Best Sci Fi Books From the 60s (2026): 5 Compared

Finding the best sci fi books from the 60s is trickier than it sounds, because the decade’s famous titles and the books in print today do not always line up. We compared five books by genre fit, page count, edition and what each description says, so you can match the book to the reader.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	John Carter by Burroughs	9.4/10	Buy
2	Crypt Tales Vol 2 by Feldstein	9.2/10	Buy
3	Fossil Woman by Lyon	9.2/10	Buy
4	Trout Fishing by Brautigan	9.2/10	Buy
5	The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Malone	9.2/10	Buy

1

John Carter by Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs·9.4/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the reader who wants five Barsoom novels in one volume: a 540-page collection of the first five stories in the Mars series, with the original frontispieces.

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Pros

• Five Barsoom novels in one 540-page volume
• Original frontispieces included, enhanced and enlarged
• Clear formatting and detailed contents stated

Cons

• Stories date to 1917 to 1922, not the 1960s
• 2010 edition; not a new printing
• No reading age or grade level is stated

2

Crypt Tales Vol 2 by Feldstein

Al Feldstein·9.2/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the horror-comics reader: 24 classic Tales from the Crypt stories reprinted in a 216-page trade paperback, listed for reading age 13 to 16.

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Pros

• 24 classic stories reprinted from issues 23 to 28
• Reading age 13 to 16 years stated
• 216-page deluxe-size trade paperback

Cons

• Horror comics, not science fiction
• 2022 edition; not from the 1960s
• No grade level is stated

3

Fossil Woman by Lyon

Sharon Lyon·9.2/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the reader who likes time-crossed adventure: a 1950s paleontology student hears a voice from a woman who lived a million years ago, in book 1 of 3.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 3 in the Fossil Woman series
• 2022 first edition
• Paleontology and time-crossed premise

Cons

• Not from the 1960s; 2022 publication
• No page count is stated
• No reading age or grade level is stated

4

Trout Fishing by Brautigan

Richard Brautigan·9.2/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For the 1960s counterculture reader: three Brautigan classics in one 400-page volume, though none is science fiction.

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Pros

• Three 1960s counterculture classics in one volume
• 400 pages
• Includes nearly 100 poems from 1968

Cons

• Not science fiction
• 1989 edition; not a new printing
• No reading age or grade level is stated

5

The Sixty-Eight Rooms by Malone

Marianne Malone·9.2/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

For a young reader: two eleven-year-olds shrink to explore 68 miniature rooms in the Chicago Art Institute, book 1 of 4.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 4 in the series
• Reading age 8 to 11 and grade level 3 to 7 stated
• 288 pages, reissue edition

Cons

• A kids' fantasy mystery, not science fiction
• Reading age suits children, not the adult list
• 2011 reissue; not from the 1960s

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More picks to compare

• Sixty Days and Counting by RobinsonClimate science fiction; book 3 of a trilogyCheck on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 19 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. Two of the five listings state a reading age; the others state none. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best sci fi books from the 60s

Match the genre first

None of these five is a 1960s science fiction novel in the strict sense: the Barsoom stories date to 1917 to 1922, the Brautigan is counterculture, the EC Archives is horror comics, Fossil Woman is a 2022 speculative adventure, and The Sixty-Eight Rooms is a kids’ fantasy. If strict 60s science fiction is the goal, browse all fantasy books for adjacent lists.

Check the reading age

Only two listings state a reading age: the EC Archives at 13 to 16 years, and The Sixty-Eight Rooms at 8 to 11 years, marked as from customers, with grade level 3 to 7. The other three state none, so read the description before buying for a young reader. For younger readers, see our best sci fi books for middle school list.

Series position matters

Fossil Woman is book 1 of 3 and The Sixty-Eight Rooms is book 1 of 4, so both start their series. The John Carter collection gathers the first five Barsoom stories in one volume.

Before you buy

• Check the publication date: these editions range from 1989 to 2022, and the original stories are older.
• None of the five is a 1960s science fiction novel; read the description for genre before buying.
• For a series, confirm the book number on the listing: Fossil Woman is book 1 of 3.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are any of these actually from the 1960s?

The Brautigan volume collects 1960s counterculture works, including poems first published in 1968. The other four are editions or stories from other decades.

Which is the longest book?

John Carter of Mars: The Collection at 540 pages. The one with the fewest pages is the EC Archives at 216 pages.

Which suits a teenager?

The EC Archives lists reading age 13 to 16 years. The Sixty-Eight Rooms lists 8 to 11, so it suits younger readers.

Still deciding? Our top pickJohn Carter by Burroughs

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See every fantasy books list and all fiction books lists.

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