The Big Sci-fi Book Giving Holiday List
Books make excellent gifts.
Gifting books is one of my favorite things. And now with the Christmas and Hanukkah season upon us—it’s the perfect time to share a handpicked collection of iconic, imaginative, thought-provoking science fiction novels for the avid readers—young and old—on your holiday shopping list.
So without further ado and in no particular order:
Leviathan Wakes — S.A. Corey
This book opens with a bang—I read a huge chunk of the first chapter standing in the B&N upon discovering it when it first came out. The ensemble cast is filled with dimensional, flawed, yet ultimately heroic characters that find themselves thrust together in a twisting and turning plot with noirish overtones against a corrupt corporate interest attempting to wield a strange and deadly alien lifeform that is in equal measure both intriguing and terrifying. From an artistic POV, I also admire the iconic sci-fi painting that graces the book’s cover.
Jurassic Park — Michael Crichton
Quintessential Crichton, blending science, tech, and fiction into a page-turning classic. As is the case with most book-to-movie adaptations, this seminal novel is much more nuanced and detailed, providing a semi-plausible storyline based on a real scientific theory for the reintroduction of prehistoric dinosaurs into the modern world. Of course, the hubristic human aspiration of controlling nature goes off the rails in a fast-paced and terrifying succession of unfortunate events that snowball to the epic last page.
State of Fear — Michael Crichton
My second favorite Crichton novel. Published at a time when scientific consensus pointed in one direction, this novel dared to provide a counterweight. It’s a masterclass in combining disparate plotlines into a cohesive, engaging read, with voluminous research and data to support the overarching thesis that humanity may not be as impactful on Mother Earth as some would have us believe.
Project Hail Mary — Andy Weir
I must confess I have not read this yet, but if its anything like The Martian, it has to be good. And the film adaptation starring Ryan Gosling hits theaters in Spring 2026, so we are going to hear a lot more about this book in the coming months.
Contact — Carl Sagan
Masterful and imaginative in its depiction of a plausible, realistic cascading succession of reveals that meld scientific, political, and spiritual storylines to, well, you know, contact.
Cabinet of Curiosities — Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
While more of a horror genre classic, this eerie, spine-tingling thriller features an intellectual protagonist in the vein of Sherlock Holmes, the enigmatic FBI Agent Aloysius Xavier Pendergast.
Seveneves — Neal Stephenson
An epic three-part novel that begins with a chilling extinction-level event and then proceeds to take readers on a long journey into a far-off future and the fascinating evolutions that transpire in its aftermath.
Event — David Lynn Golemon
Roswell has spawned innumerable science fiction books, movies, and TV shows since 1947. However, few hold a candle to this no-holds-barred, rip-roaring sci-fi thriller. It goes all-in on conspiracy theories, ETs, flying saucers, and terrifying alien-monster tropes. It’s a mystery to me why this first novel in a series of adventures featuring the Event Group has never made it to the big or small screen.
Saucer — Stephen Coonts
Better known for his political and military action thrillers, this sci-fi adventure transports readers on a gravity-defying alien disclosure thrill ride.
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? — Philip K. Dick
While it is set against the backdrop of a post-apocalyptic dystopia, don’t dive in expecting a regurgiation of Blade Runner. The novel delves deeper and more philosophically—in the author’s distinctive voice—into the true nature of humanity, for better or worse.
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea — Jules Verne
A prophetic classic at the crux of foundational sci-fi. Timeless in its depictions and characterizations in a manner similar to H.G. Wells War of the Worlds.
War of the Worlds – H.G. Wells
Brutal and horrifying firsthand account of invaders from Mars overwhelming a hopelessly outmatched human civilization with their vastly superior technologies. Are we any more prepared than the classic novel’s imperiled world for what’s lurking in the cosmos, waiting and watching?
1984 — George Orwell
Is Big Brother watching? I asked Alexa. She said no.
That’s all for now. I’ll feature more recommendations and more in-depth book reviews in forthcoming posts. If your curious where I get my ideas, read these short, entertaining, and enlightening posts that examine my Author Journey.
May your holidays be filled with all of the Blessings of the Season and great sci-fi stories.
– John Hopkins
Shop indie and local.
Of course, all of these books are available in print and e-book from your favorite retail outlet and online. Why not dare to be different? Visit Bookshop.org to discover your nearest indie bookstore. Tell them I sent you. 😎
Save big on The Powers That Be trilogy.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention my novels on The Big Sci-fi Book Giving Holiday List. Plus, first-time subscribers receive a 15% Off Discount Code on the already reduced prices available only here on johnhopkinsauthor.com/shop.
The Golden Ellipse — John Hopkins
A heart-pounding odyssey to return a timeless relic atop a proto-pyramidic beacon. It’s just the fate of the world. No pressure.
The Lost Ship — John Hopkins
A prehistoric alien shipwreck hidden in the Amazon jungle contains a doomsday device. A perilous race is on to find it—and the clock is ticking.
The Blue Spark — John Hopkins
A transformative sacrifice seals humankind’s destiny at the end of a celestial path. Sometimes, history repeats.
