Top 10 SCI-FI BOOKS | Science Fiction Horror

Top 10 Sci-Fi Horror Books
Science Fiction recommendations for you.
A mix of modern and classic SF novels. Let me know what you've read or are interested in reading.
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00:00 - Number 10 (Zelazny)
01:13 - Ranking criteria
01:37 - Number 9 (Wells)
03:11 - Number 8 (Robert McCammon)
04:53 - Number 7 (Richard Paul Russo)
06:06 - Number 6 (Bradbury)
10:03 - Number 5 (Butler)
11:20 - Number 4 (Okorafor)
12:56 - Number 3 (Watts)
15:04 - Number 2 (Simmons)
17:08 - Honorable Mentions/Further Recommendations
18:32 - Number 1 Science Fiction Horror Pick
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[@Bigchungalungus]

Thanks for the recommendations these all sound great!

[@bookssongsandothermagic]

Fantastic choices. I love how you describe and analyse books. You’re the best booktuber for this. My livestream finished half hour ago and I want to thank you so much for jumping in and commenting. It was massively appreciated. Your support means a lot to me.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks G. Was glad to be there and hear you sing!

[@bookssongsandothermagic]

shame that when you do it on a stream the music sounds like it's underwater haha@@FIT2BREAD

[@carloscachicamo331]

Subbed! This is a fantastic list. Most of them were already on my tbr list but i feel validated for having them already on them so now i feel more inclinced to catch up! Some new ones ive never of them! Thanks

[@Johanna_reads]

Excellent list! You mentioned so many I want to read. I don’t typically read a lot of short stories, but that Bradbury collection sounds like something I would love!

[@FIT2BREAD]

J, thanks, I think you'll definitely find something you'll love in The Illustrated Man. Try the Veldt first or The Long Rain

[@P.EnglishLiterature]

The Island of Dr. Moreau sounds like an interesting read. Love the sound of this. You've got a great list, Michael

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks P. How are you?

[@P.EnglishLiterature]

@@FIT2BREADMichael, the city of Lagos is too rugged for me. Can't wait to go back to my small city, lol.

[@TheShadesofOrange]

I'm really enjoying catching up on your top 10s

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks Rache!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks!

[@dalejones4322]

Wow. What a great list of books. Many new reads for me to tackle in the future.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Gracias Dale

[@dalejones4322]

@@FIT2BREAD De nada Michael

[@mohammedarmanulhaq]

The Illustrated Man looks intriguing and a worth-read and I've added this book to my TBR!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Arman, it's a good one, and you can definitely read a story, put it away, and come back to me. I think there was maybe one...2 at the most...stories that didn't thrill me, but the potential for you to find something that hits you profoundly, is really high

[@BobbyHall-eu1xv]

I really need to read some Roger Zelaney! Your description of Who Fears Death intrigued me so much I went straight to Amazon to get it - apparently it's going to be an HBO series! Great list!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Oh cool. I hope you enjoy it. Definitely some heavy moments just fyi

[@khomo12]

What a fantastic list!👍👍👍🤗🤗🤗 Sci fi/horror, some of my favourite genres! You have outdone yourself! A few I have and reading, others are already in my tbr📚 The rest are going on it!📚🤖🚀

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks! Glad u liked!

[@mohammedarmanulhaq]

Would also love to see Top 10 books series of vids like this on sub-genres of sci-fi like steampunk, space opera, alternate universe, virtual reality & planetary romance too!

[@FIT2BREAD]

all 5 of those are in the works for this top 10 lists project. The one exception is that Romance will just be Sci-Fi Romance Books...not necessarily "Planetary romance"

[@bookspin]

Nice list! I had forgotten just how much horror there is in Hyperion. Possibly a reread for me next year, I think. Perhaps there's a place for John Wyndham in this list? I found The Midwich Cuckoos to be a very creepy and unsettling alien invasion tale.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks and thanks for the additional...u haven't read much Wyndham...and Triffids wasn't really scary at all for me

[@bookspin]

@@FIT2BREAD That's interesting. I would also count Triffids as unsettling, perhaps not as creepy as Midwich Cuckoos, but with a horror more prominent in its apocalyptic and dystopian elements rather than the triffids themselves.

