Answer Details

Here are **five highly-reviewed, recently published science fiction novels** that would make excellent suggestions for your friend — each with a different flavor so you can pick based on their taste. --- ### 1. All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu (2025)       **Why it stands out:** * A near-future thriller from a powerhouse of speculative fiction, Ken Liu. According to *The Guardian*, it’s “one of the best science-fiction books of the year” with a strong concept of AI, virtual reality and the commodification of creativity. ([The Guardian][1]) * The premise: a former teenage hacker (Julia Z) drawn back into the digital shadows when an artist who uses immersive “dream-experience” tech disappears. ([Novel Notions][2]) **Good match if your friend likes:** tech-thrillers, smart speculative fiction, themes about identity and media. **Caveat:** Some early reviews suggest it’s slightly uneven compared to Liu’s earlier work — but the ideas are compelling. ([FanFiAddict][3]) --- ### 2. When There Are Wolves Again by E. J. Swift (2025)       **Why it stands out:** * A novel that blends speculative fiction with ecological urgency. Reviews call it “one of the most beautiful and urgent novels of the year” and “what science fiction should be doing now.” ([Fantasy-Hive][4]) * The story tracks two women over decades (from the 2020s onward) as they engage with rewilding, activism, and nature’s recovery — set partly in Britain. ([strangehorizons.com][5]) **Good match if your friend likes:** climate-speculative futures, character-driven SF, nature themes. **Caveat:** It leans more on mood and theme than high-octane space opera — check if they prefer plot-heavy vs. contemplative fiction. --- ### 3. The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing‑Giwa (2023)       **Why it stands out:** * A debut novel whose author began writing it in her teen years — it won the 2024 Compton Crook Award and got starred reviews. ([Wikipedia][6]) * It is space-opera / political intrigue: a scholar/tea-expert becomes a hostage and spy in an imperial setting. ([Lightspeed Magazine][7]) **Good match if your friend likes:** space opera, espionage in SF, fresh voices. **Caveat:** Some reviewers felt it didn’t fully deliver on all its ambitions — but still very solid for a debut. ([The BiblioSanctum][8]) --- ### 4. The Mercy of Gods by James S. A. Corey (2024)       **Why it stands out:** * This is the first book in a new trilogy from the authors of *The Expanse* series. It has been described as “space opera at its best” with “dazzling new world-building”. ([Wikipedia][9]) * High stakes: human-settled planet conquered by aliens, capturing the feeling of resistance and vast scope. **Good match if your friend likes:** big sprawling space franchises, epic world-building, war between civilizations. **Caveat:** Probably heavier and more plot-driven; maybe less “literary” than the earlier picks. --- ### 5. Darker Days by Thomas Olde Heuvelt (2025)       **Why it stands out:** * While more horror-tinged, this novel is listed in the “best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror” roundup. ([The Guardian][1]) * The premise: a small town where success and health are guaranteed — but once a year someone must die, and the ritual goes wrong. **Good match if your friend enjoys:** genre-blending (SF + horror), dark speculative themes, stories that unsettle. **Caveat:** If they want more traditional “hard” science fiction this one might skew a bit differently. --- ## ✅ My Top Picks Based on Different Tastes * **For tech-savvy sci-fi lovers** → *All That We See or Seem* * **For eco-fiction + emotional depth** → *When There Are Wolves Again* * **For space opera / young fresh voice** → *The Splinter in the Sky* * **For big-budget cosmic scale** → *The Mercy of Gods* * **For darker/speculative horror-leaning sci-fi** → *Darker Days* --- If you like, I can **pull together 10 more** recommendations (including some upcoming 2026 releases) with short blurbs and different sub-genres (hard SF, cyberpunk, dystopia etc.). Would that be helpful? [1]: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/oct/10/the-best-recent-science-fiction-fantasy-and-horror-review-roundup?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror – review roundup" [2]: https://novelnotions.net/2025/10/15/book-review-all-that-we-see-or-seem-julia-z-1-by-ken-liu/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Book Review: All That We See or Seem (Julia Z, #1) by ..." [3]: https://fanfiaddict.com/review-all-that-we-see-or-seem-by-ken-liu/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Review: All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu" [4]: https://fantasy-hive.co.uk/2025/10/when-there-are-wolves-again-by-e-j-swift-book-review/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "WHEN THERE ARE WOLVES AGAIN by E. J. Swift (BOOK ..." [5]: https://strangehorizons.com/wordpress/non-fiction/when-there-are-wolves-again-by-e-j-swift/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "When There Are Wolves Again by E.J. Swift" [6]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Splinter_in_the_Sky?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The Splinter in the Sky" [7]: https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/nonfiction/book-review-the-splinter-in-the-sky-by-kemi-ashing-giwa/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Book Review: The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa" [8]: https://bibliosanctum.com/2023/07/28/book-review-the-splinter-in-the-sky-by-kemi-ashing-giwa/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Book Review: The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing-Giwa" [9]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mercy_of_Gods?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The Mercy of Gods"