# Top science‑fiction authors on Goodreads (2025-09-06) **URL:** \ **Category:** breadcrumbs\ **Created:** [September 6, 2025, 7:00am UTC](https://pluralist.net/t/top-science-fiction-authors-on-goodreads-2025-09-06/317 "2025-09-06T07:00:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![delyan](https://pluralist.net/user_avatar/pluralist.net/delyan/32/245_2.png) [@delyan](https://pluralist.net/u/delyan)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2025, 7:00am UTC](https://pluralist.net/t/top-science-fiction-authors-on-goodreads-2025-09-06/317/1 "2025-09-06T07:00:00Z")
# Top science‑fiction authors on Goodreads [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/) is a community where readers rate books on a five‑star scale, so an author’s average rating depends on both how readers feel about each book and how many people rated it. We wanted to identify the science‑fiction authors who receive the highest scores and so we looked at the Goodreads pages for each author’s most‑popular science‑fiction work and recorded the book’s average rating (out of 5), the number of ratings and the first publication year. We also noted each author’s birth year from reliable biographical sources (for no particular reason). The authors below are sorted by the Goodreads rating of their highest‑rated book. Only authors whose rating and publication year could be verified with citations are included. | Rank\* | Author (birth year) | Best‑rated sci‑fi book (year) | Goodreads rating (out of 5) | Evidence | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | **James S.A. Corey** (Daniel Abraham 1969/ Ty Franck 1969) | _Leviathan Wakes_ (2011) | 4.31 | Goodreads lists **“Leviathan Wakes”** with an average rating of **4.31** based on more than 307k ratings and notes that the first book in _The Expanse_ series was **published 2 Jun 2011** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8855321-leviathan-wakes#:~:text=Leviathan%20Wakes); the pseudonym James S.A. Corey refers to authors **Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck** , both born in 1969[en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_S._A._Corey#:~:text=James%20S,2)[en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Abraham_(author)#:~:text=Abraham%20at%20ConFusion%202017). | | 2 | **Orson Scott Card** (1951) | _Ender’s Game_ (1985) | 4.31 | The page for **“Ender’s Game”** shows a rating of **4.31** with more than 1.45 million ratings and states it was **first published 15 Jan 1985** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game#:~:text=Orson%20Scott%20Card)[goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game#:~:text=324%20pages%2C%20Mass%20Market%20Paperback); Card was born **24 Aug 1951** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/589.Orson_Scott_Card#:~:text=Orson%20Scott%20Card). | | 3 | **Adrian Tchaikovsky** (1972) | _Children of Time_ (2015) | 4.31 | Goodreads reports that **“Children of Time”** has an average rating of **4.31** (over 162k ratings) and was **first published 4 Jun 2015** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25499718-children-of-time#:~:text=Children%20of%20Time)[goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25499718-children-of-time#:~:text=First%20published%20June%204%2C%202015); Tchaikovsky was born in **June 1972** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_Tchaikovsky#:~:text=Born%201972%C2%A0,com). | | 4 | **N.K. Jemisin** (1972) | _The Fifth Season_ (2015) | 4.29 | The first volume of _The Broken Earth_ trilogy, **“The Fifth Season,”** carries an average rating of **4.29** from more than 321k readers and notes that it was **first published 4 Aug 2015** ; Jemisin was born **19 Sep 1972** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._K._Jemisin#:~:text=Born%20Nora%20Keita%20Jemisin%20%281972,S). | | 5 | **Frank Herbert** (1920) | _Dune_ (1965) | 4.28 | Goodreads shows **“Dune”** with a **4.28** rating from more than 1.58 million ratings and records that it was **first published 1 Jun 1965** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234225.Dune#:~:text=4)[goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234225.Dune#:~:text=Show%20more); Herbert was born **8 Oct 