When Was The First Science Fiction Book Written

The origins of science fiction are surprisingly ancient, way before most people realize. If we're talking about the first book that truly fits the genre, I'd argue it's 'Somnium' by Johannes Kepler, written way back in 1608. This isn't some dry scientific essay—it's a wild ride about a demon-assisted journey to the Moon, complete with lunar civilizations and celestial mechanics. Kepler wrote it as both a thought experiment and a covert defense of Copernican astronomy, wrapped in a fantastical narrative. The way he blends actual science with imaginative storytelling is mind-blowing for the 17th century.

Some scholars point to Lucian of Samosata's 'A True Story' from the 2nd century AD as an earlier contender. That one has space travel, alien wars, and even interplanetary colonization, but it's more of a satirical parody than genuine sci-fi. The key difference is intent—Kepler was seriously exploring scientific possibilities through fiction, while Lucian was mocking travelogues. Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' often gets credit as the first, but that 1818 masterpiece was actually building on centuries of proto-sci-fi. The genre didn't just appear—it evolved from these early experiments that dared to mix science with speculation.

Digging into sci-fi's roots is like uncovering buried treasure. Most fans know 'Frankenstein' as groundbreaking, but the real OG might be 'The Blazing World' by Margaret Cavendish in 1666. This Duchess wrote about parallel universes and talking animal-human hybrids centuries before multiverse tropes went mainstream. What fascinates me is how these early works weren't just entertainment—they were philosophical playgrounds where writers tested radical ideas about reality. Cavendish's protagonist literally becomes an empress of another world, challenging every norm of her time. That's sci-fi at its core—using imagination to question what's possible.