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Some of the most highly-reviewed and recently published science fiction novels include award winners and popular bestsellers from the last few years. Notable authors like Adrian Tchaikovsky, Ann Leckie, and John Scalzi have been lauded for their new releases. Award-winning science fiction Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (2024). This queer space opera, which won the 2024 Hugo Award for Best Novel, has been praised for its deep exploration of war's aftermath and found family. The Blue, Beautiful World by Karen Lord (2023). This novel was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2024. It follows a team of visionaries racing to create a new future for Earth as first contact with an alien race transforms the planet. Children of Memory by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2023). The third book in the Children of Time series explores the continued survival of a human colony on a terraformed planet when enigmatic aliens arrive to offer aid. The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler (2023). This novel was on the shortlist for the 2024 Arthur C. Clarke Award and follows the discovery of an ancient and intelligent octopus civilization. The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (2023). Finalist for the 2024 Nebula Awards, this book centers on a protagonist who must navigate political machinations and personal identity in a world with both technological and magical elements. Popular and critically acclaimed novels Starter Villain by John Scalzi (2024). Known for his wit, Scalzi delivers a comedic and fast-paced novel about a man who inherits his estranged uncle's supervillain business, complete with a secret volcano lair. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (2021). A blockbuster bestseller, this book follows an amnesiac astronaut on a desperate, last-chance mission to save humanity from an interstellar disaster. The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (2022). A fun, adventure-filled read in which a laid-off gig worker joins an animal rights organization that protects giant, dinosaur-like creatures in an alternate dimension. Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel (2022). This novel weaves together a story spanning centuries, following a detective investigating a time anomaly that links a man in 1912 British Columbia to a writer on a moon colony in the future. In the Lives of Puppets by T.J. Klune (2023). A queer retelling of Pinocchio that reimagines the classic story with robots, androids, and a found family. Notable authors with recent works If your friend is a fan of science fiction, you might also consider suggesting some recent work from these highly-regarded authors: Adrian Tchaikovsky: Besides Children of Memory, he published Alien Clay (2025) and Service Model (2025). Ann Leckie: Her latest is Translation State (2023), set in the same universe as her award-winning Imperial Radch trilogy. Martha Wells: The wildly popular Murderbot Diaries series continues with System Collapse (2023). John Scalzi: In addition to Starter Villain and The Kaiju Preservation Society, he also recently released When the Moon Hits Your Eye (2025).