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Drawing from recent awards lists, bestseller charts, and critic recommendations, here are some of the best, most highly-reviewed science fiction novels published in 2024 and 2025 . 2025 releases The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: In 19th-century London, a lonely time travel "bridge" agent falls in love with one of the past-displaced figures she is tasked with observing. It was shortlisted for the 2025 Arthur C. Clarke Award and has received strong reviews for its inventive premise. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer: This novel is told from the perspective of an advanced android companion who must navigate the confusing reality of pleasing its owner while developing its own sentience. All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall: A literary thriller set in a future flooded New York City, following a character on the roof of the Museum of Natural History. Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky: From the award-winning author of Children of Time, this is a story of alien encounter and survival. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi: A new standalone novel from the popular author exploring what would really happen if the moon were suddenly replaced by a giant wheel of cheese. 2024 releases Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky: In a post-human world, a robot goes on a journey of purpose through a new Earth populated by other machines. This book offers a thoughtful and often humorous look at identity. The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler: This speculative thriller follows first contact with a newly discovered, sapient octopus species, examining humanity through a truly alien lens. Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah: A searing dystopian novel about two women gladiators fighting for their freedom in a for-profit prison system. It was shortlisted for the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award. In Ascension by Martin MacInnes: This philosophical hard sci-fi novel, which explores deep-sea adventures and ventures into outer space, was shortlisted for both the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Booker Prize. Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer: The fourth installment in the Southern Reach series returns readers to the mysterious Area X, a coastal region cut off from the rest of the world. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh: A queer space opera about a young soldier raised on a post-apocalyptic base and her mission to save humanity. Highly-rated books from 2022-2023 Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021): A classic crowd-pleaser about a lone astronaut who must save the earth from disaster. Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (2022): The third entry in the gothic space fantasy series, The Locked Tomb. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (2022): A fun, escapist book about a group of people tasked with protecting giant monsters on an alternate Earth. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (2022): This novel is a metafictional story weaving together multiple time periods across centuries, from the moon to a time-travel anomaly. Starter Villain by John Scalzi (2023): A humorous story about a man who inherits his estranged uncle's supervillain empire.