Online, people always ask for recommendations of right-wing and Christian science fiction, as the myth that such works don’t exist still gets propagated in all of these spaces.
It's interesting to me that you included C.S. Lewis's "Out of the Silent Planet." It's definitely the most "science fiction-ey" in his trilogy, but I think the final book in the series is his best. "That Hideous Strength" is the book I think far more people should read- the fictional N.I.C.E organization he creates for the book and the tactics they employ (and the reasons behind them) seem absolutely and frightfully prophetic.
I feel like NICE was already representative of how bureaucrats and influential people were acting even in Lewis’ day. Things have been grim for a long time
Honestly, that book is one of the greatest books, sci-fi or not, that I have ever read! It changed my perspective on so many things. Kudos from me as well for putting it on the list!
I had the serendipitous fortune to read Snow Crash right after reading Democracy: The God That Failed. My takeaway? We’re already in Snow Crash. How bad of a dystopia is it really?
It's not dystopian IMO, but rather pragmatic and optimistic. The reduction of the USG to Fed Land (the former VA complex in Los Angeles) was super based 😉Sign me up for a burb clave!
I am neither right wing nor orthodox Christian - I am a member of the United Church of Canada, which is very liberal - but I have read all most all of these and I liked most of them.
Gene Wolfe is just brilliant. I have read all of his work that I could find, slowly and carefully as it demands. 10/10 would recommend.
“The moon is a harsh mistress” is my favourite of Heinlein’s work. Those looking for right wing work with a Christian bias could also read his “starship troopers”, which I also love, although it’s outrageously right wing, but it’s great. One could also try “Job“, which I think was Heinlein trying to work out his own religious beliefs; he grew up in the Bible Belt and struggled with that. I don’t remember it as well as some of his other books, so maybe it wasn’t as good.
“A Canticle for Leibowitz“ was also brilliant. I have never been sure if it was an expression of faith or of doubt.
The High Crusade is great!
I thought Lewis’ “Out of the Silent Planet“ trilogy is the weakest of his work; I found it pretty heavy-handed. I preferred “The Great Divorce”, but that doesn’t really qualify as science fiction. Well worth reading though.
Pournelle is too war-happy for me. I like the things he co-wrote with Larry Niven. They are still very right wing, but inventive and entertaining.
I haven’t read Hyperion or Space Pirates of Andromeda and will look for them.
But all great discoveries are based on the work that was done before them, and the work done by people all around them who supported it; and frequently the result of work done by teams. Some science fiction notices this.
*Earth Abides* made a great impression on me when I was young: someone awakes up after a snakebite and finds society abandoned. Gradually, he finds other survivors and they rebuild society in their own way. They raises questions of values, religion, and other such things along the way. The main characters name *Ish* is Hebrew for “man.” Also, the title based on the line from Ecclesiastes: “Generations come and go, but earth abides.” https://amzn.to/4pgUskl
I’m very glad that you noted this one, which is one of my favorites. I think there was a television series, which just did not work for me. But the book FTW!
Drug slang? You're thinking of the word "Freebase" which is a method of smoking cocaine. I was drug & alcohol NCO in my last unit in the Army. I was the guy coordinating surprise random urinalysis testing in the middle of the night. Lol
Based means that you're a critical thinker not a fool, you speak honestly, Logically and unapologetically without any concern for offending anyone. Being based is being more concerned with truth, Logic, and science than anyone's feelings. Based means confident, assertive, intelligent, well read, Logical and zero tolerance for bullshit, and the ability to back up what you say with incontestable argument.
It's not a Right or Left political thing though. However, most Leftist ideology isn't even Logically sound, moreover Democrats & RINOs in the United States of America, are a psychotic gang of compulsive liars, but I digress. I'm being based.
"There are only two sexes male & female. Gender is a linguistic reference that the undereducated, and ignorant conflate with biological sex. Gender has nothing whatsoever to do with sex or sexuality." That's a based statement.
Excellent list!
Niven and Pournelle’s The Mote in God’s Eye and Heinlein’s Starship Troopers are also incredibly based must-reads
Agreed but i didn't want to rep them twice :)
Great list!!!
There are some on your list that I need to read.
DUNE has to make it
“Ten Based Science-Fiction Books That Should Be In Every Reader’s Library*”
*In addition to Starship Troopers.
The movie was better than the book
It's interesting to me that you included C.S. Lewis's "Out of the Silent Planet." It's definitely the most "science fiction-ey" in his trilogy, but I think the final book in the series is his best. "That Hideous Strength" is the book I think far more people should read- the fictional N.I.C.E organization he creates for the book and the tactics they employ (and the reasons behind them) seem absolutely and frightfully prophetic.
That Hideous Strength is definitely the best of the three.
I feel like NICE was already representative of how bureaucrats and influential people were acting even in Lewis’ day. Things have been grim for a long time
THS changed my worldview. A masterpiece.
Theft of Fire should be on there too ;)
I need to get around to reading that.
I’ve slogged through some bad indies. Theft of Fire is a rare treat
Also available as an audiobook if that helps!
It’s honestly too soon to call it a “classic”, especially since only the first out four books is out, but it IS a hell of a read!
(Which I ironically have read three times already, based solely on the fact that it was mentioned here!)
Armor - John Steakley should be on this list.
