Sci-Fi for People Who Don’t Like Sci-Fi
NPR released a list of their top 100 best fantasy and sci-fi novels in 2011, which was comprised of novels that received nominations and votes from the public. As expected, the list’s top choices were known classics like 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, which have won over praise from critics and readers alike. Yet, journalist Liz Lutgendorff wrote in an article on the website New Statesman that a large portion of the novels on the list were “shockingly offensive” with many of them being misogynistic. If first impressions are everything, then it would be expected that the reputation of science fiction would have a difficult time losing the connotation of the lack of diversity the genre saw in its early years.
That being said, the genre has made a lot of progress since then with both a feminist sci-fi movement in the early 20th century and an Afrofuturism movement that focused on inclusion of the African diaspora. So, in an effort to introduce readers to a genre they may not even know they like, here are several sci-fi works that give a thrilling, interesting, and (most importantly) memorable reading experience that is more diverse and inclusive than the novels you may already know about.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin
The story centers around a species that can be either male or female. The novel dives into how gender affects a society, and was written by a well-regarded female author.
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
This first novel in a trilogy revolves around a team of women sent into “Area X” to explore. The gripping and intense story is told from one of the explorers perspectives.
Herland by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Written by a feminist author during the feminist sci-fi movement, this novel tells of male explorers discovering a society of all women. The depiction of a matriarchy is poignant in showing how feminine values could function without the presence of men.
An EBook of this novel is available online for free through Project Gutenburg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32/32-h/32-h.htm
2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson
A novel centered around a galactic terror investigation, but includes two main characters who are gender fluid. The themes explore both gender and sexuality in a futuristic setting.
Stars in my Pocket Like Grains of Sand by Samuel R. Delaney
Written by a respected sci-fi author who was notably a queer person of color, this 1984 novel was centered around a queer relationship and delves into the themes of sexuality and race.
An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon
Rivers Solomon’s debut novel, An Unkindness of Ghosts presents potent themes of structural racism as well as generational trauma. It’s set on a ship that is stratified based on the skin-tone of its passengers.
Links:
NPR List: https://www.npr.org/2011/08/11/139085843/your-picks-top-100-science-fiction-fantasy-books
New Statesman Article:
https://www.newstatesman.com/culture/2015/08/i-read-100-best-fantasy-and-sci-fi-novels-and-they-were-shockingly-offensive