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Here are five highly-reviewed, recently published science-fiction novels that would make great gifts for your friend — each offering distinctive themes and tones, so you can pick based on what they might enjoy most: 1. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (2024) 6 Why it stands out: This debut novel blends time-travel, romance, and thriller elements: a 21st-century British-Cambodian civil servant (the “Bridge”) helps a Victorian explorer acclimate to modern life after being pulled from the past. The Guardian +2 Fantasy-Hive +2 It received strong acclaim: The Guardian called it “a seriously fun sci-fi romcom” while also exploring themes of colonialism and identity. The Guardian It won the 2024 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Science Fiction. Wikipedia +1 Best for: Someone who likes time-travel with emotional stakes, or who enjoys genre-mixing (sci-fi + romance + historical elements). 2. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer (2024) 6 Why it stands out: The novel tells the story of Annie, a robot designed to be the perfect companion, who begins to question her role and autonomy. Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop +1 Critical reviewers highlight how it provocatively interrogates intimacy, identity and power—especially from the viewpoint of a non-human protagonist. Kirkus Reviews It won the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award for best science fiction novel in the UK. The Guardian +1 Best for: A reader open to thoughtful, slightly unsettling sci-fi that probes relationships (human/AI), autonomy, and gender/power dynamics. 3. Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2024) 6 Why it stands out: Set on an alien planet, it follows a biologist exiled from Earth’s fascist regime who confronts big questions about evolution and humanity. Wikipedia The novel was a finalist for major awards (Hugo, Locus) and received a special citation for the Philip K. Dick Award. Wikipedia Best for: Someone who enjoys “harder” sci-fi with strong speculative science, alien societies, and philosophical themes. 4. The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (2023) 6 Why it stands out: Although published in 2023, it’s recent and has strong reviews: a far-future tale about the long arc of terraforming, labour, ecological systems and alien/post-human societies. Wikipedia Recognized for its depth of ideas: The Washington Post called it “dazzling,” and book-reviewers praised its emotional heft. Wikipedia Best for: A reader who loves big-scale world-building, environmental themes, speculative futures, and thoughtful sci-fi. 5. What We Can Know by Ian McEwan (2025) 6 Why it stands out: Coming in 2025, this novel is set in 2119 amid a partly submerged UK and explores knowledge, past/future, and human fallibility. Wikipedia It’s described by McEwan himself as “science fiction without the science,” suggesting literary sci-fi. apnews.com Best for: A reader who enjoys literary fiction with a speculative twist rather than traditional space-opera — more introspective, slower-burn. If you like, I can pull together 10 or 15 titles (including some that span sub-genres like space opera, dystopian, eco-sci-fi) with short blurbs and links to purchase. Would you like that?