American science fiction: a list of writers and books

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Currently, so many fantastic books have already been written that it is impossible to read them all in one human life. Even if you devote all your time to this, a person still lives too little to master the entire cumulative volume of such works.

Because of the large selection, avid readers often delve into the literary "garbage" and can not choose a worthy thing to read. Meanwhile, at the present moment, not just a lot of fantastic books have been written, but many good, simply excellent fantastic books. Some of them have become not only recognized masterpieces in their genre, but also influenced the development of literature in general.

American science fiction writers of the 20th century stood at the origins of the genre. Along with their British colleagues, they practically created science fiction, made it massive and extremely popular. Some of them were included in the list of "masters of science fiction". And if you count yourself among the fans of reading in general and the genre we are considering in particular, then be sure to get acquainted with these writers and their best works.

Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons (date of birth - 1948-04-04) is a modern American science fiction writer who does notgives preference to any one literary direction. From his pen came out books in the genre of fantasy, classic science fiction, horror, thriller, historical novel and action-packed detective. But above all, Dan Simmons is known as the author of one of the best space operas - the Hyperion Song tetralogy.

Here are his most significant works:

Hyperion Songs:

1. Hyperion (1989).
2. The Fall of Hyperion (1990).
3. "Endymion" (1996).
4. Endymion Rising (1997).

Also related to this cycle is the short story "Orphans of the Spiral", published in 1990

Darwin's Razor (2000) is an action-packed detective story flavored with a fair amount of black humor. A book about the confrontation between a famous expert on car accidents and the Russian mafia.

"Terror" (2007) - two genres organically intertwined in this work - a historical novel and a mystical thriller with horror elements. The plot was based on the true story of the tragic expedition of the ships "Terror" and "Erebos", but the author added to the plot, in addition to the quite plausible struggle of the crew with the Arctic cold and lack of food, also an attack on people by a huge monster. In March 2018, the series based on the novel The Terror began to air.

Night Trilogy:

1. "Summer Nights" (1991).
2. Children of the Night (1992).
3. Winter Ghosts (2002).

The first and third books are connected by plot and common characters. All works belong to the genrehorror.

Octavia Butler

This writer has become an iconic figure in African American culture. Her work is an amazing mixture of science fiction, historical fiction, African American literature and feminist ideas. She is one of the few women science fiction writers who have received worldwide recognition. Octavia Butler (June 22, 1947-February 24, 2006) was the recipient of numerous awards, including two Hugo and two Nebula awards. Her debut novel became the most famous and recognized of all the works - this is "Kin" (1979). It's about a black woman who goes back in time to save a white man and has to learn firsthand what it's like to be a slave. Interestingly, the book was rejected several times due to the fact that it raised a topic that was customary to hush up. But today, this work is required reading in almost all colleges in the United States.

Here are some more of Octavia Butler's best pieces:

1. Fledgling (2005).

2. Xenogenesis Cycle:

• Dawn (1987).
• “Rituals of adulthood (1988).
• "Imago" (1989).

3. Cycle "Parables":

• The Parable of the Sower (1993).
• The Parable of the Talents (1998).

Also, Octavia Butler wrote five works, united under the name Patternist.

Kurt Vonnegut

If you remember all the masters of science fiction, you can not fail to mention Kurt Vonnegut. "Cat's Cradle"- this is the author's most famous novel, which brought him worldwide popularity. The plot of the work is based on the fact that scientists managed to invent a new, previously unknown substance - ice 9. Just one crystal of modified water turns an entire pond into a block of ice, and any leak threatens to turn into a global catastrophe.

The writer's work organically combines science fiction with elements of the grotesque and parable. Vonnegut considered himself a humanist and therefore, in many of his works, he touched upon the themes of the responsibility of the world of science for the latest discoveries and their impact on the planet.

In addition to Cat's Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut (1922-11-11-2007-11-04) wrote many novels and short stories, among which the following stand out:

1. Sirens of Titan (1959).
2. Mechanical Piano (1952) – Russian translation of Utopia.
3. Slaughterhouse No. 5 (1969) is the author's second most important novel, which reflects his military past.
4. Crash in Time (1997) is a work that has left a noticeable mark on American literature.

Kurt Vonnegut is also the author of the comics that inspired the Tale from the Crypt series.

