Just getting started in science fiction? These are the must-read books…
You’ve probably seen the rave reviews of the Project Hail Mary movie, which shouldn’t surprise anyone, because the book is fantastic.The story begins with a scientist waking up alone on a spaceship, with no memory of who he is or how he got there. As his memories gradually return, he’s forced to piece together a high-stakes scientific mystery entirely on his own, with the fate of Earth hanging in the balance. This is Andy Weir at his best, doubling down on what made The Martian so compelling: clever problem-solving, real science, and a deeply engaging voice. From start to finish, it’s an absolute joy to read. Whether you’re a longtime sci-fi fan or just looking for a great place to start, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to anyone.
If you’re drawn to more literary sci-fi, This Is How You Lose the Time War is well worth your time. It’s a stunning, unconventional love story told through a series of letters exchanged between Red and Blue, two rival agents on opposite sides of a vast temporal war, each working to reshape history in favour of their empire. Uniquely, each character is written by one of the co-authors, Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar, giving their voices a distinct and lyrical contrast. With incredibly beautiful prose, a creative idea, and a touching love story, set against a cool sci-fi backdrop, this is one of those books that everyone should read. It’s also really short, so it’s reasonable to devour it over a weekend when you inevitably don’t want to put it down.
Dune by Frank Herbert is one of the best-selling science fiction novels (and stunning movie) for a reason. If you want to jump in the deep end and get stuck right into something that shows off what epic sci-fi is all about, then it’s hard to do better. The story follows House Atreides as they take control of Arrakis, a harsh desert planet and the sole source of the priceless “spice” melange. Young Paul Atreides must navigate treacherous political intrigue, betrayal, religion, and prophecy just to survive in this inhospitable world. With its richly detailed universe, unforgettable characters, and high-stakes action, Dune is a masterpiece you won’t regret picking up.
Recommended authors from Science Fiction
Kim Stanley Robinson is essential reading for fans of hard sci-fi. His works regularly explore themes of economic and social justice, ecological sustainability, and politics, and how science can be used to address these issues. His most popular (and best) trilogy starts with Red Mars. It follows the colonisation of Mars over generations, and all the steps it takes to slowly terraform the planet and make it liveable. For a smaller scale, more character-focused standalone narrated by a generation ship on its way to a distant star, check out Aurora.
If you are looking for more fast-paced, visceral action, Pierce Brown delivers with his Red Rising series. A teenager bringing down a dystopian future society strictly organised into a hierarchy of 14 Colours may sound familiar on the surface, but the deep world-building spanning the whole solar system combined with the cinematic action really sets this series apart. The first book follows the lowly Red miner, Darrow, as he infiltrates the elite academy of the Golds, taking the first steps towards rebellion. The books really mature along with the characters, and the finale, Red God, might be one of the most anticipated releases in the genre (fingers crossed for 2027).
Adrian Tchaikovsky is one of those rare authors who seems to write faster than most people can keep up, and yet the quality never drops. His standout strength is his ability to inhabit non-human perspectives with uncanny believability, whether he’s writing from the point of view of robots, AIs, aliens, or various intelligent animals. What makes his work especially exciting is its range. His books can differ wildly in tone, genre, and style, spanning everything from hard sci-fi to fantasy, so you can pick whichever premise grabs you and be confident you’re in for a good time. If you’re not sure where to start, Children of Time is his most celebrated work: an award-winning story of humanity fleeing a dying Earth, and a terraformed world dominated by a civilisation of giant, intelligent, jumping spiders. For something lighter, Service Model is a personal favourite: a witty, Douglas Adams–esque tale of a robot valet who murders his master and sets off on an existential journey through the ruins of human society.
You really can’t go past James S. A. Corey if you’re after compelling, character-driven science fiction that explores politics, humanity, and survival in space. They have a remarkable knack for building believable characters and richly textured cultures, all grounded in plausible science, without sacrificing a pace that keeps you hooked. They’re best known for The Expanse, widely regarded as one of the standout space operas of recent years. Set across a colonised solar system, it weaves together mystery and high-stakes tension as a single discovery threatens to unravel everything. If you’re keen to dive into a completed series, start with Leviathan Wakes, however, The Mercy of Gods, the first instalment in a new series, which explores a human-colonised planet brought under alien rule, was also fantastic. With its sequel, The Faith of Beasts, just around the corner, now’s the perfect time to jump in.
