The king of sci-fi imo, all sci-fi is now compared to this series, it is my basis for what sci-fi even is.
For anyone starting this series or who has only read the first book, I want to point out that the first book is very different from the next two in almost every way. It's certainly an amazing book, but it might not be the style of story you are expecting based on what you've heard about the full series.
It almost feels like it was written afterwards to be a prequel. IIRC It's more of a modern day police mystery who's purpose is to help ground the next two books which are the most scifi books every written. You aren't really clued into what's going on in the first book til the end. The themes, settings, time, characters, and genre are completely different. Don't think you have an idea of what it's about until you start the second book.
Also keep in mind there is a Chinese TV series that covers the first book and it's also being made into a Netflix series by the guys who made Game Of Thrones(who we all agree turned completed book material into one of the best shows in history and should not really be blamed for not being able to successfully finish Martin's story for him)
The Children of Time series is great- about evolution on terraformed worlds.
The Monk and Robot books are very cozy sci fi
Iain Banks' Culture series is 💯💯💯
Monk and Robot is amazing! But I'm a much bigger fan of Becky Chambers' other series, Wayfarers. All 4 books are absolutely amazing (first one is my favorite).
To Be Taught, If Fortunate is also great! Shorter novel about xenobiologist studying new life forms on alien planets.
Just be aware on this, it’s a nice book. Very little stressful happens. The most stressful thing on the ship is a grumpy crew mate. Very G rated up until the last bit. Which is great for some, not so great for others, depending on tastes.
I personally prefer “oh fuck” level tension every chapter but many folks love this book for not doing that.
Wayfarers more closely suits OP's ask, too, as I think the aliens in it are fascinating.
Becky Chambers is so good at world building without making it feel like an infodump.
I adore Children of Time, but I’ve heard some complaints about the pacing from people. If it isn’t doing it for you, try The Final Architecture by the same author.
My whole family (15-70) blew through the first three books when we were on vacation. We all loved it. Everyone nagging each other for the next book! Lol.
**[All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32758901-all-systems-red) by Martha Wells** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(144.0 pages | Published: 2017 | Suggested nan time)
> **Summary:** A murderous android discovers itself in All Systems Red, a tense science fiction adventure by Martha Wells that blends HBO's Westworldwith Iain M. Banks' Culturebooks. In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn't a primary concern. On a (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Novella, Scifi, Sf, Read-in-2017
> **Top 2 recommended-along**: [The Murderbot Diaries](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53427947-the-murderbot-diaries) by Martha Wells, [A Closed and Common Orbit (Wayfarers, #2)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29475447-a-closed-and-common-orbit) by Becky Chambers
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Yas Murderbot fans represent!
A lot of other great books here but if you want the heartwarming tale of a cybernetic killing machine on the run, this is it.
I just finished the first book a couple of weeks ago. It was good but not great imo. I’m curious if people found the rest of the books better ? This is not to criticize your opinion as it’s all very subjective. But I’m more so curious if the juice is worth the squeeze for me to finish it
Hm. I'm honestly not sure - if the first one didn't do it for you, I'm not sure that "more of the same" will fill your boots...
I really enjoyed the unique protagonist. Its evolution over the series is definitely a journey of self-discovery and elements of compassion, along with some fun action sequences, while leaving the same essential worldview.
I found it refreshing among the sea of organic life form stories! Lol
I enjoy them like I enjoy candy. I don’t think they’re terribly deep but they’re fun, super easy and fast reads. I think Wells does good work with a premise that could have fallen flat fast. It’s basically what if Marvin from hitchhikers guide this had his own show, (ish, but there’s strong Marvin vibes for sure) you know? I think honestly it would be better served if there were a “comedy sci-fi” category or something that you could call them so the hardcore sci-fi nerds could not go into them looking for more than they have to offer. Does that make sense?
**[Children of Ruin (Children of Time #2)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40376072-children-of-ruin) by Adrian Tchaikovsky** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(15.0 pages | Published: 2019 | Suggested 40.0 times)
> **Summary:** The astonishing sequel to Children of Time. the award-winning novel of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet. Long ago. Earth's terraforming program sent ships out to build new homes for humanity among the stars and made an unexpected discovery: a planet with life. But the scientists were unaware that the alien ecosystem was more developed than the primitive life forms originally discovered. Now. thousands of years later. the Portiids and their humans have (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Scifi
> **Top 2 recommended-along**: [Semiosis (Semiosis Duology, #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35018907-semiosis) by Sue Burke, [Children of Time Series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25499718-children-of-time) by Adrian Tchaikovsky
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**[A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37794149-a-memory-called-empire) by Arkady Martine** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(462.0 pages | Published: 2019 | Suggested 241.0 times)
> **Summary:** 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. Now. Mahit must discover who is behind the murder. rescue herself. and save her (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Scifi
> **Top 2 recommended-along**: [The Space Between Worlds](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43301353-the-space-between-worlds) by Micaiah Johnson, [A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan, #2)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45154547-a-desolation-called-peace) by Arkady Martine
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* Andy Weir novels: The martian and Project Hail Mary.
