“History, and science too, help put our small lives in context. But if we want to meet the dead looking alive, we turn to art.” —Hilary Mantel
The fact that science fiction "typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts" might make historical science fiction sound like an oxymoron, and yet science fiction authors have long been using the tools of science fiction to mine our history, and in doing so—like other writers of historical fiction—they have not only kept us engaged and entertained, but have often allowed us to find greater connection to and meaning in our history. In the case of historical science fiction, authors can also explore the question of "what if." What if things had gone differently?
Goodreads defines historical fiction as being "any science fiction that has a significant portion of the plot set at least a century before the present. This can involve time travel or a setting entirely in the past but must contain at least one element of science fiction." We like this description, but for our purposes will expand and alter the criteria to include books where a significant portion of the plot is set at least fifty years in the past (with respect to the time of publication, please.)
So, what do you think? Which historical sci-fi books are the very best? As always, this is a democratic process and we are excited to hear your nominations! Please nominate as many as you'd like here or in our Facebook group and remember that for this opening round, you can vote for as many as you'd like as well!
What are the Best Historical Sci-Fi Books of All Time?
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain*14%, 77 votes
77 votes14%
77 votes - 14% of all votes
1632 by Eric Flint*10%, 55 votes
55 votes10%
55 votes - 10% of all votes
The Lazarus series by Robert E. Heinlein.*8%, 45 votes
45 votes8%
45 votes - 8% of all votes
Time Enough for Love by Robert A. Heinlein*7%, 40 votes
40 votes7%
40 votes - 7% of all votes
The Time Traders by Andre Norton*7%, 38 votes
38 votes7%
38 votes - 7% of all votes
The Guns of the South by Harry Turtledove*7%, 37 votes
37 votes7%
37 votes - 7% of all votes
Lensman series by E.E. Doc Smith*6%, 31 vote
31 vote6%
31 vote - 6% of all votes
Time's Eye by Arthur C. Clarke and Stephen Baxter 5%, 27 votes
27 votes5%
27 votes - 5% of all votes
Timeline by Michael Crichton*4%, 20 votes
20 votes4%
20 votes - 4% of all votes
The Man in the High Castle by Philip K Dick*4%, 20 votes
20 votes4%
20 votes - 4% of all votes
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis*4%, 20 votes
20 votes4%
20 votes - 4% of all votes
The Destroyermen series*3%, 16 votes
16 votes3%
16 votes - 3% of all votes
Kindred by Octavia E. Butler 3%, 15 votes
15 votes3%
15 votes - 3% of all votes
Saga of the Exiles Series By Julian May*3%, 14 votes
14 votes3%
14 votes - 3% of all votes
The Blind Assassin by by Margaret Atwood 2%, 12 votes
12 votes2%
12 votes - 2% of all votes
World War series by Harry Turtledove*2%, 11 votes
11 votes2%
11 votes - 2% of all votes
Belisarius Series by David Drake*2%, 9 votes
9 votes2%
9 votes - 2% of all votes
Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy by Liu Cixin*1%, 8 votes
8 votes1%
8 votes - 1% of all votes
11/22/63 by Stephen King*1%, 8 votes
8 votes1%
8 votes - 1% of all votes
Alt.History 101 (Future Chronicles Book 5) by Samuel Peralta et al. 1%, 6 votes
6 votes1%
6 votes - 1% of all votes
The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North 1%, 6 votes
6 votes1%
6 votes - 1% of all votes
Belisarius Series by David Weber*1%, 6 votes
6 votes1%
6 votes - 1% of all votes
Behold the man Michael Moorcock*1%, 6 votes
6 votes1%
6 votes - 1% of all votes
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon*1%, 4 votes
4 votes1%
4 votes - 1% of all votes
Fata Morgana by Steven R. Boyett and Ken Mitchroney 1%, 4 votes
4 votes1%
4 votes - 1% of all votes
The Difference Engine by Bruce Sterling and William Gibson*1%, 3 votes
3 votes1%
3 votes - 1% of all votes
The Two Georges by Harry Turtledove*1%, 3 votes
3 votes1%
3 votes - 1% of all votes
The Oppenheimer Alternative by Robert J. Sawyer*0%, 2 votes
2 votes
2 votes - 0% of all votes
Marching Through Georgia, S. M. Stirling*0%, 1 vote
1 vote
1 vote - 0% of all votes
Total Votes: 544
Voters: 419
September 1, 2020
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https://discoverscifi.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-top-historical-sci-fi-books-of-all-time.png6801200Discover Sci-Fihttps://discoverscifi.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/discover-scifi.pngDiscover Sci-Fi2020-09-03 10:14:012020-09-03 10:14:05What Are the Best Historical Sci-Fi Books of All Time?
13replies
VInce says:
Please remove The Guns of the South by Harry Harrison. The author is Harry Turtledove
It’s the way people respond to these polls. They don’t even read the article; just list their favorite book, often misspelled, with occasional lunacy (see “Arthur C Clarke” on the list above; all this time, and I had no idea he was historical SCIENCE FICTION!) Put up a poll for best rom-com, and half a dozen Heinleins would be listed. Sure, there’s a couple books on this list I don’t recognize, but of the majority that I do, the only historical SF I see are the Julian May, 1632, Kindred, Doomsday Book, Guns of the South, Connecticut Yankee, and (probably) the Alt.History.
