The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin

~$10 typical price

Ursula K. Le Guin's classic novel about an envoy on an icy world whose people have no fixed gender.

Why it makes a great gift

One of the books that showed science fiction could be literature, and still one of the most discussed.

Great for: Her Wife Girlfriend Mom Sister Him Husband Boyfriend
Occasions: Christmas Birthday Mother’s Day Father’s Day Thank You Secret Santa White Elephant Stocking Stuffer

Featured in these gift guides

~$8

Dune (Ace Mass Market Paperback)

A staple of the genre and an easy gift for anyone who loved the films and hasn't read the book.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy FansBook Lovers

~$14

A fast, funny, science-heavy read that works for longtime sci-fi fans and people who rarely read the genre.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy FansBook Lovers

~$10

A craft book with actual exercises, for a fiction writer who wants to work on sentences, not just motivation.

Writers & JournalersBook Lovers

~$30

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 5-Book Box Set

Funny, short and quotable, which makes it a good first sci-fi read.

Sci-Fi & Fantasy FansBook Lovers