Best selling science fiction books!

 

Best selling science fiction books!

A best selling science fiction book is nothing short of being a Hollywood mega star, who garners all the media limelight because the masses and classes love him/her. 

And for a best selling science fiction book accruing a Hollywood super star like fan base, is necessary, but then, one must not forget that it takes a lot to become the best selling scifi novel. And in 2023, with the unprecedented growth of Artificial Intelligence and other related technologies, the science fiction genre has evolved and come under a lot of scrutiny by the technology gurus. Who want to make sure that the ideas floated by the science fiction writers have a scientific reasoning to back them. And that they can marry some logical sense with the concepts that these science fiction novels promote. 

But few of the critics, somehow tend to forget that for the best selling science fiction novel, it is less about logical reasoning and approval from science wizards, that make it the best seller science fiction. Because it has more to do with how well the writer is able to convince the reader with his/her logical reasoning produced via science fiction. Where the primary goal is to support the meaningful progress of the scifi story.

As it has been the case, whenever a new and brave scientific idea is proposed by someone it attracts two reactions instantly: 

1- Immense criticism

2- Followed by the ridicule from the so called experts in the field

But hasn’t that been the case since ancient times. Let us not forget the ridicule and berating comments the giants of science had to survive, whenever they propounded new theories. To refresh our memories, Galileo is an ideal poster boy when it comes to brave scientists and scientific thinkers who have been persecuted.

And if you want me to refer to recent times, SpaceX stands out. Everyone thought it was impossible to rescue and reuse the rockets once they had been ejected. But SpaceX did it! So much for the critics and community of obsessed objectors.

And it is the same when it comes to evaluating a best selling science fiction novel, that promotes a new and brave concept. Something that takes the scientific community by surprise, not because it is illogical. But purely because the idea is way ahead of their times and their imagination too. I suppose!

However, in this community of protectors of science and its conventionalities, there is a community of forward thinking scientists that believes in the imaginative power of science fiction writers. And they acknowledge, the best selling science fiction novels inspire them to think outside their orbit of imagination and reconsider taking a new and non conventional approach towards scientific thinking. And it is for this reason they do not deny their predilection for well written and extremely well thought science fiction novels.

Quoting from MIT Technology Review:

“Many researchers acknowledge the role that science fiction has played in triggering their interest in science and inspiring breakthroughs. Indeed, there are many examples of fictional technologies that have later emerged in the real world.

In 1945, long before the first satellite orbited Earth, Arthur C. Clarke famously described how radio signals could bounce off satellites for long-distance communication. Today, communications satellites are common.”

https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/04/05/67057/when-science-fiction-inspires-real-technology/

Quoting from Micron Technology:

“Truth can be stranger than fiction, yes, but what about science fiction? Some of the most outlandish scenarios imagined by writers of films, TV shows, and books have come true, and they were actually inspired by science fiction. In fact, without writers to imagine them, digital technologies such as video chatting, cell phones and tablets, drones, and robots might not even exist.”

https://in.micron.com/insight/future-shock-11-real-life-technologies-that-science-fiction-predicted

I know, you must be thinking that I am trying to prove my point. Not at all! 

I am only trying to communicate and not prove, a very simple point. That the best selling science fiction novels want to convey one straightforward truth to the community of the respected scientists. They should try and refrain from opposing the possibility of etching a fiction based thought with the brilliance of scientific reality. With a tolerant scientific thinking, it can become a conceivable reality, provided we are willing to entertain it without any form of disparity.

However, to do this, one needs to be as outlandish and courageous in his/her scientific thinking, as was Sir Isaac Newton, Mr. Elva Edison, Mr Sigmund Freud, Mr. Michael Angelo, Mr. Srinivasa Ramanujan. The list is infinite and I am here writing this blog post under the constraint of finite time. Also under the realisation of the fact that you as a reader have other things and thoughts to pursue, other than keeping yourself entirely preoccupied by the content and context of this blog post. Which again is not about debating whether the best selling science fiction novels should or should not be offered hype for their revolutionary scientific expressions. 

