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Some of the most highly-reviewed and recently published science fiction novels include Adrian Tchaikovsky's Shroud and John Scalzi's When the Moon Hits Your Eye, both of which were released in 2025. Other acclaimed books from the last few years include Arkady Martine's A Desolation Called Peace and TJ Klune's The Bones Beneath My Skin. To help you find the best book for your friend, here is a list of recent and noteworthy science fiction novels spanning different subgenres. New releases in 2025 Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky: When a commercial mission is tasked with exploiting a moon that is pitch black but alive with radioactivity, a catastrophic accident leaves two people stranded on its hostile surface. They must fight to survive in an otherworldly environment and escape their own crew. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi: This is a light-hearted, high-concept sci-fi novel exploring humanity's reaction when the moon inexplicably turns into cheese. The sudden absurdity causes a variety of reactions, from hope to panic, among people from all walks of life. The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune: In this sci-fi thriller, a lonely and jobless man named Nate retreats to his family's summer cabin in Oregon. There, he discovers a man and a young girl named Artemis who is much more than she seems, and is in danger from mysterious forces. The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley: A novel with an unusual premise, this book follows a civil servant who is tasked with welcoming a "grail" of time-traveling historical figures to modern-day London. The task gets more complicated when she falls in love with one of the new arrivals. Highly-reviewed books from 2023–2024 The Book of Elsewhere by Keanu Reeves and China Miéville: Co-authored by actor Keanu Reeves, this story follows an 80,000-year-old warrior named Raz who can rip people's arms off but struggles with loneliness. Starter Villain by John Scalzi: A divorced man inherits his estranged uncle's supervillain business, complete with a hidden volcano lair, minions, and dangerous enemies. Now, he must decide whether to embrace his new life or walk away. The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler: This novel explores themes of resurrection and environmentalism. The consciousness of a murdered scientist is uploaded into a genetically resurrected woolly mammoth a hundred years after her death. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi: When Jamie, a food delivery driver, takes a new job with an animal rights organization, he finds himself in an alternate dimension filled with massive, dinosaur-like "Kaiju". Critically-acclaimed speculative fiction Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel: A story that spans centuries, this novel connects multiple characters across different time periods and locations. It uses elements of time travel to explore themes of plague, art, and the nature of reality itself. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: The author of The Martian returns with a standalone story about an astronaut who wakes up with amnesia and is tasked with saving Earth from a looming disaster. Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang: This collection of short stories is known for its thoughtful, original ideas that explore the nature of the universe and what it means to be human. The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord: A story of first contact, this novel from 2023 explores how Earth and its inhabitants handle the arrival of aliens.