A List of the Best Science Fiction Novels

(that I’ve thought of so far)

Introduction

Calling all spacefaring adventurers! Are you yearning to explore distant galaxies, encounter fascinating alien species, and ponder the mysteries of the universe? Buckle up and prepare for liftoff with this curated list of must-read science fiction novels! Whether you’re a seasoned sci-fi buff or a curious newcomer, these books offer captivating stories, thought-provoking themes, and journeys that will transport you beyond the stars.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Blurb from Goodreads

Seconds before the Earth is demolished to make way for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is plucked off the planet by his friend Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised edition of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy who, for the last fifteen years, has been posing as an out-of-work actor.

Together this dynamic pair begin a journey through space aided by quotes from The Hitchhiker’s Guide (“A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have”) and a galaxy-full of fellow travelers: Zaphod Beeblebrox–the two-headed, three-armed ex-hippie and totally out-to-lunch president of the galaxy; Trillian, Zaphod’s girlfriend (formally Tricia McMillan), whom Arthur tried to pick up at a cocktail party once upon a time zone; Marvin, a paranoid, brilliant, and chronically depressed robot; Veet Voojagig, a former graduate student who is obsessed with the disappearance of all the ballpoint pens he bought over the years.

Where are these pens? Why are we born? Why do we die? Why do we spend so much time between wearing digital watches? For all the answers stick your thumb to the stars. And don’t forget to bring a towel!

My Thoughts

I love this series. I’ve read all of them, as well as Adam’s other works Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency and The Long, Dark Teatime of the Soul. The titles alone would have made me pick them up (I love a good turn of phrase, with a fine sense of the ridiculous!), but the Adam’s spacefaring romp through the bureaucratic minutiae of interstellar highways and the meaning of life utterly grabbed me. He walked the beautifully fine line between a hilarious story and lessons that can be brought into life with finesse and a smirk. Embrace the absurdity and ponder life, the universe, and everything with Adams’ witty writing and iconic characters like Marvin the paranoid android and Zaphod Beeblebrox, the two-headed, three-armed ex-president of the galaxy. Highly recommend.

A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

Blurb from Goodreads

Follow a motley crew on an exciting journey through space-and one adventurous young explorer who discovers the meaning of family in the far reaches of the universe-in this light-hearted debut space opera from a rising sci-fi star.

Rosemary Harper doesn’t expect much when she joins the crew of the aging Wayfarer. While the patched-up ship has seen better days, it offers her a bed, a chance to explore the far-off corners of the galaxy, and most importantly, some distance from her past. An introspective young woman who learned early to keep to herself, she’s never met anyone remotely like the ship’s diverse crew, including Sissix, the exotic reptilian pilot, chatty engineers Kizzy and Jenks who keep the ship running, and Ashby, their noble captain.

Life aboard the Wayfarer is chaotic and crazy—exactly what Rosemary wants. It’s also about to get extremely dangerous when the crew is offered the job of a lifetime. Tunneling wormholes through space to a distant planet is definitely lucrative and will keep them comfortable for years. But risking her life wasn’t part of the plan. In the far reaches of deep space, the tiny Wayfarer crew will confront a host of unexpected mishaps and thrilling adventures that force them to depend on each other. To survive, Rosemary’s got to learn how to rely on this assortment of oddballs—an experience that teaches her about love and trust, and that having a family isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the universe.

My Thoughts

I didn’t know there could be cozy scifi until this book. Becky Chambers writes her books with a sense of connection and community. They are in space and are full of all the fun that comes with that: daring escapes, intergalactic travel, aliens, different customs. But their stories are tales of relationships between friends and enemies, differences and the similarities that thread through our differences and ultimately tie us all together. And by us, I don’t mean just humans. She has a wonderful skill to create aliens that are as exotic as one could wish, and yet thread connections between each character, alien or otherwise, that shares their ultimate desire for community. Experience the camaraderie and found family atmosphere as they explore the cosmos, encounter diverse alien species, and tackle unexpected challenges. This is kind scifi at its best!

The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemison

Blub from Goodreads

This is the way the world ends. Again.