The goal of this blog post is to speak on behalf of the community of science fiction writers and say, “why shouldn't the groundbreaking and extremely fascinating scientific proposals be entertained as scientific possibilities that can stand every test of scientific reality and scrutiny as well!” 

And if we are not willing to accept this argument made via this blog post on behalf of the community of science fiction writers. Then it is time that we realise how accidental discoveries have led to great scientific revolutions. And a science fiction is nothing, but a well thought and well intended scientific accident. If you may like it to be put this way. Because few of us are unwilling to accept the fact that someone with such minimal expertise in the field of science can come up with such a wonderful scientific idea. 

Maybe it will be right to remind ourselves that the father of genetics was a priest. Although he had studied science as a subject. But not genetics, because it did not exist as a concept in those days.

But in this eternal clash between science fiction writers and scientists who often judge the scifi writer as a scientist and not as a writer. I believe either of us is pretending. And I will let the readers of this blog post take the guess. And in order to stay away from any conflict of interest or be labeled as prejudiced, I am not even dropping an inkling to influence your guess. Whatever that might be!

So, a best selling science fiction novel, is not a best seller because of a scientific idea that it preaches. It is so because it tells a story that the people, the serious readers, want to hear. And I wonder why a story like Alice in Wonderland became so popular? 

It is pure work of fantasy. And in fantasy, even fiction is taken to its extreme form. Yet, many books like Alice in wonderland, still captivate most of us. Only because of the wonder of imagination it instills in us. And that is my main point!

The main job of the science fiction writer is to inspire a generation of men and women to imagine and think beyond the limitations set by perceivable and provable scientific facts, on the human mind. Whereas a true scientific mind is the one that imagines what nobody has imagined, what nobody has thought of, and then lead the mind in this direction with purpose constructed events that meet the flow of the scifi story, while fulfilling the logical standards as well. 

And if a best selling science fiction novel motivates its readers to imagine new views with a refreshed perspective on a given scientific endeavour. I believe the scifi writer has every right to claim his/her rightful place in the club of best selling science fiction books. And that is irrespective of the criticism it may or may not receive from the scientists who are compelled to always view a scifi book as a thesis written by a fellow scientist who did not graduate from their college. And with an incorrigible persuasion of a critic who is on a mission to prove the sci fi writer wrong, almost always fails to see it as a work of fiction writer and not a scientist. 

Just a writer, who only wants to inspire scientists and younger generations of the community to think the unimaginable and know what it takes to be a visionary in the discipline of brave and adventurous science of endless possibilities.

However, it mostly rests upon us to think that when the butterfly is developing in its larval stage, caged and constricted in the cocoon, it shall not be mistook for a capsule of dried black soil. Few of us would certainly consider it to be that. And perhaps trample it under the feet. Without knowing they stand accused of infanticide. Because they actually murdered a butterfly. But someone who has read science fiction and sharpened his/her mind and imagination, would hold it with the delicacy of an archeologist examining an ancient and frail artifact, and then he/she will realise it is the cocoon of life that is in the process of painting the most beautiful thing that shall soar in the skies, as soon as it manages to free itself from this shell. When the time is right!

In this case too , there are two people interacting with the same thing. But based on the liberalism of their imagination, one sees it as a hardened capsule of dark soil, whereas the other one sees it as a capsule incubating the most beautiful and delicate form of life. 

And when it comes to reviewing a best selling science fiction book, it becomes necessary on part of the community of scientists to view it as the incubator of imagination and science. And treat the best selling science fiction author as a writer and not as a scientist who wants to claim his/her place among the giants of the scientific community. He/she just wants to create an aware audience for the scientists who are worthy of being the future giants of the scientific community.