If, like me, you've read all the big names, here are some excellent titles you may never have heard of
Becky Chambers is one of my favourite authors, and I will read absolutely anything she writes. The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet follows the crew of the Wayfarer as they take the long, meandering journey to a distant world, where they’re tasked with linking it to the wormhole network so no one else has to make the same trip. At its heart, though, this is a warm, deeply comforting story about found family that leaves you feeling genuinely hopeful. This is definitely a character-driven story and they are all fantastic and incredibly diverse (race, gender, sexuality, species — you name it) but it’s the relationships that she really excels at. If you’re looking for a cosier, more optimistic take on sci-fi or simply an antidote to darker themes (and the news), this is absolutely the book to pick up (and then devour all the sequels).
Reminiscent of the religion and low-technology political empire of Dune, Christopher Ruocchio’s Sun Eater series is a fantastic modern epic space opera. Framed as a memoir, the story is told entirely through very beautiful first-person prose, as Hadrian Marlow recounts his journey from exiled young noble to the controversial, legendary hero and the devil that destroyed a sun along with four billion lives. If you want to pick up a series you know is already completed, grab Empire of Silence now, you won’t regret it.
Another hopeful feel-good sci-fi is Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal. After an asteroid strike in 1952, the Earth is projected to be uninhabitable within decades, uniting the world to make colonising space a reality. It follows Elma York, a mathematician and former WASP pilot, as she becomes the “Lady Astronaut”: the public face of letting women into the space program. It’s unique to see standard sci-fi themes applied to an alternate history, and interesting to think about what we could have accomplished with the technology from 70 years ago (especially as we are only in early stages of getting back to the Moon). Kowal writes with remarkable nuance and emotional depth, capturing everything from Elma’s struggles with anxiety to her deeply felt relationships, while also engaging thoughtfully with the gender and racial barriers of the time.
There Is No Antimemetics Division by qntm is one of the more distinctive pieces of science fiction in the traditionally published space, having emerged from the collaborative internet horror universe of the SCP Foundation. The book explores antimemes: concepts that actively erase or consume information about themselves, and demonstrates the unsettling possibilities of a world where knowledge itself is unreliable. Overall, this is mysterious, scary, and thought-provoking — a story about memory, information, and the terrifying possibility that the most dangerous things in the universe might be the ones we literally cannot remember.
Upcoming books I’m looking forward to
The Green Bone Saga is one of my favourite fantasy series, so I am beyond excited for Fonda Lee’s upcoming debut sci-fi novel. A battle-worn corporate samurai takes on one last mission on a merciless planet where death is always a mere breath away in a standalone cyberpunk space opera. Luckily, The Last Contract of Isako comes out in May, so I don’t have to wait long.
I love Ann Leckie’s books, most of which are in the world of the Imperial Radch (though often still work as stand-alone stories). Her books tend to explore identity, culture, and gender in a way that only sci-fi can. She has a new book, Radiant Star, coming out in May, and it looks excellent.
After thoroughly enjoying Brandon Sanderson’s YA sci-fi series Skyward (think Top Gun in space), I am really looking forward to the follow-up series beginning with Blightfall in September. These will be primarily authored by Janci Patterson, but her Skyward novellas were as good, if not better, than some of the main line stories.
James Islington is taking a break from his superb fantasy series Hierarchy to also release his debut sci-fi, cyberpunk thriller. An enhanced contract killer annoyingly tasked with protecting a mystery client from assassination, described as John Wick meets Blade Runner; Scion is due in September.
Murderbot is a cyborg security unit that would rather binge soap operas on the entertainment feeds than interact with the humans it should be protecting. Martha Wells’ novellas are super fun, witty, and action-packed; number seven, Platform Decay, is out in May.
Let me know what you’re excited for, and what sci-fi I’ve missed that you think should be included!