NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books
Ranked By
33.5K votes
2.1K voters
9 reranks
Voting Rules
Vote on NPR's original list of best Science Fiction & Fantasy books
What are the top 100 science-fiction and fantasy books ever written? This is an argument that will go on until the end of time with buffs of both these genres. NPR came up with their list of the Best 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books. So, do you agree with the choices? Was there a book left off? Vote for the scifi and fantasy books that you believe are the absolute best. Add any shows that you believe deserve votes, and of course, feel free to re-rank this list of books in the order you think is correct.
Many of the books listed here are classics. Most people can agree that The Lord of the Rings, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe, 1984, Fahrenheit 451 and A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire are amazing works of literature and considered not only some of  the best science fiction books, but maybe the best books ever.
Here is your chance to vote for your favorite science fiction and fantasy book and you can rerank these books as feel you deem to be correct. There are plenty of great options to choose from so vote and rerank to go along with your own opinion.Most divisive: The Time Traveler's Wife
Over 2.1K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of NPR's Top 100 Science Fiction & Fantasy Books
- 11
- First Published: 1954-07-29
- Subjects: Literary, Epic film, Literature, Classics, Drama
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Chivalric romance, Fiction, Adventure fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Dig Deeper The Best Selling Books of All Time
Also ranks #1 on The Best Fantasy Book Series- Also ranks #1 on Other Books Game of Thrones (ASOIAF) Fans Will Love
Purchase
- 26
- First Published: 1949-06-08
- Subjects: Brainwashing, Literature, Classics, English Language, English Literature
- Genres (Book): Utopian and dystopian fiction, Social science fiction, Political fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Dig Deeper The Best Selling Books of All Time
- Also ranks #1 on The Greatest Science Fiction Novels Of All Time
- Also ranks #1 on The Greatest Dystopian Novels
Purchase
- 34
- First Published: 1965
- Subjects: Galaxy, Space opera, Adventure
- Genres (Book): Philosophy, Planetary romance, Military science fiction, Conspiracy fiction, Psychological thriller
- Original Language: English Language
- Dig Deeper The Best Selling Books of All Time
- Also ranks #1 on 20 Books That Deserve Much Better Adaptations Than They Got
- Also ranks #1 on The Best Sci Fi Book Series
Purchase
- 416
- First Published: 1950
- Subjects: American science fiction, Film
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Short story, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 52
- First Published: 1979-10-12
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Comic novel, Comic science fiction, Humour, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Dig Deeper The Best Selling Books of All Time
- Also ranks #1 on 15 Classic Sci-Fi Books You Have To Read To Get Real Nerd Cred
- Also ranks #1 on The Best Douglas Adams Books
Purchase
- 634
- First Published: 1951
- Subjects: Computers
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 77
- First Published: 1953
- Subjects: Bibliophilia, American science fiction, Literature, Book burning, Classics
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Utopian and dystopian fiction, Children's literature, Dystopia, Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on 11 Horrifying Fictional Dystopias That Keep Us Up At Night
- Also ranks #2 on The Greatest Science Fiction Novels Of All Time
- Also ranks #2 on Famous Novels With The Catchiest First Lines
Purchase
- 88
Purchase
- 93
- First Published: 1985
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 1036
- First Published: 1895
- Subjects: Literary, Education, Literature, Classics, Adventure
- Genres (Book): Romance novel, Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Dystopia, Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #3 on 15 Classic Sci-Fi Books You Have To Read To Get Real Nerd Cred
