10 Free Science Fiction Books Online

Science fiction is a widely beloved genre in both literature and film, and we're fortunate to have an abundance of these works available in the public domain. I’ve compiled a list of 10 science fiction novels that you can access and enjoy for free. If you have a favorite that isn’t listed, feel free to mention it along with the link, and I’ll consider adding it to the collection.

10. The Black Star Passes John W Campbell HTML | Zip

John Wood Campbell, Jr. (June 8, 1910 – July 11, 1971) was a pivotal figure in science fiction as both an editor and a writer. He first made a name for himself as an author with exciting space operas under his own name, then adopted the pseudonym Don A. Stuart for more introspective and atmospheric stories. However, Campbell’s greatest impact on the genre came through his long tenure as editor of *Astounding Science Fiction*, a role he held from late 1937 until his passing.

Ray Cummings, born Raymond King Cummings on August 30, 1887, in New York, was an influential science fiction writer, often regarded as one of the pioneers of the science fiction pulp genre. He passed away on January 23, 1957, in Mount Vernon, leaving a significant mark on the literary world.

Cummings collaborated with Thomas Edison as both a personal assistant and a technical writer from 1914 until 1919. One of his most esteemed works is the 1922 novel 'The Girl in the Golden Atom.' Over his prolific career, he authored approximately 750 novels and short stories, and also wrote under the pseudonyms Ray King, Gabrielle Cummings, and Gabriel Wilson.

Clifford Donald Simak (born August 3, 1904 – died April 25, 1988) was an influential American science fiction author. Throughout his career, he earned three Hugo Awards and a Nebula Award, and was honored as the third Grand Master by the SFWA in 1977.

Edgar Rice Burroughs, born on September 1, 1875, and passing on March 19, 1950, was an influential American author, most famously recognized for creating Tarzan, the jungle hero. In addition to his iconic Tarzan stories, Burroughs ventured into a variety of literary genres. One of his notable creations is Pellucidar, a fictional Hollow Earth setting featured in a series of adventurous tales. There is even a remarkable crossover within Burroughs' work where Tarzan finds himself within the Pellucidar realm.

Frederik George Pohl, Jr. (born November 26, 1919) was a prominent American writer, editor, and science fiction fan, known for his remarkable career that spanned over six decades. From 1959 to 1969, Pohl served as the editor for Galaxy magazine and its companion publication, If, and during that time, If earned the prestigious Hugo Award for three consecutive years. Pohl himself received three Hugos for his writing, along with multiple Nebula Awards. In 1993, he was honored as a Nebula Grand Master.

Robert Louis Stevenson (born November 13, 1850 – died December 3, 1894) was a renowned Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer, best known as a prominent figure in the Neo-romantic movement within English literature. His works garnered immense respect from notable figures such as Jorge Luis Borges, Ernest Hemingway, Rudyard Kipling, and Vladimir Nabokov.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (née Godwin), born on August 30, 1797, and passing away on February 1, 1851, was an English novelist known for her works in the Romantic and Gothic genres. She is best remembered for writing *Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus*. Shelley was married to the celebrated Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.

E. E. Smith, also known as Edward Elmer Smith, Ph.D., E.E. “Doc” Smith, Doc Smith, and affectionately Ted by family, was born on May 2, 1890, and passed away on August 31, 1965. He was a food engineer specializing in doughnut and pastry mixes and an early pioneer of science fiction. Smith authored the *Lensman* series and the *Skylark* series, among others. He is often regarded as the ‘father of Space Opera.’

Jules Gabriel Verne (born February 8, 1828 – died March 24, 1905) was a French writer who played a pivotal role in the creation of the science-fiction genre. He is most renowned for works like *Journey to the Center of the Earth* (1864), *Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea* (1870), and *Around the World in Eighty Days* (1873). Verne's imaginative storytelling about space, aerial, and underwater travel preceded the actual invention of air travel, submarines, and the development of space travel technology.

Herbert George Wells (born September 21, 1866 – passed away August 13, 1946), widely known as H. G. Wells, was an English author renowned for his groundbreaking science fiction novels, including *The Time Machine*, *The War of the Worlds*, *The Invisible Man*, *The First Men in the Moon*, and *The Island of Doctor Moreau*. Wells was a versatile writer, producing a vast body of work across multiple genres, including fiction, non-fiction, contemporary novels, historical accounts, and social commentary.

Bonus: A Voyage to Arcturus David Lindsay HTML | Zip

*A Voyage to Arcturus* is a novel by the Scottish author David Lindsay, first published in 1920. It weaves together elements of fantasy, philosophy, and science fiction in its deep exploration of the concepts of good and evil and their interplay with existence itself. Critic and philosopher Colin Wilson hailed it as the 'greatest novel of the twentieth century,' and it had a profound impact on C.S. Lewis’s *Space Trilogy*.

This article is licensed under the GFDL. It uses material from the Wikipedia articles: Cummings, Campbell, Simak, Burroughs, Pohl, Stevenson, Shelley, Smith, Verne, Wells, and Arcturus.