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I'll search for the most acclaimed recent science fiction novels to give you current recommendations.Based on recent awards and critical acclaim, here are some excellent science fiction novels from 2024 that would make great recommendations: **Award Winners & Highly Acclaimed:** **System Collapse** by Martha Wells - The seventh Murderbot Diaries book won the 2024 Locus Award for Best Sci-Fi Novel. The series has been extremely popular, with previous installments winning multiple Hugo and Nebula awards. **In Ascension** by Martin MacInnes - Won the 2024 Arthur C Clarke Award and was also nominated for the Booker Prize. It's described as a literary work that balances family relationships and personal experience with scientific exploration. **Other Strong 2024 Releases:** **Witch King** by Martha Wells - Ranked highly among 2024's releases (another excellent book from the Murderbot author, showing her range beyond that series). **Redwood and Wildfire** by Andrea Hairston - Praised as "an absolute joy of a novel" about community, technology, and resilience in a post-apocalyptic setting featuring the Next World Festival. **Lake of Secrets** by Ann Leckie - A collection of her short fiction that includes masterfully told stories about power, mortality, and existence. I'd particularly recommend starting with **System Collapse** if your friend enjoys character-driven space adventures with humor, or **In Ascension** if they prefer more literary, contemplative science fiction. Both received major awards and strong critical reception in 2024.