If we look at it this way, there will be no conflict of interest. But humans by nature are addicted to seeking instant gratification. And this trait leads to an animosity between the two. But in this mortal combat, science fiction writers assume a neutral stance because they do not wish to play the stalemate. 

As writers they can increase and reduce the status of anybody and anything, but a true writer lives by a few important commandments. And these commandments prohibit him/her from participating in anything that wastes or leads to waste of imagination and thinking.

Maybe that is why flowers are so beautiful and satisfying when we look at them. And they are so for one reason. They do not pretend. A rose does not find the need to pretend to be a daffodil. And a daffodil finds no need at all to pretend to be a rose.

And the scientists who view the scientific realities of an idea proposed in any best selling science fiction novel without any discrimination, are in true sense critics who do not judge, but try to understand the vividness of scientific imagination portrayed in the best selling science fiction novel. And when they attempt this, they create an environment where the butterfly will surely emerge in her absolute splendour from the confines of her cocoon. In this act they actually transform the cocoon, by polishing it with beautiful colours. Thus making it more perceivable as the genesis of some beautiful life form, and not just a hardened shell of dark and mud like saliva. A simple act with magnificent consequences for the readers, the writers and the entire community of scientists.

Well, here is the list of best selling science fiction books, and please do not hold me guilty of treason when it comes to establishing a detailed list of best selling science fiction novels. Because this is not my list per say, but the list considered worthy and compiled by credible sources like : wired.co.uk, penguinrandomhouse.com etc.

Best selling science fiction books according to wired.co.uk

https://www.wired.co.uk/article/best-sci-fi-books

Best selling science fiction books according to penguinrandomhouse.com

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/best-sellers-science-fiction-fantasy

Best selling science fiction books according to goodreads.com

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/science-fiction

Best selling science fiction books according to wikipedia.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_Fiction:_The_100_Best_Novels

Best selling science fiction books according to thebookhaven.wordpress.com

https://thebookhaven.wordpress.com/2013/04/28/10-bestselling-science-fiction-books-of-all-time/

Best selling science fiction books according to abebooks.com

https://www.abebooks.com/books/features/50-essential-science-fiction-books.shtml

Best selling science fiction books according to reedsy.com

https://reedsy.com/discovery/blog/best-sci-fi-books

Best selling science fiction books according to bookriot.com

https://bookriot.com/best-science-fiction-books-of-all-time/

Best selling science fiction books according to bookbub.com

https://www.bookbub.com/blog/best-sci-fi-books-and-novels

And here is my older blog post on how NewyorkTimes determines if a scifi book qualifies to be the best selling science fiction book.

https://best-selling-books-scifi.blogspot.com/2023/05/the-new-york-times-best-sellers.html

Now this list should not be considered as the ultimate reference as far as best selling science fiction books are concerned. It is a list, that like the scientists who made sincere attempts to paint the outer shell of the cocoon with vibrant colours. In order to prevent it from being trampled, and generate for it the respect every life form deserves. This list of best selling science fiction books should be referred to in this purview and nothing other than this. Because it does not serve any other purpose, as it will fail to accomplish alternate purposes. For obvious reasons: no list is detailed enough or curated to express the exact taste of a science fiction reader. 

That would be like a classroom where a teacher is trying to judge all students based on the final examination. Without considering their individual personalities and capabilities exclusive to each one of them. He/she relies on a generalised assessment and then determines individual performance, which are quite contradictory. And in this case too if the readers of science fiction novels are in a classroom, where science fiction reading is pursued. It would be a professional blunder to consider that each one of them by default will like the list of best selling science fiction novels proposed in this classroom. Because many of them may prefer a less popular science fiction writer, whose writing style somehow appeals to them and their literary tastes, more than the rest. And this list of best spelling science fiction novels shared above, should be viewed in the light of this reality.

