The 25 Best Science-Fiction Books of All Time

Spy.com, 25 Books

Timothy Beck Werth, an avid Science Fiction book reader and collector, made a list of The 25 Best Science-Fiction Books of All Time, for Spy.com

Dragon Awards

The Dragon Awards, 24 Books

The Dragon Awards are a set of literary and media awards voted on by fandom and presented annually since 2016 by Dragon Con for excellence in various categories of science fiction, fantasy, horror novels, movies, television, and games.

Robert Holdstock Award

British Fantasy Society, 12 Books

The Fantasy book award from The British Fantasy Society

August Derleth Award

British Fantasy Society, 50 Books

The August Derleth Award is one of the British Fantasy Awards bestowed annually by the British Fantasy Society. The award is named after the American writer and editor August Derleth. It was inaugurated in 1972 for the best novel of the year, was not awarded in 2011, and was resumed in 2012 for the best horror novel of the year.

The British Science Fiction Association Awards - Novel

British Science Fiction Association, 54 Books

The BSFA Awards are literary awards presented annually since 1970 by the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA) to honour works in the genre of science fiction. Nominees and winners are chosen based on a vote of BSFA members. More recently, members of the Eastercon convention have also been eligible to vote.

The Andre Norton Award

The Andre Norton Award, 18 Books

The Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction (formerly the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy) is an annual award presented by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA) to the author of the best young adult or middle grade science fiction or fantasy book published in the United States in the preceding year. It is named to honor prolific science fiction and fantasy author Andre Norton (1912–2005)

Any published young adult or middle grade science fiction or fantasy novel is eligible for the prize, including graphic novels. There is no limit on word count. The award was originally not a Nebula Award, despite being presented along with them and following the same rules for nominations and voting, but in 2019 SFWA announced that the award was considered a Nebula category.

100 Main Fantasy and Science-Fiction Books

www.mirf.ru (Russian), 112 Books

List done by multiple people on a Russian publication.

Critera:" Our list includes only those books and series that have become universally recognized pillars of fantasy literature or have had a significant impact on the development of individual fantasy trends. At the same time, we did not give in to the temptation to attribute the main contribution to science fiction to English-speaking authors: almost a fifth of our list is occupied by books by Russian masters of the word.

So, here are those 100 books that, according to MirF, any self-respecting fan of science fiction simply must read!" (translated)

The 50 Best Sci-Fi Books for Every Kind of Reader

Men's Health, 49 Books

Joshua St. Clair and Milan Polk created this list for Men's Health titled "The 50 Best Sci-Fi Books for Every Kind of Reader"

The 100 Best Science Fiction Books of All Time

Tor, 116 Books

This list, "The 100 Best Science Fiction Books of All Time," was curated by the team at Tor Online, a prominent platform for science fiction literature. In an initiative launched last year, they reached out to their audience, calling upon readers to nominate their favorite science fiction novels. The aim was to compile a definitive list that celebrates the richness and diversity of the science fiction genre, spanning its entire history up to the present day. The titles selected do not necessarily represent the most original, successful, challenging, or influential works in the field, acknowledging that such a collection could never be exhaustive or objective. Instead, the list stands as a broad cross-section of science fiction literature, including both timeless classics and notable contemporary works, intended to offer readers a comprehensive and inspiring exploration of the genre. The selection process, detailed by editor Markus Mäurer in a series of articles, underscores the collaborative effort between the editorial team and the genre's enthusiastic readership, making it a unique and representative compilation for enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

The 100 Best Books of Two Centuries of Modern Greek Literature (1813 – 2013)

Black & White Publishing SA, 99 Books

120 contemporary Greek writers choose the 100 best books of two centuries of Greek literature(1813 - 2013).

The authors were asked to rate the 20 books they rated as the best, always according to their reading preferences, their judgment of the influence they exerted, or other criteria that determined their choices. These books could include prose titles, novels or short stories, poetry collections (individual, collective or all) and plays.

22 of the Funniest Novels Since ‘Catch-22’

New York Times, 22 Books

Three critics from the New York Times put together a list of 22 of the funniest novels written in English since Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22” (1961).

The Great American Novels

The Atlantic, 136 Books

The Atlantic's list of "The Great American Novels" was created with the aim of redefining the American literary canon to include a broader, more diverse selection of works published in the last 100 years. The selection process involved consulting a wide range of experts, including scholars, critics, and novelists, to nominate books that were first published in the United States or intended for such publication. The final list, which includes 136 novels, was determined through extensive debate and consideration, focusing on works that offer unique insights and artful prose. Not limited to any specific number, the list features debut works, Pulitzer Prize winners, and books that have been subject to bans, all chosen for their ability to challenge, delight, and leave readers more informed and engaged.