Three terrible things happen in a single day. Essun, a woman living an ordinary life in a small town, comes home to find that her husband has brutally murdered their son and kidnapped their daughter. Meanwhile, mighty Sanze — the world-spanning empire whose innovations have been civilization’s bedrock for a thousand years — collapses as most of its citizens are murdered to serve a madman’s vengeance. And worst of all, across the heart of the vast continent known as the Stillness, a great red rift has been torn into the heart of the earth, spewing ash enough to darken the sky for years. Or centuries.

Now Essun must pursue the wreckage of her family through a deadly, dying land. Without sunlight, clean water, or arable land, and with limited stockpiles of supplies, there will be war all across the Stillness: a battle royale of nations not for power or territory, but simply for the basic resources necessary to get through the long dark night. Essun does not care if the world falls apart around her. She’ll break it herself, if she must, to save her daughter.

My Thoughts

I found this trilogy heartbreaking and amazing in turns. If one can look away at the same time as peek, while reading (is this possible? I feel like it should be possible.), this is the novel for that. I found it intense, but really, really good. Jemison is a multiple award winner, breaking a record by taking home a Hugo award for all three novels in this series. And they are well deserved. The world building in this series is intense, and she makes you work for it. Against a backdrop of extreme environmental hardship, a magic system based on geology, and the rawness of a mother journeying a landscape in search of her daughter, gone with the man who killed her brother, is a tale that shows struggle and oppression, juxtaposed against acceptance and strength. This series is amazing, and I highly recommend it.

Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

Blurb from Goodreads

Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.

Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.

Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to the Scopuli and rebel sympathizer Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything.

Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations—and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe.

My Thoughts

This is good storytelling! The Expanse Series, now complete, kept me interested through nine long volumes, plus a short stories collection. I have a tendency with series to read one, then head off and explore other realms before diving back into it. As such, if I am lukewarm toward a series at any given point, I often do not return to it. This was not the case here. I read and enjoyed each volume as the story grew and changed. The events interconnect fairly seamlessly as consequences follow actions, and where they end up at the end of the series is logical and makes sense in the way of things. This is not always the case in a long series of books where illogic can be swept away under the volume of words until plot holes are no longer visible! I also really enjoyed the character development in this series. The main core elements of each person remain the same, but experiences change them over the course of their lives. I was also curious about the back stories of the main characters, as well, which are filled in through some of the short stories published by Corey. Worth the time investment!

All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1) by Martha Wells

Blurb from Goodreads

“As a heartless killing machine, I was a complete failure.”

In a corporate-dominated space-faring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. For their own safety, exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn’t a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists is conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied ‘droid–a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module and refers to itself (though never out loud) as “Murderbot.” Scornful of humans, Murderbot wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is, but when a neighboring mission goes dark, it’s up to the scientists and Murderbot to get to the truth.

My Thoughts

I spent a long time circling this book. I don’t typically read novellas, for the same reason that I don’t typically watch movies – there’s just not enough meat to them. I love character development in the same way I love coffee. I’m not interested in guzzling an instant coffee for the caffeine fix – I like to sit and sip my coffee for an unreasonable amount of time, preferably with a good book. I’m the same with books. I’m not keen on short stories or novellas because you just meet someone interesting, the last page turns, and they’ve gone off into their own future, forever unseen by the reader (or at least this is how I imagine it!). Murderbot is not like this. This is the first in a series of little books that describe a big story, one being told by a wonderful character. Martha Wells brilliantly describes the story through the eyes of a self-described Murder Bot. One who got annoyed, hacked its own system, and is heading into the galaxy to discover itself, in between episodes of its favourite show. Humans, annoyingly, keep getting in the way of this plan, with Murderbot becoming appropriately huffy. I don’t think this series can be done justice with a review. Just read it, you’ll see.

Conclusion

This is just a small selection of the incredible sci-fi novels waiting to be discovered. Whether you seek humor, adventure, social commentary, or philosophical exploration, there’s a sci-fi book out there for you. So, grab your towel (hitchhikers take note!), open a book, and embark on your own unforgettable journey through the cosmos!

Have I missed one? I actually hope so…please put your recommendations in the comments below. Let’s talk books!

…and if you’re looking for recommendations from other genres, check out these book lists:
The Best Books with Magical Realism – Blue Light Yonder
A List of the Best Epic Fantasy – Blue Light Yonder