1920** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/58.Frank_Herbert#:~:text=Frank%20Herbert). | | 6 | **Dan Simmons** (1948) | _Hyperion_ (1989) | 4.27 | **“Hyperion”** has an average rating of **4.27** and was **first published 26 May 1989** ; Simmons was born **4 Apr 1948** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Simmons#:~:text=Born%20%281948,2007). | | 7 | **John Scalzi** (1969) | _Old Man’s War_ (2005) | 4.23 | Goodreads lists **“Old Man’s War”** with a **4.23** rating (over 226k ratings) and notes that it was **first published 27 Dec 2005** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51964.Old_Man_s_War#:~:text=John%20Scalzi); Scalzi was born **10 May 1969** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Scalzi#:~:text=Born%20John%20Michael%20Scalzi%20II,S). | | 8 | **Douglas Adams** (1952) | _The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_ (1979) | 4.22 | The entry for **“The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”** lists an average rating of **4.22** with almost two million ratings and indicates it was **first published 12 Oct 1979** ; Adams was born **11 Mar 1952** [britannica.com](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Douglas-Adams#:~:text=Born%3A%20March%2011%2C%201952%2C%20Cambridge%2C,%28Show%C2%A0more). | | 9 | **Tamsyn Muir** (1985) | _Gideon the Ninth_ (2019) | 4.19 | Goodreads records **“Gideon the Ninth”** with a **4.19** rating (over 174k ratings) and shows that it was **first published 10 Sep 2019** ; Muir was born **14 Mar 1985** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamsyn_Muir#:~:text=Born%20Tamsyn%20Elizabeth%20Muir,New%20South%20Wales%2C%20Australia). | | 10 | **Isaac Asimov** (1920) | _Foundation_ (1951) | 4.17 | **“Foundation”** has a **4.17** average rating on Goodreads and is noted as **first published 30 Aug 1951** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29579.Foundation#:~:text=Fantasy%20Fantasy%20%2023Space%20Opera); Asimov was born **2 Jan 1920** [britannica.com](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaac-Asimov#:~:text=Born%3A%20January%202%2C%201920%2C%20Petrovichi%2C,Show%C2%A0more). | | 11 | **Alastair Reynolds** (1966) | _Redemption Ark_ (2002) | 4.16 | The _Revelation Space_ series page shows **“Redemption Ark”** with an average rating of **4.16** and states that the book was **published in 2002** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/series/56392-revelation-space#:~:text=); Reynolds was born **13 Mar 1966** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair_Reynolds#:~:text=Born%20%281966,com). | | 12 | **Robert A. Heinlein** (1907) | _The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress_ (1966) | 4.15 | Goodreads lists **“The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress”** with a **4.15** rating and notes its **publication on 2 Jun 1966** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16690.The_Moon_Is_a_Harsh_Mistress#:~:text=The%20Moon%20Is%20a%20Harsh,Mistress); Heinlein was born **7 Jul 1907** [sciencefiction.loa.org](https://sciencefiction.loa.org/biographies/heinlein.php#:~:text=Robert%20A,United%20States%20Naval%20Academy%20in). | | 13 | **Joe Haldeman** (1943) | _The Forever War_ (1974) | 4.14 | The _Forever War_ page lists an average rating of **4.14** (over 177k ratings) and states that the first book was **published in 1974** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/series/54376-the-forever-war#:~:text=Book%201); Haldeman was born **9 Jun 1943** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Haldeman#:~:text=,2007). | | 14 | **Arthur C. Clarke** (1917) | _Rendezvous with Rama_ (1973) | 4.12 | **“Rendezvous with Rama”** has a **4.12** average rating and was **first published 1 Jun 1973** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/112537.Rendezvous_with_Rama#:~:text=Rendezvous%20with%20Rama); Clarke was born **16 Dec 1917** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke#:~:text=Born%20Arthur%20Charles%20Clarke%20%281917,Minehead%20%2C%20%20164%2C%20England). | | 15 | **Connie Willis** (1945) | _To Say Nothing of the Dog_ (1997) | 4.11 | In the Oxford Time Travel series page, **“To Say Nothing of the Dog”** is shown with a **4.11** rating and is