Great literature requires that the author can use his or her imagination to create a work that transports you to another world. Some of the most imaginative writers are those that create novels in the genre known as science fiction. In fact, many of the best science fiction books have been written by highly acclaimed authors and have become not only classics of the genre itself but also of literature in general.
The science fiction is normally simply called sci-fi. It encompasses a vast range of ideas and themes. Whether you want to read about aliens and outer space, time travel, cyberspace, scientists gone mad or 'what if' scenarios, you'll find something in the genre. What these books have in common is that they put forward ideas that are almost beyond imagination and where technology is often a central part of the theme.
Sci-fi has a long history, with authors as far back as the 2nd century already beginning to explore it. Many later sci-fi experts say that the genre really started early in the 17th century with the publication of Johannes Kepler's novel 'Somnium'. Some of the classics from the 18th and early 19th century were really sci-fi too, including Jonathan Swift's timeless adventure story 'Gulliver's Travels' and Mary Shelley's dark novel 'Frankenstein'.
The Industrial Revolution and the innovation that came with it became inspiration for many a writer. Two of the most influential were H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. They're often regarded as the 'fathers of science fiction'. Wells explored themes such as time travel and alien invasion while Verne imagined fantastic journeys into the depths of Earth.
Two famous sci-fi authors are Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. George Orwell's thought-provoking 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' can be classified as sci-fi too, falling under the subgenre of dystopian novels. Aldous Huxley's ideas in 'Brave New World' begin to sound less like fiction and more like science when you look at advances in cloning technology.
Many writers in other genres have tried their hand at sci-fi. Even before H. G. Wells wrote about time travel, Mark Twain explored the concept in 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. Margaret Atwood wrote about a dystopian society in 'The Handmaid's Tale', as did Nobel Laureate Jose Saramago in 'Blindness'. Another Nobel Laureate, Doris Lessing, created an entire series of works set on other planets.
If you're not sure where to start with sci-fi, you can always look towards Hollywood. The works of both Verne and Wells have repeatedly been made into movies and there are countless celluloid versions of 'Frankenstein' too. '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'Planet of the Apes', 'A Clockwork Orange', 'Dune' and 'Jurassic Park' were all based on popular sci-fi novels. 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe' was based on the book that kicked off the subgenre known as comical sci-fi.
While the 'Sci-fi' shelves in the library or at the bookstore are the obvious place to look for good books, don't forget to browse through the 'Classics' section as well. You can also order novels online. The advantage of this is that you can first read the reviews to see whether the book will be for you.
The science fiction is normally simply called sci-fi. It encompasses a vast range of ideas and themes. Whether you want to read about aliens and outer space, time travel, cyberspace, scientists gone mad or 'what if' scenarios, you'll find something in the genre. What these books have in common is that they put forward ideas that are almost beyond imagination and where technology is often a central part of the theme.
Sci-fi has a long history, with authors as far back as the 2nd century already beginning to explore it. Many later sci-fi experts say that the genre really started early in the 17th century with the publication of Johannes Kepler's novel 'Somnium'. Some of the classics from the 18th and early 19th century were really sci-fi too, including Jonathan Swift's timeless adventure story 'Gulliver's Travels' and Mary Shelley's dark novel 'Frankenstein'.
The Industrial Revolution and the innovation that came with it became inspiration for many a writer. Two of the most influential were H. G. Wells and Jules Verne. They're often regarded as the 'fathers of science fiction'. Wells explored themes such as time travel and alien invasion while Verne imagined fantastic journeys into the depths of Earth.
Two famous sci-fi authors are Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov. George Orwell's thought-provoking 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' can be classified as sci-fi too, falling under the subgenre of dystopian novels. Aldous Huxley's ideas in 'Brave New World' begin to sound less like fiction and more like science when you look at advances in cloning technology.
Many writers in other genres have tried their hand at sci-fi. Even before H. G. Wells wrote about time travel, Mark Twain explored the concept in 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court'. Margaret Atwood wrote about a dystopian society in 'The Handmaid's Tale', as did Nobel Laureate Jose Saramago in 'Blindness'. Another Nobel Laureate, Doris Lessing, created an entire series of works set on other planets.
If you're not sure where to start with sci-fi, you can always look towards Hollywood. The works of both Verne and Wells have repeatedly been made into movies and there are countless celluloid versions of 'Frankenstein' too. '2001: A Space Odyssey', 'Planet of the Apes', 'A Clockwork Orange', 'Dune' and 'Jurassic Park' were all based on popular sci-fi novels. 'A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe' was based on the book that kicked off the subgenre known as comical sci-fi.
While the 'Sci-fi' shelves in the library or at the bookstore are the obvious place to look for good books, don't forget to browse through the 'Classics' section as well. You can also order novels online. The advantage of this is that you can first read the reviews to see whether the book will be for you.
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