Famous Authors Name Their Favorite Novels(from 1915)

New York Times, 38 Books

This list of famous authors listing their 6 favorite novels was published in the New York Times on September 5th, 1915. The authors who answered were James Lane Allen, Edwin Lefevre, Oliver Onions, Honore Willsie, Susan Glaspell, Gene Stratton Porter, Eleanor Atkinson, Leona Dalrymple, Frank H. Spearman, and Harvey J. O’Higgins

The 100 Best Novels of the 20th Century

Folha de São Paulo, 98 Books

Folha de São Paulo, also known as simply Folha, is a Brazilian daily newspaper founded in 1921 under the name Folha da Noite and published in São Paulo by the Folha da Manhã company. Folha got ten critics and writers to choose the one hundred best novels published since 1900.

50 Essential Fantasy Books

Abe Books, 51 Books

Abe Books lists 50 Essential Fantasy books you should read. Here's what the description says on the website:

If you haven't read any fantasy since reading the The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien in school, you might still think it's a genre for kids. Think again. While you'll still find plenty of elves, knights, and magi, fantasy is now also home to gunslingers, poets and literary detectives. This selection of recommended fantasy books runs the gamut - it's time to discover fantasy all over again.

100 Best Books of the Decade so Far (2010-2015)

Oyster Books, 100 Books

Oyster Books made a list of the 100 best books of the decade so far (2010-2015). I guess this company went out of business. I couldn't even find the list on the internet archive.

The Greatest Books of All Time

Reader's Digest, 100 Books

Reader's Digest has created a list of greatest books of all time. Their website says:

To land in the top 100, a book needed to truly stand out in the stacks. We considered best sellers, award winners, and books that are highly rated by readers and critics alike. Many have been made into blockbuster movies. (Make sure to check out these exciting book to movie adaptations coming out this year!) Going on, many are taught in schools today. Many have snagged spots on other “best of” lists published by the likes of the New York Times, The Guardian, NPR, PBS, Time magazine, and more. And most have had profound impacts on literature, culture, or the world in general.

Reader's Digest mentions that the list is updated periodically by writers specialize in book content. Book selections are made by editors at Reader's Digest.

What’s the Best Book of the Past 125 Years? We Asked Readers to Decide.

New York Times, 11 Books

A list from the New York Times. Here's the description from the website:

In October, as we marked the Book Review’s 125th anniversary, we invited readers to nominate the best book published during that time. This was a nod to our history: In its first few decades, the Book Review often asked readers to anoint the best books, the best short stories, the best poems. We wanted this project, like those early ones, to reflect readers’ tastes and preferences.

Responses began pouring in from all 50 states and 67 countries. In November, we presented a list of the 25 most-nominated books (one per author) for a vote. There were more than 200,000 ballots.

Six Professors from "Esteemed" Universities Favorite Books

Democrat and Chronicle (Newspaper), 48 Books

A newspaper article from the "Democrat and Chronicle" from 1982 where they asked 6 esteemed professors to list books that theyh would recommend to anyone as worth reading during a lifetime.

The voters were: Louis Rubin, Joseph Summers, R.W.B Lewis, Clark Blaise, Edward Rosenheim, and William Chace

Britain's Favourite Ten Children's Books

Waterstone and BBC, 10 Books

On September 1, 1997 the results of a poll to find the nation's favourite children's book were announced. The poll, sponsored by Waterstone's and the BBC, found Roald Dahl's Matilda to be the favorite. The top ten books from the poll are shown in the following table.

More details for it: "Over 10,000 children voted for more than
700 different titles by phoning or emailing
the BBC poll or voting at their local
Waterstone’s bookshop. The poll closed at
midnight on 27th August after a month’s

What Harvard Professors Think Greatest Books Ever: Top 20 List (1977)

The Boston Globe (Newspaper), 21 Books

Harvard Professors in in the 1970s list their favorite books of all time. Reprinted in the Boston Globe

7 Essential Authors Recommend Their 7 Essential Sci-Fi and Fantasy Books

Powell's Books, 7 Books

Powells Books gets 7 authors to recommend their 7 essential sci-fi and fantasy books.

