What Is Speculative Fiction? 15 Must-Read Spec Fic Books

Speculative fiction, often referred to as spec fic, is one of the most unique and exciting genres in the reading world. Speculative fiction books may take you to other worlds, reimagine certain aspects of our own world, or create new rules for a new future. They can encompass aspects of science fiction and fantasy, and many of them have romance as well. The best speculative fiction books create a world that is so well-articulated and described that readers feel as though they have been transported somewhere else, even if only one or two small elements from our own world have been changed. This list of top speculative fiction works includes novels from some of the genre’s most famous authors and many that have remained popular for decades.

What Is Speculative Fiction?

Speculative fiction is an umbrella genre that includes any story told in a different world than the one we live in. It encompasses a broad range of subgenres, including fantasy, sci-fi and dystopian novels. Fantasy includes magical aspects, sci-fi focuses on the impact of technology, and dystopian details a bleak future.

All of those are speculative fiction because they include out-of-this-world elements or imagine a time in the future. Some of the best-known speculative fiction writers include Margaret Atwood, Suzanne Collins and Douglas Adams.

Top Spec-Fic Books

Speculative fiction has been popular for more than a century, but it enjoyed its “golden age” in the 1950s amid the uncertainty of the Cold War. The books on this list were selected based on critical acclaim, awards recognition, book sales, pop culture resonance and quality of the book’s writing, characters and other-world development.

15. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (2021)

This dystopian novel longlisted for the Booker Prize tells the story of sick child Josie and her Artificial Friend, Klara, a solar-powered android who is purchased to keep Josie company. The book is narrated by Klara, who can sense emotions remarkably well considering she is a robot.

This book is best for those who want to explore questions about artificial intelligence (AI) and consumerism. Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

14. The Three-Body Problem by Liu Cixin (2006)

Recently made into a popular Netflix series, The Three-Body Problem follows a Chinese physicist who tries to communicate with aliens for a super-secret military project. He succeeds by contacting the Trisolarans desperate to escape their planet, but the result is not what the government hoped for—an invasion and ensuring war.

This book is best for anyone who enjoyed the series or wants to investigate technology’s capacity for violence. Liu Cixin’s The Three-Body Problem is available from publisher Tor Publishing Group.

13. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (1968)

The inspiration for Blade Runner, this dystopian science fiction novel is set in a future San Francisco damaged by nuclear war. It follows bounty hunter Rick, who is tasked with finding and eliminating a half-dozen androids who escaped from the Mars colony and have been wreaking vengeance back on Earth.

This book is best for Blade Runner fans or anyone who enjoys a good plot twist. Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

12. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (1979)

When Arthur Dent’s friend Ford Prefect reveals that 1. he’s an alien and 2. Earth is going to be destroyed, it sets Arthur on an epic adventure across the universe to discover the meaning of life. They meet a range of wily, hilarious characters along the way as Ford is an inept but amusing guide.

This book and the accompanying book series are best for anyone who likes funny novels. Douglas Adams’s The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is available from Penguin Random House.

11. Dune by Frank Herbert (1965)

The winner of the Hugo Award for Best Novel and the inaugural Nebula Award for Best Novel follows Paul Atreides as he and his family become stewards of planet Arrakis. Though the land is a desert and largely unpopulated due to its dangerous conditions, it produces the highly desirable mind-altering drug Spice.

This book is best for anyone who enjoyed the films starring Timothée Chalamet or David Lynch’s earlier adaptation. Frank Herbert’s Dune is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

10. The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (2022)

This brilliant retelling of H.G. Wells’s classic The Island of Doctor Moreau offers a feminist take on colonialism. Carlota Moreau navigates her own illness and her father’s financial difficulties amid an island of animal-human hybrids. The novel presents a nuanced look at religion and who deserves (or doesn’t) ultimate control.

This book is best for fans of the original classic and those who enjoy modern retellings of old stories. Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s The Daughter of Doctor Moreau is available from Penguin Random House.

9. The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1969)

This is one of gifted novelist Ursula K. Le Guin’s most revered works and the one that catapulted her to fame. In the sci fi tale, human emissary Genly Ai tries to return Winter to the shared universe in an oft-banned work that explores colonialism, politics and gender identity.

This book is best for anyone who wants to dive into Le Guin’s library or who wants to see a pre-2000s look at gender fluidity. Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Left Hand of Darkness is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

8. A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (1932)

Ranked among the top five novels on the Modern Library’s list of all-time greats, A Brave New World imagines a dystopian society where advances in science have led to happiness and stability for everyone—or have they? The book explores the dehumanization that occurs when chasing what most would call societal advancements.

This book is best for anyone curious about the most-banned speculative fiction novels, as this frequently makes the list. Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

7. Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley (1818)

Young scientist Victor Frankenstein engineers a creature in his own image and brings him to life, with disastrous results. Mary Shelley’s beloved classic questions the ethical responsibility of scientists as they pursue knowledge while also passing judgment on those whose ambitions blind them to the consequences of their actions.

This book is best for anyone who has seen a Frankenstein movie or wondered about Shelley’s original, career-defining work. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or the Modern Prometheus is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (2008)

In a future America wrecked by nuclear holocaust, each district sends a teenage “tribute” to compete in the annual Hunger Games, where competitors kill each other until one victor remains. Katniss volunteers to go in place of her sister and unwittingly sparks a national revolution. The multi-book series is a bestseller.

This book is best for anyone who loves young adult romance novels or enjoyed the popular Jennifer Lawrence movies. Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games is available from publisher Scholastic.

5. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin (2015)

Nothing compares to N.K. Jemisin’s beautiful writing. In her Hugo Award winner, she follows three women who can manipulate the Earth around them, an ability that makes them both very powerful and very dangerous. Amid a dystopian future, the women pursue individual quests that may or may not hold the key to a better planet.

This book is best for anyone who loves fantasy books. N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season is available from publisher Hachette.

4. Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler (1993)

Climate change and social upheavals prompted by inequality and violence have turned the Earth almost unrecognizable. After Lauren, an extreme empath, is forced from her home, she creates a new religion named Earthseed to help people navigate the political corruption and bleak outlook. The book’s take on racism and climate change have sparked bans.

This book is best for anyone who loves dystopian books. Octavia E. Butler’s Parable of the Sower is available from publisher Hachette.

3. 1984 by George Orwell (1949)

Often referred to as presenting the inversion of Huxley’s vision in A Brave New World, 1984 presents an authoritarian society where the government uses mass surveillance and propaganda to keep citizens in line. Government worker Winston begins to question the extreme tactics as he increasingly considers the promise of free will.

This book is best for anyone who has ever wondered where the expression “Big Brother is watching” came from. George Orwell’s 1984 is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

2. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2014)

This National Book Award finalist depicts a post-epidemic world where swine flu has killed off most people in the United States. A dangerous cult leader threatens an acting troupe that tours the country, and the story of their lives before and after the flu unfolds. HBO adapted the book into a popular TV series.

This book is best for those who love great character development. Emily St. John Mandel’s Station Eleven is available from publisher Penguin Random House.

1. The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (1985)

The overthrow of the U.S. government heralds the development of a new patriarchal, totalitarian government where women of childbearing age are in high demand and forced to mate with male leaders. After being separated from her family, Offred becomes one of these handmaids while still holding hopes of forcing a rebellion.

This book is best for fans of the Emmy-winning Hulu series or anyone interested in the impact of totalitarianism. Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale is available from publisher HarperCollins.

Bottom Line

Speculative fiction spans so many genres and types of writing that it provides something for every taste. Enjoy journeying to another world when you pick up one of these novels that will spark reflections on bigger issues, too.