For myself, a great book needs to have a wonderful plot and credible characters. Too many books nowadays have what I like to call 2-dimensional characters. In other words they live and they talk a little in the book however we do not find out quite about them or their background. If you have none of that then it's next to impossible to care for them or hate them and we all love a character we can hate. One such character would be Huge Jim Rennie from Stephen King's Under the Dome. I disliked that man and liked that I hated him. If you haven't check out the book then you are losing out but something I would state is that the ending is a little on the 'odd' side. If I liked the ending or not, still not sure.
The one essential point to any excellent science fiction story is that we have to believe this could really occur. Authors require to tap into present technology and get innovative with where they believe it is going to go. Not just that, but they have to make it believable. Yes, they do need to go to the edges of the envelope, but not so much that the sci-fi story ends up as a dream story by the time the book is completed.
Alternate World: In an alternate world, the SFP aspects are understood to the inhabitants and the world is extremely comparable to a regular world other than for the changes imposed by the existence of the SFP aspects. Urban fantasies are a fine example of alternate worlds. In specific I would advise Kim Harrison and Kelley Armstrong for wonderful alternate worldbuilding. The JD Robb books are also a great example of an alternate world, but one set in the future this time.
The artwork on a book is designed to capture your attention. The opportunities of you reading the synopsis go way up if the art work gets you to choose up the book. You may choose to purchase the book if it sounds excellent. The book people have actually completed their job successfully if you do. Nevertheless, you must consider books that do not always have art work that catches your attention. Getting a book at random can prove to be an excellent way to discover a brand-new author and a great literary piece of work. Lots of times, I have randomly selected a book, read the description, and after that made a purchase.
Amongst the very first of the first science fiction writers in America, Sturgeon, was not, in my viewpoint, (I might be wrong) as well-known as a few of the others: L. Ron Hubbard, (who by-the-way, won Must-read books his bet with his sci-fi pals on being able to start a faith) Sprague de Camp, and Heinlein. These guys, among others, utilized to hang out together and satisfy on Saturday's night. You might call this group among the first SF Writer's Group.
The Unnoticeable Male was released in 1933 and was directed by James Whale. Based on the H.G. Wells book of the same name, it tells the story of researcher Dr. Jack Griffin who has actually invented a serum that makes him completely unnoticeable. Nevertheless, the serum features the awful side impact of slowly driving its user ridiculous. Under its influence, Dr. Griffin robs and kills a number of people. An extremely creepy film that starts out with a great deal of humor, but settles in to end up being fatal major. The movie features convincing special effects for a movie produced in the 1930s.
Cliches were as soon as original ideas, and just ended up being cliches since they worked so well at one time. All you have to do is take a cliche and twist it into something nobodies ever done prior to.