat King" (1998)

Best Novels:"Embassy City", "Town and City", "Station of Lost Dreams"

China Miéville was born in London into a hippie family. His parents gave him the strange name “China” - this was customary in the countercultural British society of that time - he, for example, had a friend “India”. Miéville is not a science fiction writer in the classical sense, but one of the most popular contemporary authors in the genre of speculative literature; he writes both fantasy and horror, and is part of the British fantasy movement "New Strangers", which tries to save fantasy from commercialism and clichés. In Mieville's books you can find anything: magic, people with insect heads, steampunk and cyborgs. Sometimes, however, Miéville deals with pure science fiction, and he does it brilliantly. Good example- his novel “Embassy City”, in which he examines the problems of language; the author is trying to imagine what kind of culture would be among intelligent beings who are not capable of imaginative thinking.

Peter Hamilton

Year of birth: 1960

First novel:"Mind Star Rising" (1993)

Best Novels:"Pandora's Star", "The Great Northern Route", "The Dreaming Abyss"

Englishman Peter Hamilton became famous in the early 90s thanks to a trilogy of detective novels about psychic detective Greg Mandel. Since then, however, he began to write science fiction of a completely different kind. Hamilton is an author of large, thoughtful space epics, having written several space series, the most famous of which is The Commonwealth Saga. It takes place in the distant future (the plot of all the books included in the Saga universe stretches for thousands of years): people colonize the Galaxy and fly to distant stars. Several alien races coexist with humans; for the novels, Hamilton imagined and described a complex world with its own politics, economics and diplomacy. Overall, Hamilton's fantasy is pretty much what people imagine when they hear the phrase "space opera", only very well thought out and written.

Karl Schroeder

Year of birth: 1962

First novel:"Ventus" (2000)

Best Novels:"Order", "Lady of Labyrinths", "Immutability"

A certified futurist and influential author for followers of the philosophy of speculative realism, Canadian Karl Schroeder writes novels that border on cyberpunk and space opera. On the one hand, the action of his books usually takes place in the distant future, and the plot is connected with interstellar flights, on the other hand, the writer is interested in issues most often associated with cyberpunk: privacy, self-awareness of an individual (and its dissolution), augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence. Schröder is involved in futurism professionally: in his free time from creativity, he consults organizations that forecast the development of technology. The best thing about Schroeder's books is what is called worldbuilding; the ability to beautifully, quickly and accurately describe imaginary worlds. In his latest novel, Order, he, for example, talks about very long space travel and describes hundreds strange worlds, from lonely starless planets illuminated by lasers and planets made entirely of water, to gas planets where people live in huge balloons, and planets where the atmosphere is like a huge neon lamp.

Charles Stross

Year of birth: 1964

First novel:"Sky of Singularity" (2003)

Best Novels:"Accelerando", "Greenhouse", "Rule 34"

The most versatile writer of the wave of new British fiction (The British are distinguished by their craving for “hard” sci-fi and often left-wing political views) During his life, Stross worked as a programmer, pharmacist and technology journalist. He wrote a monthly Linux column for Computer Shopper magazine for ten years, but eventually closed it to devote himself to writing. IN literary genres Strauss is about as extraordinary as in his choice of profession: not counting stories, he published about 20 books in the most different styles, from “hard” science fiction to fantasy and Lovecraftian horror. His science fiction novels are best described as “mindfuck”: Stross deceives the reader a lot and comes up with the most incredible constructions. An exemplary novel in this sense (by the way, this may very well be the only thing you read from this list - it's that good)- "Greenhouse", in which a group of people from the future agree to an experiment: they live on an isolated space station in the 20th century. The book leads the reader by the nose and turns everything upside down several times.

John Scalzi

Year of birth: 1969

First novel:"Doomed to Victory" (2005)

Best Novels:"Men in Red", "Android's Dream", "Locked Up"

Scalzi is a classic geek turned writer. Since 1998, he has run the Whatever blog, where he speaks on a variety of topics, writes books and articles about video games, cinema and astronomy; he even acted as a consultant on one of the Stargate series. Scalzi's most famous book is Men in Red, an extremely geeky novel. It comically plays on the famous cliche from Star Trek - there were often nameless characters in red uniforms who always died in missions in order to emphasize the danger for the viewer. Most of the time, Scalzi writes more serious - often military - fiction. However, he is capable of much: in one of his latest novels"Locked Up" he writes a real detective story. The main thing that distinguishes Scalzi's books is ironic, resourceful characters and witty dialogues.

