Samuel R. Delany was at the forefront of the 1960s sci-fi boom and Babel-17 is possibly his most emblematic work. A discourse on linguistics and philosophy wrapped up in a pulp space opera, its unique strangeness and stylised narrative make it a countercultural classic and an oddly addictive read.
In the far future, after human civilization has spread through the galaxy, communications begin to arrive in an apparently alien language. They appear to threaten invasion, but in order to counter the threat, the messages must first be understood.