Photo by Romain Kamin
Science fiction is more than a creative use of science and technology carefully entwined in plots and thrills coming from the writer’s mind; it offers a chance to see life differently and far different from what reality provides.
Bookworms would always love a good thrill and mystery in their reading list. It’s what changed a person to become a fan of novels when words are so creatively twisted with ingenious plots embedded and rich with mysteries that it’s so hard to put down the book and do anything else.
All the more when it comes to science fiction novels. Science fiction literature is so full of riddles and enigmas, with the added touch of innovative technology weaved cleverly into storylines, making the readers’ brains work overtime, stimulating their imagination and sense of the real world. After all, a good sci-fi novel aims to make its readers think far, and beyond the world they know of, broadening their horizons and opening them up to the thousands of possibilities that science and technology can offer to men and society.
More than that, science fiction also offers its readers the opportunity of becoming resilient. Studies show that reading this literature genre boosts a person’s critical thinking skills and emotional intelligence, making them speculate and think out-of-the-box solutions for complex problems. At the same time, honing their survival skills through a mindset that says, “yes, it is possible.”
So, science fiction can change people and how they see the world.
Check out below lists of some of the top sci-fi novels that not only captured their readers’ hearts and minds but also inspired and motivated people towards the limitless use and capacities of what science and technology can do to people’s lives.
The Time Machine
Where would the world of science fiction be without the classic novel “The Time Machine”? This first novel of H. G. Wells, published in 1895, is said to be the mother of sci-fi books and the origin of the “time travel” fantasy genre.
With a twist of romance inserted into the plot, “The Time Machine” depicts the story of a Victorian scientist who claims to have invented the machine that can enable him to travel through time. The scientist could go into the future where he saw how humans “evolved” into two different species.
Wells was a fan of the Darwinian model of evolution by natural selection.
The novel started a following hooked on the idea of space and time travel and was adapted into several academic publications and different media formats such as radio and film.
Neuromancer
If you’re into world domination by computer type of plot, then you’re probably an offspring of the cyberpunk literature genre. And the one novel that started it all? The “Neuromancer.”
In 1984, William Gibson published the “Neuromancer,” setting the world on fire with the possibility of technology ruling over humans. The dystopian futuristic plot revolves around an unemployed computer hacker, Case, hired by Armitage’s mysterious employer to commit a series of crimes on an orbiting space station called Freeside.
The book is an explosion – and probably set the pace – of artificial intelligence (AIs) and cyber technology.
Jurassic Park
A book that has massively transitioned into several successful sequels, “Jurassic Park” changed (and perhaps boosted) the world’s view on the science of genetic engineering.
Author Michael Crichton was well-known for his thorough research in the field of advanced technology, particularly in genetic engineering; hence, it was no surprise when this all-time bestselling fan science fiction “Jurassic Park” stood the test of time and captured all forms of media for its adaptation.
Who hasn’t watched this film remake version? The novel sparked and further enhanced the interest in the Mesozoic prehistoric dinosaur era, giving life back to these monstrous dinosaurs and giant reptiles that roamed the earth 252 million to 66 million years ago. And if there’s one novel that’s in it for the long run of long-running sequels, it’s “Jurassic Park.”
Moon Luck
Ready to take on outer space? Check out “Moon Luck,” a sci-fi novel. Wayne Scott Harral’s take on the possibilities of men living on the moon is a futuristic vision that is an enduring part of science’s life research. The novel is plotful of suspense and thriller, telling of moon colonies and revolving around the life of astronaut scientists and explorers as they try to conduct experiments and research to determine the possibility of men finally living on the moon. When murder enters the story as one base member dies, the story becomes thrilling and captivating – so much so it’s a book that’s so hard to put down!
Takeaway
Science fiction offers more than just an escape from an overwhelming reality; it gives its readers endless perspectives and possibilities that when they come back down to the real world, they can face it, ready and prepared with innovative and measurable solutions.
Grab a copy of Wayne Scott Harral’s Moon Luck on Amazon, or visit the author’s website at www.scottharral.com. Get ready for an exciting ride into outer space and science fiction!
