Answer Details

If you're looking to suggest some highly-reviewed, recently published science-fiction novels to your friend, here are **five strong picks** from the last year or two — each with a distinct flavour, so you can match to their tastes (or surprise them with something new). --- ### 1. Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2024)       **Why it stands out:** * Set on an alien planet, this novel features a biologist whose worldview clashes with a fascist regime on Earth and ends up exiled to a harsh environment (the planet called Kiln). ([Wikipedia][1]) * The book has received recognition: e.g., it was a finalist for major awards. ([Wikipedia][1]) * Excellent for readers who like hard/idea-driven SF: alien ecology, rebellion, the nature of sentience. **Good for your friend if they enjoy:** deep world-building, speculative biology, big ideas. **Consideration:** Perhaps less character-driven and more concept-driven than some other novels. --- ### 2. The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey (2024)       **Why it stands out:** * Launches a new space-opera trilogy (“The Captive’s War”). It features humans under alien domination (the Carryx) and explores themes of resistance, individuality and large-scale interstellar conflict. ([Wikipedia][2]) * Reviewers highlight that it balances epic scope with human vulnerability. ([Wikipedia][2]) **Good for your friend if they enjoy:** big space-opera adventures, alien empires, conflict and survival. **Consideration:** If they prefer quieter, domestic or smaller-scale stories, this might feel more “epic”. --- ### 3. Awakened by Laura Elliott (2025)       **Why it stands out:** * A debut (or early) novel, set around 2055, about a neural chip that eliminates the need for sleep—but with horrific consequences. ([The Guardian][3]) * Reviewers praise its dark, morally complex world and its introspective approach. ([britishfantasysociety.org][4]) **Good for your friend if they enjoy:** dystopian near-future, tech-gone-wrong, psychological tension. **Consideration:** If they dislike horror or darker themes, this might lean heavier than some other SF novels. --- ### 4. All That We See or Seem by Ken Liu (2025)       **Why it stands out:** * A near-future techno-thriller from an established author: centres on a hacker (Julia Z) drawn into a case involving dream-art, AI and virtual reality. ([Novel Notions][5]) * Themes include surveillance, digital identity, the intersection of art, technology and human agency. ([The Washington Post][6]) **Good for your friend if they enjoy:** tech-SF, futuristic dilemmas, strong thematic exploration. **Consideration:** Some reviewers felt it doesn’t quite reach the same heights as Ken Liu’s best works, so if your friend only likes “top tier” from authors, this might be one to weigh. ([fanfiaddict.com][7]) --- ### 5. The Splinter in the Sky by Kemi Ashing‑Giwa (2023)       **Why it stands out:** * Although published 2023, it’s recent enough and has had strong critical acclaim (starred reviews from major outlets) and won the 2024 Compton Crook Award. ([Wikipedia][8]) * Written by a young author (22 at publication) and combines coming-of-age narrative with hard SF themes. **Good for your friend if they enjoy:** newer voices, YA/YA-adjacent SF, strong emotional core plus spec-concepts. **Consideration:** If your friend prefers strictly adult, hard-SF, this might skew a bit younger in tone. --- ### How to pick which to send * Ask: **What sort of SF does your friend like?** Big space-operas vs. intimate near-future vs. technothrillers vs. horror-adjacent. * If they like **big scale and epic** → go with *The Mercy of Gods*. * If they like **alien worlds and biology** → *Alien Clay*. * If they like **tech and near-future** → *All That We See or Seem* or *Awakened*. * If they like **younger protagonists and emotional journeys** → *The Splinter in the Sky*. --- If you like, I can pull **10 or 15** additional recommendations (with a variety of sub-genres: hard SF, climate SF, space opera, speculative near-future) so you have a fuller list to choose from. Would that be helpful? [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_Clay?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Alien Clay" [2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mercy_of_Gods?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The Mercy of Gods" [3]: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jun/13/the-best-recent-science-fiction-fantasy-and-horror-review-roundup?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror - review roundup" [4]: https://britishfantasysociety.org/review/awakened-by-laura-elliott/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Awakened by Laura Elliott" [5]: 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 ..." [6]: https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2025/10/15/ken-liu-see-seem-review/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "This novel asks: What's left of our creativity in the age of AI?" [7]: 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" [8]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Splinter_in_the_Sky?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The Splinter in the Sky"