Speculative Fiction
Speculative fiction is often used interchangeably with the terms "science fiction" and "fantasy," but it is a broader category that includes both of these genres and more. It can also include works that blend elements of different genres, such as urban fantasy, steampunk, or slipstream fiction. Ultimately, speculative fiction is about using imagination to explore what is possible, or what might be, rather than what is currently known or accepted as reality.
The books listed below are all examples of speculative fiction. Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake both offer harrowing visions of dystopian societies, while Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness and A Wizard of Earthsea explore fascinating alternative worlds.
J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, meanwhile, is a beloved classic that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the world of magic. Mary Doria Russell's The Sparrow and N.K. Jemisin's The Fifth Season offer unique perspectives on space travel and environmental disaster, respectively, while Paolo Bacigalupi's The Windup Girl and Neal Stephenson's Seveneves both incorporate advanced technology into their speculative visions of the future.
Finally, Emily St. John Mandel's Station Eleven is a poignant exploration of humanity's resilience in the face of a global pandemic. Each of these books offers a unique and thought-provoking take on the genre, making them all well worth reading for fans of speculative fiction.
The Handmaid's Tale- Margaret Atwood
Readers said:
"provocative discussion", "very thought provoking", "dystopian literature", "brilliant dystopian fantasy"
#1 New York Times bestseller
An instant classic and eerily prescient cultural phenomenon, from "the patron saint of feminist dystopian fiction" (New York Times). Now an award-winning Hulu series starring Elizabeth Moss.
In Margaret Atwood's dystopian future, environmental disasters and declining birthrates have led to a Second American Civil War. The result is the rise of the Republic of Gilead, a totalitarian regime that enforces rigid social roles and enslaves the few remaining fertile women. Offred is one of these, a Handmaid bound to produce children for one of Gilead's commanders. Deprived of her husband, her child, her freedom, and even her own name, Offred clings to her memor ...Read More
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The Left Hand of Darkness- Ursula K. Le Guin
Readers said:
"nerve-wracking and infuriating", "sociological study of androgyny", "character driven pieces", "emotional scope and contrast"
Ursula K. Le Guin's groundbreaking work of science fiction-winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards.
A lone human ambassador is sent to the icebound planet of Winter, a world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants' gender is fluid. His goal is to facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But to do so he must bridge the gulf between his own views and those of the strange, intriguing culture he encounters…
Embracing the aspects of psychology, society, and human emotion on an alien world, The Left Hand of Darkness stands as a landmark achievement in the annals of intellectual science fiction. ...Read More
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Oryx and Crake- Margaret Atwood
Readers said:
"engaging and thought-provoking", "direct and without ostentation", "engaging and well written", "futuristic dystopia novel"
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Handmaid's Tale
Oryx and Crake is at once an unforgettable love story and a compelling vision of the future. Snowman, known as Jimmy before mankind was overwhelmed by a plague, is struggling to survive in a world where he may be the last human, and mourning the loss of his best friend, Crake, and the beautiful and elusive Oryx whom they both loved. In search of answers, Snowman embarks on a journey-with the help of the green-eyed Children of Crake-through the lush wilderness that was so recently a great city, until powerful corporations took mankind on an uncontrolled genetic engineering ride. Margaret Atwood projects us into a near fu ...Read More
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A Wizard of Earthsea- Ursula K. Le Guin
Readers said:
"pure beauty", "magical adventure", "rich language and world building", "psychological novel"
Originally published in 1968, Ursula K. Le Guin's A Wizard of Earthsea marks the first of the six now beloved Earthsea titles. Ged was the greatest sorcerer in Earthsea, but in his youth he was the reckless Sparrowhawk. In his hunger for power and knowledge, he tampered with long-held secrets and loosed a terrible shadow upon the world. This is the tumultuous tale of his testing, how he mastered the mighty words of power, tamed an ancient dragon, and crossed death's threshold to restore the balance. ...Read More
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The Sparrow- Mary Doria Russell
Readers said:
"intense and well-constructed", "disturbing and morally demanding", "all of the characters", "sensitive, forceful, fascinating page-turner"
A visionary work that combines speculative fiction with deep philosophical inquiry, The Sparrow tells the story of a charismatic Jesuit priest and linguist, Emilio Sandoz, who leads a scientific mission entrusted with a profound task: to make first contact with intelligent extraterrestrial life. The mission begins in faith, hope, and beauty, but a series of small misunderstandings brings it to a catastrophic end...Read More
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone- J.K. Rowling
Readers said:
"fun book", "fantasy stories", "wonderfully witty and short", "twists and turns"
Harry Potter has no idea how famous he is. That's because he's being raised by his miserable aunt and uncle who are terrified Harry will learn that he's really a wizard, just as his parents were. But everything changes when Harry is summoned to attend an infamous school for wizards, and he begins to discover some clues about his illustrious birthright. From the surprising way he is greeted by a lovable giant, to the unique curriculum and colorful faculty at his unusual school, Harry finds himself drawn deep inside a mystical world he never knew existed and closer to his own noble destiny. ...Read More
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Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch- Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman
Readers said:
"angels and antichrists", "long and rambly", "clever and witty", "vivid and complex"
According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world's only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.
So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon-both of whom have lived amongst Earth's mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle-are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture.
And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist . . . ...Read More
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The Fifth Season- N.K. Jemisin
Readers said:
"ashfall and climate change", "epic dystopian fantasy", "broken earth trilogy", "subtle and well-designed"
At the end of the world, a woman must hide her secret power and find her kidnapped daughter in this "intricate and extraordinary" Hugo Award winning novel of power, oppression, and revolution. (The New York Times)
This is the way the world ends. . .for the last time.
It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester.
This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy.
Read the first b ...Read More
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The Windup Girl- Paolo Bacigalupi
Readers said:
"biopunk dystopic science fiction", "strong plot line", "slow and flat", "themes and premise"
Winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards for best novel, the break-out science fiction debut featuring additional stories and a Q & A with the author.
Anderson Lake is AgriGen's Calorie Man, sent to work undercover as a factory manager in Thailand while combing Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories.
Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. Emiko is not human; she is an engineered being, grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, so ...Read More
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Seveneves- Neal Stephenson
Readers said:
"technological tour de force", "epic science fiction", "entertaining, but seriously flawed", "near-future, hard science fiction"
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anathem, Reamde, and Cryptonomicon comes an exciting and thought-provoking science fiction epic-a grand story of annihilation and survival spanning five thousand years.
What would happen if the world were ending?
A catastrophic event renders the earth a ticking time bomb. In a feverish race against the inevitable, nations around the globe band together to devise an ambitious plan to ensure the survival of humanity far beyond our atmosphere, in outer space.
But the complexities and unpredictability of human nature coupled with unforeseen challenges and dangers threaten the intrepid pioneers, until only a handful of survivors rema ...Read More
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