[@bartsbookspace]

Excellent list! Hyperion or Blindsight would be my #1 from the list. And, I would maybe add Blood Music to the list. 🙌

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks. Blood Music could definitely be on here

[@civoreb]

Salvation and Dead Space by Kali Wallace are two worth checking out. One of the newer sci fi horror books that are pretty good.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks for putting it on my radar

[@Shelbyproductions]

Interesting list

[@ancv65]

You just sold me The Illustrated Man! So many great recommendations, thanks!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Oh great. I hope you like it. There's so many great stories. I hope if you read it you'll let me know if you have any favorites

[@ancv65]

@@FIT2BREAD I’m always up for short stories. I love Ted Chiang, Ken Liu and Octavia Butler. Would love to see more recommendations in that category as well.

[@FIT2BREAD]

@ancv65 awesome. I have a top 10 short stories video up on the channel...Butler is definitely on that list...

[@ancv65]

@@FIT2BREAD really? I haven’t seen that one! I’ll check it out now

[@OurRawHeart]

Jointly reading a first contact story, Footfall by Niven/Pournelle, and Necroscope by Brian Lumley. And outside the realm, halfway through East Of Eden. I was going to mention Frankenstein but you mentioned it at the end!!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Nice adds. Frankenstein would have been an omission for sure. Also, 11//22/63 which I'm currently reading would be at home in this list. Definite creepy vibes

[@SciFiScavenger]

Hey Michael, nice video. I have a creator question for you. How do you get your background replaced by the images behind you? Do you use a green screen? Or some clever editing software? Also, sent you and email to your channel account, let me know if any interest. 👍

[@FIT2BREAD]

I just went to check email and I saw I missed the one you sent. I'll respond there. So sorry I missed it earlier

[@paulbigbee]

Maybe M.R. Carey’s The Girl With All the Gifts could fit into your Honorable Mentions.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks for adding it!

[@rainbowsquee7188]

Hyperion! Yeeesssss! I'm definitely adding some of these to my TBR.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Awesome

[@theirongiant74]

If anyone is struggling to find Ship Of Fools it was re-released as Unto Leviathan

[@jamesyoung4628]

Two that DEFINITELY should be on this list: The Day of the Triffids and The Midwich Cookoos both by John wyndham (and perhaps even his Chocky) AND perhaps Colin Wilson's The Space Vampires.

[@floogelhornzzz4770]

7:06. Ray Bradbury once appeared as a contestant on that old game show _You Bet Your Life_ hosted by Groucho Marx ("Say the secret word and win $100.") and he actually described that short story "The Veldt" and explained what the children did to solve the problem of their parents disapproving of their screen time.

[@awickedtribe]

This was a great watch. I don't remember any list of a Sci-Fi genre that really turned me on to so many books. Being a voracious reader, it isn't often that a book is mentioned that I am either unaware of or have not read. I especially love it when I learn about a book or author which has a huge following but of which I am totally unaware of, which is mostly due to my biblophilic obsessions of needing to read EVERYTHING. While '1984' is classic, for Dystopian commentary I have always preferred Yvgeny Zamayatin's 'WE' for it's side-notes on the mindset of the Elitist class. In 1973, I took a class called "Nightmare Utopia" which was created by one of the most interesting teachers I ever had. It was his 'rider' to return to teaching. I was invited to join his class after he read an essay I had written on the downfall of Society being driven by the natural Human Hivemind that, to one degree or another, we are all connected to. He turned me on to large number of dystopian books, like 'Brave Nerw World' and 'When the Sleeper Wakes', but 'WE' was the one that has always stayed with me... along with '1984' I really dig seeing 'Swan Song' on here, which I read after my third time with 'The Stand.' I would have liked to have seen 'Stinger' on here as it is a good It-like tale but with a more Sci-Fi aspect. I also dig that "Legacy of Herot' is on here, which I read during my Sci-Myth period. All in all, a great list!💯💯💯💯💯

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks. And I appreciate all those insights and titles we have in common. If u haven't seen it I also have a top 210 list for scifi up in my channel u can find it on my video page

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

only ones I've read are 1984 and the illustrated man but I'm about to read blindsight hadn't heard of the mccammon and russo books before but thought your description was really interesting also loved the moving camels in the background you're right 1984 is the most horrifying book I've read the second most scary is the manchurian candidate by richard condon but it's a very distant second⚛😀

[@FIT2BREAD]

have you seen both film versions of Manchurian Candidate?

