There are few things as memorable to a young reader as the first spaceship they wanted to be onboard or the first fantastical world they wished to inhabit. If you’ve ever discussed the mechanics of warp speed, the anatomy of a shai-hulud or the ethics of a Vulcan mind meld, you know one thing for certain: science fiction is a way of life. Giants of the genre such as Mary Shelley and Isaac Asimov showed readers the horror, the excitement and the gargantuan consequences that arise from combining our scientific knowledge with the expanse of our imagination. What does it feel like to live forever, to breathe something other than air or to love someone from another planet? How will science inspire fiction next? What fiction will inspire new science?
The staff at Scientific American ask questions such as these across lunch tables and whisper book recommendations in hallways. We examine new science every day and read exceptional books each night. Below is a collection of beloved science-fiction titles from the bookshelves of Scientific American staff, showing our go-to recommendations, our personal classic tomes and the books we’re still rereading year after year.
Live long and prosper—and keep reading great books.
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Top-Shelf Recommendations
1. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams
Originally published by Pan, 1979
(Tags: Humor, Adventure)
“It’s an ordinary Thursday morning for Arthur Dent … until his house gets demolished. The Earth follows shortly after to make way for a new hyperspace express route, and Arthur’s best friend has just announced that he’s an alien…. [This] pop-culture classic sends logic into orbit, plays havoc with both time and physics, offers up pithy commentary on such things as ballpoint pens, potted plants … and, most important, reveals the ultimate answer to life, the universe, and everything,” according to Crown’s description of its 25th Anniversary Edition, published in 2004.
“If you haven’t read this one, you should—period. Don’t watch the movie until after you have read it.” —Michael Mrak, Creative Director
“This is a classic! Douglas Adams’s hilarious romp through spacetime made me fall in love with sci-fi—and writing. Thanks for all the fish, Douglas!” —Tanya Lewis, Senior Editor, Health and Medicine
“This is one of my few rereads. I recommend it to everyone.” —Brianne Kane, Editorial Workflow and Rights Manager
“Adams’s utterly off-the-wall descriptions pop into my head all the time.”—Sarah Lewin Frasier, Assistant News Editor
2. Contact
by Carl Sagan
Originally published by Simon & Schuster, 1985
(Tags: First Contact, Aliens)
“When a signal is discovered that seems to come from far beyond our solar system, a multinational team of scientists decides to find the source. What follows is an eye-opening journey out to the stars to the most awesome encounter in human history. Who—or what—is out there?” says Gallery Books in its description of a trade paperback edition it published in 2019.
“Contact is a beautiful book about what it means to explore off Earth. It brings humanity to science fiction and is an important examination of the intersection of politics and astronomy.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
“This is great and a foundational text for thoughtful first-contact narratives.” —Sarah Lewin Frasier, Assistant News Editor
“This book is a big part of the reason I studied astronomy in college.” —Clara Moskowitz, Senior Editor, Space and Physics
3. The Fifth Season
by N. K. Jemisin
Orbit, 2015
(Tags: Postapocalyptic, Fantasy)
“This is the way the world ends … for the last time…. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world’s sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long-dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy,” the publisher says.
“This is the first in one of my absolute favorite series, the Broken Earth series. It has vivid writing and character development and an absolutely creative and innovative storyline with feminist characters and just thrilling action scenes.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
“Very original world-building and exquisite characters—quite dark, though!” —Tanya Lewis, Senior Editor, Health and Medicine
“Tremendous!” —Ben Guarino, Associate Editor, Technology
4. Murderbot Diaries series
by Martha Wells
Tor Books, 2017–present
(Tags: Space Opera, Robots)
“The Murderbot Diaries… is an action-packed, cerebral science fiction series about a self-hacking robot searching for the meaning of life,” according to the publisher.
“One of the most memorable characters in recent science fiction is part human, part bot, and mostly misanthropic and darkly funny about it. The human characters are rich and complex, and refreshingly, the author doesn’t kill off characters you care about.” —Laura Helmuth, Editor in Chief
“Just the best.” —Clara Moskowitz, Senior Editor, Space and Physics
“I’m always eager to read more of its adventures!” —Sarah Lewin Frasier, Assistant News Editor
“I only have read the first book but loved it—fast-paced and thought-provoking.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
Series and Short Stories
1. Noumena series
by Lindsay Ellis
St. Martin’s Press, 2021–present
(Tags: Aliens, Alternate History)
“It’s fall 2007. A well-timed leak has revealed that the US government might have engaged in first contact. Cora Sabino is doing everything she can to avoid the whole mess, since the force driving the controversy is her whistleblower father…. The alien presence has been completely uncommunicative until she convinces one of them that she can act as their interpreter, becoming the first and only human vessel of communication. Their otherworldly connection will change everything she thought she knew about being human—and could unleash a force more sinister than she ever imagined,” St. Martin’s Press says in its description of the first book in the series, Axiom’s End.