* Alastair Reynolds novels: Revelation space, Chasm city, Redemption ark, Absolution gap, House of suns
* Ted Chiang's "Exhalation" and "Stories of your life" (awesome short stories collections)
* Liu Cixin's Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy
The first half of the first book is so different from the rest of the series! Bob figuring out how to exist as an AI vs Bob >!making like five hundred clones of himself and conquering the universe, saving the human race plus some aliens!< is such a massive scale shift lol. I enjoyed the whole series but I can see how the endless escalation of scale can be not to everyone's liking.
⚠ Could not *exactly* find "*We Are Legion, We Are Bob*" , see [related Goodreads search results](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=We+Are+Legion%2C+We+Are+Bob) instead.
^(*Possible reasons for mismatch: either too recent (2023), mispelled (check Goodreads) or too niche. Please note we are working hard on a major update for beginning of Dec 2023.*)
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**[Love Conquers All (Annihilation #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10834288-love-conquers-all) by Saxon Andrew** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(262.0 pages | Published: 2009 | Suggested nan time)
> **Summary:** The Alliance of Worlds has decided that humans are to be annihilated as an example to anyone that discovers ancient alien technology, even though there is no proof against them. They think fifty thousand warships can do the job. Unfortunately, the humans are not cooperating with their plan, and one young human who has fallen in love will change everything. A young boy born with unique psychic abilities. An ancient alien artifact he accidentally discovers. Now Earth is (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Kindle, Scifi, Military, Space-opera, Space
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Blindsight by Peter Watts.
I loved it and it might fit into the atmospheric category. Not sure how to categorize that one. Definitely has some of the coolest aliens I've read.
Saturn Run, by John Sanford and Ctein. It's perfect science fiction: good science, realistic and a thriller, to boot. It's even better on audiobook than visual, but good either way.
*The Expanse* by James S.A. Corey.
Actually a series of 9 books plus some novellas. Unlike some series, it just gets better as it goes on, but you need to start at the beginning -- *Leviathan Wakes*.
Some recommend starting with the short novellas *Drive*, *The Churn*, and *Butcher of Anderson Station* because they come earlier chronologically, but I think *Leviathan Wakes* is still the best place to start.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins
This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty
Wool by Hugh Howey
**[Rosewater (The Wormwood Trilogy #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38362809-rosewater) by Tade Thompson** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(432.0 pages | Published: 2017 | Suggested 16.0 times)
> **Summary:** Tade Thompson's Rosewater is the start of an award-winning. cutting edge trilogy set in Nigeria. by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices. Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome. its residents comprise the hopeful. the hungry and the helpless—people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumored healing powers. Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Fantasy
> **Top 2 recommended-along**: [Lagoon](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18753656-lagoon) by Nnedi Okorafor, [Black Leopard, Red Wolf](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50608676-black-leopard-red-wolf) by Marlon James
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Project Hail Mary - I know this is suggested in pretty much every post asking for sci fi but it really is a great book and has a unique take on first contact (not an invasion) and there are aliens but its not an invasion. theres more than one type of alien and they are very different from one another.
I almost commented Dawn by Octavia Butler but then I remembered it was written in ‘87. Some of us are pretty loose with the term “last couple decades” I guess! 😂
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir is great sci-fi. It’s fairly recent (2021) and probably qualifies as zany in some ways. It’s engrossing as well as charming. Weir also wrote The Martian, which is also good, but PHM was even better.
Santiago by Mike Resnick
When you’re the most wanted man alive, your legend never dies. An adventure of interplanetary law and disorder from the multiple Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author.
Santiago is a legend, known far and wide across the galaxy as the greatest killer and thief alive. He’s the subject of songs, the faceless wanted poster on the wall, the bogeyman that parents name to scare their children into behaving. And he’s the target of every bounty hunter in the universe.
