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Some of the most highly-reviewed and recently published science fiction novels include award winners and popular hits from the past few years. These books cover a wide range of themes, from space opera and AI to climate fiction and dystopia. Top recommendations from 2024–2025 Starter Villain by John Scalzi Best for: Fans of action, humor, and quirky characters. Synopsis: When Charlie inherits his eccentric uncle's supervillain enterprise, he's thrown into a world of hidden volcano lairs, minions, and a very demanding, emotionally dependent cat. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Best for: Readers who enjoy time-travel romances and historical fiction. Synopsis: A civil servant is tasked with assisting a time-traveler from the 19th century as they acclimate to modern London. The book won the Arthur C. Clarke Award in 2024 and was a finalist for the Hugo Award. Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky Best for: Readers of robot-focused sci-fi and social commentary. Synopsis: CharlesTM, a humble robot servant, must flee into a post-apocalyptic world he never knew existed after a malfunction causes him to murder his owner. He soon finds an entire robot ecosystem struggling to find purpose. Rose/House by Arkady Martine Best for: Lovers of unique, atmospheric mysteries. Synopsis: A scientist must solve a murder inside an AI-controlled house that has locked itself and its inhabitants inside. Martine is also the award-winning author of the Teixcalaan duology. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh Best for: Fans of space opera with a coming-of-age theme. Synopsis: Following the destruction of Earth, a warrior raised to take revenge on the alien enemy discovers devastating secrets about humanity. Exodus: The Archimedes Engine by Peter F. Hamilton Best for: Epic space opera fans. Synopsis: As Earth dies, one of the first human settlers on the new habitable world of Centauri takes a chance to leave his enslaved life behind. He begins a mission to find a new home for humans aboard an ark ship. Standout books from 2020–2023 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir Best for: Fans of hard sci-fi, survival stories, and classic space adventure. Synopsis: An astronaut wakes up on a spaceship with no memory of his mission. He must piece together his past to save Earth from a disaster that could cause a new ice age. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi Best for: Fun, adventure-filled, and lighthearted sci-fi. Synopsis: A food delivery driver lands a job with a secret animal rights organization. He finds himself traveling to an alternate dimension full of giant, dinosaur-like creatures known as "Kaiju". The Murderbot Diaries series by Martha Wells Best for: Character-driven sci-fi with a cynical, endearing protagonist. Synopsis: The series follows Murderbot, a security android that has hacked its own governor module to become independent. It would rather just watch soap operas than deal with humans, but finds itself protecting them anyway. The first novella is All Systems Red, with the most recent entries being Network Effect (2020) and System Collapse (2023). A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers Best for: Uplifting and quiet "cozy sci-fi". Synopsis: In a world where robots gained sentience and retreated into the wilderness, a tea monk sets out to find purpose. They encounter a robot on a similar journey of self-discovery, and the two travel together. The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler Best for: Thought-provoking, first-contact science fiction. Synopsis: This novel explores what it means to be human and conscious through the discovery of a newly sentient species of octopus. It is a highly reviewed and award-nominated novel. AI responses may include mistakes. Learn more