- Also ranks #4 on The Greatest Science Fiction Novels Of All Time
- Also ranks #4 on Fantastic Sci-Fi Stories You Love That Were Ruined By Their Utterly Terrible Movie Versions
Purchase
- 1159
- First Published: 1898
- Subjects: Literary, Education, Motorcycles, Performing arts, Adult
- Genres (Book): Children's literature, Fiction, Scientific romance, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #2 on The Best Alien Contact Novels
- Also ranks #7 on The Greatest Science Fiction Novels Of All Time
- Also ranks #15 on Weird History Readers Share The History Facts That Seem Ridiculous But Are Actually True
Purchase
- 1211
- First Published: 1973
- Subjects: Literature, Classics, Adventure
- Genres (Book): Romance novel, Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Romance
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on The Best Books About Books
- Also ranks #7 on Novels With The Best Love Stories
- Also ranks #12 on The Best Books For Teens
Purchase
- 1321
- First Published: 1968
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #2 on The Best Philip K. Dick Books
- Also ranks #3 on The Best Cyberpunk Novels
- Also ranks #8 on The Greatest Dystopian Novels
Purchase
- 14
- First Published: 1945-08-17
- Subjects: Monarch, Literary, Literature, Classics, Drama
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Roman à clef, Satire, Children's literature, Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #2 on The Greatest Dystopian Novels
- Also ranks #2 on Books That Changed Your Life
- Also ranks #2 on The Best George Orwell Books
Purchase
- 1531
- First Published: 1959-12
- Subjects: Military
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction, Philosophical fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 169
- Subjects: Literary, Technology, Brainwashing, Literature, Classics
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Utopian and dystopian fiction, Children's literature, Dystopia, Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #3 on The Greatest Experimental Literature
- Also ranks #4 on The Best Satirical Novels
- Also ranks #4 on The Greatest Dystopian Novels
Purchase
- 1717
- First Published: 1961-06-01
- Subjects: Consumerism, Classics, Mars
- Genres (Book): Fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #7 on 15 Classic Sci-Fi Books You Have To Read To Get Real Nerd Cred
- Also ranks #9 on The Best Sci Fi Book Series
- Also ranks #13 on The Best Sci-Fi Novels For Smart People
Purchase
- 1820
- First Published: 1818-01-01
- Subjects: Science, Love
- Genres (Book): Romance novel, Speculative fiction, Suspense, Horror Film, Romanticism
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on The Scariest Audiobooks (That You Love To Listen To)
- Also ranks #5 on The Greatest Science Fiction Novels Of All Time
- Dig Deeper The Origins of the 10 Most Iconic Monsters in Pop Culture
Purchase
- 2044
- First Published: 1970
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Novel, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 2133
- First Published: 1968-07
- Subjects: Dragon, Epic film, Time travel
- Genres (Book): Children's literature, Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 2210
- First Published: 2001
- Subjects: Literary, Comics
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Horror Film, Fiction, Novel
- Original Language: English Language
- Dig Deeper Answers To All The Lingering Questions In Neil Gaiman's American Gods
- And Deeper What You Need to Know About Neil Gaiman’s American Gods Before It Hits Starz
- Also ranks #60 on The Scariest Novels of All Time
Purchase
- 2337
- First Published: 1870
- Subjects: Literary, Literature, Classics, Adventure
- Genres (Book): Children's literature, Fiction, Novel, Scientific romance, Adventure fiction
- Original Language: French Language
Purchase
- 2425
- First Published: 1978
- Subjects: Research
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Children's literature, Horror Film, Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on Scenes From Stephen King Books Too Awful For The Big Screen
- Also ranks #4 on The All-Time Greatest Works Of Stephen King
- Also ranks #5 on Are You Brave Enough To Read The 10 Scariest Stephen King Books?
