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The English Teacher's Big List of Great Speculative Fiction by Women

Some of the very best speculative fiction ( aka SF or Sci-Fi) has been written by women. Here is a highly subjective list ( by a male who has always known women are better) of the best of the best. Note: J. K. Rowling is not included in this list because the Harry Potter series is high fantasy, not SF. That is also why the Earthsea Cycle is missing. James Tiptree, Jr. is here because that is a pseudonym for the late Alice Sheldon.
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A Wrinkle in Time Quintet Boxset (Madeleine L'engle)
A Wrinkle in Time Quintet Boxset
1
Madeleine L'engle
All Clear (Connie Willis)
All Clear
2
Connie Willis
All Systems Red (Martha Wells)
All Systems Red
3
Martha Wells
Always Coming Home (Ursula K. Le Guin)
Always Coming Home
4
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ancillary Justice (Ann Leckie)
Ancillary Justice
5
Ann Leckie
Ancillary Mercy (Ann Leckie)
Ancillary Mercy
6
Ann Leckie
Ancillary Sword (Ann Leckie)
Ancillary Sword
7
Ann Leckie
And Chaos Died (Joanna Russ)
And Chaos Died
8
Joanna Russ
Artificial Condition (Martha Wells)
Artificial Condition
9
Martha Wells
Bellwether (Connie Willis)
Bellwether
10
Connie Willis
Blackout (Connie Willis)
Blackout
11
Connie Willis
Brightness Falls From the Air (James Tiptree, Jr.)
Brightness Falls From the Air
12
James Tiptree, Jr.
Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight? (Ursula K Leguin)
Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight?
13
Ursula K Leguin
City of Bones (Martha Wells)
City of Bones
14
Martha Wells
City of Illusions (Ursula K. Le Guin)
City of Illusions
15
Ursula K. Le Guin
Cyteen (C.J. Cherryh)
Cyteen
16
C.J. Cherryh
Darkover Series (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
Darkover Series
17
Marion Zimmer Bradley
Doomsday Book (Willis)
Doomsday Book
18
Willis
Downbelow Station (C.J. Cherryh)
Downbelow Station
19
C.J. Cherryh
Dragonriders of Pern Series
Dragonriders of Pern Series
20
Exit Strategy (Martha Wells)
Exit Strategy
21
Martha Wells
Fire Watch (Connie Willis)
Fire Watch
22
Connie Willis
Fledgling (Octavia E. Butler)
Fledgling
23
Octavia E. Butler
Frankenstein (Mary Shelley)
Frankenstein
24
Mary Shelley
Galactic Derelict (Andre Norton)
Galactic Derelict
25
Andre Norton
Her Smoke Rose Up Forever (Tiptree)
Her Smoke Rose Up Forever
26
Tiptree
Ingathering (Zenna Henderson)
Ingathering
27
Zenna Henderson
Kindred (Octavia Butler)
Kindred
28
Octavia Butler
Kingdom of Gods (N.K.Jemisin)
Kingdom of Gods
29
N.K.Jemisin
Lincoln's Dream (Willis)
Lincoln's Dream
30
Willis
Maddaddam (Margaret Atwood)
Maddaddam
31
Margaret Atwood
Marque and Reprisal (Elizabeth Moon)
Marque and Reprisal
32
Elizabeth Moon
Oath of Fealty (Elizabeth Moon)
Oath of Fealty
33
Elizabeth Moon
Oryx and Crake (Margaret Atwood)
Oryx and Crake
34
Margaret Atwood
Parable of the Sower (Octavia E Butler)
Parable of the Sower
35
Octavia E Butler
Parable of the Talents (Octavia Butler)
Parable of the Talents
36
Octavia Butler
Passages (Willis)
Passages
37
Willis
PICNIC ON PARADISE Joanna Russ
PICNIC ON PARADISE Joanna Russ
38
Pilgrimage (Zenna Henderson)
Pilgrimage
39
Zenna Henderson
Planet of Exile (Ursula K. Le Guin)
Planet of Exile
40
Ursula K. Le Guin
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