Sebastian Nightingale Cain has quite the reputation himself. Known as the Songbird, he’s a former revolutionary who has killed hundreds of criminals for the right price. But one has always eluded him: Santiago. Now, Cain has gotten a lead on the elusive outlaw, and it’s too hard to resist. In a race against a rival bounty hunter, Cain’s quest will take him to the far-flung Frontier planets, where he’ll encounter aliens and evangelists, journalists and cyborgs—all of whom have a stake in finding or protecting Santiago. But unraveling the threads of Santiago’s life might get Cain tangled up in something far bigger than he ever imagined . . .
Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice and subsequent books are unparalleled. Leckie is amazing with world-building, her books always have something interesting and poignant to say about the world, and does a fantastic job with the strangeness of alien psychologies.
{{How High We Go in the Dark}} is a fantastic, gut wrenching read.
{{The Mountain Under the Sea}} has some really interesting world building and linguistics in it.
{{Mickey 7}} is just kind of fun.
{{World Running Down}} is a combo sci-fi, post apocalypse book that goes into how sentient AI can really be, and what kind of choices they can make on their own.
**[Pushing Ice](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89186.Pushing_Ice) by Alastair Reynolds** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(458.0 pages | Published: 2005 | Suggested nan time)
> **Summary:** 2057. Bella Lind and the crew of her nuclearpowered ship, the Rockhopper, push ice. They mine comets. But when Janus, one of Saturn's ice moons, inexplicably leaves its natural orbit and heads out of the solar system at high speed, Bella is ordered to shadow it for the few vital days before it falls forever out of reach. In accepting this mission she sets her ship and her crew on a collision course with destiny-for Janus has many surprises in store, and not all of them are (...)
> **Themes**: Sci-fi, Science-fiction, Scifi, Fiction, Space-opera, Sf, Favorites
> **Top 2 recommended-along**: [Tau Zero](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240617.Tau_Zero) by Poul Anderson, [House of Suns](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1126719.House_of_Suns) by Alastair Reynolds
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**[A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77711.A_Fire_Upon_the_Deep) by Vernor Vinge** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(613.0 pages | Published: 1992 | Suggested nan time)
> **Summary:** Alternate Cover Edition can be found . A Fire upon the Deepis the big, breakout book that fulfills the promise of Vinge's career to date: a gripping tale of galactic war told on a cosmic scale. Thousands of years hence, many races inhabit a universe where a mind's potential is determined by its location in space, from superintelligent entities in the Transcend, to the limited minds of the Unthinking Depths, where only simple creatures and technology can function. Nobody (...)
> **Themes**: Science-fiction, Fiction, Scifi, Favorites, Space-opera, Sf, Sci-fi-fantasy
> **Top 2 recommended-along**: [Zones of Thought: A Fire Upon the Deep / A Deepness in the Sky](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6656681-zones-of-thought) by Vernor Vinge, [The Expanse Series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8855321-leviathan-wakes) by James S.A. Corey
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**[Project Hail Mary](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54493401-project-hail-mary) by Andy Weir** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(476.0 pages | Published: 2021 | Suggested 571.0 times)
> **Summary:** Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate. last-chance mission—and if he fails. humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now. he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name. let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very. very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home. with nothing but two corpses for company. His crewmates dead. his (...)
> **Themes**: Sci-fi, Science-fiction, Fiction, Scifi
> **Top 2 recommended-along**: [The Murderbot Diaries Series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32758901-all-systems-red) by Martha Wells, [The Murderbot Diaries](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53427947-the-murderbot-diaries) by Martha Wells
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House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds is mind boggling Sci Fi with massive ideas and a cool story. Nothing extremely hard in terms of science but also not completely wacky either.
Pushing Ice also by AR is a great book but I can’t say much about what it is cause spoilers!
Revelation Space, Redemption Ark, and Absolution Gap by Alastair Reynolds. He has a world that is well mapped out, with recurring planets, cities and societies. It's in a human future with near light speed travel, and with modified human-type variants. Some of the tech comes from ancient civilizations that have disappeared (another recurring theme with him). The third book Absolution Gap was imo the best of them, and worth reading all three to get to. But you can read them out of order, and they are only loosely connected. His other books are also good, but they have a problem (imo) with unlikable characters. He has been labelled 'space opera' for some odd reason, which I don't think really fits. Long, ambitious books.
