Why English Majors Should Read Hard Science Fiction

by Sydney Foster

A month before Project Hail Mary was set to come out in theaters, my family invited me to go see it with them. Being the literature nerd I am, I couldn't help but pick up the book first.

This novel changed the way I look at the literature I choose to read.

Of course, I am a bit biased, as I have a deep love of space and originally went to TTU to study astrochemistry before changing my major, but even putting that aside, I genuinely think everyone would benefit from reading at least one story in this genre.

What is hard science fiction anyway?

Hard science fiction is a type of sci-fi that focuses on scientific accuracy and real-world logic. The science matters to the plot, and the story often depends on problem-solving, experimentation, and discovery. Authors like Andy Weir tells a story focused on science and math while giving you the clues to figure out what will happen next; his writing doesn't talk down to you and make you feel confused.

Why should you read it?

One of the biggest reasons is that hard science fiction forces you to think differently as a reader. As English majors, we spend a lot of time analyzing symbolism, character, and theme, but this genre adds another layer by making you think through systems, logic, and cause and effect in a very concrete way. It trains you to pay attention to detail in a different way, because every piece of information can matter later. At the same time, it still deals with deeply human questions like isolation, survival, and connection. In Project Hail Mary, for example, the science is complex, but what stays with you is the relationship between characters and the emotional weight of being alone and processing your own mortality while trying to save the world. It shows that technical writing and emotional storytelling are not opposites and actually strengthen each other.

What might you read? (If you like blank, read blank?)

While the idea of reading a novel that is built around math and science concepts might sound intimidating, here are some pointers to get you started.

If you enjoy character-driven stories that focus on survival and internal struggle, especially something like the isolation and moral endurance in Lord of the Flies, then you would probably connect with Project Hail Mary or The Martian by Andy Weir. Both novels place a single character in an extreme environment and build tension through problem-solving, forcing the reader to engage with both the psychological and physical stakes of survival.

If you are more drawn to philosophical or existential texts like Frankenstein or Brave New World, then something like 2001: A Space Odyssey might be a better fit. These works all ask similar questions about humanity’s place in the universe, the limits of knowledge, and the consequences of scientific advancement, but hard sci-fi pushes those questions further by grounding them in realistic science.

At the end of the day, reading hard science fiction is not about becoming a scientist or understanding every technical detail. That’s what makes it so great. It challenges you to engage with unfamiliar ideas while still connecting to the same themes we study in literature all the time. For English majors especially, it offers a different kind of close reading, one that combines analysis with curiosity (it also might leave you needing some tissues by the end).