Isaac Asimov

Isaac Asimov's books take pride of place in the golden fund of world literature. "I, Robot" (1950), "Bicentennial Man" (1957), "Robots of Dawn" are not just stories and novels, they are the best examples of social fiction prose. They have long been considered iconic, and hundreds of other writers use them.concepts like “laws of robotics” and “Asimov’s robots.”

The books of Isaac Asimov (1920-02-01-1992-06-04) are not immediately addictive - the narration is leisurely, detailed, and the reader is completely immersed in the book gradually. But after the "buildup" there is a complete merger.

In addition to the novels mentioned, Isaac Asimov's must-read:

1. The Foundation (1951) or The Academy is an unfinished cycle of novels that other science fiction authors continued to write.
2. A series of fantasy detective novels and short stories about police officer Elijah Bailey and humanoid robot Daniel Olivo (this includes Robots of Dawn).
3. The Gods Themselves (1972).

Asimov's most notable contribution to world literature is his understanding of the problem of confrontation between artificial intelligence and man. Some of the scientists predict that the conclusions made by the author will help to avoid many mistakes in the future.

Stephen King

It's hard to find a more eminent, popular, readable and filmed American science fiction writer than Stephen King. Some critics estimate his literary talent rather low, considering him the author of second-rate horror novels. Not bad, but not relevant to literature in general.

However, it is undeniable that Stephen King is number one on the list of American science fiction writers today. He became a phenomenon in the writing world. Stephen King is super popular and very prolific, so every year he pleases fans with new releases. And his novels are distinguished by a detailed study of characters,so that the reader perceives them as living people. And while there are many unpleasant "physiological" details in the books, they are quite forgivable.

Stephen King is the winner of many literary awards (Brem Stoker, World Fantasy Award, For Contribution to World Fiction, etc.). Among his works are considered the best:

1. The Dark Tower cycle (1982-2012) - eight novels connected by a single plot. A cult item, an object of veneration for many fans around the world. References to this work are found in many of the author's novels. Filmed, but extremely unsuccessful.
2. "Shine" (1977). A novel about an old hotel with bloodthirsty ghosts, in which the caretaker's family, cut off from the whole world, spends the winter. The work was repeatedly filmed.
3. It (1985) is a two-volume book about a scary monster clown who kills children. Screened twice.
4. Dreamcatcher (2001) is a fantasy novel about an alien invasion.
5. The Green Mile (1996).
6. Under the Dome (2009).
7. "Confrontation" (1978) - the superflu virus almost destroyed the human race, and a handful of survivors must fight back against the forces of evil.

In addition to novels, the writer has written many stories and released several author's collections.

Clifford Simak

Clifford Simak is the greatest American science fiction writer. A distinctive feature of his works is faith in reason, in a good beginning among people or non-humans, a call for the unification of mankind andcooperation among all sentient beings. His best works are considered:

1. "City" (1953) - intelligent dogs and robots live on the land of the future. Only ancient legends remained about people. The writer for this novel received the International Fiction Award.
2. "Marathon Battle Photo" - author's collection of short stories.
3. "Live the highest mercy" - the novel describes the games of the supermind to create a better civilization by selecting candidates from different times and worlds.
4. The Goblin Sanctuary is an amazing mix of fantasy and sci-fi that has room for ghosts, Neanderthals, space travel and a mysterious artifact.
5. "What could be simpler than time" (1961) - in the future, a person can send only his mind to other planets. But one of the travelers came back different.

Robert Heinlein

Robert Heinlein is one of the most famous American science fiction writers, who largely determined the "face" of modern science fiction. He was repeatedly awarded the prestigious Hugo and Nebula awards. And he is the only author to win the Hugo Award 5 times for novels and twice more for other literary works.

Best books by Robert Hanlein:

1. The cycle "The World as a Myth" is a tetralogy about the multiverses.
2. Starship Troopers (1959) is a novel parody of a militarized society. Moreover, the parody is so subtle that it was not recognized immediately, and for quite a long time the authoraccused of promoting the idea of a "police state".
3. Stepchildren of the Universe (1963).
4. "Tunnel in the Sky" (1955) is a story about cadets stranded on an alien planet with no way to return home.
5. "Double Star" (1956).
6. "Time Enough for Love (1973).

