When I was eighteen, I discovered science fiction, and I read almost nothing else.
This went on for about ten years. Scifi, scifi, scifi. Lots and lots of science fiction.
And then I stopped.
I discovered literary fiction and nonfiction that reads like fiction, and I never went back.
But now, forty years later, I want to read the books I've missed. Science fiction. Fantasy. Speculative fiction.
Could you suggest some titles?
Here are some of my favorite science fiction and fantasy books. Maybe this will give you a good idea about what I have loved in the past.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick
The Word for World is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Color of Magic (Discworld #1) by Terry Pratchett
Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Animal Farm by George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Babel by R. F. Kuang
A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
What speculative fiction have you loved?
What would you recommend to me?
Ooh nice picks! I can't really remember what I read before I discovered my paranormal books. There were still some contemporary reads happening as the paranormal books were few and far between in the YA genre. But I still cling to those. I've expanded into fantasy as well, which is still in the same area. I guess the paranormal books were also magical just on a different level! Lol.
ReplyDeleteHere's my Tuesday Post
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower :)
The only science fiction books that I have read, as far as I recall, are “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” and “The Day of the Triffids.”
ReplyDeleteMargaret Atwood’s speculative fiction includes Oryx and Crake and The Handmaid’s Tale. I’m a lifelong Atwood fan, and I would recommend these two — and if you like them, they have sequels.
ReplyDeletePS — another very literary speculative fiction: The Fifth Child, published 1988, by Doris Lessing
DeleteI read Handmaid's Tale long ago, when all post-apocalyptic fiction felt like it could never possibly happen. I've read Oryx and Crake, too, but, again, long ago. I am sure I have not read all of the sequels. A copy of Handmaid's Tale was recently put into my LFL. Maybe it is time for a reread before I read the sequels.
DeleteI have never read The Fifth Child, and, though I've heard a lot about Doris Lessing, I don't think I've ever read anything she has written. I'm adding this as well as rereads of the Atwood books to my list.
DeleteI had read nine of the ten books on the list, so for completeness I read the missing one. My review:
Deletehttps://maefood.blogspot.com/2026/03/ursula-le-guin-word-for-world-is-forest.html
I have liked The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa ... Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (Klara & the Sun is also great) ... The Prophet Song ... and Station Eleven ... you've probably read these. Some speculative fiction can be dark ....
ReplyDeleteI have read all of these, and Prophet Song and most of the others you listed would easy go on this list of my favorites. Thank you, Susan!
DeleteI second the recommendation for Margaret Atwood’s work, especially those two titles.
ReplyDeleteHere is our Top Ten Tuesday.
Thank you!
DeleteThis genre is very much a hit or miss for me. I want to retry Babel though as it's now published in my native language. I struggled so much with this one in English, merely due to the science behind language et cetera.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://laurieisreading.com/2026/03/03/top-ten-tuesday-books-to-diversify-your-reading-3-the-ya-edition/
I have not read much in this area of books. However, my husband listens to his books while working out or driving and he has read a lot of fantasy. He's finally caught up on Brandon Sanderson's books I think and enjoyed those. And he was a Tolkien fan from way, way back. Hope you get some new suggestions, Deb! Hey, I saw some bluebonnets yesterday!!
ReplyDeleteI've never read a Brandon Sanderson book. I wonder if I would enjoy his writing. Thanks, Kay!
DeleteProject Hail Mary was a great read, and there’s a film version coming out in a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteI have not read that one, though I've read another book by that author. I will add it to my list.
DeleteI've read 6 of the titles you posted, all great reads. The Handmaid's Tale is a scary speculative fiction in view of our current political "leadership" but anything Atwood rocks me.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tina! I'll add your name to the list of those who recommended Handmaid's Tale as a reread for me.
DeleteGiven your interest in techno-dystopias, I'd suggest:
ReplyDeleteTHE CIRCLE, Dave Eggers
and
OPTIMAL, JM Berger.
The Circle is about the power of a company that's like Facebook/Apple/Amazon/Google all rolled into one. Berger is about a society where algorithms run people's lives -- it's closer to Brave New World in that people are dominated by comfort.
I have not read either of those. On my list they go! Thank you, Stephen.
DeleteSome of the authors of the genre that might interest you based on the above could include , Jasper Fforde, Octavia Butler, and Emily St John Mandel
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your #TTT
Thank you, Shelleyrae! I've read a bit of each of these authors, but I suspect there are other good titles each has written and that I have not read.