“The aliens in this feel alive and downright plausible, the plot is fun and unpredictable the whole time, and the protagonist isn’t just a collection of stereotypes about teen girls. I couldn’t love this series more and cannot wait for my copy of the latest installment!” —Brianne Kane, Editorial Workflow and Rights Manager
2. Stories of Your Life and Others
by Ted Chiang
Originally published by Tor, 2002
(Tags: Short Stories, Philosophy)
“With sharp intelligence and humor, Chiang examines what it means to be alive in a world marked by uncertainty, but also by beauty and wonder,” says publisher Vintage in its description of its 2016 edition.
“This is the first of two collections from Ted Chiang that explore our own morality and ethics through futurism. Every sentence feels so carefully constructed, and almost every short story will stay with you.” —Max Springer, Former AAAS Mass Media Fellow
3. The Expanse series
by James S. A. Corey
Orbit, 2011–2021
(Tags: Mystery, Space)
“When a reluctant ship’s captain and washed-up detective find themselves involved in the case of a missing girl, what they discover brings our solar system to the brink of civil war, and exposes the greatest conspiracy in human history,” the publisher states in a description of the first book in the series, Leviathan Wakes.
“These books are just a classic sci-fi good time. They deal with the harsh realities of space travel through the solar system before delving into more speculative territory later on. This series has memorable and fun characters, interesting politics and a surprisingly great TV adaptation. The storylines are large in scope but always take time to fold in unexpected characters and connections from previous books, creating a really vibrant shared world and fun moments for longtime readers.” —Sarah Lewin Frasier, Assistant News Editor
4. Saga
by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
Image Comics, 2012–present
(Tags: Romance, Space Opera)
“Saga is an epic space opera/fantasy comic book series … [and] is heavily influenced by Star Wars, and based on ideas Vaughan conceived both as a child and as a parent. It depicts two lovers from long-warring extraterrestrial races, Alana and Marko, fleeing authorities from both sides of a galactic war as they struggle to care for their newborn daughter, Hazel, who occasionally narrates the series,” Image Comics says.
“Robot aristocrats with TV sets for heads, a bald cat that senses lies and an adorable child at the center of a richly imagined galactic conflict—what more could anyone want, except for more issues of this long-running series?” —Ben Guarino, Associate Editor, Technology
5. Nightfall and Other Stories
by Isaac Asimov
Collection originally published by Doubleday, 1969
(Tags: Dystopia, Short Stories)
“[‘Nightfall’ is] the tale of a world with eternal sun that is suddenly plunged into total darkness and utter madness. Published when the author was only twenty-one, ‘Nightfall’ was arguably Asimov’s breakout work,” according to publisher Del Rey in its description of its 2021 trade paperback edition.
“The first science-fiction book I ever read may have been the novel based on the title story of this collection. The short story, written by Isaac Asimov, was initially published in 1941 and first appeared in this collection in 1969. The novel was co-authored with Robert Silverberg and published in 1990. My young brain was riveted by the tale of a planet with six suns that, for the first time in the history of its inhabitants, will set at the same time, bringing on nightfall. The impending event pits science and reason against religion and religious fanaticism in a way that makes you question society’s thin line between order and chaos. The novel version converted me into an Asimov reader” —Tanya Lewis, Senior Editor, Health and Medicine
6. Red Rising (Red Rising series)
by Pierce Brown
Del Rey, 2014
(Tags: Dystopia, Adventure)
According to the publisher, “Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations…. Inspired by a longing for justice, and driven by the memory of lost love, Darrow sacrifices everything to infiltrate the legendary Institute, a proving ground for the dominant Gold caste, where the next generation of humanity’s overlords struggle for power.”
“If you want to fly through a series, this is it. Starting with this first book, it’s like The Hunger Games meets Star Wars—fabulous characters, world-building and action scenes.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
7. The Complete Book of the New Sun
by Gene Wolfe
Books in the series originally published by Simon & Schuster, Timescape Books and Tor, 1980–1987
(Tags: Postapocalyptic, Dark Fantasy)
“Wolfe’s classic series blends elements of fantasy and science fiction to tell the story of the disgraced torturer Severian,” says publisher Orb Books in its descriptions of its 2017 e-book collection of the series.
