Although I love to read new science fiction releases, there is nothing quite like picking up a classic and exploring it for the first (or 500th) time. Here are a few sci fi classics that you should definitely check out if you haven’t already.

“The Time Machine” and “War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells. These two novels show exactly why H.G. Wells has become one of science fiction’s most celebrated writers. Whether you prefer cautionary time travel tales or nasty alien invasions, you are sure to find something to love about these classics.

“Animal Farm” by George Orwell. What better way to show how humans are obsessed with privilege and power, than to illustrate it with talking animals who try to create their own utopian society?

“Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley. Both a truly horrifying and sad tale, “Frankenstein” is guaranteed to play on both your sympathies and your irrational fears. Even more importantly, this novel showed the world that science fiction wasn’t just for the boys anymore.

“I, Robot” by Isaac Asimov. Long before Will Smith played in the movie, this book by Asimov was entertaining sci fi fans with tales of robots gone mad.

“20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and “A Journey to the Center of the Earth” by Jules Verne. Before science could accurately predict what lay at the bottom of the sea and inside the core of the earth, Jules Verne had his followers convinced that truly horrific things might be lurking just out of sight. Even though we now know better, it’s still fun to imagine what could be.

“Fahrenheit 451″ by Ray Bradbury. Is there anything truly scarier than an ignorant world where knowledge is considered dangerous?

“Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley. Proof that a ‘perfect world’ might only lead to laziness and depression.