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I'll search for the best recently published science fiction novels that have received strong reviews.Based on my research, here are some excellent recently published science fiction novels with strong critical acclaim: ## Top Recommendations: **Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (2023)** This debut novel won the 2024 Hugo Award for Best Novel and was also shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. It's a thought-provoking space opera about fascism, the radicalization of youth, and breaking free from authoritarian ideology. The story follows Kyr, a teenage supersoldier who escapes from everything she's known into a universe far more complicated than she was taught. **In Ascension by Martin MacInnes (2023)** This novel won the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award and was longlisted for the Booker Prize. It follows marine biologist Leigh as she joins a team exploring a mysterious trench in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to a journey that spans from the ocean depths to outer space. The book explores both the cellular and the cosmic, reaching outward to confront the greatest questions of existence while illuminating the smallest details of the human heart. **The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett (2024)** This fantasy mystery features an unforgettable Holmes-and-Watson style pairing investigating bizarre murders in a world with sea monsters, body enhancements, and deadly contagions. Reviewers praise its perfectly paced mystery with impeccable timing of clues and revelations. **System Collapse by Martha Wells (2023)** The seventh Murderbot Diaries book won the 2024 Locus Award for Best Sci Fi Novel. If your friend hasn't read this beloved series yet, they could start with the first novella, *All Systems Red*. These books span different subgenres—space opera, hard SF, fantasy mystery—so there's something for varied tastes!