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The year 1956 was marked, in science fiction, by the following events.

• K. A. Applegate
• Gillian Bradshaw
• Simon Brown
• Aleksandr Bushkov
• Jack Campbell
• Storm Constantine (d. 2021)
• Hugh Cook (d. 2008)
• Nabil Farouk (d. 2020)
• Richard Foss
• Mary Gentle
• Rick Kennett
• Tom Kratman
• Jean-Marc Ligny
• Ian R. MacLeod
• R. M. Meluch
• Robert A. Metzger
• Brian Plante
• Robert Reed
• Shauna S. Roberts
• Joan Slonczewski
• Sonny Whitelaw
• Jack Womack

• Archibald Low (b. 1888)
• Vladimir Obruchev (b. 1863)
• Bob Olsen (b. 1884)
• Fletcher Pratt (b. 1897)
• F. Orlin Tremaine (b. 1899)

• The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov, Astounding Science Fiction (October–December), published in book form in 1957.
• The Power by Frank M. Robinson, Blue Book (March), published in book form in May.

• The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke, a man questions the perfect but stagnant future city of Diaspar.
• The Crossroads of Time by Andre Norton, an agent travels between parallel worlds to prevent a catastrophic war.
• The Death of Grass by John Christopher, a global famine leads to societal collapse and desperate survival.
• Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein, an actor impersonates a politician in a complex political scheme.
• Highways in Hiding by George O. Smith, intertwines ESP, a disease that turns people to stone, and a secret society with a hidden cure.
• The Man Who Japed by Philip K. Dick, a satirical novel about rebellion in a totalitarian society.
• No Man Friday by Rex Gordon, a science fiction robinsonade set on Mars.
• The Power by Frank M. Robinson, a thriller that explores the concept of a man with the ability to control others.
• The Shrinking Man by Richard Matheson, a man battles to survive as he inexplicably shrinks in size.
• Slave Ship by Frederik Pohl, explores the psychological impact of futuristic warfare and slavery.
• Tiger! Tiger! by Alfred Bester,^{[nb 1]} a man seeks revenge across the galaxy using newfound teleportation powers.
• To Live Forever by Jack Vance, society is divided by the quest for immortality and a man's struggle against it.
• The World Jones Made by Philip K. Dick, a man who can see a year into the future grapples with his power and destiny.

• "The Country of the Kind" by Damon Knight, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (February).
• "The Last Question" by Isaac Asimov, Science Fiction Quarterly (November).
• "The Man Who Came Early" by Poul Anderson, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (June).
• "The Minority Report" (novella) by Philip K. Dick, Fantastic Universe.

• Danny Dunn and the Anti-Gravity Paint by Raymond Abrashkin and Jay Williams, a lab mishap leads to the creation of anti-gravity paint and an unintended space voyage.
• Time for the Stars by Robert A. Heinlein (juvenile), telepathic twins communicate across vast distances during space exploration.

• The Domes of Mars by Patrick Moore, second of a six-book series following Mission to Mars (1955).
• Stowaway to the Mushroom Planet by Eleanor Cameron, children embark on another adventure to the Mushroom Planet.

• Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein won the Hugo Award for Best Novel.^[2]

• 1956 in science