By JAMES WYSOTSKI, QMI Agency

Choosing which books to give as presents can be challenging. There's a chance friends and family may have already read bestsellers, and popular titles often don't live up to the hype.
Think outside the box this holiday season and open new minds to the wonders of science fiction. Since the sprawling genre can be daunting for those wading in for the first time, we’ve assembled a list of the 10 best books to give.

Book: #1 - Ender's Game
Author: Orson Scott Card
Year: 1985
Pages: 226

What it's about: Ender Wiggin is among Earth's most gifted children enlisted into Battle School, a futuristic military boot camp seeking the next great fleet commander to fight the alien "Buggers"� that threaten humankind. Featuring plot twists to make Hollywood envious, the novel asks if violence can be justified.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: Check back in a year. The Harrison Ford led film opens Nov. 1, 2013. Can't wait!

Other great books by this author: The multiple award-winning sequel, Speaker for the Dead, slows down the pace and offers deeper insights.
Ender's Shadow, the first book in a concurrent quadrilogy, provides as many thrills as the original.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #3 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Author: Douglas Adams
Year: 1979
Pages: 224

What it's about: In this comedic novel, the answer to life's most important question is "42." So what's the question? Well, that would be a lot easier to figure out if the Vogons hadn't destroyed Earth to make a hyperspatial expressway. Confused? You should be. And that's half the fun.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: Those who enjoyed the book will like the movie. Anyone else... not so much. It earned a 60%.

Other great books by this author: Don't panic, the story doesn't stop here. This "trilogy in five parts" now has a sixth book penned by another author.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #2 - Dune
Author: Frank Herbert
Year: 1965
Pages: 412

What it's about: The ruler of planet Arrakis wields significant galactic power thanks to its supply of the spice (read: drug) melange. Paul Atreides, the rightful heir, contends with muddied politics and religion as he gains an understanding of the planet's unique ecology and its indigenous people. Think post-colonialism meets environmentalism, with a bunch of action thrown in for good measure.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: With a 58%, David Lynch's muddled 1984 film leaves a lot to be desired. Don't even bother with it. Pray for a remake.

Other great books by this author: Dune Messiah is the first of five celebrated sequels.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #4 - Nineteen Eighty-Four
Author: George Orwell
Year: 1949
Pages: 326

What it's about: In this dystopia, "Big Brother" and his totalitarian regime have wiped out all individual thought, going so far as to remove anyone by rewriting history. So what happens when propaganda writer Winston Smith dreams of rebellion and falls in love?

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: A 79% seems a bit generous for the 1984 remake. While faithful to its source, it does not fully encapsulate the terror of the classic novel.

Other great books by this author: The pint-sized Animal Farm should be required reading for everyone.
While not by Orwell, those who enjoyed 1984 may also like Anthony Burgess's dystopic masterpiece "A Clockwork Orange."

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #5 - The Legacy of Heorot
Authors: Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle & Steven Barnes
Year: 1987
Pages: 368

What it's about: Human colonists learn that surviving the arduous journey to Avalon pales to the terrors of living there. While the book features strong environmental warnings, this story is really just one great big rollercoaster ride akin to the movie "Aliens."�

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: None yet, but you can tell we want one badly.

Other great books by this author: It's hard to pick just one great Niven and Pournelle novel. Really, they're all as good as "Heorot." Many would say better. Start with The Mote in God's Eye, a tale about humankind's disastrous first contact with aliens. Then try their alien invasion novel Footfall. And don't miss Lucifer's Hammer, the ultimate end-of-the-world story. It puts Deep Impact and Armageddon to shame.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #6 - Starship Troopers
Author: Robert A. Heinlein
Year: 1959
Pages: 263

What it's about: To help protect Earth from attacking aliens, Johnnie Rico joins the Terran Mobile Infantry, and goes through the toughest boot camp in the universe. Can you say "military dictatorship"? Along the way, he also learns what it means to be a true citizen.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: The campy fun is infectious, so its 62% doesn't do it justice. We're certain you'll love it.

Other great books by this author: Heinlein's legacy is massive. Although you can't go wrong with award-winners The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress and The Puppet Masters, the first novel to target is Stranger in a Strange Land, the story of a human from Mars with extraordinary powers and a lot to teach.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #7 - Battlefield Earth
Author: L. Ron Hubbard
Year: 1982
Pages: 1050

What it's about: Yes, it's that L. Ron Hubbard. Scientology's creator. If you can set aside your preconceptions, you'll revel in this epic adventure. In the year 3,000, alien Psychlos rule Earth and have sent what remains of humanity back into the Dark Ages. But along comes Jonnie Goodboy Tyler to save the day. And yes, we know we'll be taking a lot of heat for ranking this one so high.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: Travolta's travesty is among the worst movies ever made. Its 2% is two too high in our books. We pray a worthy director does a remake.

Other great books by this author: We do not recommend Dianetics, or any other of his Scientologist tomes.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #8 - I, Robot
Author: Isaac Asimov
Year: 1950
Pages: 253

What it's about: This collection of nine short stories includes both the origins of the famous "three laws of robotics," as well as the inspiration for the eponymous Hollywood film. The morality linked to the book's human-robot interactions revolutionized how science fiction is told.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: It's mindless summer fluff, but it's damned exciting. Fifty-eight percent is far too low.

Other great books by this author: Best known for his "Foundation" and "Robot" novels, you can't go wrong with anything he writes.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #9 - Jurassic Park
Author: Michael Crichton
Year: 1990
Pages: 400

What it's about: Who are we to play God? This cautionary tale delivers constant high-tech thrills after scientists find a way to bring back dinosaurs - and then open a theme park to show off their creations. As expected, they cannot foresee all the necessary safety precautions, and people get munched.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: Its 90% says it all. It's thrilling.

