The BEST Science Fiction Books List #2
Explore the ultimate science fiction books list #2 featuring top-rated must-reads in sci-fi literature. Discover classic and modern masterpieces for every fan!
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Rendezvous with Rama
by Arthur C. Clarke
"On an autumn morning in 2077, a huge ball of fire appeared in the sky over Europe. Moving at 50 kilometres a second, the meteorite crashed onto the plain of northern Italy and 600,000 people died." -- back cover.
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The Caves of Steel
by Isaac Asimov
A millennium into the future two advancements have altered the course of human history: the colonization of the galaxy and the creation of the positronic brain. Isaac Asimov’s Robot novels chronicle the unlikely partnership between a New York City detective and a humanoid robot who must learn to work together. Like most people left behind on an over-populated Earth, New York City police detective Elijah Baley had little love for either the arrogant Spacers or their robotic companions. But when a prominent Spacer is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Baley is ordered to the Outer Worlds to help track down the killer. The relationship between Life and his Spacer superiors, who distrusted all Earthmen, was strained from the start. Then he learned that they had assigned him a partner: R. Daneel Olivaw. Worst of all was that the “R” stood for robot—and his positronic partner was made in the image and likeness of the murder victim!
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The Sirens of Titan
by Kurt Vonnegut
“[Kurt Vonnegut’s] best book . . . He dares not only ask the ultimate question about the meaning of life, but to answer it.”—Esquire Nominated as one of America’s best-loved novels by PBS’s The Great American Read The Sirens of Titan is an outrageous romp through space, time, and morality. The richest, most depraved man on Earth, Malachi Constant, is offered a chance to take a space journey to distant worlds with a beautiful woman at his side. Of course there’ s a catch to the invitation–and a prophetic vision about the purpose of human life that only Vonnegut has the courage to tell. “Reading Vonnegut is addictive!”—Commonweal
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Animal Farm
by George Orwell
"Animal Farm" is the most famous by far of all twentieth-century political allegories. Its account of a group of barnyard animals who revolt against their vicious human master, only to submit to a tyranny erected by their own kind, can fairly be said to have become a universal drama. Orwell is one of the very few modern satirists comparable to Jonathan Swift in power, artistry, and moral authority; in animal farm his spare prose and the logic of his dark comedy brilliantly highlight his stark message. Taking as his starting point the betrayed promise of the Russian Revolution, Orwell lays out a vision that, in its bitter wisdom, gives us the clearest understanding we possess of the possible consequences of our social and political acts.
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The Lost World
by Arthur Conan Doyle
Ed Malone is persuaded to join the larger-than-life Professor George Edward Challenger on a scientific expedition in the depths of the Amazon. But as the expedition team plunges deeper into the forest, the danger mounts. Now it is up to Ed and the Professor to get out alive.
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The Time Machine
by H.G. Wells
In this book that inspired the international bestseller The Map of Time, follow a dreamer obsessed with traveling through time as he discovers the hidden secrets of a supposedly harmonious society. The Time Traveler, a dreamer obsessed with traveling through time, builds himself a time machine and, much to his surprise, travels over 800,000 years into the future. He lands in the year 802701—the world has been transformed by a society living in apparent harmony and bliss. But as the Traveler stays in the future, he discovers a hidden barbaric and depraved subterranean class. Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world's finest books to their full potential.
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Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Classic literature of duality between good and evil.
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The War of the Worlds
by H. G. Wells
The Night After A Shooting Star Is Seen Streaking Through The Sky From Mars, A Cylinder Is Discovered On Horsell Common In London. At First, NaĂŻve Locals Approach The Cylinder Armed Just With A White Flag Only To Be Quickly Killed By An All-Destroying Heat-Ray, As Terrifying Tentacled Invaders Emerge. Soon The Whole Of Human Civilisation Is Under Threat, As Powerful Martians Build Gigantic Killing Machines, Destroy All In Their Path With Black Gas And Burning Rays, And Feast On The Warm Blood Of Trapped, Still-Living Human Prey. The Forces Of The Earth, However, May Prove Harder To Beat Than They At First Appear.
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Around the World in Eighty Days
by Jules Verne
Verne's classic novel of global voyaging One night in the reform club, Phileas Fogg bets his companions that he can travel across the globe in just eighty days. Breaking the well-established routine of his daily life, he immediately sets off for Dover with his astonished valet Passepartout. Passing through exotic lands and dangerous locations, they seize whatever transportation is at hand - whether train or elephant - overcoming set-backs and always racing against the clock. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
by Jules Verne
An extraordinary adventure to the depths of the sea in the fabulous submarine Nautilus under the command of Captain Nemo.
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Journey to the Center of the Earth
by Jules Verne
Enriched Classics offer readers accessible editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and commentary. Each book includes educational tools alongside the text, enabling students and readers alike to gain a deeper and more developed understanding of the writer and their work. Originally published in French in 1864, Journey to the Center of the Earth tells the story of Professor Lidenbrock, his nephew, and a hired guide who, following the instructions of a medieval alchemist claiming to have found a passage to the center of the earth, travel deep into an Icelandic volcano. Deep in the earth, the dangers are beyond imaginable. They traverse subterranean oceans, have encounters with dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts, and do so all in the spirit of adventure and discovery. Considered a classic in the science-fiction and fantasy genre, Jules Verne’s epic novel is an enduring tale of man’s desire to uncover the great unknowns of life and nature. Enriched Classics enhance your engagement by introducing and explaining the historical and cultural significance of the work, the author’s personal history, and what impact this book had on subsequent scholarship. Each book includes discussion questions that help clarify and reinforce major themes and reading recommendations for further research. Read with confidence.
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The Invisible Man
by H. G. Wells
First published in 1897, The Invisible Man ranks as one of the most famous scientific fantasies ever written. Part of a series of pseudoscientific romances written by H. G. Wells (1866–1946) early in his career, the novel helped establish the British author as one of the first and best writers of science fiction. Wells' years as a science student undoubtedly inspired a number of his early works, including this strikingly original novel. Set in turn-of-the-century England, the story focuses on Griffin, a scientist who has discovered the means to make himself invisible. His initial, almost comedic, adventures are soon overshadowed by the bizarre streak of terror he unleashes upon the inhabitants of a small village. Notable for its sheer invention, suspense, and psychological nuance, The Invisible Man continues to enthrall science-fiction fans today as it did the reading public nearly 100 years ago.
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The Island of Doctor Moreau
by Herbert George Wells
The classic tale by H.G. Wells. Also contains a bonus selection (excerpt) as well as an absolutely free download offer of the complete text of "The Invisible Man" by H.G. Wells. Visit www.PhoenixPick.com for more great science fiction by this and other great authors and for downloads of books and excerpts.
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Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
A timeless, terrifying tale of one man’s obsession to create life—and the monster that became his legacy. “If ever a book needed to be placed in context, it’s Frankenstein” (The New York Times Book Review). ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP A timeless, terrifying tale of one man's obsession to create life—and the monster that became his legacy. EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES: • A concise introduction that gives readers important background information • A chronology of the author’s life and work • A timeline of significant events that provides the book’s historical context • An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations • Detailed explanatory notes • Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work • Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction • A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader’s experience Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world’s finest books to their full potential. SERIES EDITED BY CYNTHIA BRANTLEY JOHNSON