Alastair Reynolds

Year of birth: 1966

First novel:"Space of Revelation" (2000)

Best Novels:“Space of Revelation”, “House of Suns”,
"Pushing Ice"

Favorite in Russia (Azbuka publishing house regularly publishes his novels) Welsh writer known for hard science fiction and large-scale space operas. Like other authors of space operas, he can be described only by numbers: his “Space of Revelation” cycle covers a time period of tens of thousands of years (although the main action takes place over three centuries), and interstellar travel in it occurs with the help of ships that move almost at the speed of light. Reynolds explains the existence of a mechanical race that destroys intelligent civilizations when they develop to a certain level. For complex and detailed descriptions Reynolds's space, technology and alien civilizations, however, hide more personal, private things: lyrical reflections on the philosophy of life and a melancholic mood.

Stephen Baxter

Year of birth: 1957

First novel:"Raft" (1991)

Best Novels:"Proxima", "Ark", "Diversity of Space"

The author of almost 50 novels, Briton Stephen Baxter is one of the most ambitious thinkers of modern “hard” science fiction. Baxter comes up with truly ambitious space science fiction while still managing to maintain scientific accuracy (let’s say, in one of his books he describes the history of the Universe from its birth 20 billion years ago to its death 10 billion years later). In addition, he works in the genre of disaster novel and alternative history. Whatever Baxter writes, he precedes any of his novels with long and detailed research - therefore, he even predicts the future of humanity according to scientific theories. He himself says that he is inspired by the old science fiction of H. G. Wells; The writer, by the way, is vice-president of the International H.G. Wells Society.

Adam Roberts

Year of birth: 1965

First novel:"Salt" (2000)

Best Novels:“Salt”, “Yellow-Blue Tibia”,
"Glass Jack"

Postmodern trickster Adam Roberts is the most unpredictable author of modern fiction. You don’t know what to expect from each of his new books: he has futuristic detective stories, novels about the colonization of other planets, and space utopias; In addition, Roberts wrote several parodies under the pseudonyms A.R.R.R. Roberts and the Robertsky Brothers, including Tolkien's novels, The Matrix and Star Wars. Each of Roberts' novels is a literary game, in all of his books he uses unexpected structure and plays with language. His book “Glass Jack” is coming out in Russian soon, and it perfectly characterizes Roberts: it is a detective story about three murders, written like the classic novels of Agatha Christie, but with the condition that the reader knows from the very beginning that the murderer is the main character. The problem with Roberts is that he never continues his novels or turns them into series, and in science fiction this is a sure way to never become a popular author: science fiction readers prefer large series, sagas and cycles, so that they can immerse themselves in one and the same world.

Anne Leckie

Year of birth: 1966

First novel:"Servants of Justice" (2013)

Best Novels:"Servants of Justice", "Servants of the Sword"

Despite the fact that Anne Leckie has released only two novels and has not yet finished her debut trilogy, The Radch Empire. (the final part will be released in October this year), she is already named along with the best modern science fiction writers. Leckie tried to get into science fiction in her youth, but she was unable to get published. Leckie got married, gave birth to two children and took up housekeeping, but in order not to be too bored at home, she continued to write - and completed the first draft of the novel “Servants of Justice” back in 2002. The book was published in 2013 - and it is one of the most unusual novels of recent times. The main character is a former spaceship (Yes exactly),

First novel:"Moxyland" (2008)

Best Novels:"Moxyland", "Shining Girls", "Broken Monsters"

South African writer, primarily writing detective novels. Let's say one of her books is about a time-traveling killer, another about supernatural murders, the nature of fame and social media, another about an alternative Johannesburg where criminals are tied to magical animals as punishment. In her novels, Beukes explores contemporary phenomena that concern her: from global surveillance and xenophobia to Auto-Tune. Her supernatural is mixed with technology, ghosts and magic coexist with smartphones and by email, but at the same time Beukes does not write fantasy - and certainly does not overuse African flavor. At their core, her books are science fiction, because the main thing that distinguishes the genre is the unexpected questions that are asked of humanity in it; that's exactly what Beukes does.

Return