Definitely
Seconded
I’m overjoyed to see A Canticle for Leibowitz on your list! I’m also pleased that it finally made it into Amazon’s Kindle catalog.
Honestly, that book is one of the greatest books, sci-fi or not, that I have ever read! It changed my perspective on so many things. Kudos from me as well for putting it on the list!
Thank you for the excellent list. I have read, and re-read, a number of these books and shall seek out the few I missed in the past.
Snow Crash!!!
I had the serendipitous fortune to read Snow Crash right after reading Democracy: The God That Failed. My takeaway? We’re already in Snow Crash. How bad of a dystopia is it really?
It's not dystopian IMO, but rather pragmatic and optimistic. The reduction of the USG to Fed Land (the former VA complex in Los Angeles) was super based 😉Sign me up for a burb clave!
I agree. It’s not a real list without Snow Crash.
All 10 by men? No thank you. Feel free to step out of the 1950s and into the 21st century:
Frankenstein/ Mary Shelley
The Handmaid's Tale / Margaret Atwood
The Hunger Games / Suzanne Collins
The Left Hand of Darkness / Ursula le Guin
Divergent / Veronica Roth
The Time Travelers Wife / Audrey Niffenegger
The Snow Queen / Joan Vinge
Beggars In Spain / Nancy Kress
Delirium / Lauren Oliver
Binti / Nnedi Okorafor
It's a based list. Not cringe.
Huh?
Some better ones -
* Up the walls of the world / James Tiptree (pseudo for Alice Sheldon)
* Heavy Time - C J Cherryh
* Blood Opera (trilogy) - Tanith Lee
* The Witching Hour - Anne Rice
* Black Sun Rising - C. S. Friedman
Nice. I've already read over half of the books on this list. Guess I should check out the others.
I am neither right wing nor orthodox Christian - I am a member of the United Church of Canada, which is very liberal - but I have read all most all of these and I liked most of them.
Gene Wolfe is just brilliant. I have read all of his work that I could find, slowly and carefully as it demands. 10/10 would recommend.
“The moon is a harsh mistress” is my favourite of Heinlein’s work. Those looking for right wing work with a Christian bias could also read his “starship troopers”, which I also love, although it’s outrageously right wing, but it’s great. One could also try “Job“, which I think was Heinlein trying to work out his own religious beliefs; he grew up in the Bible Belt and struggled with that. I don’t remember it as well as some of his other books, so maybe it wasn’t as good.
“A Canticle for Leibowitz“ was also brilliant. I have never been sure if it was an expression of faith or of doubt.
The High Crusade is great!
I thought Lewis’ “Out of the Silent Planet“ trilogy is the weakest of his work; I found it pretty heavy-handed. I preferred “The Great Divorce”, but that doesn’t really qualify as science fiction. Well worth reading though.
Pournelle is too war-happy for me. I like the things he co-wrote with Larry Niven. They are still very right wing, but inventive and entertaining.
I haven’t read Hyperion or Space Pirates of Andromeda and will look for them.
Thanks for the list!
Most science fiction is anti-socialist, pro-individual. Right/left wing is subjective.
The first two Star Trek pilots promoted individual liberty and responsibility.
Though it misses the immense amount of communal support that was necessary to develop a high level of science in the first place.
Are you implying science requires socialism?
What makes science great is the power of the individual. One person can make discoveries missed by millions before.
Science was inhibited by governments around the world for thousands of years.
But all great discoveries are based on the work that was done before them, and the work done by people all around them who supported it; and frequently the result of work done by teams. Some science fiction notices this.
*Earth Abides* made a great impression on me when I was young: someone awakes up after a snakebite and finds society abandoned. Gradually, he finds other survivors and they rebuild society in their own way. They raises questions of values, religion, and other such things along the way. The main characters name *Ish* is Hebrew for “man.” Also, the title based on the line from Ecclesiastes: “Generations come and go, but earth abides.” https://amzn.to/4pgUskl
I’m very glad that you noted this one, which is one of my favorites. I think there was a television series, which just did not work for me. But the book FTW!
Does the drug slang "based" mean "right-coded" nowadays? I'm middle-aged, and I am still trying to figure out the lingo.
Drug slang? You're thinking of the word "Freebase" which is a method of smoking cocaine. I was drug & alcohol NCO in my last unit in the Army. I was the guy coordinating surprise random urinalysis testing in the middle of the night. Lol
Based means that you're a critical thinker not a fool, you speak honestly, Logically and unapologetically without any concern for offending anyone. Being based is being more concerned with truth, Logic, and science than anyone's feelings. Based means confident, assertive, intelligent, well read, Logical and zero tolerance for bullshit, and the ability to back up what you say with incontestable argument.
It's not a Right or Left political thing though. However, most Leftist ideology isn't even Logically sound, moreover Democrats & RINOs in the United States of America, are a psychotic gang of compulsive liars, but I digress. I'm being based.
"There are only two sexes male & female. Gender is a linguistic reference that the undereducated, and ignorant conflate with biological sex. Gender has nothing whatsoever to do with sex or sexuality." That's a based statement.
That was such a fun extra duty.
See Meme #1 at the bottom of this post for a succinct summary:
https://substack.com/home/post/p-179843817
Also, this link is a treasure trove of slang definitions and examples, if you're looking for a quick primer.
I did notice no Asimov, but he wasn't based.