Simon Ings writes: "Fiction is there to drive us out of our heads, and science fiction even more so: it makes the wildest notions seem pressingly relevant to us, extends our imaginations and our sympathies.
"I've not only written many science-fiction (SF) novels myself, but for years I've written about SF, championed it, criticised it, taught it (whatever that means) and – God help me – edited it.
"Here, then, is my extremely objective list of the 20 best sci-fi books ever written. They ate my life. You have been warned."
