Reading is one of those hobbies which truly grooms a man and makes him intellectual. As a man reads, he is able to imagine the story written by the author and is able to relive it again and again. While there are a variety of genres available to read, one of the best that a man can choose is science fiction, as it completely takes him to another world. Think about the moon, the stars, the whole universe and you will be there when you read science fiction books.
It is believed that science fiction was first written in the mid-1600s, when Johannes Kepler and Francis Godwin wrote pioneering stories about voyages to the moon. However, some scholars believe that science fiction was truly born in the year of 1818, when Mary Shelley wrote the famous Frankenstein. Now, science fiction is all mixed up with sub genres such as fantasy, horror, dystopian fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, and climate fiction, just to name a few.
Keeping this in mind, we have come up with a list of some of the best science fiction reads that will make men read it again and again. Let us have a look:
The Echo Wife
The Echo Wife, written by Sarah Gailey is insanely good, depicting an award winning scientist Evelyn who has founded the cloning technology. However, her own husband is not in love with her and is cheating on her with her clone and that is when things start to get ugly. This sci-fi novel is the perfect depiction of why men should never cheat on someone, especially someone close to them.
Contact
Contact was written by Carl Sagan that talks about a principled astronomer, Dr Ellie Arroway who detects and decrypts a deep-space transmission from a planetary system far, far away. The author talks about the often antagonistic relationship between science and religion, asking if perhaps both are seeking contact in different forms. If you believe in extraterrestrial intelligence, then this book is the perfect read for you.
Snow Crash
Written by Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash has its own Metaverse, long before Facebook was found, where its protagonist is living a double life. While in reality he delivers pizza for the Mafia, in the Metaverse he is a hacker and a warrior prince. As soon as he learns about a lethal virus picking off hackers one by one, he races to find its dastardly architect that sends him pinballing through everything from technological conspiracy to ancient Sumerian mythology. Men who are fans of virtual reality should grab this book as soon as possible.
Solaris
Solaris was written by Stanislaw Lem and showcases a scientist Kris Kevlin who has landed on the planet Solaris to study the mysterious ocean enveloping its surface. They soon learn that this ocean is aloof and unknowable, but leads to these explorers reflecting back on their memories. If you are a man who is into philosophical sci fi, then Solaris is a good read for you.
Neuromancer
Neuromancer, written by William Gibson, is known to be a novel of the cyberpunk genre that depicts an ex cyber cowboy who has been banished from cyberspace by his former employers. However, when a criminal syndicate knocks on his door, promising to restore his uplink in exchange for his hacking services, the novel transforms into a kaleidoscopic espionage thriller. If cyberpunk is your second name then Neuromancer is the book for you.
A Clockwork Orange
Written by Anthony Burgess, A Clockwork Orange is one of the favourites of high school students, mostly because it is a good piece of literature. This transgressive dystopia is the story of Alex, a teenage gangster who leads his fellow droogs in shocking acts of ultra violence—until he’s apprehended by the draconian police. While he is in prison, Alex is subjected to a brutal reconditioning, leaving him a changed and diminished man. If you are a fan of books such as 1984, then this book is the right one for you.
A Wrinkle In Time
Written by Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time is a book not just for adults but for young men as well. It is a story about tweenage siblings Meg and Charles Murray, who travel through the universe by way of a space-time-folding tesseract. While searching for their missing father, Meg and Charles encounter galactic marvels of all kinds, from a utopian planet to the source of all evil in the universe. If you are a man who is just beginning to read science fiction, then we believe that this book will be a great start for you.
The Stand
The Stand, written by Stephen King, is a mixture of horror, fantasy and science fiction that depicts a story about the eternal struggle between the good and the evil. When a bioengineered influenza virus escapes from a government laboratory, mankind succumbs to the deadly pandemic in just weeks, leaving the survivors scattered across the barren United States. At the same time, two communities fight to wipe each other out. If you are a fan of post apocalyptic or dark fantasy, something that generally men are fond of, then The Stand is the perfect choice for you.
Red Mars
Written by Kim Stanley Robinson, Red Mars is known to be the best novel about the colonisation of Mars that has ever been written. The story takes place in 2026, when colonists fleeing an overpopulated Earth touch down on the red planet. Carefully selected and trained, they set about the task of terraforming hostile, sandswept Mars, but establishing a viable settlement will demand everything they have to give. If you are into hard science, and have been following humanity’s effort to know more about Mars, then Red Mars is the perfect book for you.
Conclusion
When it comes to reading, most men go for science fiction novels as it is thrilling, gripping and certainly an adventure to imagine rather than the novels of other genres. Sure, men can go for romantic comedies and fantasy genres too but science fiction is a genre that makes their world go upside down while they are reading a science fiction book.
Science fiction books bring out the best of your imaginations as well as evoke a sense of wonder while you are reading. Through the enduring themes of science fiction, we can examine the zeitgeist’s cultural context and ethical questions. It brings out the most everlasting and thought provoking questions inside you while you are reading a science fiction novel.
Of course, choosing the above few science fiction books for men was not an easy job but we did what we could. Now it is your turn to get a hand on these novels and get on reading them.