“Prepare for surreal descriptions of a future flung so far that it’s like a dream. It’s an epic that’s dense and vexing. But when a piece clicks together, it’s so, so satisfying.” —Ben Guarino, Associate Editor, Technology
8. The Locked Tomb series
by Tamsyn Muir
Tordotcom, 2019–present
(Tags: Mystery, Horror)
“The Emperor needs necromancers. The Ninth Necromancer needs a swordswoman. Gideon has a sword, some dirty magazines, and no more time for undead nonsense. Brought up by unfriendly, ossifying nuns, ancient retainers, and countless skeletons, Gideon is ready to abandon a life of servitude and an afterlife as a reanimated corpse. She packs up her sword, her shoes, and her dirty magazines, and prepares to launch her daring escape. But her childhood nemesis won’t set her free without a service,” the publisher says its description of the first book in the series, Gideon the Ninth.
“This is one of my favorite series of all time, and the audiobook versions are by far my favorite books in that format! While the story starts out being only about as sci-fi as Star Wars, the lore unfolds to have a backstory rooted in 21st-century science. It also features lots of queer people with swords.” —Rachel Feltman, Host of Science Quickly
“A very fun read with deep and ambitious lore that unfolds over the course of the series!” —Sarah Lewin Frasier, Assistant News Editor
“I adore this series and can’t wait for the next book.” —Clara Moskowitz, Senior Editor, Space and Physics
Ghastly Thrillers
1. Saturnalia
by Stephanie Feldman
Unnamed Press, 2022
(Tags: Gothic, Thriller)
From the publisher: “The Saturnalia carnival marks three years since Nina walked away from Philadelphia’s elite Saturn Club…. For Nina, Saturnalia is simply a cruel reminder of the night that changed everything for her. But when she gets a chance call from Max, one of the Saturn Club’s best-connected members and her last remaining friend, the favor he asks will plunge her back into the Club’s wild solstice masquerade, on a mysterious errand she cannot say no to.”
“What made it really stand out to me were its speculative fiction elements: Feldman crafts a near-future world on the brink of collapse that feels not just believable but inevitable—and then uses that as a setting for a story rich in secret societies and arcane rights.” —Rachel Feltman, Host of Science Quickly
2. Blindsight
by Peter Watts
Originally published by Tor Books, 2006
(Tags: First Contact, Aliens)
“So who do you send to force introductions with unknown and unknowable alien intellect that doesn’t wish to be met? You send a linguist with multiple personalities, her brain surgically partitioned into separate, sentient processing cores. You send a biologist so radically interfaced with machinery that he sees x-rays and tastes ultrasound. You send a pacifist warrior in the faint hope she won’t be needed. You send a monster to command them all, an extinct hominid predator once called vampire, recalled from the grave with the voodoo of recombinant genetics and the blood of sociopaths. And you send a synthesist—an informational topologist with half his mind gone—as an interface between here and there,” the publisher states in its description of a 2020 edition.
“This is a first-contact novel, but the story is really about the augmented people sent to make contact—and a sarcastic narrator. Watts uses their augmentations to explore the nature of consciousness and human relationships. Throw in some serious ideas about linguistics, quantum teleportation and human evolution, and a lot of suspense. It also has a 144-note bibliography that references Nature, Science and Physical Review Letters.” —Josh Fischman, Senior Editor, Medicine and Science Policy
“Great read.” —Sarah Lewin Frasier, Assistant News Editor
3. Dark Matter
by Blake Crouch
Originally published by Crown, 2016
(Tags: Thriller, Psychological)
From Ballantine Books’ description of its 2024 trade paperback edition: “‘Are you happy with your life?’ Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the kidnapper knocks him unconscious…. In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college professor but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible. Is it this life or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how will Jason make it back to the family he loves?”
“Thrilling and fast-paced, this is an excellent application of quantum physics to pop fiction, and the science is so fun.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
4. Artemis
by Andy Weir
Originally published by Crown, 2017
(Tags: Thriller, Space)
“Jasmine Bashara never signed up to be a hero. She just wanted to get rich…. So when a chance at a huge score finally comes her way, Jazz can’t say no. Sure, it requires her to graduate from small-time smuggler to full-on criminal mastermind…. The trouble is, engineering the perfect crime is just the start of Jazz’s problems. Because her little heist is about to land her in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself,” says Ballantine Books in its description of its 2018 paperback edition.
