Younger readers may not be aware of this, but there was a time in the culture when being a fan of science fiction and fantasy was decidedly uncool. In the 1980s, SF fans had to gather in dingy comic book shops and game stores to get their fix of dragons, superheroes, and robots.
 
The culture has since changed, of course, and SFF fandom is gloriously ascendant. Speculative fiction and its various subgenres have migrated to the center of mainstream popular culture in movies, TV, and video games. But old-school nerds can tell you: It all started with books.
 
Today’s specially curated collection is for readers who are SFF-curious and/or existing fans who know exactly what they like. The books below have been sorted into interesting stacks by Goodreads’ enthusiastic editorial squad. The categories are designed to offer a kind of side-door option for accessing the genre. As you will see, there are many entrance ramps: climate fiction, SFF/mystery hybrids, recent supernova success stories.
 
The titles selected skew relatively recent, but you’ll also find some genre classics for the newly initiated and many of the biggest author names currently in the business: N.K. Jemisin, Andy Weir, Kazuo Ishiguro, Margaret Atwood, Brandon Sanderson. Also: the abiding awesomeness that is…Murderbot.
 
Click on the book covers for more information and reader reviews for each book. If you see anything that warrants further investigation, don’t forget about your Want to Read shelf.