The Best Travel Books of All Time, According to Authors

Condé Nast, 75 Books

Condé Nast Traveler created a list of the best travel books based on multiple authors opinions. Here's the description from their website:

There are an astounding number of travel books out there. How to choose the best of the best? You can start by asking the experts. Back in 2007, Traveler enlisted a literary all-star jury that included Monica Ali, Vikram Chandra, Jennifer Egan, Francine Prose, Paul Theroux, and more to create a comprehensive list of the best travel books of all time. Then in 2020, we reached out to another batch of authors—Pico Iyer, Julia Phillips, and Imbolo Mbue, to name a few—to see what travel books have made a mark on them—an even more meaningful question during a year when travel was extraordinarily limited for most. We wanted to know which books, regardless of genre, changed the way they considered a certain culture or place or people; the books that inspired them both to write and to get out into the world themselves.

As you'll see below, the picks—old and new—carry their weight, proving many of the greats are just as relevant today as they were when first published. From David Sedaris's 2000 Me Talk Pretty One Day to Herodotus's 440 B.C. The Histories, read on for dozens of passionately endorsed and beloved travel books, presented in alphabetical order.

Top 100 Fantasy Books

Fantasy Book Review, 103 Books

Fantasy Book Review lists their Top 100 Fantasy Books of all time, with links to their reviews of each one. Here's what their description says:

The 100 fantasy books that we - and other readers - simply cannot recommend highly enough; books that we've all loved reading. Click on a book title to read the full review.

Books That Shaped America

Library of Congress, 99 Books

As part of a multi-year Library of Congress “Celebration of the Book,” the list – initially 88 books, now expanded by the Library to 100 – and its accompanying exhibition at the Library last June 25-Sept. 25 engendered months of public dialogue. Some 165,400 people attended the exhibit and more than 9,000 responded to a survey about “Books That Shaped America” posted by the Library on its National Book Festival website.

The Best Books of All Time, as Chosen by the Good Housekeeping Team

Good Housekeeping, 20 Books

The Good Housekeeping team have all the picked their top read - the one they would happily read, again and again.

Books of the Century

The Age (Newspaper), 26 Books

The Age, a major newspaper Melbourne, Victoria asked around 30 authors/critics/experts what their favorite book of the century was. Note, some authors did not understand the question and picked books written in the 1700s

Your 50 Favorite Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of The Past Decade(2011-2021)

NPR, 96 Books

A science fiction and fantasy list created by NPR that is a curated list that uses public opinion as well as a panel of experts. Here's the description from the website:

As I said above, we decided to limit ourselves to 50 books this year instead of our usual 100, which made winnowing down the list a particular challenge. As you may know, this poll isn't a straight-up popularity contest, though, if it were, the Broken Earth books would have crushed all comers — y'all have good taste! Instead, we take your votes (over 16,000 this year) and pare them down to about 250 semifinalists, and then during a truly epic conference call, our panel of expert judges goes through those titles, cuts some, adds some and hammers out a final curated list.

Note: I converted the multi book series into their individual books

Latitude Festival's Top 20 Books by Women

Latitude Festival goers, 20 Books

The Latitude Festival(2016) invited all festival goers to vote for their top 20 favorite books by women. The participants wrote their choices on luggage tags and tied them to The Tree of Stories in the festival’s Faraway Forest.

Latitude Festival is an annual music and arts festival set within the grounds of Henham Park, near Southwold, Suffolk, England

Books by Women That Every Man Should Read

The Guardian, 23 Books

Chosen by Ian McEwan, Salman Rushdie, Richard Curtis and more. The description on the website says:

Studies show men avoid female authors. Ahead of the Women’s prize for fiction, chair of judges Mary Ann Sieghart finds out why – and we ask male authors to redress the balance

100 Great 20th Century English-language Works of Fiction by Women

Feminista!, 96 Books

Feminista! created this list in response to the infamous Modern Library list. Here's their description:

While we’d [Feminista!] agree that the Modern Library’s list features some extraordinary and wonderful works of fiction, we’re a little dismayed by a list of major 20th century English language novels that completely overlooks such writers as Margaret Atwood, Nadine Gordimer, Zora Neale Hurston, Harper Lee, Doris Lessing, Toni Morrison and Sylvia Plath. We could go on, but instead we’ve compiled our own list of 100 Great 20th Century English-language Works of Fiction by Women. In order to choose the works on the list, women’s online forums and lists were canvassed. Unlike the Modern Library’s, our list is not ranked. We’ve also restricted it to one work per author, since our aim was to showcase the extraordinary richness and variety of 20th century fiction by women.

