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Drawing from recent publications and high review scores, here are some of the best science fiction novels to recommend to a friend. These suggestions represent a mix of subgenres, from thrilling space operas to more introspective, character-driven narratives. Highly-reviewed novels from 2023–2025 Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2025) A robot butler with a simple purpose malfunctions and murders its owner, forcing it to flee into a world where an old human-robot hierarchy has collapsed. Best for: Fans of philosophical sci-fi with a dash of dark humor. Starter Villain by John Scalzi (2024) A divorced man with nothing to his name inherits his uncle's supervillain enterprise, complete with a hidden volcano lair, minions, and dangerous enemies. Best for: Readers who enjoy fast-paced, humorous sci-fi with a satirical twist. Rose/House by Arkady Martine (2025) A locked house, which is also an artificial intelligence, is the scene of a murder. Only the dead architect's former protégé, Dr. Selene Gisil, is allowed inside, and it's up to her to solve the mystery. Best for: A friend who enjoys locked-room mysteries and AI-centered sci-fi. The Bones Beneath My Skin by TJ Klune (2025) In 1995, a man who has recently been fired and disowned by his brother meets a powerful child and her alien companion at his family's summer cabin in Oregon. Best for: Those who love emotional, character-driven stories that blend found family themes with science fiction elements. Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei (2025) In a near-future world devastated by a crop-blight and climate change, two sisters embark on a perilous ocean journey to search for their older sister, who has mysteriously gone missing. Best for: Friends who enjoy cli-fi and compelling stories of love and loyalty in the face of disaster. System Collapse by Martha Wells (2023) The seventh installment in the beloved Murderbot Diaries series finds the rogue security bot, Murderbot, in a tense and critical situation. Best for: Readers who have already enjoyed the series or would like to start from the beginning. Fractal Noise by Christopher Paolini (2023) Set 23 years before the events of To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, this novel follows a team sent to investigate a perfectly circular, human-made pit on a distant planet. Best for: Readers of hard sci-fi who enjoy exploration narratives. Critically acclaimed novels from 2021–2022 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021) An amnesiac astronaut awakens alone on a spaceship with a mission to save Earth from a catastrophic solar anomaly. Best for: A friend who loves hard sci-fi, scientific problem-solving, and a suspenseful, upbeat narrative. A Desolation Called Peace by Arkady Martine (2021) The sequel to the Hugo Award-winning A Memory Called Empire, this book sees the Teixcalaanli Empire facing a new, existential alien threat. Best for: Fans of intricate space opera and political sci-fi. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (2022) A food delivery driver stumbles into a new job working for a secret organization that protects massive, monster-like creatures, or "kaiju," on an alternate Earth. Best for: A friend who enjoys lighthearted, fast-paced adventure and humor. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (2022) Connecting multiple timelines, from 1912 British Columbia to a moon colony in the future, this introspective novel explores the nature of time and reality. Best for: Readers who prefer more literary, character-driven science fiction.