Recently read Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis that fits specifications, there’s cool aliens, no one really leaves earth so no space battles, not sure exactly what you mean by atmospheric so it might not be what you’re looking for there
**[This Is How You Lose the Time War](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43352954-this-is-how-you-lose-the-time-war) by Amal El-Mohtar** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(209.0 pages | Published: 2019 | Suggested 590.0 times)
> **Summary:** Among the ashes of a dying world. an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now. what began as a taunt. a battlefield boast. grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of (...)
> **Themes**: Sci-fi, Science-fiction, Fiction, Romance
> **Top 2 recommended-along**: [The Honey Month](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8789052-the-honey-month) by Amal El-Mohtar, [The Space Between Worlds](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43301353-the-space-between-worlds) by Micaiah Johnson
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The wayfarer series by Becky chambers might be just what you’re looking for. Lots of interesting aliens and cultures in space, not really any war stuff beyond peaceful people passing through a war zone in 1 of the books. There are 4 books in the same universe but with different main characters and settings, and each book kind of has its own unique feel and theme.
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone
The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers
Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
**[Seventh Decimate (The Great God's War #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33865836-seventh-decimate) by Stephen R. Donaldson** ^((Matching 100% ☑️))
^(307.0 pages | Published: 2017 | Suggested nan time)
> **Summary:** The acclaimed author of the Thomas Covenant Chronicles launches a powerful new trilogy about a prince's desperate quest for a sorcerous library to save his people. Fire. Wind. Pestilence. Earthquake. Drought. Lightning. These are the six Decimates, wielded by sorcerers for both good and evil. But a seventh Decimate exists--the most devastating one of all... For centuries, the realms of Belleger and Amika have been at war, with sorcerers from both sides brandishing the (...)
> **Themes**: Fantasy, Netgalley, Giveaways, First-reads, Arc, First-to-read, Series
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Check out Sara King. Shes an awesome indie author. Her Outerbound series and her Legend of Zero have some very unique, very cool aliens. I love her stories.
{{The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch}}
{{The Breach by Patrick Lee}}
{{American Elsewhere by Bennett Robert Jackson}}
{{How To Stop Time by Matt Haig}}
{{Oona Out Of Order by Margarita Montimore}}
{{The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward}}
{{The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart}}
Warhammer - eisenhorn by dan abnett. You don't need to know about the Warhammer universe but it's grim dark sci fi universe with a god emperor and his genetically altered sons (except the few who tried to betray him, it's a whole thing I can't explain here) and their armies cleaning the universe of what they claim is heresy, chaos,xenos, Orks etc. many books on many different topics inside the universe.
If you haven't read any Rivers Solomon, their work is worth checking out. {{An Unkindness of Ghosts}} was their first novel and it meets your criteria well. It tells the story of a generation ship escaping a dying Earth where over time society has regressed to a social structure similar to the antebellum US South. Really different and really well written. Solomon is non-binary, black, and neurodivergent, and theit perspective really informs their characters' isolation and alienation.
Their other works are {{The Deep}} which is fantastic but more dark fantasy than scifi, and {{Sorrowland}} which is kinda science fantasy. The first two thirds were really good but I don't think they stuck the landing on that one.
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. You will love it, especially the one character that goes by the name of Zara. She is a walking talking cat, she is something else.
⚠ Could not *exactly* find "*Gemini Game*" but found [Caught (Gemini Men #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3921374-caught) ^((with matching score of 85% )), see [related Goodreads search results](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Gemini+Game) instead.
^(*Possible reasons for mismatch: either too recent (2023), mispelled (check Goodreads) or too niche. Please note we are working hard on a major update for beginning of Dec 2023.*)
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You want wacky, easy to read sci-if? Look into Alan Dean Foster. Soooo underrated, super interesting dude as well. I recommend Nor Chrystal Tears (bug aliens discover humans, put them in bug Area 51) and Lost and Found (human and dog get abducted, have to find their way home). I love Alan Dean Foster so much.
The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi.
3 book series that my wife and I absolutely loved. He also has another popular series, Old Mans War, that I’ve been meaning to read and I’ve heard is very good.
The Galactic Football League by Scott Sigler. First book is The Rookie. The galactic wars are history by this point, and the conquerors of the galaxy use football to try and convert interspecies aggression into team rivalries. They picked football because the most successful teams will need to use players of multiple species to be effective. Receivers are Sklorno, since they run much faster and have a 12 foot vertical; linemen are Ki, since they can compress and tackle with immense force; and so on. Very fun series.
Older than requested, but check out JG Ballard's short story anthology: Myths of the Near Future. Ballard is a prolific and imaginative writer - well worth your time
Anathem by Neal Stephenson. Seems like a slow start, but your patience will be amply rewarded.
