Čitajući malo o počecima žanra, nekako sam stekla dojam da bi se lista najuticajnijih autora ili žanrovskih romana u velikoj meri poklapala sa listom žanrovskih prvenaca, pa otud i ovaj topik. Startujem sa listom sa io9, ali plan je da se tu dodaje koliko treba, bez nekog specijalnog redosleda...

Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus by Mary ShelleyYear: 1818
What's it about: Victor Frankenstein discovers a way to bring inanimate bodies to life, and creates an eight-foot-tall monster which stalks him and brings death and devastation to everyone he loves. Finally he hunts it all the way to the Arctic circle. Shelley wrote this novel when she was just 18 years old.
Honors: No awards, although this novel became popular early on, and there were stage adaptations as early as 1826. And of course, there have been Frankenstein movies since the invention of cinema.
The Demolished Man by Alfred BesterYear: 1953
What's it about: It's the 22nd century, and a lot of the population is telepathic, which makes it difficult for wealthy businessman Ben Reich to commit murder. A telepathic cop, Lincoln Powell, goes after him. (Read our review here.) Writes the Guardian, "Vivid descriptions of grungey post-apocalyptic brothels and cynically exploitative holiday planets wouldn't seem out of place in contemporary cyberpunk." Bester had actually given up on writing prose science fiction for ten years, writing instead for comics and radio serials, before he returned and published this novel.
Honors: The first ever Hugo Award for Best Novel. It was also a finalist for the International Fantasy Award.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas AdamsYear: 1979
What's it about: Arthur Dent has a bad day — first his home is slated for demolition, then his home planet meets the same fate. Luckily, Arthur's friend Ford Prefect turns out to be a visiting alien, who whisks him off on a series of demented adventures.
Honors: It was already a radio series, and it's since become a stage play, a TV show, a movie, a computer game, and tons of other formats.