Robert Sheckley

Robert Sheckley is a maestro of small form in fantasy literature. Several hundred original stories came out from his pen, which surprise not only with unexpected plot twists, but also with the abyss of black humor and satire. Reading at least a few of them is a top priority for any fan of science fiction. They can be found in one of 13 author's collections.

But besides short stories, Robert Sheckley also wrote several novels. The most famous among them are: Immortality Corporation (1958) and Mind Exchange (1965).

Philip K. Dick

Philip Dick (1928-16-12-1982-02-03) was an American science fiction writer whose books became much more popular only after the writer's death. This was largely due to the cult film "Blade Runner" (the continuation of the picture has already been released). The tape is based on the author's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep (1968). In addition to him, Philip Dick must read:

1. Transmigration (1981).
2. The Blurred (1977).
3. Shed Your Tears (1970).
4. "Doctor Death, or Howwe lived after the bomb” (1963).

Frank Herbert

Frank Herbert (1920-08-11-2/11/1986) wrote many books. But he is known and loved primarily for the "Chronicles of Dune" - a collection of six original books that combine a science fiction plot and many philosophical ideas.

Frank Herbert died before he finished his story. But his son Brian Herbert, co-authored with Kevin Anderson, completed the cycle with two more novels. Based on the writer's drafts.

In addition, The Dune Chronicles has spawned about two dozen sequels from various authors.

William Gibson

William Gibson (born March 17, 1948) is a famous American science fiction writer. The book Neuromancer (1984) brought him popularity, which at that time became a revelation in the world of literature and opened to readers such a genre as cyberpunk. Many of the author's works describe the influence of computers on human life. Despite the fact that the era of computerization was just emerging, William Gibson was already operating with such concepts as "cyberspace", "virtual reality" and "hackers". Author's best novels:

1. Cyberspace is a trilogy that includes Neuromancer.
2. The Bridge Trilogy (1993-1999).
3. Bigend Trilogy (2003-2010).

Ray Bradbury

Ray Bradbury is a science fiction writer who is especially loved in our country. It is customary to associate it with science fiction, although the writer wrote many poems, plays and fairy tales. The most famous work of the author is the story "451⁰ Fahrenheit". ita dystopia in which the author showed a world without books, without spirituality, without individuality - and therefore the reader is not at all surprised at the natural outcome.

Also in Ray Bradbury (1920-22-02-2012-05-06) must-read:

1. The Martian Chronicles (1950) is a cycle of stories about the colonization of the red planet.
2. Dandelion Wine (1957) is a story with autobiographical elements.
3. The Man in Pictures (1951) is an author's collection of 18 stories.
4. "Trouble Coming" (1962). You can also see the name "Something terrible is coming."
5. Thunder Came Out (1952) is a story about a hunter who goes on safari to the past and accidentally kills a butterfly, thereby changing the present.

Harry Harrison

Harry Harrison (1925-12-03-2012-15-08) is ranked among the great American science fiction writers in terms of total merit. He is not so famous, although his works are popular all over the world. Not as famous as the same Stephen King or Ray Bradbury. But at the same time, Harry Harrison wrote what can be called classic science fiction. Moreover, all the works are written with a fair amount of humor.

The writer has written about two hundred short stories and 35 novels, the best of which are:

1. Steel Rat series (1985-2010) - 11 novels about the adventures of the galaxy's best thief and rogue.
2. Bill the Hero of the Galaxy series (1965-1992) - eight satirical novels and a story about how to become a great soldier.
3. Series "World of Death" (1960-2001) - 9 works, some of themco-written with other writers.

Alan Dean Foster

Alan Dean Foster is that rare science fiction writer who writes in different genres, and at the same time you can read absolutely all his works. There are no weak things, but if you choose the best of the best, then you should read:

1. The Adventures of Flinx series (1983 -2017). Only the first six books are available in Russia, the other nine have not been translated or published.
2. The Magician with a Guitar (1983-2004) - nine novels that are one of the best fantasy sagas. All books in this series are read in one breath.
3. Chelanksi Federation series - 15 works, half of them translated into Russian.

The American science fiction books from this list are known and loved all over the world. And although many of the authors mentioned have already written their last books, they are remembered for their works.