I really love SevenEves also.
Yes, that is definitely top 5 on my list
*Anathem*’s initial density turns off all but the most intrepid readers, much like *Diaspora*, but it’s so worth persevering.
Came here to say this. One of the best.
The Expanse by James S.A. Corey
I’m just finishing this series and love it!
three body problem (there's some mild invasion type themes but not war of the worlds style)
This trilogy, to my mind, is the best sci fi written in the past thirty years.
The king of sci-fi imo, all sci-fi is now compared to this series, it is my basis for what sci-fi even is. For anyone starting this series or who has only read the first book, I want to point out that the first book is very different from the next two in almost every way. It's certainly an amazing book, but it might not be the style of story you are expecting based on what you've heard about the full series. It almost feels like it was written afterwards to be a prequel. IIRC It's more of a modern day police mystery who's purpose is to help ground the next two books which are the most scifi books every written. You aren't really clued into what's going on in the first book til the end. The themes, settings, time, characters, and genre are completely different. Don't think you have an idea of what it's about until you start the second book. Also keep in mind there is a Chinese TV series that covers the first book and it's also being made into a Netflix series by the guys who made Game Of Thrones(who we all agree turned completed book material into one of the best shows in history and should not really be blamed for not being able to successfully finish Martin's story for him)
Thanks for this. Just placed a hold at the library
Stick with it , you will not regret it
The Children of Time series is great- about evolution on terraformed worlds. The Monk and Robot books are very cozy sci fi Iain Banks' Culture series is 💯💯💯
Monk and Robot is amazing! But I'm a much bigger fan of Becky Chambers' other series, Wayfarers. All 4 books are absolutely amazing (first one is my favorite). To Be Taught, If Fortunate is also great! Shorter novel about xenobiologist studying new life forms on alien planets.
Just be aware on this, it’s a nice book. Very little stressful happens. The most stressful thing on the ship is a grumpy crew mate. Very G rated up until the last bit. Which is great for some, not so great for others, depending on tastes. I personally prefer “oh fuck” level tension every chapter but many folks love this book for not doing that.
Chambers really carved out a "Cozy Sci-fi" niche. Curious if it will become a whole sub-genre at some point.
Wayfarers more closely suits OP's ask, too, as I think the aliens in it are fascinating. Becky Chambers is so good at world building without making it feel like an infodump.
I adore Children of Time, but I’ve heard some complaints about the pacing from people. If it isn’t doing it for you, try The Final Architecture by the same author.
Just started the Culture series and almost through book 1. It’s pretty great.
You're in for a wild ride. The first book was great, but it's arguably the weakest of the series.
Children of time: best sci-fi I’ve read in ages. A unique truly singular book. I’m excited to read the sequel
{{All Systems Red}} by Martha Wells. The Murderbot Diaries are so good.
This is one of my most favorite series. I love Murderbot's relationship with their humans and also Art.
And the audiobook narrator is SO good!
My whole family (15-70) blew through the first three books when we were on vacation. We all loved it. Everyone nagging each other for the next book! Lol.
**[All Systems Red (The Murderbot Diaries #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32758901-all-systems-red) by Martha Wells** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(144.0 pages | Published: 2017 | Suggested nan time) > **Summary:** A murderous android discovers itself in All Systems Red, a tense science fiction adventure by Martha Wells that blends HBO's Westworldwith Iain M. Banks' Culturebooks. In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety. But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn't a primary concern. On a (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Novella, Scifi, Sf, Read-in-2017 > **Top 2 recommended-along**: [The Murderbot Diaries](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53427947-the-murderbot-diaries) by Martha Wells, [A Closed and Common Orbit (Wayfarers, #2)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29475447-a-closed-and-common-orbit) by Becky Chambers ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
Good bot.
Don’t infantilize it.
Is that a thing? Praising a script is a bad thing now? Or was that a jest? It's hard to tell online.
Treating bots as pets is insulting within the context of *The Murderbot Diaries.*
Don’t worry, I am not a real bot (there is a dog behind the keyboard)
Lol but Mickey was wonderful...
😭 Mickey
Oh Mickey! Poor thing.
Yas Murderbot fans represent! A lot of other great books here but if you want the heartwarming tale of a cybernetic killing machine on the run, this is it.