Other great books by this author: The Lost World picks up right where Jurassic Park ends. If you read one, you'll want to read the other.
If you've seen the movie Sphere, forget everything you saw and go pick up the book. It's so much better.
Skip Crichton's Timeline. The idea is as good as anything he conjured, but the writing is just awful.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #10 - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
Author: Philip K. Dick
Year: 1968
Pages: 210

What it's about: You likely know this story better as its 1992 film title, Blade Runner. Rick Deckard is a bounty hunter who must "retire"� six renegade androids. Easier said than done. Along the way, he questions what it means to be human. As in the movie, one also wonders if he even is one.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: 92%? Really? We wonder (sarcastically) if we're watching the same neo-noir film that critics and fans both seem to love. Yet another movie we'd love to see remade.

Other great books by this author: "What if Hitler had won the war?"� asks The Man in the High Castle. Read it and find out how your life would be different.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #11 - Neuromancer
Author: William Gibson
Year: 1984
Pages: 271

What it's about: Does it really matter? All one needs to know is that it started the cyberpunk sub-genre. If you like The Matrix, then you should be thankful for Neuromancer. Since you're still curious about the plot, Case is a has-been hacker hired to do one last massive job. And his life depends upon it.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: No film versions in the works.

Other great books by this author: Pattern Recognition gets more hype than any of his other works.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #12 - Hyperion
Author: Dan Simmons
Year: 1989
Pages: 482

What it's about: Think of it as the Canterbury Tales of science fiction. Seven pilgrims, all telling their own stories, travel to Hyperion to unravel the mystery of the Shrike, a legendary creature known for impaling its victims on metal poles. If successful, they might also save humankind.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: No film versions in the works.

Other great books by this author: The "Hyperion Cantos"� continue with three more sequels, all much heralded.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #13 - Rendezvous With Rama
Author: Arthur C. Clarke
Year: 1973
Pages: 256

What it's about: Another classic story of humankind's first encounter with an alien ship from deep space. And this one is massive. Earth sends a probe to intercept and investigate it. Ultimately, they gain entry and find even greater wonders inside.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: There's been talk of a movie adaptation for over a decade - it was even tied to Morgan Freeman at one point - but nothing solid is in the works.

Other great books by this author: We're betting you've heard of his classic tale about the perils of progress, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #14 - Ringworld
Author: Larry Niven
Year: 1970
Pages: 352

What it's about: Yes, this is the same author previously mentioned with Jerry Pournelle. He is a creative genius whose solo works also stand among the best, and Ringworld is his seminal piece, spawning numerous sequels and prequels, plus spin-offs by other writers. The story focuses on a group of humans and aliens exploring a previously unknown "world"� of unimaginable scope that was created by a mysterious race. Along the way, they see what happens when technology fails a civilization.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: A movie must be made someday, but there's nothing as of yet.

Other great books by this author: Ignoring the collaborative works mentioned earlier, we recommend The Integral Trees.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Book: #15 - The Handmaid's Tale
Author: Margaret Atwood
Year: 1985
Pages: 324

What it's about: After pollution causes most women to become sterile, those who can bear children become pawns of the Christian theocractic state and are forced into breeding. The novel's protagonist, Offred, struggles to find freedom in the male-dominated society.

Movie version's Rotten Tomatoes rating: Trust us, the book is much better than the movie, which scored a 23%.

Other great books by this author: When she's not busy scooping up Bookers, Governor General's Awards, and Gillers for regular fiction, Atwood shows a deft hand for sci-fi. Try After the Flood and Oryx & Crake.

Do you like this book? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Popular books that became movies
Here are a few more noteworthy novels that didn’t make our list. Part of what makes them special is that Hollywood has already discovered them. We’ll leave it up to you to determine what order you take in the book and movie versions.

I am Legend - Richard Matheson
Cloud Atlas – David Mitchell
The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins
The Road – Cormac McCarthy
Contact – Carl Sagan
The War of the Worlds – H.G. Wells

Or get a head start on these upcoming blockbuster films:
World War Z - Max Brooks
Robopocalypse – Daniel H. Wilson

Will these novels become must-read sci-fi classics? Some, like War of the Worlds, already are. While others are destined to be forgotten once their 15 minutes are up. We’re looking at you, Hunger Games. So, should you read these books? Tough to say. Most people think books are generally better than movie versions. The Road definitely abides by that standard. However, we hope World War Z is the rare exception that towers above its mediocre source. You might want to hold off on reading it.

Do you like these books? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.

Top Star Wars books
Now that Disney is committed to pumping out a new Star Wars film every couple of years, everyone wants to know how the saga will continue - and the options are limitless. We expect Disney's preferred storyline already exists since there are numerous novels about the "expanded universe."� There are so many, in fact, that it can be daunting when wading in for the first time. So we've narrowed it down to eight of the best. And for the record, we'd like to see Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy (listed below) become Episodes VII - IX.

Heir to the Empire - Timothy Zahn
Dark Force Rising - Timothy Zahn
The Last Command - Timothy Zahn
Death Troopers - Joe Schreiber
The Courtship of Princess Leia - Dave Wolverton
I, Jedi - Michael Stackpole
Vector Prime - R.A. Salvatore
Darth Bane: Path of Destruction - Drew Karpyshyn

Do you like these books? Tell us why. Send your comments or any other sci-fi book recommendations to scificlassics@scribblelive.com.

Don't have the time to be well-read? Wrong! Try these 35 classic quick-read books.