The Top 10 Sci Fi Books I Read in 2023 (Backlist Edition)

[@hasanmir]

Love your list, and one other benefit of having a top ten list early is that it gives you a lot of ideas for Christmas presents for those people in your life that love to read Sci-fi!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Oh good point!

[@Zivilin]

Jules Verne is one of my favourite scifi authors so glad you love his adventure stories too.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yay!

[@candicebarbata5028]

Normally I stay away from short books, but I recently bought the first Murderbot…great to know there’s plenty of books to follow!✨

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you enjoy it

[@BooksWithBrad]

I enjoyed it too but it got very formulaic and repetitive with her always hacking things

[@Nixx0912]

I see Ymir in the background, loved it. Planning to read more of Rich Larson's works. Our French cover is more colorfull, actually it cought my eye on sf festival and as I was largely over budget I didn't got it than and read it from the library.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you enjoy it! It's one of my favourites

[@Nixx0912]

@@TheShadesofOrange Yes I did, I'll get my own copy eventually. I just haven't decided if I'll go with English or French translation. I really like the French cover so maybe I'll stick to that

[@RadiationStyle]

I love your best of lists. It feels like I was just watching these recently with the way that this year has flown by so fast. My favorite sci-fi read might be Children of Time, but There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm is very much a challenger, I haven’t decided yet.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Love reading your picks

[@haley5803]

I really appreciate that you highlight backlist books! It's useful to me since I try to only buy secondhand books or borrow books from my library to reduce my environmental impact - it can be very hard to keep to this goal with only new book recommendations. Thanks so much!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Glad it's helpful. I do have "frontlist" videos coming so hopefully you don't mind them... or feel free to skip

[@dalejones4322]

I love it when you do sci-fi. This is a great list. The light brigade sounds very interesting. Thank you for putting it on my radar.

[@secretsauceofstorycraft]

Dale!!! Gasp! U dont remember when i talked about light brigade?!?! So sad 😊

[@dalejones4322]

I thought it sounded familiar lol

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yes, it's been too long since I did a sci fi video! And yes Whtiney gets full credit for introducing me to the Light Brigade

[@wallhagens2001]

“Journey to the Center of the Earth” starring James Mason was one of my favorite movies as a kid. My sister and I used to play pretend with our dolls going to the center of the earth (down the stairs in our house). Check out the movie sometime! ❤

[@marleens]

The Swarm is definitely on my tbr. My favorite backlist scifi I read this year was A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, and favorite 2023 scifi release was The Death I Gave Him.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Hope you enjoy the Swarm

[@raychie27]

My favorite science fiction I've read so far this year: Murderbot Diaries (reread) Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin Persepolis Rising by James S. A. Corey Vagabonds by Hao Jingfang, Ken Liu

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Oo several of my previous favorites on your list

[@RedSinter]

Thank you for your selection of your book recommendations for the Swarm. As opposed to my B.V. Larson, Swarm.

[@jamesmitchell2114]

I love Murderbot. Thank you Rachel you are so awesome love your reviews.

[@tely5]

Great list! I put Diaspora and Automaton on my "want to read" Goodreads list! But I will pass on NY 2140, I read KSR's Ministry for the Futuer. And while I wholeheartedly agree with the author's concerns, I found the info dumps hugely boring (I generally skipped over them). Problem is, if you are already following the science and the discusions around climate change and other ideas relevant to near future concerns, the info dumps are just rehashes of things you already have read about many times. Some of the Goodreads reviews of NY 2140 gave me flashbacks to Ministry, so I'm passing on that one. Otherwise, thanks for the list, I'm searching for my next reads!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yeah I've heard those books are quite similar so I think you're safe to skip. I actually plan to read Ministey next year because this one worked so well

[@vintagesf]

Picking up The Light Brigade from my library today or tomorrow. Just came in on my holds. Reserved it the last time you mentioned it. Excited to read it!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you enjoy it

[@felixfifeauthor]

Thanks for the thought-provoking mix of recommendations! I just subscribed. I'm super curious about The Swarm. This year I finally read 2001, By AC Clark. Wow I was very impressed. The characters were not complex, but his descriptions of the scale of space and planets and the reason for the monoliths dimensions I found unforgettable, and keep remembering them. Also it was not just a book version of the movie. If you like the movie, a definite must read.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you enjoy the Swarm

[@Raytrace3Dee]

I generally avoid "top 10" and "best" lists because you know... different tastes... but I had already read and enjoyed some of these books and authors on your list so I think my tastes agree with yours and thus, i buy everything you are selling. thanks.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Oh it's always great to find some with similar tastes. Hopefully you can recommend me some books too!