“Artemis follows Jazz, an ambitious citizen of the lunar colony who wrestles with the usual hustle and grind of everyday life, just in less gravity. She is constantly getting herself into trouble, and it’s impossible not to root for her as she uses an entertaining combination of grit and cleverness to get back out of it again and grow as a result!” —Zane Wolf, Graphics Intern, June–December 2024
4. The Echo Wife
by Sarah Gailey
Tor Books, 2021
(Tags: Horror, Scientists as Characters, Thriller)
From publisher Tor Books: “Martine is a genetically cloned replica made from Evelyn Caldwell’s award-winning research. She’s patient and gentle and obedient. She’s everything Evelyn swore she’d never be. And she’s having an affair with Evelyn’s husband. Now, the cheating bastard is dead, and both Caldwell wives have a mess to clean up.”
“This book is simultaneously a poignant reflection on gender roles and narcissistic abuse, a tense and thrilling mystery and a book about scientists doing science. Fans of classic sci-fi won’t be disappointed by the way this story weaves a research scientist’s life’s work (and the bioethics raised by cloning) into the narrative.” —Rachel Feltman, Host of Science Quickly
Dastardly Dystopias
1. The Dispossessed
by Ursula K. Le Guin
Originally published by Harper & Row, 1974
(Tags: Dystopia, Space)
“Anarres, Shevek’s homeland, is a bleak moon settled by an anarchic utopian civilization, where there is no government, and everyone, at least nominally, is a revolutionary. It has long been isolated from other worlds, including its mother planet, Urras—defined by warring nations, great poverty, and immense wealth. Now Shevek, a brilliant physicist, is determined to unify the two civilizations. In the face of great hostility, outright threats, and the pain of separation from his family, he makes an unprecedented trip to Urras. He will seek answers, question the unquestionable, and explore differences in customs and cultures, determined to tear down the walls of hatred that have kept them apart,” says Harper Perennial Modern Classics in its description of its 2014 edition.
“This is the story of ‘an ambiguous utopia’ that sends an earnest anarchist world’s math genius to a rapacious, beautiful, greedy planet run like something resembling the 1960s geopolitical scene. A well-done braided narrative alternately tells the story of his exile and return, combining Albert Einstein’s and J. Robert Oppenheimer’s moral turmoil with the ending of a Graham Greene novel. It turns a bit didactic at the end, but it’s also a thought-provoking, fun read.” —Dan Vergano, Senior Opinion Editor
2. Children of Time
by Adrian Tchaikovsky
Originally published by Tor, 2015
(Tags: Dystopia, Space Opera)
“The last remnants of the human race have left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age—a world terraformed and prepared for human life. But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, its new occupiers have turned it from a refuge into mankind’s worst nightmare,” says publisher Pan, an imprint of Pan MacMillan, in its description of its 2016 paperback edition.
“I won’t spoil who the ‘aliens’ are in this book, but it provides an incredibly creative look into what a society built by very nonhuman species could be like and charts the alien minds’ evolution from animal-level intelligence all the way up to an advanced society very unlike our own. And then the humans get there.” —Sarah Lewin Frasier, Assistant News Editor
3. Too Like the Lighting
by Ada Palmer
Tor Books, 2016
(Tags: Dystopia, Philosophy)
The publisher says, “Mycroft Canner is a convict. For his crimes he is required, as is the custom of the 25th century, to wander the world being as useful as he can to all he meets. Carlyle Foster is a sensayer—a spiritual counselor in a world that has outlawed the public practice of religion, but which also knows that the inner lives of humans cannot be wished away…. And in this world, Mycroft and Carlyle have stumbled on the wild card that may destabilize the system: the boy Bridger, who can effortlessly make his wishes come true. Who can, it would seem, bring inanimate objects to life.”
“This smart and creative story takes place in an imagined far-future society that has harnessed technology to take its best crack at building a utopia by banning religion, gender and geographic nation-states. It practically blew my mind on every other page.” —Clara Moskowitz, Senior Editor, Space and Physics
4. Fiasco
by Stanisław Lem, translated by Michael Kandel
Originally published in English by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987
(Tags: Short Stories, Translation)
“The planet Quinta is … a kingdom of phantoms and of a beauty afflicted by madness. In stark contrast, the crew of the spaceship Hermes represents a knowledge-seeking Earth. As they approach Quinta, a dark poetry takes over and leads them into a nightmare of misunderstanding,” says Harper Voyager in its description of its 1988 edition.