But for critics who want to find shades of grey in every best selling science fiction novel, there will always be a logical shade that will fall in the domain of grey shade. And this is not the case with only best selling science fiction books, it is true for most famous and scientifically proven equations as well. Take for example the famous theory of relativity, many scientists in the department of Physics believe it is incomplete and there is a need for a better theory. Whereas many argue it explains a lot and should not be discredited from being the queen of all theories so far proposed in Physics. 

I guess it is like being the victim of a common rule we all are familiar with: For black there will always be white, for day there will always be night and for every high there will be a low.

And this is why I feel it is important to understand what people like about different science fiction writers; and I am sure it might help the critics appreciate science fiction novels and the scientific ideas proposed in them.

Prior to proceeding any further let me quote a paragraph from wikipedia:

"The literary genre of science fiction is diverse, and its exact definition remains a contested question among both scholars and devotees. This lack of consensus is reflected in debates about the genre's history, particularly over determining its exact origins. There are two broad camps of thought, one that identifies the genre's roots in early fantastical works such as the Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh (earliest Sumerian text versions c. 2150–2000 BCE).^[1] A second approach argues that science fiction only became possible sometime between the 17th and early 19th centuries, following the scientific revolution and major discoveries in astronomy, physics, and mathematics."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_science_fiction

And this debate is eternal, but it becomes contextually divergent and vagrant in nature, when the community of scientists, a very few, believe the science fiction writers are not qualified to opine about their field. Whereas scifi writers are not attempting this and their intention is not at all to interfere in the affairs of the scientific community. They just want to interact with their devoted readers and ignite a scientific passion among the larger community of young minds aspiring to take new strides of scientific imagination.

Here it should not be ignored that when something grows in popularity and becomes widely accepted, there will always be literary disciplines devoted to its understanding and propagation. And science fiction novels propagate the idea of good and brave science. And after the end of the 17th century science became very popular. And expecting a genre like scifi is totally justified!

Just like when humans were hunters and dwelled in trees, the role of Mr. Sigmund Freud as a psychologist would have been totally meaningless. But the discipline of psychology became applicable when humans began to lead a sophisticated and socially intricate lives, where there were multiple dependencies other than food and common shelter. It is the web of complex dependencies that makes a discipline like psychology relevant in modern times. In prehistoric times, it would have been meaningless. Because human societies were still growing and their web of complex dependencies was not very wide, that you would need a genius like Mr. Sigmund Freud to waste his wit over.

Similarly, in the near future, science will be everywhere, it will even creep into human relationships. In 2023 humans have already become so dependent on technology that it is obvious, science fiction writers will emerge and offer opinions, and nothing can stop this. It is a phenomenon supported by evolution and the social needs of humans. And I am sure, the community of scientists would find no reason whatsoever to disagree with me.

Now, let us begin with the list of famous sci fi writers and what made them best in their genre:

Famous sci fi authors

Here is what it says about Mr. Isaac Asimov:

“Isaac Asimov, a prolific science fiction author and biochemistry professor, was widely known to be one of the most significant literary voices of the 20th century. 

He authored over 500 books and countless short stories., making him one of the most productive writers in history.

Asimov authored several influential books that shaped the science fiction genre. One of his most notable works was the “Foundation” series. The series won multiple Hugo Awards, cementing Asimov’s place as one of the most influential and famous sci-fi authors ever.”

And this ends every debate. It was one of the elite members of the scientific community, a biochemistry professor, who made this genre so popular. And by writing science fiction he indeed wanted to prove that for science to become popular among younger generations. A genre like science fiction was needed. And he was so prolific as a science fiction writer that he wrote 500 books and many short stories. It was as if he had realised the need for science fiction writing as the means to seed scientific imagination among the future generations of human species.

 

And I wonder how would the critics and so-called guardians of conventional science define the science fiction plots woven in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation Trilogy. Where ​it tells the story of a mathematician named Hari Seldon, who predicts the collapse of a galactic empire and establishes a foundation to preserve knowledge and ensure a smoother transition into the future.

