Real Good Science Fiction Books You've Never Heard Of
(June 26, 2002)
The following list of science fiction books caught Reader Advisor Paul Mathew’s eye simply because they are by lesser-known authors and the annotations sound intriguing. Perhaps they may be of interest to you as well.
To order any of these titles, contact the library by email, mail or phone. You may also request these titles online through our OPAC. Happy Reading!
My Trip to Alpha I by Alfred Slote.
RC 14214.
A young boy travels to visit his aunt on Alpha I, six million light years away from Earth. The trip takes only a few seconds by VOYA-CODE, a system of space travel that combines computer programs of people, duplicate
dummies, and sleep storage. When Jack reaches Alpha I, he discovers that someone has used a VOYA-CODE dummy to impersonate his aunt. Fast-moving science fiction for grades 4 through 7 and other interested readers.
The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
RC 44071, BR 10846.
The narrator's plane is forced down in the African desert, where he meets the little prince from Asteroid B-612, who freely shares his experiences with the fascinated pilot. For grades 3 through 6 and other
interested readers.
Dinosaur Beach by Keith Laumer.
RC 12930.
An agent from the remote future jumps from one time period to another in his efforts to combat successive tamperings with history that threaten the survival of humankind.
The Garments of Caean by Barrington J. Bayley.
RC 10324.
A whimsical science fiction tale about a rare suit of clothes. A petty crook puts on the suit, becomes clever, strong, and rich, and experiences some mind-bending adventures in space.
Empty World by John Christopher.
RC 12658.
When a deadly virus kills off most of the world's population, a teenaged boy methodically goes about the business of surviving in a seemingly empty world. For junior and senior high and other interested
readers.
Others See Us by William Sleator.
RC 39967.
While riding his bike near his family's summer estate, sixteen-year-old Jared falls into a swamp filled with toxic wastes. After cleaning himself up, he begins getting strange images in his mind, and he
realizes that he has suddenly acquired the ability to read the thoughts of other people. With this power, he learns disturbing things about his family, especially about his pretty cousin and his grandmother. For high
school and other interested readers.
Invitation to the Game by Monica Hughes.
RC 38939.
The year is 2154, and robots dominate the labor market. Upon graduation from high school, Lisse and seven friends are sent to a DA, Designated Area, for the unemployed. They resign themselves to a boring
existence until they receive an invitation to The Game. Through computer simulation they experience life in an unfamiliar, untamed setting. As the sessions intensify, the teenagers realize that the game has become
reality. For grades 6 through 9 and other interested readers.
The Weapon Shops of Isher by A.E. Van Vogt.
RC 19189.
In the year 4785, the tyrant Empress Innelda of Isher is determined to destroy the weapon shops to gain total control of the universe. Her scientists mount a formidable attack on the shops, and only the
accidental arrival of a man from the twentieth century keeps the weapon shops from crumbling.
Chronospace by Allen Steele.
RC 52820.
In 2314, a group of chrononauts flies back into the past to document the explosion of the Hindenburg. However, their participation in the trans-Atlantic voyage destroys their world and its timeline.