I would like to recommend Spin by Robert Charles Wilson as a good science fiction book for the non-science fiction fan.
The premise of Spin is one night, three childhood friends are watching the night sky and the stars disappear. The Earth had become encapsulated inside the barrier known as the Spin. It’s soon discovered for every second on earth, three years happen outside the Spin barrier. Yet despite the obvious alien mega-structure there is no inkling of first contact with an alien species. Only the mystery of the identity of the “hypothetical controlling intelligence” that is behind the Spin. Meanwhile, Scientists are able to observe the sun aging into a red giant that will expand until it eventually envelopes the Earth within thirty years.
The premise is an ambitious science fiction concept. The obvious metaphor intended by the author for Spin is climate change but in the post-pandemic era the fictional society’s reaction will feel all too familiar. Yet the plot is a conventional coming of age of story for our characters into this new world forever impacted by Spin.
The story is about Tyler Dupree and his interactions with the wealthy Lawton family. As the son of their housekeeper, Tyler is childhood best friends with the twins Jason and Diane Lawton. The father E.D. Lawton attempts to use his company Perihelion to profit off the Spin while amassing political influence. Groomed for success, Jason grows up to lead the company while trying to crack of mystery of the Spin. The neglected sister Diane’s quest for answers leads her to a religious cult that embraces the Spin as a herald of the second coming. Tyler goes on to medical school before Jason hires him at Perihelion as the resident physician. This gives Tyler a front row view of Jason’s ambitious plan to save humanity.
While some novels might focus on the effort to save humanity as the central drama, Spin focuses on the interpersonal relationships between the characters to build the story. The cerebral big idea science fiction elements are grounded with the nuanced character studies. This gives the book its greatest edge in asking the philosophical questions when they’re explored through each of the characters own unique perspectives. The scientific exposition flows naturally as dialogue by using the science to explore the characters. Each chapter unravels the mystery of the Spin with tantalizing clues, unexpected twists, and a conclusion that invokes of sense of wonder.
The book was well received by the science fiction community, winning the fan favorite science fiction Hugo Award in 2006. Yet I rarely see it recommended outside the normal science fiction oriented forums. It’s the type of novel that deserves more readership and appreciation outside the confines of its own genre. If you only read one science fiction book, I think this is a strong candidate for the best science fiction has to offer.
by systemstheorist