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Some of the most highly reviewed and recently published science fiction novels include award winners and notable books from 2024 and 2025. You can choose from space opera, dystopian, and near-future themes, depending on your friend's interests. Highly reviewed science fiction from 2025 Service Model by Adrian Tchaikovsky: In this story, a robot servant becomes a rogue unit after accidentally murdering its owner. He must then navigate a world that is crumbling and filled with robots struggling to find a purpose. Rose/House by Arkady Martine: A locked, AI-powered house, commissioned by a now-dead architect, contains a dead body that is neither the architect nor the only person allowed to enter it. The house is not communicating, leaving a former protégé to solve the mystery. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi: In this comedic and philosophical novel, the moon suddenly and inexplicably turns into cheese. The story follows a diverse group of characters as they reckon with this profound absurdity. Award winners from 2024 and 2023 The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler (2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlist): An expert on marine biology is sent to a remote, uncharted island to investigate the emergence of a hyper-intelligent octopus species and how it could redefine human intelligence. Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlist): Following a near-apocalyptic war, a young woman is raised in an isolated, militarized community determined to rebuild its forces and take revenge. This queer space opera has been likened to The Hunger Games. Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman (2023 Arthur C. Clarke Award winner): This darkly comedic novel takes place in a near-future world, where an extinct fish is mysteriously rediscovered. The story satirizes corporate greed and environmental collapse. The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson (2023 read): While published earlier, this 2020 novel was a favorite among authors in 2023. It explores the geopolitical and human consequences of climate change as a newly formed global organization attempts to combat the crisis. Critically acclaimed recent titles Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021): The sole survivor of a desperate space mission awakens with amnesia and must piece together his identity and mission to save Earth from an astronomical disaster. This book was a popular read in 2023, according to a survey of over 1,200 authors. Upgrade by Blake Crouch (2022): A mind-bending thriller where a man discovers his genes have been hacked, giving him super-human abilities. He must confront a terrifying plan to "upgrade" humanity and possibly stop it. The City Inside by Samit Basu (2022): In near-future Delhi, a "Reality Controller" for an online celebrity and a wealthy recluse become caught up in conspiracies surrounding surveillance capitalism and the status quo.