Here it is important to pay attention to this line: To preserve knowledge and ensure a smoother transition into the future.

And aren't we doing this today, in 2023? When we are finding every possible means to store digital information in databases and servers. Because if the planet is hit by a cataclysmic event, it is these databases and servers bearing entire human knowledge, that will help the survivors from being recast into stone age. It is like saying, “Noaha built the ark, but we are building the ark like equivalents in the form of servers and databases which are indestructible. And they ought to be so, because they carry valuable sets of information e.g. entire gene sequencing of humans, every gene sequence of flowering plants, etc. etc.”

It depends on how we look at it. Still, there will be many who would argue that Mr. Isaac Asimov did not say this categorically or explicitly. Well there is no need for that. Because what he said, did mean this. Otherwise how will a galaxy that is about to collapse; transition into a secure future? I do not see any other way because there is none. It is almost like believing standing is more tiring than walking. Well the choice is always ours and it is the same when it comes to critiquing the best selling science fiction novels.

But then it is also true that we should not despise the opinion of the world; we might as well say we do not care for the light of the sun, because we can use a candle. It is a great argument and wonderful opinion as well, and the question here is not about just light, but the light that supports life and progress of life on Earth!

Science fiction novels support and promote scientific thinking and scientific imagination, and this is an indelible fact. And few of us ought to realise it, for the good of the scientific community and science in general.

And when it comes to budding and aspiring science fiction writers, they too deserve to be viewed and scrutinised with literary cordiality because they too wish to participate in promoting science. And it is the only form of Noaha’s ark that shall rescue humanity when the apocalypse strikes.

It holds true for best selling science fiction novels, and new science fiction romance novels like: They Loved in 2075. Where the plot of the science fiction novel explains how humans will experience love in 2075? This science fiction novel navigates through the possibility of men and women falling in love with machines, without knowing they are robots imitating human emotions. Will you still dare to fall in love in 2075 or will you strive to tell the difference between a human lover and a robotic lover?

This romance packed Sci-fi novel tells the story of a man who falls in love with a real woman in 2075. And how he struggles to feel human and keep his emotional composition intact.This Sci-fi story also aims at revealing why the man chose to love a real woman and not a never ageing and always beautiful woman with synthetic feelings. In 2075, this might be a choice we all will have to make. Especially our children!

Now, quite a few from the discipline of Artificial Intelligence might have many reasons to argue that the dangers and fears expressed in the sci fi novel, They Loved in 2075, are baseless. However, there is no harm to be sure and just consider a second opinion as well. With science we have come thus far, I believe quite far, but with hastily implemented scientific thoughts, it may take humanity a few seconds to retire back into the stone age. And that will be a heavy price to pay. When we can always consider a second opinion or an alternate view on something as pioneering and powerful as AI and IA.

And before we judge the romantic and scientific angles of the science fiction, They Loved in 2075, let me add something from “the great Goethe’s genius:” 

Generally speaking, an author’s style is a faithful copy of his/her mind. If you would write in a lucid style, let there first be light in your own mind; and if you would write in a grand style, you ought to have a grand character!”

And this applies to both the communities. Community of science fiction writers and the community of scientists. And which style we choose to abide by, that shall always be a matter of personal preference. Or should I say “Choice!”

I chose to express the fears and dangers humans will face in 2075, provided they fail to make the right choices today. It is my opinion and it should not be interpreted as commandments seeking everyone's compliance. All it seeks is a liberal imagination while you interact with this science fiction novel, which is not a best selling science fiction novel. But a first step in this direction, and I believe it is everyone’s right to embark on a journey of a million miles and take the first step. 

I believe I took mine by writing the scifi novel, They Loved in 2075, just to prove one point: Fear is more painful to cowardice than death to true courage!

It is time we work on growing the next generation of courageous scientists and even more courageous imaginers!