Top Ten Best Selling Science Fiction Books of 2008

The best, best-selling science fiction books of 2008 are an eclectic mix of hard sci-fi, with a dash of the near-fantastical, and the re-emergence of one of the deans of the genre with two novels on the list.

No. 1 - "Immortality" by Kevin Bohacz capitalizes on the theme of impending environmental collapse and the rapid extinction of species that we read about daily in the national news. Following in the wake of the Hugo-award winning novel "Darwin's Radio" (Greg Bear), Bohacz keeps the reader riveted with a tale of how the rules of evolution when being crushed by environmental factors could create new species that are "hidden" amongst us - including fellow members of the human race.

No. 2 - "Dark Matter" by S.W. Ahmed continues the long-standing tradition of "what if we could travel faster than light" in science fiction, mixing in theory on dark matter, alien abduction, and galactic warfare. More than a simple adventure story, Ahmed has managed to create a unique first novel.

No. 3 - "The Ship Who Searched" by Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey puts two of science fiction's preeminent authors into a collaboration which is flawlessly presented. Originally released in 1992, this novel set in a McCaffrey's universe where interstellar ships are operated by the living personalities of human beings, and tells the tale of a paralyzed girl and her "shipmate" Alex as they discover a mystery - and search out its secret.

No. 4 - "The Prometheus Project: Trapped" by Douglas E. Richards brings to mind the classic young reader's novel "A Wrinkle In Time" by Madeline L'Engle, with two precocious siblings discovering that their scientist parents have a secret - and they want in on it, too. An adventure story for young and old alike, "The Prometheus Project: Trapped" has made its way into classroom reading lists.