[@FrankOdonnell-ej3hd]

only the first one with frank sinatra it was pretty good problem was it was supposed to come out about time of the kennedy assassination so believe they had to withdraw it or delay it and that hurt the box office @@FIT2BREAD ⚛😀

[@SoulsJourney]

Agreed on 1984. So disturbing, especially in light of the last few years... There's also "The Body Snatchers" by Jack Finney (basis for the movie "Invasion of..."). That's a creep-out and a half! LOL

[@FIT2BREAD]

I haven't read Body Snatchers...maybe I'll add it to the tbr

[@cheshthecat7702]

Annihilation and the whole Southern Reach trilogy are pretty horrifying for how few answers are ever offered

[@teemuruotsalainen1852]

By King: Under the dome. Do you think it could fit this category? Personally I’m on the fence… Good story though!

[@FIT2BREAD]

Under the Dome is a good one and could definitely go here. Mysterious vibe and a nasty villain big jim!

[@CraigDR]

Swan Song is great! Nice choice.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks

[@CraigDR]

@FIT2BREAD I read it as a teen around when it came out, so I'm not entirely sure how it holds up all these years later. It put me on a Robert McCammon tear where I read everything he had written. Fell off the train at some point and when I picked up another of his books years later I wasn't floored. Another horror book I was totally consumed by around that time was Carrion Comfort by your list's #2 book author, Dan Simmons. That book was insane! Psychic mind vampires, if you haven't read it.

[@hanng1242]

Another book I would suggest is "14" by Peter Clines. A lot of "Lovecraftian" stories nowadays is, it seems to me, more "Cthulhu mythos" stories, rather than "cosmic horror." "14" is cosmic horror. There is an essential mystery component to the novel, so I refrain from describing it any more so as to not spoil the story.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks. I'll have to look that up. I haven't heard of it

[@civoreb]

I see this comment as I just started 14 by Clines. Unusual but in a good way so far.

[@Ezzie0304]

Would recommend M. John Harrison’s “Light” Really creepy stuff.

[@russells6234]

My Favorite Book By McCammon is The Wolf’s Hour! Swan Song is Great but The Wolf’s Hour is better in my opinion!

[@kufujitsu]

Virtually all of Octavia Butler's novels could qualify as SF/horror. The Xenogenesis trilogy is another good example of her work - can't go wrong with her. Ray Bradbury's The Longest Rain, in the collection The Illustrated Man, feels like reality - with the way it depicts perpetual rain on an alien planet. But all of the stories in that collection are memorable. Bradbury's early short story collections are a good place to start with this talented author. His later collections are good as well, but if the reader wants to learn what gave Bradbury all of this attention in the first place, he/she really should start with the early collections.. Simmon's Hyperion is really a collection of novellas set in the same universe. All of the stories in it are very good, but I agree with the commentator about The Priest's Tale - the 1st story of the collection - it has a real classic feel to it, & was my favorite of the bunch as well.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Great comment. I agree with all of this!

[@apilgrim8715]

Third Planet from Altair, the Choose Your Own Adventure book. It's horror.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks for adding it

[@epone3488]

Who fears death is a great read; tho' I feel as it opens your unsure that its the Future. I found it very distracting and it made the beginning of the book surreal. Its definitely worth a read imho for a female POC cultural perspective really an amazing perspective. Hyperion and the Crucifix saga is amazing I still want more closure on the time tombs and the Shrike etc. Reread 1984 last October 2023 and its world building is IMO as amazing as any I've come across. Blindsight to this day is my favorite book - Initially I was put off by the vampire although its done with such good transhuman justification that I really felt comfortable with tis presence by the conclusion. The consciousness/self consciousness duality the less than human and the more than human and the crew relationships the crown-of-thorns the who's investigation who ooh its so delicious. I'm really glad you enjoyed Pushing Ice its a classic I think and so inventive. I'm ambivalent on the Revelation Space series although' the eponymous novel is excellent the other entries are yet to grab me I'm rereading them now and I'm up to Redemption ark and sort of struggling with them but plodding forwards. Not sure If you have encountered Newton's Wake: A Space Opera by Ken MacLeod yet add that to your TBR if not. Also The Blighted Stars by Megan O'Keef, and Necrotech by KC Alexander both good reads yet for different reasons.