Books you can be sure will not be listed, even though they belong, will include “The Moon and the Sun” by Vonda McIntyre, “The Baroque Cycle” by Neal Stephenson, “The Time Tapestry” quartet by Stephen Baxter, “The Years of Rice and Salt” by Kim Stanley Robinson, “Evolution” by Stephen Baxter, “Pasquale’s Angel” by Paul J. McAuley, two completely astounding works by Jane Yolen, “The Devil’s Arithmetic” and “Briar Rose”, and about another hundred books by Harry Turtledove. One could even get just the slightest bit snarky, and add Michael Moorcock’s “Behold the Man” to the list!
The problem is that the subset of science fiction which people read is so very small. And because if there’s a drum to beat, beaten it shall be.
Another interesting question might be why the original article avoided using the usual term, alternate history.
Excellent observation, Mark. We will absolutely remove any that don’t meet the criteria of the poll when we choose the top 10 most voted on for the next round of voting. Feel free to add all of your excellent choice to the list as well, as this is a reader-led nominations period.
Excellent observation, Sully. We will absolutely remove any that don’t meet the criteria of the poll when we choose the top 10 most voted on for the next round of voting.
It doesn’t look like most of the nominations understood the criteria: “ books where a significant portion of the plot is set at least fifty years in the past (with respect to the time of publication, please.) ” These should be DQ’d before voting starts.
Exactly and the criteria being at least a century in the past, Stephen King’s 11/22/63 is out, unless this year lasted alot longer than I realize 🙂 . Dune is an alternate universe if I understand right, having only read the main book the movie was based on. Sorry, I don’t recall the exact title).
Great observation. We remove all nominations that don’t meet the criteria when we put together the next voting round of the top 10 that come out of this nominations period.
Excellent observation, Scott. We will absolutely remove any that don’t meet the criteria of the poll when we choose the top 10 most voted on for the next round of voting.
there are so many that meet the criteria unlike most of the above list. Here are a few that come to mind. Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulet (?), The Land that Time Forgot by E.R. Burroughs, the Pellucidar series by E.R. Burroughs
Please remove The Guns of the South by Harry Harrison. The author is Harry Turtledove
Most of these books take place in the future and not the past so how are they considered historical science fiction?
It’s the way people respond to these polls. They don’t even read the article; just list their favorite book, often misspelled, with occasional lunacy (see “Arthur C Clarke” on the list above; all this time, and I had no idea he was historical SCIENCE FICTION!) Put up a poll for best rom-com, and half a dozen Heinleins would be listed. Sure, there’s a couple books on this list I don’t recognize, but of the majority that I do, the only historical SF I see are the Julian May, 1632, Kindred, Doomsday Book, Guns of the South, Connecticut Yankee, and (probably) the Alt.History.
Books you can be sure will not be listed, even though they belong, will include “The Moon and the Sun” by Vonda McIntyre, “The Baroque Cycle” by Neal Stephenson, “The Time Tapestry” quartet by Stephen Baxter, “The Years of Rice and Salt” by Kim Stanley Robinson, “Evolution” by Stephen Baxter, “Pasquale’s Angel” by Paul J. McAuley, two completely astounding works by Jane Yolen, “The Devil’s Arithmetic” and “Briar Rose”, and about another hundred books by Harry Turtledove. One could even get just the slightest bit snarky, and add Michael Moorcock’s “Behold the Man” to the list!
The problem is that the subset of science fiction which people read is so very small. And because if there’s a drum to beat, beaten it shall be.
Another interesting question might be why the original article avoided using the usual term, alternate history.
Excellent observation, Mark. We will absolutely remove any that don’t meet the criteria of the poll when we choose the top 10 most voted on for the next round of voting. Feel free to add all of your excellent choice to the list as well, as this is a reader-led nominations period.
Excellent observation, Sully. We will absolutely remove any that don’t meet the criteria of the poll when we choose the top 10 most voted on for the next round of voting.
It doesn’t look like most of the nominations understood the criteria: “ books where a significant portion of the plot is set at least fifty years in the past (with respect to the time of publication, please.) ”
These should be DQ’d before voting starts.
Exactly and the criteria being at least a century in the past, Stephen King’s 11/22/63 is out, unless this year lasted alot longer than I realize 🙂 . Dune is an alternate universe if I understand right, having only read the main book the movie was based on. Sorry, I don’t recall the exact title).
Great observation. We remove all nominations that don’t meet the criteria when we put together the next voting round of the top 10 that come out of this nominations period.
Excellent observation, Scott. We will absolutely remove any that don’t meet the criteria of the poll when we choose the top 10 most voted on for the next round of voting.
there are so many that meet the criteria unlike most of the above list. Here are a few that come to mind. Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulet (?), The Land that Time Forgot by E.R. Burroughs, the Pellucidar series by E.R. Burroughs
Excellent choice! This is a democratic poll led by nominations by readers, so please feel free to add all to the list!
How can you not have “The Cross-Time Engineer” series from Leo Frankowski?
Excellent choice! This is a democratic poll led by nominations by readers, so please feel free to add it to the list!