In 2011, NPR set out to make a list of what their listeners believed to be the best science fiction and fantasy books ever written. More than 5,000 people nominated books, then over 60,000 people voted on the best ones. This list is highlights the most popular books voted by NPR readers across these two genres.
#1
#1 of 3 in The Lord of the Rings
1954 • 567 Readers • 1,209 pages • 4.5
#2
#1 of 6 in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
1979 • 1,269 Readers • 215 pages • 4.3
#3
#4
#5
#1 of 7 in A Song of Ice and Fire
1996 • 1,095 Readers • 876 pages • 4.4
#6
19 • 1,751 Readers • 352 pages • 4.2
#7
1951 • 1,238 Readers • 194 pages • 3.9
#8
#1-3 of 7 in Foundation (Publication Order)
1953 • 142 Readers • 615 pages • 4.2
#9
1930 • 1,038 Readers • 344 pages • 3.9
#10
#11
1973 • 477 Readers • 465 pages • 4.2
#12
#13
1945 • 1,224 Readers • 105 pages • 4.1
#14
#15
#16
#17
1991 • 331 Readers • 422 pages • 3.7
#18
#1 of 3 in The Kingkiller Chronicle
2007 • 972 Readers • 672 pages • 4.5
#19
1968 • 873 Readers • 288 pages • 4.1
#20
181 • 743 Readers • 272 pages • 3.8
#21
1968 • 591 Readers • 223 pages • 3.9
#22
#1 of 2 in The Handmaid's Tale
1985 • 945 Readers • 224 pages • 4.1
#23
#24
#25
1978 • 528 Readers • 48 pages • 4.2
#26
1994 • 620 Readers • 448 pages • 4
#27
1950 • 324 Readers • 182 pages • 3.8
#28
2011 • 454 Readers • 192 pages • 4.2
#29
#1-3 of 11 in The Sandman
1990 • 53 Readers • 612 pages • 4.8
#30
1962 • 456 Readers • 149 pages • 3.9
#31
1987 • 279 Readers • 353 pages • 3.8
#32
#33
#34
1966 • 245 Readers • 288 pages • 3.7
#35
#1 of 2 in St. Leibowitz
1959 • 259 Readers • 354 pages • 3.9
#36
1894 • 430 Readers • 140 pages • 3.7
#37
#1 of 3 in Capitaine Nemo
1866 • 215 Readers • 394 pages • 3.7
#38
1959 • 554 Readers • 117 pages • 4.2
#39
#40
#1 of 10 in The Chronicles of Amber
1970 • 126 Readers • 5 pages • 3.8
#41
#42
#43
#1 of 7 in The Mistborn Saga
2006 • 1,012 Readers • 541 pages • 4.4
#44
#45
#4 of 9 in Hainish Cycle
1969 • 485 Readers • 320 pages • 4
#46
#47
#1 of 5 in The Once and Future King
1958 • 187 Readers • 650 pages • 3.6
#48
#1 of 2 in London Below, The World of Neverwhere
1996 • 564 Readers • 480 pages • 4.2
#49
1953 • 274 Readers • 226 pages • 3.9
#50
1985 • 242 Readers • 453 pages • 4.2
#51
#52
1998 • 465 Readers • 248 pages • 4
#53
2002 • 324 Readers • 1,152 pages • 4.2
#54
World War Z
2006 • 491 Readers • 355 pages • 3.9
#55
#56
#57
#58
#1 of 3 in The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
2009 • 109 Readers • 548 pages • 3
#59
#1 of 16 in Vorkosigan Saga (Publication Order)
1986 • 126 Readers • 272 pages • 3.9
#60
#61
#1 of 3 in Moties
1974 • 164 Readers • 537 pages • 3.9
#62
#63
2006 • 634 Readers • 287 pages • 4.1
#64
2004 • 453 Readers • 1,006 pages • 4
#65
1954 • 94 Readers • 161 pages • 4
#66
#1 of 4 in The Riftwar Saga
1982 • 257 Readers • 323 pages • 3.9
#67
#1 of 3 in The Original Shannara Trilogy
1977 • 140 Readers • 742 pages • 3.1
#68
#1 of 2 in Conan the Cimmerian
2003 • 29 Readers • 464 pages • 3.5
#69
#70
405 Readers • 546 pages • 3.9
#71
#1 of 10 in The Stormlight Archive
2010 • 881 Readers • 1,008 pages • 4.6
#72
#9 of 2 in Wishbone Classics
2001 • 120 Readers • 64 pages • 3.8
#73
#74
2005 • 458 Readers • 4.2
#75
1995 • 227 Readers • 455 pages • 4
#76
#77
#78
#79
#2 of 3 in Green Town
1962 • 190 Readers • 293 pages • 3.7
#80
#81
#1 of 10 in Malazan Book of the Fallen
2004 • 387 Readers • 494 pages • 3.9
#82
#83
#84
#85
2010 • 267 Readers • 300 pages • 4.2
#86
#87
#1 of 5 in The Book of the New Sun
1980 • 161 Readers • 262 pages • 3.4
#88
#1 of 3 in Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy
1991 • 180 Readers • 404 pages • 4
#89
#90
#91
1951 • 127 Readers • 264 pages • 3.9
#92
2003 • 71 Readers • 476 pages • 3.7
#93
#94
#95
#96
#1 of 1 in Lucifer's Hammer, Audio
1977 • 69 Readers • 642 pages • 3.6
#97
#98
#1 of 3 in New Crobuzon
2000 • 228 Readers • 710 pages • 4
#99
#100
#1 of 3 in The Space Trilogy
1938 • 108 Readers • 224 pages • 3.7