One of the best is 'Dune' by Frank Herbert. It features the desert planet Arrakis and the complex politics and ecology involved in colonizing and controlling it. The world - building is extremely detailed.
Kim Stanley Robinson's 'Red Mars' is also great. It delves into the challenges of colonizing Mars, from the scientific and technological aspects to the social and political issues that arise among the colonists.
Another good one is 'The Martian' by Andy Weir. It's about an astronaut stranded on Mars and his struggle to survive, which gives a unique perspective on the idea of colonizing the planet, as it shows the harshness of the Martian environment.
I really liked 'Leviathan Wakes' by James S.A. Corey. It has a great story about the colonization of the solar system and the conflicts that arise between different groups. It's full of action and interesting characters.
Kim Stanley Robinson's 'Red Mars' is also great. It's part of a trilogy that delves deep into the political, social, and environmental aspects of colonizing Mars. It shows how different groups of settlers with different ideologies interact and compete as they try to build a new society on the red planet.
Well, 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons is among the top. It takes you on a journey across a strange and diverse future universe with different planets to explore. 'Ender's Game' by Orson Scott Card also has elements of planet exploration as Ender travels to different planets in his military training. And then there's 'Foundation' by Isaac Asimov. Although it focuses more on galactic civilization, there are aspects of exploring different planets within that vast galactic scope.
I also like 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons. It's a complex novel that involves a pilgrimage to a mysterious planet called Hyperion. It has elements of colonization as different groups have different interests in the planet, and it also explores deep philosophical and technological ideas related to the future of humanity in space.
One popular one is 'The Martian' by Andy Weir. It's about an astronaut stranded on Mars and his struggle to survive. Another is '2001: A Space Odyssey' by Arthur C. Clarke, which takes readers on a mind - bending journey through space exploration. And 'Dune' by Frank Herbert also involves planet exploration on the desert planet Arrakis.
Some of the 2020 best sci - fi novels include 'Network Effect' by Martha Wells. It continues the story of Murderbot, a self - aware security unit, in an exciting adventure. Another one could be 'The City We Became' by N. K. Jemisin, which is a creative take on cities coming to life in a very strange and magical way.
Some of the well - known ones could be 'Dune' by Frank Herbert. It has a complex universe with politics, religion and ecology all intertwined. '1984' by George Orwell, though more of a dystopian novel, is also a great sci - fi work. It warns about totalitarianism. And 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley which shows a future society where people are engineered for specific roles.
One of the best sci - fi novels in 2017 was 'The Collapsing Empire' by John Scalzi. It has an interesting take on an interstellar empire on the verge of collapse, with great world - building and engaging characters.
One of the great ones in 2018 was 'Annihilation' by Jeff VanderMeer. It has a really unique and mysterious setting. The way the environment is described makes it seem like a place that's both beautiful and terrifying at the same time. Another good one was 'The Calculating Stars' by Mary Robinette Kowal. It combines the idea of space exploration with some really interesting social and gender issues.
Some of the great ones include 'Ninefox Gambit' by Yoon Ha Lee. It has a complex and unique world - building with a military - focused plot. Another is 'The Underground Railroad' by Colson Whitehead which uses a sci - fi element in the form of a literal underground railroad to tell a powerful story about slavery and freedom.