75 Books by Women Whose Words Have Changed the World

Women's National Book Association, 75 Books

A different perspective on literature written by women. These works were selected by members of the Women's National Book Association in observance of their 75th anniversary in 1992. The list honours women "whose words have changed the world" and who "have brought insight, awe, and pleasure to countless readers over the years".

100 Best Books to Read by Women Authors

Good Housekeeping, 100 Books

Good Housekeeping team created a list of the 100 best books by women authors. Their website description is:

From gripping works of fiction to literary classics, this list of 100 books to read by women was selected by the Good Housekeeping team and shows that women's writing is complex, brilliant, moving, innovative – everything the best writing should be.

40 Essential Feminist Books to Read for Women's History Month

Harpers Bazaar, 40 Books

Harpers Bazaar list of the 40 essential feminist books. Here's the description from their website:

a list of thought-provoking books that cover everything from reproductive justice and economic equity to domestic labor and sex work. Whether you're looking to brush up on the early days of the movement, be inspired by modern-day feminist heroes, or witness how far we've come (and how far we still have to go), these are the perfect books to pick up for Women's History Month—and every other time of year.

87 Books Written by Women That Are So Good, You Won't Be Able to Put Them Down

Pop Sugar, 93 Books

A list from Pop Sugar. here's the description from their website:

Without women, some pretty amazing things wouldn't exist. Book-lovers know best that women have changed the world in so many important ways — oftentimes, with their words. We've rounded up more than 80 novels, essays, poem collections, and memoirs written by women writers. From popular books-turned-movies like The Hunger Games and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone to classics like Anne of Green Gables and To Kill a Mockingbird, there's a piece of literature in here for almost everyone to enjoy. If you haven't read these amazing literary works in your lifetime, now's the time!

The Greatest Stories Ever Told

The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 Books

The Sydney Morning Herald published this list in their newspaper on Saturday 13th, 1994. They asked a "panel of experts" what the greatest story ever told was. The voters were: Donald Horne, Rosemary Dobson, Gwen Harwood, David Ireland, Barry Jones, and Marian Halligan

100 Best Novels in the World (Published in 1899)

The Daily Telegraph, 101 Books

The Daily Telegraph published an article in 1899 listing the 100 Best Novels. The list was selected by the editor of The Daily Telegraph with the assistance of Sir Edwin Arnold, H. D. Traill, and W. L. Courtney.

These books were also sold to the public, so it was a commercial proposition.

Daily Telegraph's 100 Books of the Century, 1900-1999

Daily Telegraph, 95 Books

The Daily Telegraph asked 100 contributors/authors/experts to choose 1 book as their favorite or most notable book of the last 100 years (1900-1999). This list was originally published in the newspaper

The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years

BookList, 100 Books

The Booklist Century: 100 Books, 100 Years" is a curated list of 100 books created by Booklist to commemorate its 100th anniversary. The list celebrates a century of literature, selecting one book from each year that has had a significant impact over time. The impact considered is broad, encompassing literary, economic, sociological, and behavioral effects, showcasing the diversity in the criteria for selection. The process of choosing books highlighted the challenges of comparing different kinds of impacts and dealing with years that offered either an abundance of influential works or a scarcity of notable publications.

The compilation was undertaken by the Booklist staff, who also faced the task of acquiring a copy of each book, relying on their own collections and the resources of several Chicago-area libraries. This effort underscores the commitment and collaborative effort behind the project. The list includes a wide range of genres and types of books, from literature and cookbooks to children's books and sociological reports, indicating a comprehensive approach to recognizing books' varied impacts on society.

The Guardian's Essential Library

The Guardian, 97 Books

The Guardian asked eminent writers to choose 10 books from their respective fields to make up a capsule library of indispensable volumes. The only rules were that the books had to be in print and readily available in the UK.

From art to science via fiction and memoir, these are their selections for the Guardian's Essential Library of 100 vital books.

Art and music chosen by Susan Sontag
Biography chosen by Michael Holroyd
Fiction chosen by Julian Barnes
Fiction in translation chosen by Julian Barnes
History chosen by Simon Schama
Memoir and autobiography chosen by Linda Grant
Poetry chosen by Andrew Motion
Politics chosen by Timothy Garton Ash
Science chosen by Steve Jones
Travel chosen by Jan Morris

A Hundred Novels to Change Your Life

The Daily Mail, 95 Books

The Daily Mail's response to the BBC's list of 100 novels that 'shaped our world' is sharply critical, pointing out significant omissions and questioning the selection's focus on political correctness over literary merit. The critique highlights the absence of literary giants such as Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy, and Salman Rushdie's "The Satanic Verses," suggesting the list leans towards appealing to younger audiences at the expense of timeless classics. It also criticizes the BBC's thematic categories, like 'Identity' and 'Politics, Power and Protest,' for potentially diluting the complex essence of literature.