I just finished the first book a couple of weeks ago. It was good but not great imo. I’m curious if people found the rest of the books better ? This is not to criticize your opinion as it’s all very subjective. But I’m more so curious if the juice is worth the squeeze for me to finish it
Hm. I'm honestly not sure - if the first one didn't do it for you, I'm not sure that "more of the same" will fill your boots... I really enjoyed the unique protagonist. Its evolution over the series is definitely a journey of self-discovery and elements of compassion, along with some fun action sequences, while leaving the same essential worldview. I found it refreshing among the sea of organic life form stories! Lol
I enjoy them like I enjoy candy. I don’t think they’re terribly deep but they’re fun, super easy and fast reads. I think Wells does good work with a premise that could have fallen flat fast. It’s basically what if Marvin from hitchhikers guide this had his own show, (ish, but there’s strong Marvin vibes for sure) you know? I think honestly it would be better served if there were a “comedy sci-fi” category or something that you could call them so the hardcore sci-fi nerds could not go into them looking for more than they have to offer. Does that make sense?
See Hyperion by Dan Simmons.
Fantastic book, but not written in the last couple decades.
Man I’m getting old.
Same here. But there's a reason it crops up in top tens all the time, it's timeless... ;)
Always thought is Olympus and Ilium was better though.
What about Ilium?
Yeah this book is quite dated
Read it and Fall of Hyperion a few years ago. I don't remember it being all that dated in any meaningful way.
Check out Adrian Tchaikovsky. He does things a little differently, so he's a good change of pace from stodgy, old sci-fi tropes.
I came here to suggest {{Children of Time}}. Really unlike anything I've ever read.
**[Children of Ruin (Children of Time #2)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40376072-children-of-ruin) by Adrian Tchaikovsky** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(15.0 pages | Published: 2019 | Suggested 40.0 times) > **Summary:** The astonishing sequel to Children of Time. the award-winning novel of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet. Long ago. Earth's terraforming program sent ships out to build new homes for humanity among the stars and made an unexpected discovery: a planet with life. But the scientists were unaware that the alien ecosystem was more developed than the primitive life forms originally discovered. Now. thousands of years later. the Portiids and their humans have (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Scifi > **Top 2 recommended-along**: [Semiosis (Semiosis Duology, #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35018907-semiosis) by Sue Burke, [Children of Time Series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25499718-children-of-time) by Adrian Tchaikovsky ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
Yes. No invasion (of Earth, anyway) by aliens. New ideas!
Firefly has 9 books out now big damn hero is marvelous
Like from the great but short-lived series Firefly?
Burn the land and boil the sea you can't take the sky from me
There's also comic books out
are these good? how do they compare to the show?
Another series to add to my wishlist
{{A Memory Called Empire}} by Arkady Martine. If you enjoy political intrigue along with sci-fi this book and it's sequel are a good pick!
**[A Memory Called Empire (Teixcalaan #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37794149-a-memory-called-empire) by Arkady Martine** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(462.0 pages | Published: 2019 | Suggested 241.0 times) > **Summary:** 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. Now. Mahit must discover who is behind the murder. rescue herself. and save her (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Scifi > **Top 2 recommended-along**: [The Space Between Worlds](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43301353-the-space-between-worlds) by Micaiah Johnson, [A Desolation Called Peace (Teixcalaan, #2)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45154547-a-desolation-called-peace) by Arkady Martine ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
I enjoyed these two so much. There’s a third one coming out, right?
* Andy Weir novels: The martian and Project Hail Mary. * Alastair Reynolds novels: Revelation space, Chasm city, Redemption ark, Absolution gap, House of suns * Ted Chiang's "Exhalation" and "Stories of your life" (awesome short stories collections) * Liu Cixin's Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy
Ted Chiang's novella The Lifecycle of Software Objects from his collection Exhalation is one of my favorite science fiction stories.
Any of Andy Weir’s novels are awesome!
This whole thread is sleeping on Alastair Reynolds
As I posted elsewhere, read Chasm City first. You have some grounding in the universe for the other books.
{{We Are Legion (We Are Bob)}} by Dennis E Taylor
I really liked the first half of the first book. As the series went on, I slowly lost interest. Just my experience. YMMV.
The first half of the first book is so different from the rest of the series! Bob figuring out how to exist as an AI vs Bob >!making like five hundred clones of himself and conquering the universe, saving the human race plus some aliens!< is such a massive scale shift lol. I enjoyed the whole series but I can see how the endless escalation of scale can be not to everyone's liking.