[@lindac6060]

I Just put the swarm on my list ! Thank you !

[@ruplayinggame3080]

Jules Verne's The Mysterious Island was the first book I picked for myself from a shelf after I learned to read, and I still have a lot of affection for that. I should re-read that soon, though! I also read Diaspora this year, for my scifi book club, but did not like it that much, my brain just couldn't penetrate allll of the physics. And I felt like character-wise, there could have been some simple ways to make it more emotionally resonant, but that's just my opinion! And I also re-read all of the Murderbot this year (scifi book club strikes again) and I cannot wait for the new book!!!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Glad other people have a love for Jules Verne this year

[@SFF180]

Wyndham is always interesting, even when he’s not successful (the ending of The Chrysalids kind of negates the entire book’s moral message), and I am happy to see his stuff returning to print for new readers to discover. And I totally loved The Baroque Cycle, even though like everything else of Stephenson’s it’s super divisive. It’s all so quintessentially Neal, a vivid and witty take on history through a speculative filter.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I can definitely see why you love the Baroque Cycle so much. I may have bought the trilogy after filming this

[@Anueb_]

Great recommendations! Jules Verne rules!

[@BooksWithBrad]

The swarm sounds really good actually

[@TheShadesofOrange]

It's so good!

[@haley5803]

My favorite sci-fi that I read this year was Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke. Admittedly, I haven't had the best experience with Sci-fi, but this was the first sci-fi book that blew my mind. It convinced to keep reading sci-fi haha

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I definitely need to read Childhood next year

[@saraevans9284]

I've put The Swarm and The Light Brigade on my to read list. ❤❤❤ Rendezvous with Rama and Murderbot books (currently rereading!). Thanks for the suggestions!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you enjoy them

[@telltalebooks]

Great video! I read a lot of science fiction, especially classic stories. My favorite that I read this year was Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Previously I had only read the short version. Wow! How much better the novel is! I love that you included a lot of classic science fiction. Everyone needs to remember Theodore Sturgeon’s comment when dipping into it: "90% of science fiction is crap, but then, 90% of everything is crap." You will run into a lot you don’t like but there are gems to be found!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Haha I love that quote! I only started reading science fiction as an adult reader so I still have so many classics to get to

[@russellwilson6388]

Love that you're true to yourself ❤

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks

[@ubxs113]

I love this list Rachel, thank you so much. So many old favorites Of mine like 2001 and new TBRs added I’m excited to read like Light Brigade. Love your channel, love your recommendations, can’t wait for another year of reading, thanks! 🎉📚🐉🚀

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks!

[@Freyveley]

Awesome list! I am going to make Sci Fi a priority for next year. I feel like I'm kind of done with fantasy series that go on forever and ever and ever. There are so much Sci Fi works and classics out there, that I haven't yet read but want to, so I should be set! And it's really awesome that a fellow german makes your list in such a prominent spot! Loved 'Der Schwarm' in it's release-week, Schätzing has so much awesome books in his body of work, you should try more of them. 😂

[@TheShadesofOrange]

He has another translated book Limit so I plan to read it this winter

[@TheMike28212]

Love this list! I always enjoy seeing which books make your favorites of the year list. I really want to read The Swarm, Quicksilver, and The Light Brigade. 🚀

[@TheLongestTake]

It's funny that you mentioned Neal Stephenson's tangents because that has been my biggest takeaways as I get through Cryptonomicon. Also, Snow Crash I felt struggled with similar things, too.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Oh yes Neal Stephenson loved a good tangent

[@adrianburchell8075]

I watched the series The Swarm first on tv in a week, because I discovered it in it's final week on that channel, after it ended I had to get the book and really love it.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I heard mix things about the TV show

[@adrianburchell8075]

@@TheShadesofOrange Well, I liked the show a lot, but it is quite a bit different to the book. If you can the series, give it a try.

[@ChristinaJenkins36]

Thanks for another great list! Definitely added to my tbr.