The article calls out specific inclusions and exclusions as misjudgments, arguing for a list that better represents enduring works that have truly impacted generations of readers. In an alternative approach, the Daily Mail invites its writers to share their personal, impactful reads, emphasizing the subjective nature of literary value and the lasting significance of books that resonate on a deeply personal level. This serves as a reminder of the power of literature to influence individually and collectively, beyond contemporary trends.

Ten brilliant authors reveal their all-time classic reads

Women & Home, 10 Books

Woman & Home got 10 authors to pick their favorite book of all time. Their description says:

Your favorite writers, including Bernardine Evaristo and Richard Osman, share their all-time classic reads and why they love them

the writers include: Isabel Allende, Linwood Barclay, Erin Kelly, Lucinda Riley, Deborah Moggach, Paula Hawkins, Celia Imrie, Sebastian Faulks, Richard Osman, Bernardine Evaristo

50 Classics You Must Read Before You Die

Gyldendal (Denmark Publisher), 50 Books

This list is from Gyldendal, the largest publisher in Denmark. This is what the translated description says:

We asked Gyldendal's fiction editors about their greatest reading experiences. Here are their picks for 50 classics you should read before you die. Find out which ones you have already read, which ones you should re-read and, not least, which ones you should read for the first time. Happy reading!

Best Books of the Decade(2010-2020)

Chicago Tribune, 38 Books

John Warner of the Chicago Tribune lists his favorite books of the 2010s.

50 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novels That Everyone Should Read

Flavor Wire, 90 Books

Explore the realms of magic and the future with Flavor Wire's "50 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Novels That Everyone Should Read." This expertly curated list offers a gateway for those new to the genre and a treasure trove for avid fans. Highlighting only the most compelling narratives, the list includes a single work or series per author, focuses on novels with adult appeal, and excludes short stories. It's a diverse collection designed to spark imagination and discussion among readers of all levels. Dive into these essential reads and expand your literary horizons.

50 Greatest Plays of The Past 100 Years (1913–2013)

Entertainment Weekly, 50 Books

Entertainment Weekly lists the 50 greatest plays of the past 100 years. Here's the description from their website:

Stage plays can have the power to move us, make us laugh, and speak to the human condition more than most art forms. From Southern gothic character studies such as A Streetcar Named Desire to sprawling epics that encapsulate a specific place and time like Angels in America, the past century has seen some of our most defining stories originate on the stage for the benefit of rapt theatergoers.

Ahead, we've ranked what we believe to be the greatest plays of the past 100 years, with links to where you can purchase them all to read (though we encourage you to seek them out if any are being mounted on the stage in your area).

The 50 Best Plays of All Time

TimeOut, 50 Books

New York is practically synonymous with theater, and from Broadway to Off Broadway to Off-Off Broadway, there are countless opportunities to see top-notch dramatic works. Of the countless shows that have been produced since the dawn of performance, it’s nearly impossible to choose the best plays. But we’ve done just that with our list of the best plays of all time.

What does it mean to say which plays are the best? Quality, popularity, universality, influence and historical importance all factored into the decision-making process. From Greek tragedies and Shakespearean comedies to Tony Award winners and modern experimental theater, this opinionated list by the late theater journalist and critic and Andy Propst covers some truly excellent works

The 50 Most Influential Books of All Time

Open Education Database, 51 Books

The "The 50 Most Influential Books of All Time," as compiled by the Open Education Database, celebrates literature's unparalleled power to inspire, educate, and transform individuals and societies at large. This diverse collection spans various genres, time periods, and subjects, illustrating the profound impact that written words can have on humanity's evolution. These books have been carefully selected for their significant contributions in shaping political and governmental landscapes, setting new benchmarks in literary excellence, challenging and reshaping societal norms, and advancing academic and intellectual discourse in science, religion, and beyond.

From Oedipus to The History Boys: Michael Billington's 101 greatest plays

The Guardian, 102 Books

Michael Billington, In his new book, the Guardian’s theatre critic has selected what he thinks are the 101 greatest plays ever written, in any western language

The 101 GREATEST PLAYS of the Past 100 Years (1920-2020)

Broadway World, 102 Books

The 101 GREATEST PLAYS of the Past 100 Years (1920-2020) as determined by Peter Nason