One of the most popular is 'Star Wars' novels. They expand on the vast Star Wars universe, with epic battles and interesting characters. 'Foundation' by Isaac Asimov is also very popular. It's about a group of scientists trying to shorten the coming dark age of the galaxy through psychohistory.
Definitely 'The Martian' by Andy Weir. It's about an astronaut stranded on Mars and his struggle to survive. The science in it is really well - explained and makes it very engaging. Another highly popular one is 'Ready Player One' by Ernest Cline. It's set in a future where people escape to a virtual reality world called the OASIS, filled with 80s pop - culture references.
Well, 'Hyperion' by Dan Simmons is extremely popular. It's a complex and multi - layered story set in a far - future universe. The Shrike, a menacing and mysterious entity, adds a great deal of intrigue. And of course, 'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L'Engle. It's a beloved science - fiction story that combines science, fantasy, and a coming - of - age journey for the main character.
I'm not sure which ones are the most popular exactly, but 'Snow Crash' by Neal Stephenson is often highly regarded. It's set in a future where the world has been transformed by a new form of technology and virtual reality, and it has a really unique and engaging plot.
Another popular one might be 'The Uplift War' by David Brin. It's part of a series and in 1989 it was attracting a lot of attention for its unique take on the evolution of intelligent species and the politics between them.
I'm not entirely sure which ones were the most popular, but 'Doomsday Book' was widely talked about. It had an interesting premise of time - traveling historians.
Another popular one could be 'The Uplift War'. It was part of a well - known series and had a lot of fans who were into the idea of the uplift concept, where lower species are 'uplifted' to sentience by higher ones. It had exciting battles and interesting alien species interactions.
'Gateway' is also very popular. Its exploration of human nature in the face of the unknown, along with the unique setting of the alien space station, has attracted a large number of readers. People are drawn to the mystery of the ships and the potential for discovery, as well as the well - developed characters.
'Wool' by Hugh Howey was quite popular too. It's set in a post - apocalyptic silo, and the mystery and the characters' struggles within that confined space were really engaging for readers. The story gradually unfolds, revealing more about the world outside the silo as it progresses, which kept readers hooked.
The books like 'The Stone Sky' were popular. It was highly anticipated as the conclusion of a trilogy. 'Autonomous' was in the spotlight for its relevant themes. And 'Borne' was popular for its very creative and strange world. All these science fiction books had their own charm and following in November 2017.
'Contact' by Carl Sagan was also very popular. It was a thought - provoking story about the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The movie adaptation also helped to boost its popularity. It delved into scientific concepts as well as human emotions when faced with the possibility of first contact.
One of the most popular was 'Hyperion'. It has a very unique narrative structure, which attracted a lot of readers. The world - building is also extremely detailed.
Among the popular ones is 'The Forever War'. It won several awards and has been highly regarded for its realistic take on the horrors of war in a science - fiction context. The way it deals with time differences due to space travel is also very interesting.