What is the name of the humanoid robot detective in Isaac Asimov's Robot series?
Answer
R. Daneel Olivaw
80 Science Fiction Literature Trivia Questions with Answers
80 public questions with answers, drawn from the well. How many can you answer?
Science fiction literature trivia examines the novels and stories that built modern speculative fiction. Questions cover authors, planets, artificial intelligence, robots, alien encounters, future societies, spaceships, and the terminology that defines influential works by Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, William Gibson, H.G. Wells, Orson Scott Card, and Douglas Adams.
The collection ranges from identifying Asimov's robot detective and the capital of the Galactic Empire to recalling the subterranean species in The Time Machine and the training facility in Ender's Game. It is well suited to book clubs, literature classes, science-fiction conventions, pub quizzes, and readers who enjoy testing precise knowledge of classic and modern novels.
In Philip K. Dick's 'The Man in the High Castle', what is the title of the novel written by Hawthorne Abendsen?
Answer
The Grasshopper Lies Heavy
In Joe Haldeman's 'The Forever War', what is the name of the protagonist?
Answer
William Mandella
In Kurt Vonnegut's 'Slaughterhouse-Five', what is the name of the alien planet?
Answer
Tralfamadore
Who wrote the novel 'The Left Hand of Darkness'?
Answer
Ursula K. Le Guin
What is the name of the protagonist in George Orwell's '1984'?
Answer
Winston Smith
Who wrote the science fiction novel 'The Time Machine'?
Answer
H.G. Wells
What is the title of the Philip K. Dick short story adapted into the film 'Total Recall'?
Answer
We Can Remember It for You Wholesale
What is the name of the Martian in Robert A. Heinlein's 'Stranger in a Strange Land'?
Answer
Valentine Michael Smith
What is the name of the spaceship in Arthur C. Clarke's '2001: A Space Odyssey'?
Answer
Discovery One
What is the name of the mathematical science in Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation' series?
Answer
psychohistory
Science Fiction Literature trivia — quick answers
What are good Science Fiction Literature trivia questions?
Good Science Fiction Literature trivia questions focus on distinctive details from novels and short-story cycles: characters, planets, spaceships, artificial intelligences, fictional technologies, authors, and invented societies. Questions about Asimov's robot detective, Rama's investigating ship, or the AI in Neuromancer reward close reading without requiring plot summaries.
How hard is Science Fiction Literature trivia?
Science Fiction Literature trivia is often moderately difficult because it draws on specific books, series terminology, and older works that may not be familiar to casual audiences. Popular titles provide accessible entry points, while questions about fictional settings, secondary characters, and technical concepts are better suited to dedicated readers or specialist quizzes.
Who is the robot detective in Isaac Asimov's Robot series?
The humanoid robot detective in Isaac Asimov's Robot series is R. Daneel Olivaw. He first appears in The Caves of Steel, where he works with the human detective Elijah Baley. Daneel is built to resemble a human and follows the Three Laws of Robotics, while his long story arc connects Asimov's robot, Empire, and Foundation settings.
What is the capital planet of the Galactic Empire in Foundation?
Trantor is the capital planet of the Galactic Empire in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. It is a fully urbanized world covered by a vast city and serves as the administrative center of imperial power. Trantor's dependence on imported food and its political importance become central to the Empire's decline.
What is the answer to life in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy?
The supercomputer Deep Thought calculates that the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything is 42. The joke is that the exact question was never properly identified, so the answer has limited practical meaning. Douglas Adams uses the episode to parody the desire for simple answers to profound questions.