I love ASOIAF, but I gotta say that it's epic fantasy. It definitely ain't SciFi. Its not even close to the line, the way McCaffery and MZB are. Just saying. Now there are a lot of people-GRRM among them- who would say that's a distinction without a difference, and if you like, we could have that discussion. Maybe the OP should have begun by defining what science fiction is.
For purposes of this thread, I think we should stick to novels that fall within the Wikipedia definition:
Quote:
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible (or at least nonsupernatural) content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities. Exploring the consequences of scientific innovations is one purpose of science fiction, making it a "literature of ideas".[1]
Science fiction is largely based on writing rationally about alternative possibilities.[2] It is similar to, but differs from, fantasy in that, within the context of the story, its imaginary elements are largely possible within scientifically established or scientifically postulated laws of nature (though some elements in a story might still be pure imaginative speculation).
The settings for science fiction are often contrary to known reality, but most science fiction relies on a considerable degree of suspension of disbelief, which is facilitated in the reader's mind by potential scientific explanations or solutions to various fictional elements. Science fiction criteria include:
A time setting in the future, in alternative timelines, or in a historical past that contradicts known facts of history or the archaeological record.
A spatial setting or scenes in outer space (e.g., spaceship travel), on other worlds, or on subterranean earth. [3]
Characters that include aliens, mutants, androids, or humanoid robots.
Technology that is futuristic (e.g., ray guns, teleportation machines, humanoid computers). [4]
Scientific principles that are new or that contradict known laws of nature--for example, time travel, wormholes, or faster-than-light travel.
New and different political or social systems (e.g., a dystopia, or a post-apocalyptic situation where organized society has collapsed), [5] although disagreement exists on whether this criterion identifies science fiction.
Paranormal abilities such as mind-reading, mind control, mental telepathy, telekinesis, and self-teleportation.
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Now I am open to discussion on this , but I think SOME line needs to be drawn, or we'll be nominating the Epic of Gilgamesh or Grimm's Fairy Tales
.
While its not the best science fiction novel ever written, I think that the most influential SF novel ever written was HG Wells'
The War of the Worlds.
Think of how many SF tropes were introduced or popularized by the book:
* Life on other planets
*Space travel
*First contact with aliens
*Alien invasion
*Ray guns and hi-tech weaponry
*War between planets
*Colonization of other planets
*Exhaustion of planetary resources and planet wide ecological catastrophe
*Possibility of biological warfare
* Political commentary ( Wells was commenting on European imperial policy)
Indeed I would argue that HG Wells is the most important author in the history of SF, and that the genre is for the most part a commentary upon and an expansion of his works.