DeleteI went through a sci-fi / fantasy phase too! I think it's because I loved The Hobbit and Harry Potter as a kid.
ReplyDeleteI definitely haven't read much SciFi and the only one on your list I've read is Hitchhiker's Guide. I do want to read some of the Jasper Fforde books based on nursery rhymes and I listened and enjoyed to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea last year. I've read some cozy fantasy in the past couple of years and really enjoyed them which makes me think I should try some regular fantasy. Good luck with your reading!
ReplyDeleteYou've got some of my favorites on your list: Hobbit, 1984, Hitchhiker's Guide, Color of Magic, Klara and the Sun, and Babel. I read Animal Farm in 7th grade. Time for a reread, I think!
ReplyDeleteDear Deb, I love ❤️ the way you have displayed these books. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I don't tend to read sci-fi, fantasy, or speculative fiction. The one from your list that I have read, 1984, was required reading when I was in 12th grade as was Animal Farm.
ReplyDeleteHere's my TTT: https://readbakecreate.com/favorite-historical-fiction-reads-of-2025/
I enjoyed Isaac Asimov back in the day.
ReplyDeleteI read Asimov back in the day.
DeleteI don't have any recommendations since I don't read much of that.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your search, Deb. These genres aren't ones I read a lot of, so I'm not much help with the recommendations.
ReplyDeletehttps://thebookconnectionccm.blogspot.com/2026/03/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-amateur-sleuth.html
Based on your list, I think you'd like Tanith Lee and Sheri S. Tepper. They've got many great books but try Biting the Sun by Tanith Lee, and Grass by Sheri Tepper first. I really hope you enjoy them!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for these recommendations. I'm not sure I've read anything by either of these authors, and now they are on my list.
DeleteI love sci-fi/fantasy! I'd recomend The Map of Time by Felix J Palma. It's not well known but its good.
ReplyDeletehttps://getlostinlit.blogspot.com/2026/03/top-ten-historical-fiction-crossovers.html
Not only haven't I read that book, but both the book and the author are not known to me. Thank you for the recommendation.
DeleteThese genres are far outside of my wheel house, but there are a few I have enjoyed. If you have not read The Divergent series by Veronica Roth, I highly recommend them. I have also enjoyed Come Back to Me By Jody Hedlund.
ReplyDeleteI have read and I have enjoyed the Divergent series, but the Jody Hedlund recommendation is new to me. Thank you, Cindy!
DeleteThis definitely isn't my genre so I can't offer much -- or anything. But I hope you get some good tips!
ReplyDeleteOh wow...ok, if you like Le Guin, I recommend Charlie Jane Anders, particularly The City in the Middle of the Night. I also highly recommend N.K. Jemisin's the Broken Earth trilogy, which is some of the best speculative fiction in the past decade+ and deals with marginalized/othered groups and climate change. I'd also recommend The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow, which is set in an alternate historical timeline and has some aspects of dystopia like 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. Happy reading--and I've definitely got more where that came from so feel free to ask me for more specific recs!
ReplyDeleteThese are excellent recommendations! I am adding the Jemisin, Harrow, and Anders books to my list. I may come back to you for more recommendations later. Thank you!
DeleteI don't read much Sci Fi, but have a couple coming up. I never read Babel, but I think I should give it a try. It seems that everyone that read it has enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteJust curious…have you tried any alternate history or some of the more serious time travel (not the time travel romance kind of thing)? Some of that will really make you think, and it can be quite entertaining.
ReplyDeleteOMG, where to start? If you love 1984, I would recommend This Perfect Day, by Ira Levin (https://wordsandpeace.com/2026/01/26/book-review-this-perfect-day/).
ReplyDeleteAnd you can check my top ten scifi post here: https://wordsandpeace.com/2025/11/18/scifimonth-2025-top-ten-classic-science-fiction-novels/. Metropolis, The Hopkins Manuscript, and Kallocain, are fabulous
Oh and anything by Ray Bradbury of course!
ReplyDeleteoh yes i used to read copious amounts of Sci-fi, in my late teens especially. Funny how i never do these days. When we moved house when i was a teenager, mum left behind my tea chest of sci-fi books as it didn't fit in the moving truck. I didn't realise for a long time ...
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