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Some of the most highly reviewed and recently published science fiction novels include award winners and reader favorites from 2024 and late 2023. The best choices for a friend will depend on their specific interests, but the following books received widespread critical and popular acclaim. Award winners from 2024 Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh: This Hugo Award-winning queer space opera follows a young warrior raised to believe she is humanity's last hope against an alien threat. It explores themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of war. In Ascension by Martin MacInnes: Winner of the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award and nominated for the Booker Prize, this is a thought-provoking novel about a biologist who joins an expedition into an enormous, newly discovered ocean trench. The story shifts between personal affairs and a universe-level, existential perspective. Translation State by Ann Leckie: Set in the same universe as the popular Imperial Radch series, this Hugo and Nebula Award-nominated book can be read as a standalone novel. A compelling mystery drives the plot, but the core is a deep, intimate exploration of belonging and relationships. The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera: This debut fantasy novel won the Nebula Award and received nominations for the Hugo and Le Guin awards. It tells the story of a protagonist raised to kill his father, a figure who could unravel society. The book is rich with South Asian-inspired mythology. Other highly-reviewed recent releases The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (2024): A mix of workplace comedy, time travel, and romance, this debut novel follows a civil servant in the near future who falls for an Arctic explorer from 1845. Service Model and Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2024): A prolific and celebrated author, Tchaikovsky released two books in 2024 that received high praise from readers. Service Model follows a "rogue" mechanical servant on a quest, while Alien Clay is a more straightforward science fiction adventure. System Collapse by Martha Wells (2023): The latest installment in the award-winning Murderbot Diaries series continues the story of the socially awkward human/bot construct trying to keep its human companions safe. The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler (2023): This compelling first-contact novel centers on a marine biologist recruited to study a newly discovered species of intelligent octopuses, exploring the ethics of communication and consciousness. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (2023): For a friend who appreciates a fun, lighter read, this novel is about a man who accidentally lands a job working with giant monsters, a plot Scalzi has called a "pop song" for the genre. The Ferryman by Justin Cronin (2023): This book tells the story of a secluded island community where all residents know a single truth: when they are old, they will be sent to the "mainland". It features surprising plot twists and asks big, philosophical questions.