Answer Details

AI Overview For a friend who loves science fiction, here are some of the most acclaimed and highly-reviewed novels published between 2024 and 2025, including several award-winners. Highly-reviewed novels from 2024 In Ascension by Martin MacInnes: This Arthur C. Clarke Award winner, and Booker Prize nominee, follows a biologist studying ancient microbes in a deep-sea vent. Her research leads to a mysterious, ever-deepening chasm that could provide humanity's next step in space exploration. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh: Tesh's novel, which won the Nebula Award for Best Novel, explores well-known science fiction concepts—alien contact, space station life, and AI—in a fresh way. The story follows a young warrior who must choose between her family's mission and the fate of humanity. System Collapse by Martha Wells: This Locus Award-winning installment is the seventh book in the beloved Murderbot Diaries series. While the series is a consistent favorite among fans, this volume continues the story of a socially awkward, human-built construct who just wants to be left alone. The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler: Set in a future where octopuses have achieved sentience, this novel follows a marine biologist trying to understand and protect a new species. It was a nominee for the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award. Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky: In this novel, a self-aware cleaning robot decides it wants to be human. It was shortlisted for the 2025 Arthur C. Clarke Award. Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky: Another highly-regarded book from a prolific author, this novel is a survival story set on an alien planet. Most anticipated novels of 2025 The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: A debut novel shortlisted for the 2025 Arthur C. Clarke Award, this story involves a time travel program set up by the British government. Its blend of sci-fi, history, and romance made it one of the most anticipated releases. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer: Also shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award, Annie Bot is a literary sci-fi novel about a humanoid companion's shifting awareness after she bonds with a human. Rose/House by Arkady Martine: From the Hugo Award-winning author of A Memory Called Empire, this novel features a house infused with an artificial intelligence. The Everlasting by Alix E. Harrow: A historical fantasy novel by a well-regarded author, this book, released in late 2025, is a solid choice for fans of crossover fiction. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi: A new release from a popular author known for witty, accessible science fiction.