Purchase
- 2512
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Fantasy
Purchase
- 2638
- First Published: 1959
- Subjects: Literary, American science fiction, Mental retardation, Young adult, Surgery
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Novel, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 2757
- First Published: 1992
- Subjects: Religion
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy
Purchase
- 2827
- First Published: 1950
- Subjects: American science fiction, Literature, Classics, Drama
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Utopian and dystopian fiction, Fiction, Short story
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #3 on Great Books They Haven't Made Into Movies Yet (But Should)
- Also ranks #4 on The Best Ray Bradbury Books
- Also ranks #5 on The Best Alien Contact Novels
Purchase
- 2932
- First Published: 1972-11
- Subjects: Literary, Epic film, Literature, Rabbits, Classics
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #11 on Classic Books You Never Need To Read Again
- Also ranks #24 on Books You Didn't Really Need To Read In Middle School
- Also ranks #30 on The Best Audiobook Versions of Classic Novels
Purchase
- 3043
- First Published: 2006-07-17
- Genres (Book): Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 3142
- First Published: 1983-01
- Subjects: Morgause, Feminism, History, Great Britain
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 3366
Purchase
- 3468
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Sword and sorcery, Short story, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 3519
- First Published: 1969
- Subjects: Literary, American science fiction, Classics, Prisoner of war, World War II
- Genres (Book): Philosophy, Speculative fiction, War novel, Black comedy, Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on The Best Kurt Vonnegut Books
- Also ranks #1 on The Greatest Experimental Literature
- Also ranks #2 on The Best Satirical Novels
Purchase
- 3652
- First Published: 1999-02-01
- Subjects: Literary, Adventure, England, Comics
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Novel, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 3741
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 3860
- First Published: 2004
- Subjects: Civil service
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Fantasy
Purchase
- 3949
- First Published: 1953
- Subjects: Human extinction
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Catastrophic literature, Science Fiction, Transhumanism
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 4048
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 4151
Purchase
- 4218
- First Published: 2007-03-27
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Heroic fantasy, Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 4376
- First Published: 1972
- Subjects: First contact, Big Dumb Object
- Genres (Book): Science Fiction, Speculative fiction, Hard science fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 4414
- First Published: 1984-07-01
- Subjects: Nervous system, The Internet, Business intelligence, Japan
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Dystopia, Cyberpunk, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on The Best Cyberpunk Novels
- Also ranks #3 on Everyday Terms That Have Surprising Pop Culture Origins
- Also ranks #9 on 15 Classic Sci-Fi Books You Have To Read To Get Real Nerd Cred
Purchase
- 4565
- First Published: 1954
- Subjects: Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Horror tales, American, Horror Film, Vampire
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Dystopia, Horror Film, Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #7 on Fantastic Sci-Fi Stories You Love That Were Ruined By Their Utterly Terrible Movie Versions
- Also ranks #22 on The Scariest Novels of All Time
- Also ranks #34 on The 100+ Best Horror Novels Of All Time, Ranked
Purchase
- 4656
- First Published: 1974
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 4747
- First Published: 1958
- Subjects: Popular literature
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 4823
- First Published: 2004-09-21
- Subjects: Literary, Epic film, Suspense, Horror Film, Maine
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Suspense, Horror Film, Fiction, Western fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on Fantastic Sci-Fi Stories You Love That Were Ruined By Their Utterly Terrible Movie Versions
- Dig Deeper The Biggest Connections Between 'IT' And Stephen King's Other Books
- Also ranks #3 on The Best Times Stephen King Connected One Of His Books To Another
Purchase
- 4950
- First Published: 1985-09
- Subjects: Adventure, Exploration, First contact, Search for extraterrestrial intelligence
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 5071
- Genres (Book): High fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 5122
- First Published: 1985
- Subjects: Feminism
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Utopian and dystopian fiction, Dystopia, Feminist science fiction, Novel
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 5245
- First Published: 1969-03
- Subjects: Anarchism, Feminism
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Feminist science fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 5340
- First Published: 1999
- Genres (Book): Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #26 on Other Books Game of Thrones (ASOIAF) Fans Will Love
- Also ranks #48 on The Best Fantasy Book Series
- Also ranks #59 on The Best Fantasy Worlds
Purchase
- 5494
- First Published: 1954-06
- Subjects: Adventure
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Mystery, Fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 5634
- First Published: 1966
- Subjects: Social revolution, Self-governance, American science fiction, Colonialism, Colonization of the Moon
- Genres (Book): Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 5746