“First published in a German translation in 1986, this is the final (and in my opinion, the best) of Stanisław Lem’s explorations of “first contact” scenarios. Fiasco is, on its surface, a story about humanity in a postscarcity technological utopia striving to make contact with a mysterious alien civilization, the Quintans. But it can also be read as an allegory of the cold war—or, for that matter, as a cautionary tale about the limits of knowledge, the futility of the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) and the dangerous cognitive biases of human beings. Don’t expect a happy ending.” —Lee Billings, Senior Editor, Space and Physics
5. Parable of the Sower
by Octavia E. Butler
Originally published by Four Walls Eight Windows, 1993
(Tags: Dystopia, Fantasy)
“When global climate change and economic crises lead to social chaos in the early 2020s, California becomes full of dangers, from pervasive water shortage to masses of vagabonds who will do anything to live to see another day. Fifteen-year-old Lauren Olamina lives inside a gated community with her preacher father, family, and neighbors, sheltered from the surrounding anarchy. In a society where any vulnerability is a risk, she suffers from hyperempathy, a debilitating sensitivity to others’ emotions,” states Grand Central Publishing in its description of its 2019 trade paperback edition.
“I honestly think the world would be better off if everyone got to read and discuss this book. Butler imagines a depressingly realistic future for the U.S. yet somehow manages to offer hope for the next phase of human civilization. There’s a lot of practical stuff to take away from this book, and I find it extremely uplifting.” —Rachel Feltman, Host of Science Quickly
“I enjoyed this one, too—really nice character development.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
6. Ender’s Game
by Orson Scott Card
Originally published by Tor Books, 1985
(Tags: Dystopia, War)
“In order to develop a secure defense against a hostile alien race’s next attack, government agencies breed child geniuses and train them as soldiers…. Young Ender is drafted to the orbiting Battle School for rigorous military training…. Is Ender the general Earth needs? The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway for almost as long,” the publisher says in its description of its 2017 mini hardcover edition.
“This is classic sci-fi that taps on global politics and psychological warfare. It was ahead of its time in recognizing the power of the Internet to promote ideologies and create factions. There’s an incredible twist at the end.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
“I love this one! The twist ending shocked me, and I still recommend this to anyone interested in, but hesitant to try, science fiction.” —Brianne Kane, Editorial Workflow and Rights Manager
All’s Fair in Love, War and Time Travel
1. Uncharted Territory
by Connie Willis
Spectra, 1994
(Tags: Humor, Romance)
From publisher Spectra: “Findriddy and Carson are two explorers sent to Boohte to survey the ridges and scrub-covered hills of the planet…. Teamed with a young intern whose specialty is mating customs, and a native guide of indeterminate gender, the group sets out for a previously unexplored sector of the planet. As they survey canyons and cataracts, battle dangers, and discover alien treasures, they will soon find themselves in alien territory of another kind: exploring the paths and precipices of sex. And love.”
“This is just a beautiful and short read that captures imagination perfectly.” —Megha Satyanarayana, Chief Opinion Editor
2. The Future of Another Timeline
by Annalee Newitz
Tor Books, 2019
(Tags: Time Travel, Alternate History)
From publisher Tor Books: “Tess and Beth’s lives intertwine as war breaks out across the timeline—a war that threatens to destroy time travel and leave only a small group of elites with the power to shape the past, present, and future. Against the vast and intricate forces of history and humanity, is it possible for a single person’s actions to echo throughout the timeline?”
“I read this book several years ago, but it couldn’t feel more relevant today, in a post-Roe world where women’s reproductive freedoms are being stripped away state by state and law by law. It’s a riveting and at times upsetting story about how past decisions can have long-term ripple effects, featuring the real-life moral crusader Anthony Comstock, whose 1873 antivice act continues to be used to justify repression of bodily autonomy today. But it’s also an uplifting story about the power that women and people assigned female at birth have to fight for a better future.” —Tanya Lewis, Senior Editor, Health and Medicine
3. Camp Concentration
by Thomas M. Disch
Originally published by Rupert Hart-Davis, 1968
(Tags: War, Horror)
“Thomas M. Disch imagines an alternate 1970s in which America has declared war on the rest of the world and much of its own citizenry and is willing to use any weapon to assure victory. Louis Sacchetti, a poet imprisoned for draft resistance, is delivered to a secret facility called Camp Archimedes, where he is the unwilling witness to the army’s conscienceless experiments in “intelligence maximization.” In the experiment, Prisoners are given Pallidine, a drug derived from the syphilis spirochete, and their mental abilities quickly rise to the level of genius. Unfortunately, a side effect of Pallidine is death,” says Vintage in its description of its 1999 edition.