[@fithfath3615]

That's an interesting list you have. I have Rendezvous With Rama on my TBR pile along with the first of the Murderbot Diaries. Journey To The Centre Of The Earth has been a favourite of mine for a long time. If you like The Swarm, I think you may enjoy Portent by James Herbert. It follows similar themes.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks for the rec

[@cherylmccutchan1282]

Great list! I think I just added 5 of those to my TBR list. I've read the first 2 Murderbots-looking forward to the rest-and also like the exploration of personhood. I feel like Ancillary Justice is also exploring some of those same themes. I'm very excited about picking up The Swarm. This kind of scifi/environmental book sounds very intriguing to me, especially if the Earth is looking to avenge the environmental havoc humans have wreaked upon it.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you love the Swarm

[@cristawocadlo7025]

❤😊 love your reviews, thank you for the informative descriptions without spoilers.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks

[@cavendar24]

Great list. Lots of books added to my TBR. Thanks. I love that you hold up the actual book rather than showing a super imposed image edited into the video. FYI for the word diaspora the emphasis is on the second syllable. dee ASS per uh

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Oh thanks for pronunciation help. I listened to other people pronounce it and got more confused. And I prefer holding up the book because I don't have the fancy green screen skills of other youtubers 😅

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

happy to see you've introduced yourself to clarke he's truly one of the grand old men of sf I've liked most of stephenson I've read though haven't gotten to quicksiver yet bought the atomaton recently looking forward to reading it even more now u say u liked it you're right about nyc being a kind of character in its own right in countless stories (sad to say have never visited either) and don't let anyone put u off of jules verne some people have no respect for their elders u made the swarm sound like it's better than war and peace haha so must take a second look ⚛😀

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks!

[@srt1965]

The Light Brigade is an underrated gem

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Agreed

[@cherylclough4309]

I love your recommendations. I really need to continue with Murderbot. What do I keep putting that charming robot on my read later list. I have Jules Verne and HG Wells on my to read list. And after this Arthur Clark is going there as well. I enjoy Wyndham. I did a book report speech on one of his books in a speech class in high school-won’t share how many years ago that was. That is scary!!

[@lisagulick4144]

You should read Wyndham's _Re-Birth._ It's a short novel about life in a community in what used to be Canada, long after a nuclear war. The people's life is highly regimented, with mutations considered to be abominations against God. Within the community is a small group of young people who were all born telepathic. They know to keep their ability hidden from the "normal" people...but then a new one is born, and she is far more powerful than any of the others, which may blow their cover and get them all killed! Fun fact: Jefferson Airplane's song "Crown of Creation" takes its lyrics from Wyndham's novel almost word-for-word.

[@Lisa-Azra_Broad]

Your #1 is now on my 'to listen' to list

[@SuSi-zq8hw]

I liked the swarm very much as well

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Such a good one!

[@dragansekulovski4133]

This inspired me to re-read books i have not read for 30 years! Thank you! I started as an sf reader and some of the "classics" were contemporary at that time ;) 📺I was just looking into getting an Arthur Clark Collection now as i left most of my books when i moved country. I will at least get a couple that left impressions on me. I have changed much during these years so I am really interested in seeing how they will read after all this time. Clarke was always very interesting to me as he seems to have not only characters that are individuals, but full cultures, or even species as characters. In that sense, his individual characters might be a bit "averaged" as they seem to be type representatives of the actual main character which is the group they represent. In quite a few books i thought the main character was humanity it self. I have a feeling it gives at least Clarke a way to fight the insignificance of individual humans in the Universe A bit of an over-used recommendation in this sense is Childhoods End, but it is still a wonderful discussion on progress, different meanings of progress and the authors' preference in this regard. A less used example that i personally maybe like more is The City and the Stars. I would still recommend both on a story level. I do not remember the prose, characterization, or pacing, but the discussions in those books have stayed with me and shaped me. I loved the general concept of the Odysseys but i was really unhappy with all the inconsistencies and ret-cons in them :( Especially after reading the beautifully woven tapestry that is the Hyperion Cantos. As i know you more as a horror reader, i remember being quite scared by Solaris and my favorite short sf story "To Serve Man". If you have not read that one, I really think is special. Sorry for the long rant and thank you again for the inspiration and recommendations in your previous videos. I already listened to a book i liked recommended by you!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Love the long comment. I'm hoping to read Childhood's End last year because everyone keeps recommending it

[@fernbedek6302]

My favourite sci-fi read this year is probably either Inhibitor Phase or the Risen Empire duology (they’re hard to separate).

