Answer Details

Here are five **recently published**, highly-reviewed science fiction novels you might recommend — each with its own flavour, tone, and appeal: --- ### 1. In Ascension by Martin MacInnes (2023/24) * A novel that begins in the ocean’s depths and reaches into space, following marine scientist Leigh on a journey of discovery. ([Emma Goto][1]) * Garnered major acclaim: won the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award for best sci-fi novel. ([The Guardian][2]) * Why it’s great: meditative, deeply speculative, blurs genre boundaries — ideal if they like “hard” or thoughtful SF rather than just action. * If your friend likes exploration, big ideas about life and the universe, this is a strong pick. --- ### 2. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer (2024) * A darker, more intimate sci-fi: a robot “companion” begins to question her existence and her place in a relationship with her human owner. ([Kirkus Reviews][3]) * Praised for exploring themes of autonomy, consent, identity and power dynamics in a futuristic setting. ([The Reader Life][4]) * Great for a reader who likes speculative fiction with psychological depth, socially-relevant themes, and maybe some discomfort. * Note: a bit intense and thematically heavy (abuse, power, identity). --- ### 3. Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2024) * A satirical science fiction novel: a robotic valet who murders his master, in a world where human society is collapsing — and then how the robot copes in diagnostics, etc. ([Wikipedia][5]) * Reviewed for its tone: humour + heart + bleakness, an interesting mix. ([Wikipedia][5]) * Good choice if your friend likes robots, speculative futures, maybe ironic or critical views of our society. --- ### 4. The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan (2024) * Set in a near-future “Apex City” (formerly Bangalore), a technocapitalist meritocracy. The novel weaves many POVs in a mosaic dystopian tale. ([Grimdark Magazine][6]) * Shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. ([rebellionpublishing.com][7]) * Ideal for someone who likes dystopian futures, social commentary, and global settings (non-US/UK centric voice). * Note: because it uses many POVs and is more thematic, it may feel less “linear” than straightforward plots. --- ### 5. The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey (2024) * A big, epic space-opera from the authors of The Expanse. Humans placed under alien rule, struggle for survival, identity, resistance. ([Wikipedia][8]) * Not as “literary” as some others above but strong on scope, worldbuilding, pace, appeal. * Good pick if your friend enjoys big space-adventures and is okay with series-starts (this is the first in a new trilogy). --- If you like, I can pull **10 or more** such books (covering 2023-2025), across different sub-genres (space-opera, cyberpunk, climate sci-fi, debut authors, etc.), and I can group them by vibe so you can pick based on your friend’s tastes. Would that be helpful? [1]: https://www.emgoto.com/books/in-ascension/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "In Ascension by Martin MacInnes - Book review" [2]: https://www.theguardian.com/books/article/2024/jul/24/martin-macinnes-novel-wins-arthur-c-clarke-award-in-ascension-science-fiction?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Martin MacInnes wins Arthur C Clarke award for 'intense trip' of a novel" [3]: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/sierra-greer/annie-bot/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "ANNIE BOT - Kirkus Reviews" [4]: https://thereaderlife.com/annie-bot-by-sierra-greer-a-disturbing-tale-of-the-perfect-ai-girlfriend/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Annie Bot by Sierra Greer - Detailed Book Review & Analysis" [5]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_Model?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Service Model" [6]: https://www.grimdarkmagazine.com/review-the-ten-percent-thief-by-lavanya-lakshminarayan/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "REVIEW: The Ten Percent Thief by Lavanya Lakshminarayan" [7]: https://rebellionpublishing.com/the-ten-percent-thief-is-an-arthur-c-clarke-award-nominee/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The Ten Percent Thief is an Arthur C. Clarke Award nominee!" [8]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mercy_of_Gods?utm_source=chatgpt.com "The Mercy of Gods"