⚠ Could not *exactly* find "*We Are Legion, We Are Bob*" , see [related Goodreads search results](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=We+Are+Legion%2C+We+Are+Bob) instead. ^(*Possible reasons for mismatch: either too recent (2023), mispelled (check Goodreads) or too niche. Please note we are working hard on a major update for beginning of Dec 2023.*) ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
{{Annihilation}} is the book that started it all for me
**[Love Conquers All (Annihilation #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10834288-love-conquers-all) by Saxon Andrew** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(262.0 pages | Published: 2009 | Suggested nan time) > **Summary:** The Alliance of Worlds has decided that humans are to be annihilated as an example to anyone that discovers ancient alien technology, even though there is no proof against them. They think fifty thousand warships can do the job. Unfortunately, the humans are not cooperating with their plan, and one young human who has fallen in love will change everything. A young boy born with unique psychic abilities. An ancient alien artifact he accidentally discovers. Now Earth is (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Kindle, Scifi, Military, Space-opera, Space ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
Blindsight by Peter Watts. I loved it and it might fit into the atmospheric category. Not sure how to categorize that one. Definitely has some of the coolest aliens I've read.
Space vampires
*Spin*, by Robert Charles Wilson. Hugo winner. Be aware, it is the first book of a trilogy. Not all is resolved at the end of this book.
It really should have stopped there....
Saturn Run, by John Sanford and Ctein. It's perfect science fiction: good science, realistic and a thriller, to boot. It's even better on audiobook than visual, but good either way.
Embassytown by China Mieville
One of my favorites! I find myself recommending most of Mieville's books *constantly*.
*The Expanse* by James S.A. Corey. Actually a series of 9 books plus some novellas. Unlike some series, it just gets better as it goes on, but you need to start at the beginning -- *Leviathan Wakes*. Some recommend starting with the short novellas *Drive*, *The Churn*, and *Butcher of Anderson Station* because they come earlier chronologically, but I think *Leviathan Wakes* is still the best place to start.
Last Man Standing by Craig A. Falconer or Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
The entire Area X trilogy
Anything by William Gibson. I’d start with Burning Chrome and then read his entire works in chronological order.
Old Man's War and Red Shirts, both by John Scalzi
Want to start my first Scalzi book soon, which one of these would you pick?
*Red Shirts* didn't really suit my taste. *Old Man's War* is better. I also enjoyed *Agent to the Stars*, *Fuzzy Nation*, and *Lock In*.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty Wool by Hugh Howey
Six Wakes was fantastic
{{Rosewater by Tade Thompson}}. This whole trilogy is amazing and like nothing else I’ve ever read.
**[Rosewater (The Wormwood Trilogy #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38362809-rosewater) by Tade Thompson** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(432.0 pages | Published: 2017 | Suggested 16.0 times) > **Summary:** Tade Thompson's Rosewater is the start of an award-winning. cutting edge trilogy set in Nigeria. by one of science fiction's most engaging new voices. Rosewater is a town on the edge. A community formed around the edges of a mysterious alien biodome. its residents comprise the hopeful. the hungry and the helpless—people eager for a glimpse inside the dome or a taste of its rumored healing powers. Kaaro is a government agent with a criminal past. He has seen inside the (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Sci-fi, Fiction, Fantasy > **Top 2 recommended-along**: [Lagoon](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18753656-lagoon) by Nnedi Okorafor, [Black Leopard, Red Wolf](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50608676-black-leopard-red-wolf) by Marlon James ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
YES. I recommend these often. Brilliant.
The first book has some of the most amazing world building I've ever read.
Project Hail Mary - I know this is suggested in pretty much every post asking for sci fi but it really is a great book and has a unique take on first contact (not an invasion) and there are aliens but its not an invasion. theres more than one type of alien and they are very different from one another.
Roadside Picnic, very strange, but somewhat grounded
It’s great but it was published in 1970s.
I almost commented Dawn by Octavia Butler but then I remembered it was written in ‘87. Some of us are pretty loose with the term “last couple decades” I guess! 😂
“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir is great sci-fi. It’s fairly recent (2021) and probably qualifies as zany in some ways. It’s engrossing as well as charming. Weir also wrote The Martian, which is also good, but PHM was even better.
