onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Dune');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0441013597'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Dune

by Frank Herbert

If you ask science fiction readers what the "best book" is, you will frequently hear that it is Dune, by Frank Herbert. I wouldn't necessarily disagree. Unfortunately, he only had one good book in him (in my humble opinion), and it is too bad that he kept writing, and then his relatives kept writing. And don't even talk to me about the movie. But Dune is an awesome book.

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Dune');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Dune');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0441013597'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 544 page paperback |$11.56 |1,031 reviews

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/The_Moon_Is_a_Harsh_Mistress');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0312863551'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress

by Robert A. Heinlein

I love Robert Heinlein's books. I think though that he was several different people during the course of his writing. This book is typical of his middle period when I think he hit the peak of his writing.

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/The_Moon_Is_a_Harsh_Mistress');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/The_Moon_Is_a_Harsh_Mistress');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0312863551'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 384 page paperback |$10.85 |231 reviews

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/I_Robot');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/055338256X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">I, Robot

by Isaac Asimov

The original robot stories from Isaac Asimov, complete with the Three Rules of Robotics. Don't even talk to me about this movie, either. It had the same name, but that was about it.

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/I_Robot');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/I_Robot');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/055338256X'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 256 page paperback |$11.20 |208 reviews

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/The_Collected_Stories_of_Arthur_C_Clarke');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0312878605'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke

by Arthur C. Clarke

He has written some great novels too, but I love his short stores, especially "Nine Billion Names of God" and "The Star."

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onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Snow_Crash');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0553380958'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Snow Crash

by Neal Stephenson

Much more recently written than the others above, I think this is destined to be a classic. You'll think differently about pizza delivery after this.

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Snow_Crash');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Snow_Crash');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0553380958'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 480 page paperback |$10.20 |535 reviews

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Enders_Game');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0812550706'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;">Ender's Game

by Orson Scott Card

A great book, and also wonderful that it has a new and different plot (I love science fiction, but there is a distressing similarity between a lot of the plot elements).

onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Enders_Game');" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> onClick="javascript: pageTracker._trackPageview('/to_amazon/6_Classic_Science_Fiction_Books_that_Everyone_Should_Read/Enders_Game');" onMouseOver="window.status='http://amazon.com/dp/0812550706'; return true;" onMouseOut="window.status=''; return true;"> 384 page paperback |$6.99 |2,483 reviews