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Love the Risen Empire duology

[@awizardintraining]

with Clarke, wait till Childhood's End. I need to get back to him. Interesting you consider Quicksilver science fiction and not historical. I still need to get to that series. It's just so intimidating lol. Same with The Swarm

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Quicksilver could definitely qualify for historical fiction first but since I don't make a top 10 for the genre I snuck it into this one

[@jannatulmafi8554]

Have you read the three body problem series ? To put them all together into a single cohesive epic tale was absolutely jaw dropping

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I've only done the first one so I'll be rereading it this winter

[@wilthomas]

I usually roll my eyes at military sci-fi but Light Brigade sounds really interesting.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

It's definitely something special

[@SciFiScavenger]

Great list! Many of those are new to me, that's always good. I'm interested to see Swarm at your top spot. I haven't read it but do have his other book Limit, on my shelves which I now want to read. Cheers, Jon. 🚀👽📚🤖👍

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I hope you enjoy the Swarm if/when you got to it

[@muttineni03]

Great video!! Can Ymir in background can be read as standalone?

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yes it's not really related to his other book

[@erik_carter_art]

I think you would enjoy other books by Kim Stanley Robinson (my favorite sci fi author). I would recommend the entire Mars Trilogy, Ministry for the Future, and 2312. Aurora and Galileo's Dream were great too, but not my favorite.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

He has such a big backlist so I appreciate the recs

[@book_hoarder_bose]

Will the murderbot diaries book be good to listen to as an audiobook?

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I re-listened to some on audio and enjoyed the experience

[@book_hoarder_bose]

@@TheShadesofOrange thank you❤

[@raychie27]

Kevin R. Free does an amazing job of bringing Murderbot to life.

[@phroz3n]

12:19 No, please, criticize away. Too many authors (good, great, and bad) really need to swallow their pride and tighten their books up. Fantasy is especially terrible about because some of those books are like 16in thick with a lot of dead weight that doesn't need to be there.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Fair point. I didn't mean that I was afraid to criticize because I agree that reviewers shouldn't wash thier reviews. I was just to explain why Quicksilver was on my list despite my quibbles with it

[@georgebennett1242]

🚀 More to add to the TBR!

[@jennd2100]

I’m going to check out Swarm for sure. If you haven’t read Docile by KM Szpara… wow just wow

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Oh no I haven't read that one yet

[@artstories52]

Really enjoyed this post. Lots of books that I hadn't heard of that were of interest to me. Particularly, for some reason, the light brigade. I'll definitely be checking that one out first but others have gone on my list too. Thank you for your careful, spoiler-free reviews. I always look forward to your best ofs. 😊 As a side note, I'm just curious if you saw the movie, "I'm your man"? It's a German movie I would recommend.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Why thanks. I hope you enjoy the light Brigade if you pick it up. And I've haven't seen that movie.

[@khomo12]

Great list!! Thank you!👍👍👍 Rachel, I'm not a military sci-fi person, but how does stormblood, the light brigade, and old man's war compare, knowing that I'm a sucker for big space opera??📚🤖🚀

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I think there is some good cross appeal

[@khomo12]

@TheShadesofOrange So... which one do you read first?

[@GrimLordofOregon]

The best science fiction book that I’ve read (and to be honest the only one at that) is Seveneves by Neal Stephenson. Probably has my favorite opening sentence and paragraph of any book.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Such a good one

[@waltwestbrook6651]

Do you know anything about Stephenson's Mongoliad? I bought the whole 3-volume set, and I'll start it when I finish The Odyssey, but would like some lead up to it, if you can help me. Thanks!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

No I haven't

[@SnitchRat]

Awesome list once again!! Science fiction is life🤖👾💡

[@noahfecks7598]

Rendezvous with Rama is fantastic! I'm a big Arthur C. Clarke fan and I can easily admit that his characters and their dialogue/conversations are a little on the bland side. I also agree that his focus on the story and environment makes up for the lack of depth of his characters. There are three more books that follow Rendezvous that he co-wrote with Gentry Lee who added more depth and background to his characters. Unfortunately they aren't nearly as good as the first book and seem sort of mediocre with all the drama that goes on with the characters. If you liked Rama and 2001 I recommend Childhoods End. I see those three books as the Arthur C. Clarke trifecta.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Kk I will definitely read Childhood Ends next year

[@chrisconnors7418]

I think I've read all of them, except maybe The Swarm (or I did read it long ago and have forgotten it--but I picked it up to read it). And if anyone argues with you about climate change, rising sea levels, saying its not happening/not us, etc, then they're just wrong. There's no debate about that in the scientific community. It intersects with my ecology/biology work so I've had to study it since 2003 when we noticed impacts on our study sites from rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns and changes in times of snow melt and glacial run-off (not to mention what we saw happening to the glaciers in the first place).

