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Drawing from recent best-of lists and award nominations, here are some of the most highly-reviewed science fiction novels published from 2023 to 2025. Highly-reviewed books of 2025 The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: This time-travel romance follows a civil servant tasked with rescuing "expats" from the past and bringing them to present-day London. It was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award. Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky: Set in a post-human world, this novel follows a subservient robot trying to make its own choices after humanity has long since disappeared. Annie Bot by Sierra Greer: A love story told from the perspective of an android designed to be the perfect companion for a lonely man. Extremophile by Ian Green: This book follows a soldier attempting to survive on a desolate alien planet, exploring themes of ecological crisis and colonialism. Katabasis by R.F. Kuang: From the author of Babel, this dark academia fantasy novel follows two rival students who must journey into the underworld to retrieve a recommendation from a deceased professor. Highly-reviewed books of 2024 Translation State by Ann Leckie: Set in the same universe as the Imperial Radch series but readable as a standalone, this novel explores themes of identity, belonging, and the challenges of communication across different forms of life. Alien Clay by Adrian Tchaikovsky: This standalone novel from the prolific sci-fi author follows an ecologist dispatched to an alien world, which harbors a secret that threatens to wipe out human settlement. Absolution by Jeff VanderMeer: A surprise fourth book in the Southern Reach series that delves into the origins of Area X, a coastal region cut off from the rest of the world. Exordia by Seth J. Dickinson: A highly-praised debut, this first-contact story blends theoretical physics and political commentary when a war orphan meets a six-headed snake alien in Central Park. The Mercy of Gods by James S.A. Corey: The beginning of a new series combining a campus novel and a sci-fi thriller, featuring a planet that is invaded by an alien empire. Highly-reviewed books of 2023 Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh: A Hugo Award winner, this space opera follows a young human warrior whose lifelong training for revenge is shattered when she uncovers the truth about her past. The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler: A thought-provoking exploration of consciousness, a marine biologist is sent to a remote island to investigate a newly discovered and highly intelligent species of octopus. Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah: In a dystopian future U.S., incarcerated people must compete in televised, gladiator-style battles to earn their freedom. The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord: This space opera explores what happens when Earth is contacted by aliens who have been studying humanity for decades, revealing a cosmic history far stranger than anyone imagined. The Mimicking of Known Successes by Malka Older: A cozy, sapphic Holmesian mystery set in a human colony on a gas giant, where a missing persons case uncovers a conspiracy.