By Julius Kane
If you think science fiction books are not your cup of tea, then please think again and read this article. Among the myriad science fiction novels written, most of them are not worth remembering or even reading. But a few of them will stay in our collective memories as genial works of literature. Maybe one day science fiction will receive as much credentials as "normal" literature.
Amid the best SF books available, there is a genre which draws my attention. This genre is comical SF. Humor is a virtue that touches everybody. According to philosopher Henri Bergson, laughing is the only quality that distinguishes humans from animals. As humor has a universal appeal, one may not especially enjoy science fiction stories, but might well enjoy these very funny and immensely genial masterworks.
Many science fiction authors have a talent for humor. Among those we can mention Philip K. Dick, Robert Heinlein, Frederik Pohl and Kurt Vonnegut (if you consider him a SF writer). These authors have an easy prose filled with witty protagonists. But some science fiction books stand out for their comical genius.
"The Space Merchants", written by Kornbluth and Pohl, is a novel about a dysfunctional future where advertisement has taken over. The world described is overwhelming and very avant-gardes, thinking this novel was written in the 50's!
Another great work is "The Sirens of Titan" created by Kurt Vonnegut. This is Vonnegut's second novel, and probably one of his best ones. The tale would be too absurd to resume. But as usual with Vonnegut, the mysterious dystopian future world he describes is majestically filled with stingy political satire.
Lastly, Douglas Adams' "trilogy in five parts" is a series of novels worth reading, science fiction aficionado or not. Originally created as a radio show, the story of an earthling named Arthur and his extraterrestrial friend, hitchhiking through the galaxy is a work of grandiose imagination and brute comical force.
So if you are still not convinced that science fiction books are not for you, think again and pick one of these books for a try.
For more information about the greatest science fiction books ever written, please visit: http://www.bestsfbooks.blogspot.com.
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