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I'll search for recent, highly-reviewed science fiction novels to give you the best current recommendations.Based on the recent reviews and awards, here are some excellent science fiction novels to recommend to your friend: ## Recent Award Winners & Critical Favorites **The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley** (2024 debut) This playful time-travel romance combines workplace comedy, roommate drama, espionage, and temporal physics. It received extensive critical acclaim and was a Goodreads Choice Award favorite. **Translation State by Ann Leckie** (2024) Winner of multiple Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke awards, Leckie's complete short fiction collection showcases masterful storytelling. If your friend wants full novels, her Imperial Radch series is also excellent. **In Ascension by Martin MacInnes** (2024) Described as a glorious novel exploring big philosophical questions alongside universe-spanning stakes, this one tackles existential themes about humanity's place in the cosmos. ## More Great 2024 Releases **The Water Outlaws by S.L. Huang** (Hugo Award winner) An action-packed blend of martial-arts epic, intricate heist story, and tale of resistance against tyrannical institutions, written by a Hollywood stunt performer with breathless pacing. **Girlfriend by Natasha Pulley** A feminist masterwork about an AI designed to be the perfect girlfriend who begins questioning her role. **Redwood and Wildfire by Andrea Hairston** A joyful novel reminding us that even if the world ends, people will find each other, make art, and move forward—featuring Circus-Bots trained on ancestral memories and a sprawling festival. All of these were published in 2024 and received strong critical reception. What kind of sci-fi does your friend typically enjoy? That might help narrow down which would be the perfect fit!