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Drawing from recent award shortlists and critical acclaim, here are some highly-reviewed science fiction novels published in 2023 and 2024. Top recommendations from 2024 Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky. In a post-apocalyptic future, a robot designed to serve its human owner is left to fend for itself and find its own purpose in a ruined world. Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This novel follows a tough-as-nails investigator sent to a distant, terraformed planet, only to discover the planet's ecosystem is more hostile and alien than anyone ever imagined. The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey. The authors of The Expanse return with a new space opera, this time exploring a first-contact scenario with a powerful, god-like alien species. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. A blend of sci-fi, romance, and historical fiction, this book follows a civil servant tasked with helping time-displaced "expats" from the past adjust to modern life. Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase. In a cyberpunk world where human and non-human consciousness co-exist, a detective must navigate a complex case that threatens the balance of society. Highly-regarded novels from 2023 In Ascension by Martin MacInnes. A finalist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, this novel is a powerful, meditative story that combines a deep-sea submersible expedition with a mysterious, unsettling discovery. The Red Scholar's Wake by Aliette de Bodard. A high-stakes, queer space opera about a scavenger whose life is intertwined with a sentient pirate ship. The story is a whirlwind of action, romance, and found family. Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman. This book is a witty and dark tale set in a near-future world where mass extinction is a commercialized industry. An ecologist and a corporate lawyer find themselves entangled in a plot that could lead to the extinction of a unique species. The Ferryman by Justin Cronin. In a utopia where residents live forever, a "Ferryman" discovers a dark secret about his community that forces him to question everything he knows. The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord. This hard sci-fi story follows an alien race's first contact with humanity, explored through the perspectives of a global cast of characters. A classic-in-the-making from 2021 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. This critically acclaimed bestseller is from the author of The Martian and features a high-stakes, first-contact mission. A lone astronaut awakens with amnesia and must piece together his identity and the critical mission he is on to save Earth.