- First Published: 1977
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 5879
- First Published: 1962
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Soft science fiction, Horror Film, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on The Best Ray Bradbury Books
- Also ranks #15 on The Scariest Novels of All Time
- Also ranks #19 on The 100+ Best Horror Novels Of All Time, Ranked
Purchase
- 5988
- Subjects: Space opera, Star Wars
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction
Purchase
- 6061
- First Published: 1974
- Subjects: First contact
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Novel, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 6135
- First Published: 1960
- Subjects: American science fiction, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Christianity, Classics, Monasticism
- Genres (Book): Post-holocaust, Speculative fiction, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 6230
- First Published: 1962
- Subjects: Brainwashing, Classics
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Utopian and dystopian fiction, Satire, Dystopia, Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #2 on The Best Novels About Sociopaths
- Also ranks #5 on The Greatest Experimental Literature
- Also ranks #5 on The 21 Best Cult Classic Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down
Purchase
- 6329
Purchase
- 6426
- First Published: 1992-06
- Subjects: The Internet, Computers, Cyberspace, Anarchism, Nanotechnology
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Cyberpunk, Postcyberpunk, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 6591
- Subjects: American science fiction, Classics
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Short story, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 6655
- First Published: 1968
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 6774
- First Published: 2005
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Novel, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 6873
- Genres (Book): Fiction, Fantasy
Purchase
- 6962
- First Published: 1977
- Subjects: Epic film, Adventure
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 7096
- First Published: 1977
- Subjects: Disaster, Impact event
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Novel, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 7190
Purchase
- 7299
Purchase
- 7328
- First Published: 1963
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Satire, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 7458
- First Published: 1977
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 7563
- First Published: 2006-09-26
- Subjects: Survival skills, Literary, Adventure, United States of America
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, Fiction, Literary fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
- Also ranks #1 on The Best Science Fiction Audiobook Performances
- Also ranks #2 on 'The NYT' Best 100 Books Of The 21st Century, Re-Ranked By Readers
- Also ranks #5 on The Best Pulitzer Prize Winning Novels
Purchase
- 7678
- First Published: 1974
- Subjects: Literary, Anarchism
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 7784
- First Published: 1970
- Subjects: Wizards, Mythology, Literature, Folklore
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Children's literature, Historical fiction, Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 7895
- First Published: 1992
- Subjects: Government, Colonization of Mars, Mars in fiction, Space elevator, Terraforming of Mars
- Genres (Book): Science fiction, Hard science fiction, Planetary romance
- Original Language: English
Purchase
- 7953
- First Published: 1999
- Subjects: Literary, Computers, Espionage, Alan Turing, Cryptanalysis
- Genres (Book): Fiction, Novel
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 8062
- Genres (Book): Fiction, Fantasy
Purchase
- 8170
- First Published: 2003-09-17
- Genres (Book): Science fiction, Romance novel
- Original Language: English
- Also ranks #4 on The Best Eric Bana Movies, Ranked
- Also ranks #5 on The Best Rachel McAdams Movies That Prove She's Got The Range
- Also ranks #10 on Great Movies About the Death of a Spouse
Purchase
- 8264
- First Published: 2004-09-08
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Alternate history, Historical novel, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 83100
Purchase
- 8459
Purchase
- 8580
- First Published: 1995
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Parallel novel, Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 8675
- First Published: 1995
- Subjects: Encryption, Cult, Anarchism, Nanotechnology, Computer Science
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fiction, Cyberpunk, Postcyberpunk, Science Fiction
- Original Language: American English, English Language
Purchase
- 8793
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Hard science fiction, Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 8882
- First Published: 2001-07-19
- Subjects: Wales, Espionage, Fathers and Daughters
- Genres (Book): Alternate history, Fiction, Novel
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 8997
- First Published: 1992
- Subjects: Europe, Black Death, Middle Ages, Time travel, History
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Novel, Time travel, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 9085
- First Published: 2008-09-09
- Subjects: Philosophy, Mathematics
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Science Fiction
- Original Language: American English, English Language
Purchase
- 9198
- First Published: 2000
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Dystopia, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 9277
- First Published: 2001
- Genres (Book): Speculative fiction, Fantasy
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
- 9387
- Genres (Book): Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Original Language: English Language
Purchase
