Non-Fiction Reads to Check Out

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula LeGuin 

First published in 1969, the Left Hand of Darkness was a groundbreaking work of feminist science fiction, telling the story of Genly Ai, an emissary to a faraway planet whose inhabitants experience gender fluidly. The book studies gender and society through the lens of a gripping science fiction tale and the profound, impactful prose is sure to stick with you, even after you complete it. 

Dune by Frank Herbert 

Set in a distant future in which various noble houses control planets like feudal lords, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, whose family become the overlords of Arrakis, a harsh desert wasteland. However, despite its outward appearance, Arrakis is of much strategic importance as it is the only source of the “spice,” a substance that improves mental abilities and life spans, and is required for space travel. The world of Dune is a world of intrigue and plotting families, playing an interstellar game of chess for power and influence. At the center of it all is Paul, who, after his family is betrayed, is forced to flee into the desert where he discovers things about himself that he had not previously expected. Dune is an odd, dense book, but it is full of rich world-building, vibrant characters, strange creatures, and arcane magic that makes it feel absolutely worthwhile. 

Starship Troopers by Robert A. Heinlein

Starship Troopers is set in the future society based on a hyper-militarized, space version of an American empire. The protagonist is a member of the army, which is engaged in a war against a bug-like alien species. The book is a classic, but it’s important to keep the author’s dubious politics in mind as certain parts of the book can seem like an endorsement of militarism or a form of American fascism, and others seem as if they are glorifying the military and advocating for corporal punishment. However, other interpretations, such as the 1997 Paul Verhoeven film adaptation tend to satirize those beliefs instead. Regardless of Heinlein's beliefs, the novel was extremely influential for science fiction, influencing other books such as Ender’s Game, and a wide array of movies and video games. Also, be warned, Heinlein tends to wax philosophical at times.

Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood 

Margaret Atwood is mainly recognized for her works such as the Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace; however, Oryx and Crake, published in 2003, is just as deserving of praise as the rest of her works. Oryx and Crake is told through the perspective of a character named “Snowman,” who lives in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by creatures called “crakers.” Much of the book focuses on his past and the world as it used to be, dominated by corporations and with genetic engineering, hybrid animals, and other strange, scientific creations as a reality. The book is the first in a trilogy and provides a disturbing, concerningly realistic vision of the possible future, if science is allowed to progress without bounds. 

The Road by Cormac McCarthy 

Although not quite a science fiction novel (alas, it is technically “post-apocalyptic fiction”), The Road is the deeply harrowing story of a father and son traveling through the wreckage of the United States, after some sort of apocalyptic event. McCarthy is considered to be one of the most recognizable figures in the post-apocalyptic genre, and for good reason. While dark and grueling, his books are compulsively readable and compelling. 

On the Beach by Nevil Shute

Similarly to The Road, On the Beach deals with the apocalypse. Set in Australia, the book is about various characters grappling with their impending death, after nuclear war in the Western hemisphere. It describes each of their struggles and thoughts as they wait for the radiation to reach them. The book was published in 1957 and reflects the Cold War fears of nuclear war. The grim, haunting story isn’t as completely, abjectly miserable as it sounds (I swear!), and while it is a very sobering read, it is also incredibly thought-provoking. 

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy 

No science fiction list is complete without this classic (and, the humor of it is definitely needed to balance this one out) The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a comedic science fiction series that was originally adapted from a BBC radio series. Its light-hearted attitude and clever sense of humor have made it a beloved story for generations of readers. The main character, Arthur Dent, is a human who is thrust into a series of adventures in space after the scheduled demolition of the earth in order to make space for the building of a hyperspace bypass. He is rescued by Ford Prefect, an eccentric alien writer, Trilllian, a fellow human, Zaphod Beeblebrox, the renegade President of the Galaxy, and Marvin, an android who grapples with depression as a result of his programming.