“This book captures the paranoia of the Vietnam War era in a way that perfectly foresaw today’s bleak nihilism and campus protests. It’s a secret meditation on grad school, I’ve always suspected, and, more seriously, on intellectual and moral integrity.” —Dan Vergano, Senior Opinion Editor
4. Cinder
by Marissa Meyer
Originally published by Feiwel & Friends, 2012
(Tags: Fairytale Retelling, Romance)
“Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl…. Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction,” says Square Fish in its description of its 2020 edition.
“Make Cinderella a cyborg mechanic with a trusty android sidekick and go from there!” —Meghan Bartels, Senior News Reporter
5. The End of Eternity
by Isaac Asimov
Originally published by Doubleday, 1955
(Tags: Dystopia, Time Travel)
From Del Rey’s description of its 2020 trade paperback edition: “The Eternals, the ruling class of the Future, had the power of life and death not only over every human being but over the very centuries into which they were born. Past, Present, and Future could be created or destroyed at will. You had to be special to become an Eternal. Andrew Harlan was special. Until he committed the one unforgivable sin—falling in love.”
“This is a story about a man whose job is to travel through time to modify certain events for the betterment and happiness of humanity. Things go awry when he meets and falls in love with a woman who can’t time travel and decides to bend time and history to his own ends. It’s a fascinating and endearing read.” —Tanya Lewis, Senior Editor, Health and Medicine
Fantastical Space Operas
1. A Memory Called Empire
by Arkady Martine
Tor Books, 2019
(Tags: Space Opera, Mystery)
“Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn’t an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court,” the publisher states.
“This is a subtle, suspenseful and thought-provoking caper about an ambassador from a small mining station who must navigate politics, poetry and murder attempts when she visits the center of the galactic empire, all while hiding secret brain technology that could upend society.” —Clara Moskowitz, Senior Editor, Space and Physics
“This is a very intriguing book full of politicking. I loved the idea of the brain technology—it’s so novel.” —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor
2. Death’s End
by Liu Cixin, translated by Ken Liu
Originally published in English by Tor Books, 2016
(Tags: Space Opera, Aliens)
From the publisher’s description of its 2017 trade paperback edition: “Half a century after the Doomsday Battle, the uneasy balance of Dark Forest Deterrence keeps the Trisolaran invaders at bay. Earth enjoys unprecedented prosperity due to the infusion of Trisolaran knowledge. With human science advancing daily and the Trisolarans adopting Earth culture, it seems that the two civilizations will soon be able to co-exist peacefully as equals…. But the peace has also made humanity complacent. Cheng Xin, an aerospace engineer from the early twenty-first century, awakens from hibernation in this new age…. Will humanity reach for the stars or die in its cradle?”
“First published in Chinese in 2010, this is the third and (in my opinion) best book in the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy, otherwise called the Three-Body Problem series. A first-contact story that spans a vast amount of time, this book is equal parts mind-expanding and devastating.” —Ian Kelly, Product Manager
3. Ubik
by Philip K. Dick
Originally published with Doubleday, 1969
(Tags: Fantasy, Space Opera)
“Glen Runciter runs a lucrative business—deploying his teams of anti-psychics to corporate clients who want privacy and security from psychic spies. But when he and his top team are ambushed by a rival, he is gravely injured and placed in ‘half-life,’ a dreamlike state of suspended animation. Soon, though, the surviving members of the team begin experiencing some strange phenomena, such as Runciter’s face appearing on coins and the world seeming to move backward in time. As consumables deteriorate and technology gets ever more primitive, the group needs to find out what is causing the shifts and what a mysterious product called Ubik has to do with it all,” states Mariner Books Classics in its description of its 2012 edition.
“Philip K. Dick’s mind-bending sci-fi detective caper turned eroding-reality epic prefigured both The Matrix and Memento. This is the story of a precog investigator caught in a consumerist limbo and trying to piece together the clues to what has happened both to himself and his world. It makes no sense, in classic Dick fashion, but there’s something profound in this one—a fun, fast trip, a vortex of drug-fueled paranoia in paperback.” —Dan Vergano, Senior Opinion Editor
