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(Google Search refused to spit up the AI summary, so I tried the AI mode) You can find a wide range of highly-reviewed science fiction novels published within the last few years, from hard sci-fi epics to literary character studies. Here are some of the best and most popular recent options to suggest to a friend. For 2024 and 2025 The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: This time-travel romance follows a civil servant tasked with hosting "chrononauts"—exiled figures from the past—in present-day London. It won the 2024 Goodreads Choice Award for Science Fiction. Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky: A disgraced xeno-ecologist is exiled to a prison colony on a hostile planet, where he discovers the ruins of a long-vanished alien civilization. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer: A surprisingly humorous and empathetic exploration of AI and relationships, featuring a relationship between a human and his highly realistic, but still-programmed, sexbot. The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey: The latest from the authors of The Expanse series begins a new space opera trilogy following a crew on a mission into the galactic void. It was a 2024 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee. The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard: This unique, literary time-travel thriller was a 2024 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee. It follows a young apprentice who works at a portal connecting different versions of the past and future. Katabasis by R. F. Kuang: A sequel to the bestselling dystopian satire Yellowface, this novel was one of the most anticipated releases of 2025 and is a recent Goodreads fan favorite. For 2022 and 2023 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: The newest bestseller from the author of The Martian follows an amnesiac astronaut who wakes up to discover he's the sole survivor of a mission to save Earth from a celestial object. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel: An acclaimed novel of art, plague, and time travel that follows a cast of characters across centuries, from early 20th-century Canada to a moon colony centuries into the future. The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler: A biologist joins a research team studying a newly discovered species of intelligent octopus. This thought-provoking thriller explores the nature of consciousness and what it means to be human. Starter Villain by John Scalzi: A witty and fast-paced novel about a man who inherits his estranged uncle's supervillain empire, complete with talking cats and genetically engineered dolphins. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi: When a food delivery driver is offered a mysterious new job, he finds himself in an alternate dimension caring for giant, kaiju-like monsters. Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah: This dystopian novel, a finalist for the 2023 National Book Award, depicts a for-profit prison system where inmates can earn freedom by competing in deadly gladiatorial combat. For 2020 and 2021 Piranesi by Susanna Clarke: From the author of Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, this fantasy-infused novel follows a man who lives in a mysterious, labyrinthine house filled with statues and an endless ocean. The story reveals its secrets slowly in an atmospheric, unforgettable tale. Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro: A Nobel Prize-winning author's story of an "Artificial Friend," a solar-powered robot companion who observes humanity while serving a teenage girl. Network Effect by Martha Wells: The first full-length novel in the acclaimed Murderbot Diaries series finds the fan-favorite security android dealing with corporate intrigue and a mysterious alien threat. A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers: The first installment of the "Monk and Robot" series, this is a cozy, philosophical novella about a non-binary tea monk whose life is changed by an encounter with a robot. The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers: The finale to the popular Wayfarers series focuses on a diverse group of aliens stranded together during a deep-space event.