Science Fiction Books
The lure of science fiction books goes beyond their intriguing 'what-if' worlds and events: each story explores an aspect (or sometimes many aspects) of humanity. This is part of the reason why vintage science fiction books are still in demand by readers year after year.
While narratives going back to the early centuries A.D. contained elements of science fiction, it's generally agreed that one of the earliest science fiction books, in the format that we know today, was Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818). Shelley's story goes beyond the science of creating another living creature from non-living tissue, and it explores enduring themes such as belonging and justice. Other classic science fiction books include H. G. Wells's The Time Machine, which reveals issues of class, and Frank Herbert's Dune, a tale that calls attention to the balance of nature. Jules Verne, in his 1870 story, predicted the development of the submarine in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
Collectible science fiction books, like those by the grandmaster Isaac Asimov, also speak to us about the nature of our rapidly evolving advancements. His novelette Bicentennial Man and collected short stories in I, Robot delve into the world of artificial intelligence. Another great in the genre of science fiction is Arthur C. Clarke, who was a scientist as well as a writer; his Rendezvous with Rama was an award winner.
For those who are looking for a slight departure from pure SF, science fiction fantasy books incorporate the ideas of fantastic magical realms with those of scientific advances. Collectors who enjoy science fiction fantasy books should cast their eyes upon Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover series, which combines aspects of alien worlds with a people who have magical mind-bending powers. Buy science fiction books to begin a collection or add them to your already established trove.