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Some of the most highly reviewed and recently published science fiction novels include award winners and bestsellers from the past three years. These range from high-concept space operas to cozy, character-driven tales . Standalone novels Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021): From the author of The Martian, this hard sci-fi novel follows an amnesiac astronaut who wakes up on a spaceship with a mission to save Earth. Starter Villain by John Scalzi (2023): A darkly comedic sci-fi story about a man who unexpectedly inherits his estranged uncle's supervillain business, including a hidden volcano lair, intelligent cats, and disgruntled minions. The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler (2023): This novel explores the first contact between humans and a newly discovered species of intelligent octopuses, raising questions about consciousness and communication. In the Lives of Puppets by T. J. Klune (2023): A queer retelling of Pinocchio, this heartwarming and philosophical book features a human man, his android father, and a cast of eccentric robots living in a quiet forest. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley (2024): A historical romance and time-travel adventure in which a civil servant is tasked with assisting "expats" from the past, including a Victorian naval captain. The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville (2025): The action star and the acclaimed author team up for a book about an 80,000-year-old warrior who can rip people's arms off but struggles with loneliness. Series Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2015): The first book in a trilogy that begins when a terraforming project on a distant planet goes awry, accelerating the evolution of a spider civilization. The series is known for its ambitious ideas and scope. Book 2: Children of Ruin (2019) Book 3: Children of Memory (2022) Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells (2017): This Hugo and Nebula Award-winning series of novellas and novels follows a security android who has hacked its own module and just wants to be left alone to watch its media downloads. Book 1: All Systems Red (2017) Recent installments: System Collapse (2023) The Expanse by James S. A. Corey (2011): Now a completed series, this gritty space opera explores a future where humanity has colonized the solar system, but political tensions simmer between Earth, Mars, and the asteroid belt. Book 1: Leviathan Wakes (2011) Final book: Leviathan Falls (2021) The Locked Tomb by Tamsyn Muir (2019): A sci-fi and fantasy blend described as "lesbian necromancers in space." It is known for its inventive world-building and sharp humor. Book 1: Gideon the Ninth (2019) Upcoming release: Alecto the Ninth (2025) Award winners Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (2023): A Nebula Award winner that follows a young soldier who discovers a secret that upends everything she believes about humanity's last stand against an alien threat. In Ascension by Martin MacInnes (2023): This novel, shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke and Booker Prizes, tells the story of a deep-sea biologist who discovers an inexplicable underwater phenomenon. Translation State by Ann Leckie (2023): Set in the Imperial Radch universe, this novel follows a diplomat in a multi-species galactic society. It was nominated for a Hugo Award in 2024.