Explore otherworldly realms in these 13 fantastical tales

Science fiction and fantasy books rocket us to places that range from vaguely familiar to fantastically foreign. Their heroes might be interstellar princes or a Mexican girl who hangs out with afficher plus Maya gods. But they all venture into worlds, towns, or even cyberspaces that are either subtly or radically different from our own.

Superfans love to argue about the difference between sci-fi and fantasy. Purists say sci-fi must rely on, well, science, and extrapolate from elements of real life; fantasy veers toward supernatural beings and surreal settings. But the line can be hard to draw, and both genres are often grouped under the umbrella of speculative fiction. Whatever the label, these stories allow us to imagine other places, other times, and take trips that go beyond our wildest dreams. As the late, great sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury said: “Science fiction is the most important literature in the history of the world, because it’s the history of ideas, the history of our civilization birthing itself.”

Here are some of our picks—the latest installment in our ongoing Around the World in Books series—that transport you to enchanted realms, other planets, or completely recast corners of Earth. afficher moins