noted as **published in 1997** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/series/52985-oxford-time-travel#:~:text=,of%20the%20Dog); Willis was born **31 Dec 1945** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Willis#:~:text=Born%20Constance%20Elaine%20Trimmer%20%281945,Denver%2C%20Colorado%2C%20US). | | 16 | **Ursula K. Le Guin** (1929) | _The Left Hand of Darkness_ (1969) | 4.10 | Goodreads lists **“The Left Hand of Darkness”** with a **4.10** rating and records that it was **first published 1 Jan 1969** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18423.The_Left_Hand_of_Darkness#:~:text=); Le Guin was born **21 Oct 1929** [britannica.com](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ursula-K-Le-Guin#:~:text=Born%3A%20October%2021%2C%201929%2C%20Berkeley,%28Show%C2%A0more). | | 17 | **Philip K. Dick** (1928) | _Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?_ (1968) | 4.09 | The page for **“Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”** lists an average rating of **4.09** and states that it was **first published 1 Mar 1968** ; Dick was born **16 Dec 1928** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_K._Dick#:~:text=Born%20Philip%20Kindred%20Dick%20%281928,02%29%20%28aged%C2%A053%29%20%20145%2C%20U.S). | | 18 | **Nnedi Okorafor** (1974) | _Home_ (2017) | 4.03 | The **Binti** series page lists **“Home”** with an average rating of **4.03** and notes that it was **first published in 2017** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/series/180367-binti#:~:text=); Okorafor was born **8 Apr 1974** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nnedi_Okorafor#:~:text=Born%20Nnedimma%20Nkemdili%20Okorafor%20%281974,S). | | 19 | **Neal Stephenson** (1959) | _Snow Crash_ (1992) | 4.01 | Goodreads records **“Snow Crash”** with a **4.01** average rating and notes it was **first published 1 Jun 1992** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/830.Snow_Crash#:~:text=Snow%20Crash); Stephenson was born **31 Oct 1959** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neal_Stephenson#:~:text=Born%20Neal%20Town%20Stephenson%20%281959,Pen%20name%20Stephen%20Bury). | | 20 | **Ann Leckie** (1966) | _Ancillary Justice_ (2013) | 3.99 | **“Ancillary Justice”** shows a **3.99** rating and states that the novel was **first published 1 Oct 2013** ; Leckie was born **2 Mar 1966** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Leckie#:~:text=Born%20%281966,2%20%5D%20Occupation%20Author). | | 21 | **Mary Robinette Kowal** (1969) | _The Calculating Stars_ (2018) | 3.95 | The Lady Astronaut page lists **“The Calculating Stars”** with a **3.95** rating and indicates that it was **published in 2018** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/series/193730-lady-astronaut-universe#:~:text=The%20Calculating%20Stars); Kowal was born **8 Feb 1969** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Robinette_Kowal#:~:text=Born%20Mary%20Robinette%20Harrison%20%281969,S). | | 22 | **Charles Stross** (1964) | _The Atrocity Archives_ (2004) | 3.90 | On the books‑by‑Charles Stross page, **“The Atrocity Archives”** is shown with an average rating of **3.90** and is listed as **published in 2004** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/8794.Charles_Stross#:~:text=53%20by); Stross was born **18 Oct 1964** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Stross#:~:text=Born%20%281964,1%20%5D%20Leeds%2C%20England). | | 23 | **Kim Stanley Robinson** (1952) | _Red Mars_ (1992) | 3.86 | The page for **“Red Mars”** records a **3.86** rating and states that the novel was **first published 1 Jan 1992** [goodreads.com](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77507.Red_Mars#:~:text=Kim%20Stanley%20Robinson); Robinson was born **23 Mar 1952** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Stanley_Robinson#:~:text=Born%20%281952,Occupation%20Writer). | | 24 | **Jeff VanderMeer** (1968) | _Annihilation_ (2014) | 3.79 | Goodreads lists **“Annihilation”** with an average rating of **3.79** and indicates it was **first published 4 Feb 2014** ; VanderMeer was born **7 Jul 1968** [en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_VanderMeer#:~:text=Born%20July%207%2C%201968%C2%A0%281968,S). |