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yeah every time I mention global warming in a video, I get a lot of zealous subscribers. I had no idea it was so controversial 🤦‍♀️

[@Creaturefeatures]

If you get a chance to read Clarke’s The Songs of Distant Earth, please do so. He was such a concept author. Great video!!! P.S. There is nothing wrong with loving Verne. I love him too.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Glad you also love Verne! It seems the Verne haters unsubbed this year

[@the_eerie_faerie_tales]

What's wrong with Jules Verne?! I loved 20k Leagues Under the Sea. Have Journey to the Center of the Earth and Around the World in 80 Days also on my TBR.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thank you! So far no hate for Verne in this video

[@shiningmobius]

Did you end up reading Mountain and the Sea by Ray Nayler and not caring for it as it didn't make your list or is it one you haven't gotten to?

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I read it last year so it made one of those lists

[@TheChockychops]

There's always a book snob who'll tell you the books you read are not 'good enough '. I'm working through some classics at the moment and Jules Verne is an author I'll be getting to soon 😊

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Thanks

[@eddiemcfellow1351]

Just discoverd and love your Channel. Only downside for me is that many of the books have no german translation

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Swarm was originally in German at least

[@cindywingetbooks]

There is nothing wrong with being a wife and mother 😉 I need to read some of these. Good for you sticking up for Jules Verne! 😂

[@TheShadesofOrange]

So true!

[@James-ip7zk]

Well, I just bought Diaspora, let’s see :)

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Hope it works for you

[@sauscony]

Trouble with Lichen has been my favourite Wyndham ever since I first read it as a teenager. I reread it about five years ago and, as best as I can recall, I thought it held up well in the 21st century. It very much saw gender as a binary, but given when it was written, I figured I had to give it a pass on that.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Yeah I would hope it would be more inclusive if written today

[@chrisprocter6107]

I'm a big fan of Wyndam but The Trouble With Lichen is one I haven't read yet so amazon here I come Wyndham's writing very much counts as "progressive for his time", but his time was definitely the 1940's and 50's. He has a lot of good, intelligent, proactive, female characters who are well written and well rounded but still exist in a 1950's mindset and don't really question it. In his defence though most of his stories are set in the 1950's so at least its historically accurate, and how much of that attitude are his views and how much is what his editors, publishers, and his audience would accept is an open question. Plus most authors from that time avoid the issue by just not having any female characters at all so in that respect at least he was very much ahead of his time, even if by today's standards he can look quite old fashioned. If you want more obscure Wyndham "Consider Her Ways" is one of his short stories that's worth a look for its depiction of a world where all men have been wiped out and society has been rebuilt entirely by women.

[@secretsauceofstorycraft]

🎉❤😂 yaya!! I’m so happy u liked my picks for you. I’m so randomly proud even tho I didnt do anything…haha. As always thanks for the list…. But also u have terrible taste- i mean jules verne. Gross…. 😂

[@TheShadesofOrange]

You definitely influenced this list!

[@thefuzzybookdragon]

I liked the overall plot of The Swarm but, for me, there wasn't a single likeable human character - maybe that was the point - which made it very difficult to enjoy the story as anything other than cheering for the downfall of humanity. I prefer John Wyndham's The Kraken Wakes. A similarly themed TV show - The Rig - came out back in January of this year and (for me) has much more relatable characters.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

That's fair. I don't think the characters were the strength

[@MrBroly]

Jules Verne? BOOOO! jk, thank you, can't wait to dive into The Swarm!

[@TheShadesofOrange]

Haha

[@briankregg6329]

You couldn’t be more beautiful!

[@heatherlilly2344]

😊

[@zubaerchaudhari8267]

Hello there hey

[@lda1737]

👍

[@billyjohnston4244]

Anybody who dosent like Verne,well...

[@TheShadesofOrange]

😄

[@lena_blue]

🌎❤️

[@Octobig]

🚀🛸☄

[@katharynbaker5592]

🪰📚🚀

[@communicationvast9949]

Number 10 sounds pretty yuck. Not interested in a hateful, man-hating, feminist lesbian tale. The others sounded much better.