[@uapuat]

In Blindsight, the most horrific thing is not the vampires... One of the most intriguing and thought-provoking books I have ever read.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Great read. I'm currently rereading it. Don't write off the vampire tho. The way he keeps his mouth closed, glides around the ship, separates himself from the crew...all creates this ambiance that he's dampening his primal urge to kill and eat them...

[@olliverklozov2789]

could the title have horror in it since you are going to do different lists

[@FIT2BREAD]

yes, I included it in the thumbnail and realized it wasn't specific in the title, so I've updated it, thanks

[@carlosbranca8080]

So far Swan Song has been my most disappointing book of the year. Hyperion is my favorite sci fi novel. 1984 is in a list of its own. Great recommendations.

[@FIT2BREAD]

Thanks. I enjoyed Swan Song, but for me, it belonged hear for horror representation

[@mondostrat]

Creatures of Light & Darkness - what a wonderful & under-appreciated book! I need to reread it ASAP.

[@FIT2BREAD]

It's so ****ed up at times. Totally chilling :)

[@garthok6224]

Wow, I haven't read almost any of these books....

[@FIT2BREAD]

Anything popped out at you..piqued your interest?

[@garthok6224]

​@@FIT2BREADI will go from top to bottom. The only horror science fiction book i have read is Jurassic park, not so science fiction-ish... But it was good read

[@FIT2BREAD]

@@garthok6224 #1 is definitely one to read!

[@carlgranados7106]

In my view "Swan Song" was somewhat of a ripoff or attempt to capitalize on Stephen King's "The Stand". Just saying. I enjoyed it when it first came out (many decades ago) but didn't think it was that original.

[@j.j.5731]

Silverberg should be somewhere on this list

[@FIT2BREAD]

Which would be your top choice to add to the list?

[@j.j.5731]

@@FIT2BREAD from Silverberg that's a hard one to narrow down. The guy was a prolific writer. Probably The Book of Skulls though.

[@FIT2BREAD]

@@j.j.5731 welcome to my world. ha. yes definitely tough to narrow down. Im gonna look up Book of Skulls as I haven't read that one

[@secretsauceofstorycraft]

kindred isn't horror.... hmmm. will consider this.

[@FIT2BREAD]

I believe I explained myself...internet troll..

[@olliverklozov2789]

Nice list but must object to 1984 being considered sci-fi horror. I mean is fear of an overly watchful government horror? Should we all be horrified right now? Horror transcends any ability to be rational. Suspecting you might be watched doesn't make one scream.

[@FIT2BREAD]

I hear you, tho the vibe for this list is meant to be intentionally broad. So it's not just spooky horror books or scream books, but books with terrifying elements. I realized there are zero books that qualify for me as "scream horror books." I made that disclaimer in the top half of the episode, though I'm sure I could have been clearer.

[@hanng1242]

Are you not raising the distinction between horror and terror? It seems to me that a lot of what we consider part of the horror genre is more about inducing feelings of terror. Using movies as an example, I think the slasher sub-genre is about terror - the sort of fear that might cause panic, or the fear of immediate death, or the anticipation of such an event. Horror, as a concept (rather than a genre), it seems to me, is more about existential dread, or disgust, or non-distinct uneasiness. Again, using movie examples, I think that the body horror sub-genre is this sort of horror, as are stories about paranoia or "weirdness" (e.g. "The Thing," "Midsommar," "The Vvitch"). Let's consider a book like "Battle Royale," by Takami Koushun. Do you consider this to be "horror?" There aren't really any parts that are scary in the sense that it might cause one to scream, but is there not something really horrific about being randomly placed on an island and forced to kill one's friends? How about something like Lovecraft's story "Pickman's Model?"

[@FIT2BREAD]

@hanng1242 yeah...I was definitely being intentionally broad and inclusive. If I limited to books that will make you jump out of your chair or present mosters that will scare you, then the top ten would really be just an exercise of me ranking the 15ish books I've read that fit the bill. By being broad and including things that evoke a sense of dread, I'm looking at more than 50 books and drawing 10 from among those qualifiers...

[@demidrek-heyward]

I hear they don't treat pedophiles too well in prison... I wouldn't know, but you will have to let us know!