There are oh so many!  Some examples of famous science fiction stories include “Repent, Harlequin!” Said the Ticktockman by by Harlan Ellison, Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, The Last Question by Isaac Asimov, The Velt by Ray Bradbury, Johnny Mnemonic by William Gibson, The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin, and We Can Remember It For You Wholesale by Philip K. Dick. For non-famous examples, there are some science fiction stories on this website that you may enjoy.

Science fiction stories are about the impact of technology and scientific discovery upon humanity, either on individual humans or society as a whole.  It covers themes like how new technology affects our environment, how technology changes our relationships with institutions and each other, and how technology changes our understanding of what it means to be human. Science fiction answers questions like, “How would humanity react to discovering we are not alone in the universe?”, “Would sentient artificial intelligence have the same rights as a human?”, and “If we discovered time travel, would it be ethical to change the past?”

No, the Harry Potter books and films are considered fantasy. Instead of focusing on technology and science, the books focus on magic and its impact on the characters’ lives. For a more mature take on a magic school, consider reading The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

Most people consider Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein the first science fiction novel, mostly thanks to critic Brian W. Aldiss and his book Billion Year Spree: The True History of Science Fiction. However, the development of science fiction predates Shelley. There are many examples of science fiction from before Shelley was even born.

This is a highly subjective question. You could answer with the top sellers, or the most famous books that have been turned into popular movies, or a handful of science fiction novels considered “literary” enough to be discussed in a college class. A better answer might be the books that have been the most influential on the genre.

Some contenders in no particular order:  Frankenstein by Mary Shelley for laying the foundation of the science fiction novel,  From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne for creating the modern space travel story and inspiring the first ever science fiction film, The Time Machine by H.G. Wells for creating the modern time travel novel, War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells for laying the foundation of the alien invasion subgenre, The Skylark of Space by E.E. “Doc” Smith for laying the foundation of the space opera subgenre, Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon for its influence on other science fiction luminaries like H.G. Wells and Arthur C. Clarke,  Neuromancer by William Gibson for being the biggest influence on the cyberpunk subgenre, 1984 by George Orwell, for its massive influence on political discourse, especially around the issues of censorship and government surveillance, Dune by Frank Herbert for being such a massive influence on Star Wars and science fiction films as a whole,  and 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke for inspiring one of the most beautiful science fiction films of all time.

The first use of the term “science fiction” is in A Little Earnest Book Upon a Great Old Subject by William Wilson, published in 1851. “Science-Fiction, in which the revealed truths of Science may be given interwoven with a pleasing story which may itself be poetical and true.”

Science fiction stories are generally about, as the name suggests, science. This doesn’t necessarily mean scientists in lab coats looking through microscopes and shouting “eureka!” It could be a new invention like a time machine or The Ultra Vibra-Belt that lets you walk through walls. It could be about technology that doesn’t currently exist, like faster than light travel, and how it affects Human society as we adjust to living in a universe filled with Reptilians and Grays and tentacle monsters.

“Hard” science fiction is focused on accurate and realistic science. They often explain in detail how the technology in the book were developed, how a spaceship’s propulsion and navigation systems work, how space travelers grow their own food, and other technical details. Some hard science fiction books include Project Hail Mary and The Martian by Andy Weir, Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke, Seveneves by Neal Stephenson, and Ringworld by by Larry Niven.

“Soft” science fiction books are more focused on the story that the technology makes possible, and are not as concerned with whether hyperspace or telepathy are actually possible. Some examples of soft science fiction include Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick, Neon Leviathan by T.R. Napper, All You Zombies by Robert A. Heinlein, and The Doom Tapes by D.N. Schmidt.

The “big three” was a term used to refer to science fiction authors Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlein, and Isaac Asimov due to their huge influence over the genre.

Another highly subjective question! Many people consider A True Story (also translated as A True History) by Lucian of Samosata to be the first example of science fiction ever published, written in the 2nd century AD. The book includes space travel, aliens, planetary colonization, and even interplanetary war. For more on the history of science fiction, see my article Was Frankenstein The First Science Fiction Novel?

Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip To The Moon) made in 1902 by Georges Méliès. This film was inspired by Jules Verne’s From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon. The film is notable for its early use of visual effects, including the well known image of the space capsule landing in the eye of the Man in the Moon. As the film is in the public domain, it is easily available to watch online.

D.N. Schmidt. He’s also really funny and handsome, and once defeated a pack of angry wolves with nothing but a warm smile.

Speculative fiction is an umbrella term that covers numerous genres: science fiction, fantasy, horror, super heroes, supernatural and ghost stories, and more. Speculative fiction includes any story that describes a world different from our own.

You can search a list of science fiction story writing prompts, you can borrow bits and pieces from several stories and remix them into something new, or browse a collection of science fiction art and look for something inspiring.

The used future trope is a futuristic or fantastical science fiction setting that, despite its advanced technology, is shown as worn, dirty, and lived-in, sometimes even decaying. This may include include interstellar spaceships that constantly break down, androids that are obsolete and rusty, or an inventor salvaging equipment from a junk yard.

Here is a list of sites where you can read free science fiction stories. You can also find several of my science fiction stories for free here.

Some great science fiction books for middle grade readers include Have Spacesuit – Will Travel and Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert Heinlein, The Tripods series by John Christopher, and Dim Stars by Brian P. Ruben. Younger readers may enjoy books like The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, or The Epic Zero Series by R.L. Ullman. And I would be remiss to not recommend my own children’s science fiction stories Roscoe and the Anti-Television and Invasion of the Borings!

Many comic book stories are science fiction. Peter Parker got his Spider-Man powers from a science experiment gone wrong, a classic sci-fi trope. The Guardians of the Galaxy, The New Gods, and Adam Strange are space opera characters. However, many comic book characters would fall under different genres. Magical characters like Doctor Strange, Doctor Fate, and Dream/Sandman are urban fantasy, Swamp Thing, Man-Thing, and Werewolf By Night are horror, and The Eternals are… Is “sleep aid” a genre? Man, that movie was dull.

Science fiction and fantasy are often grouped together in streaming listings, library displays, and “best of” book lists. They are grouped together due to their similarities, and stories that mix the two genres. Science fiction and fantasy are both speculative fiction, stories about things that don’t currently exist. Science fiction is about things that could be someday, even if that “someday” is highly improbable. Fantasy is about the impossible, things that will never happen. The boundaries between the two genres are often blurry, especially in stories that combine science fiction technology with fantasy tropes, like the Star Wars films. If you are writing a list of your favorite books, combining science fiction and fantasy in one category saves you the trouble of deciding which genre “space wizards and laser swords” fit in. Read more about science fiction vs fantasy here.

The lengths of various forms of fiction are only approximations, and will depend on who you ask. Different publishers and writers’ organizations categorize things differently. But in general:

Flash fiction is a very short story of less than a thousand words.
A short story is roughly 1,000 to 7,000 words.
A novelette is roughly 7,500 to 20,000 words.
A novella is roughly 20,000 to 50,000 words.
A novel is anything above 50,000 words. Most readers would consider 50,000 to 70,000 words a short novel. Science fiction and fantasy readers may prefer something above 70,000 words.

We don’t have a term for super long novels, but personally, I call anything above 400,000 words a “novzilla.” As in, “Did you see the new Brandon Sanderson? What a novzilla! I heard the hardback version doubles as an an anvil!”