Most Popular Science Fiction Books of the 1980s

Hyperion Cantos #1

Hyperion

Dan Simmons

Science Fiction · Hugo Award · Locus Award

1989

Watchmen

Alan Moore, Dave Gibbons

Science Fiction · Graphic Novels · Hugo Award · Locus Award · Comics

1987

Ender #1

Ender's Game

Orson Scott Card

Science Fiction · Military Science Fiction · Hugo Award · Movie · Nebula Award

1985

H.P. Lovecraft Omnibus #1

At the Mountains of Madness

H. P. Lovecraft

Fantasy · Horror · Science Fiction · Cthulhu · Weird Fiction

1985

The Gate to Women's Country

Sheri S. Tepper

Science Fiction · Anthropological SF

1988

The Culture #2

The Player of Games

Iain M. Banks

Science Fiction · Space Opera

1988

The VALIS Trilogy #1

VALIS

Philip K. Dick

Science Fiction

1981

Ender #2

Speaker for the Dead

Orson Scott Card

Science Fiction · Hugo Award · Locus Award · Nebula Award

1986

The Helliconia Trilogy #2

Helliconia Summer

Brian Aldiss

Science Fiction

1983

Mockingbird

Walter Tevis

Science Fiction · Dystopia

1980

The Handmaid's Tale #1

The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood

Science Fiction · Dystopia · Arthur C. Clarke Award

1985

Sky Lords #1

The Sky Lords

John Brosnan

Science Fiction

1988

The Culture #1

Consider Phlebas

Iain M. Banks

Science Fiction · Space Opera

1987

The Helliconia Trilogy #1

Helliconia Spring

Brian Aldiss

Science Fiction · BSFA Award

1982

Uplift #2

Startide Rising

David Brin

Science Fiction · Space Opera · Hugo Award · Locus Award · Nebula Award

1983

Grass

Sheri S. Tepper

Science Fiction

1989

Hardwired #1

Hardwired

Walter Jon Williams

Science Fiction · Cyberpunk

1986

The Helliconia Trilogy #3

Helliconia Winter

Brian Aldiss

Science Fiction · BSFA Award

1985

The Xenogenesis Series #1

Dawn

Octavia E. Butler

Science Fiction

1987

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #2

The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Douglas Adams

Science Fiction

1980

The Way #1

Eon

Greg Bear

Science Fiction

1985

The Book of the New Sun #3

The Sword of the Lictor

Gene Wolfe

Fantasy · Science Fiction · Locus Award

1982

The Xenogenesis Series #2

Adulthood Rites

Octavia E. Butler

Science Fiction

1988

After the Flood

P. C. Jersild

Science Fiction · Post-Apocalyptic · Translation

1986

Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology

Bruce Sterling

Science Fiction · Cyberpunk · Short Stories

1986

The Book of the New Sun #4

The Citadel of the Autarch

Gene Wolfe

Fantasy · Science Fiction · Prix Apollo

December 1982

Blood Music

Greg Bear

Science Fiction · Prix Apollo

1985

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy #3

Life, the Universe and Everything

Douglas Adams

Science Fiction

1982

The Book of the New Sun #1

The Shadow of the Torturer

Gene Wolfe

Fantasy · Science Fiction · BSFA Award · World Fantasy Award

1980

Vorkosigan

Shards of Honor

Lois McMaster Bujold

Science Fiction · Military Science Fiction · Space Opera

June 1986

Star Wars: Episode V

The Empire Strikes Back

Donald F. Glut

Science Fiction · Space Opera · Movie · Star Wars

1980

Sprawl #1

Neuromancer

William Gibson

Science Fiction · Cyberpunk · Hugo Award · Nebula Award · Philip K. Dick Award

1984

The Songs of Distant Earth

Arthur C. Clarke

Science Fiction

1986

The Xenogenesis Series #3

Imago

Octavia E. Butler

Science Fiction

1989

Arc One #2

The Dream Catcher

Monica Hughes

Science Fiction · Young Adult

1986

The Book of the New Sun #2

The Claw of the Conciliator

Gene Wolfe

Fantasy · Science Fiction · Locus Award · Nebula Award

1981