What's way cool about science fiction books?

By Deborah Graham

If you are thinking of getting into science fiction books, here's some advice I can pass along from my own experiences. I hope this will enhance your enjoyment.

I have always enjoyed science fiction books, from the time I was a very
small child on. When I was 8 years old, I joined a science fiction book
club, where we read some of the science fiction classics. I remember
“The Time Machine” and “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” like they
were yesterday. My favorite science fiction books, however, were a
little bit more modern classics. I really liked space opera, such as
Robert A. Heinlein's “Citizen of the Galaxy”, or Later, Orson Scott
Card's “Ender's Game.”

I guess what I liked so much about these science fiction books was
their epic scope. There are books of what is called speculative fiction,
a type of science fiction that attempts to look into the future of society,
that I do like a lot, but the space opera is always better. Great wars
involving whole galaxies fighting for supremacy, fantastic alien races,
strange distortions in time and space, prophecy, honor, love – these
are themes that I just can't get enough of. They keep me reading my
favorite science fiction books for years and years.

Science Fiction Books Resources

The Locus Index to Science Fiction - Gigantic science fiction book index.

Scifi.com - Tons of science fiction book reviews.

Of course, if you are new to science fiction books, the best way to
start is through collections. I don't think there is any other genre of
fiction which is anthologized quite as frequently as science fiction
books. Every year, it seems, there are dozens of new collections,
each with names that incorporate “years best” and “science fiction” in
various combinations. When picking from among these science fiction
books, the best thing to do is to skim. Look for a pretty short story, or
excerpt, and begin to read. If you have time, read the whole thing. At
any rate, it probably won't take you too long to determine whether it is
your type of science fiction book or not. If it reads well, then it is. If
not, find something else.

If you get in to science fiction books, you might consider picking up
some fantasy books as well. Although fantasy and science fiction are
generally not the same thing (although they do occasionally mix)
nonetheless, if one appeals to you, the other is likely to too. Fantasy
books tend to have a more medieval setting, and focus more on magic
and sorcery, whereas science fiction books tend to have a stronger
focus on technology and aliens, but really there are no hard and fast
distinctions between the two.

How to find used books online - If you love to read, you will want to take advantage of the ability to buy used books online. When you are finished, you can sell them online as well.

Deborah Graham is a self-professed avid reader. Between books, she enjoys writing and is a frequent contributor to http://www.thankyouforasking.com.

Header graphic courtesy of Digital Westex Gallary

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