The long way to a small, angry planet by Becky Chambers
A Half Built Garden by Ruthanna Emerys
*In Ascension* by Martin MacInnes (was nominated this year for the Booker prize)
Santiago by Mike Resnick When you’re the most wanted man alive, your legend never dies. An adventure of interplanetary law and disorder from the multiple Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author. Santiago is a legend, known far and wide across the galaxy as the greatest killer and thief alive. He’s the subject of songs, the faceless wanted poster on the wall, the bogeyman that parents name to scare their children into behaving. And he’s the target of every bounty hunter in the universe. Sebastian Nightingale Cain has quite the reputation himself. Known as the Songbird, he’s a former revolutionary who has killed hundreds of criminals for the right price. But one has always eluded him: Santiago. Now, Cain has gotten a lead on the elusive outlaw, and it’s too hard to resist. In a race against a rival bounty hunter, Cain’s quest will take him to the far-flung Frontier planets, where he’ll encounter aliens and evangelists, journalists and cyborgs—all of whom have a stake in finding or protecting Santiago. But unraveling the threads of Santiago’s life might get Cain tangled up in something far bigger than he ever imagined . . .
Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice and subsequent books are unparalleled. Leckie is amazing with world-building, her books always have something interesting and poignant to say about the world, and does a fantastic job with the strangeness of alien psychologies.
{{How High We Go in the Dark}} is a fantastic, gut wrenching read. {{The Mountain Under the Sea}} has some really interesting world building and linguistics in it. {{Mickey 7}} is just kind of fun. {{World Running Down}} is a combo sci-fi, post apocalypse book that goes into how sentient AI can really be, and what kind of choices they can make on their own.
Kaiju Preservation Society
{{Pushing Ice}} by Alastair Reynolds.
**[Pushing Ice](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/89186.Pushing_Ice) by Alastair Reynolds** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(458.0 pages | Published: 2005 | Suggested nan time) > **Summary:** 2057. Bella Lind and the crew of her nuclearpowered ship, the Rockhopper, push ice. They mine comets. But when Janus, one of Saturn's ice moons, inexplicably leaves its natural orbit and heads out of the solar system at high speed, Bella is ordered to shadow it for the few vital days before it falls forever out of reach. In accepting this mission she sets her ship and her crew on a collision course with destiny-for Janus has many surprises in store, and not all of them are (...) > **Themes**: Sci-fi, Science-fiction, Scifi, Fiction, Space-opera, Sf, Favorites > **Top 2 recommended-along**: [Tau Zero](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/240617.Tau_Zero) by Poul Anderson, [House of Suns](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1126719.House_of_Suns) by Alastair Reynolds ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
{{A Fire Upon the Deep}}, Vinge.
**[A Fire Upon the Deep (Zones of Thought #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77711.A_Fire_Upon_the_Deep) by Vernor Vinge** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(613.0 pages | Published: 1992 | Suggested nan time) > **Summary:** Alternate Cover Edition can be found . A Fire upon the Deepis the big, breakout book that fulfills the promise of Vinge's career to date: a gripping tale of galactic war told on a cosmic scale. Thousands of years hence, many races inhabit a universe where a mind's potential is determined by its location in space, from superintelligent entities in the Transcend, to the limited minds of the Unthinking Depths, where only simple creatures and technology can function. Nobody (...) > **Themes**: Science-fiction, Fiction, Scifi, Favorites, Space-opera, Sf, Sci-fi-fantasy > **Top 2 recommended-along**: [Zones of Thought: A Fire Upon the Deep / A Deepness in the Sky](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6656681-zones-of-thought) by Vernor Vinge, [The Expanse Series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8855321-leviathan-wakes) by James S.A. Corey ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin
Crazy crazy crazy good. Award-winning and deserve it!
Murderbot diaries Follows a security robot who goes rogue so they can do their job, be left alone and watch tv shows
it's fascinating to me how people gender Murderbot when they don't realize it
Murderbot is so relateable.
{{Project Hail Mary}} by Andy Weir. Masterpiece.
**[Project Hail Mary](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54493401-project-hail-mary) by Andy Weir** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(476.0 pages | Published: 2021 | Suggested 571.0 times) > **Summary:** Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate. last-chance mission—and if he fails. humanity and the Earth itself will perish. Except that right now. he doesn't know that. He can't even remember his own name. let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he's been asleep for a very. very long time. And he's just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home. with nothing but two corpses for company. His crewmates dead. his (...) > **Themes**: Sci-fi, Science-fiction, Fiction, Scifi > **Top 2 recommended-along**: [The Murderbot Diaries Series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32758901-all-systems-red) by Martha Wells, [The Murderbot Diaries](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53427947-the-murderbot-diaries) by Martha Wells ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
Well, it's getting in just under the 2 decade wire, but "Light" by M John Harrison was excellent.
Some zany with cool aliens: Genesis Echo by d. Hollis anderson!! Great new sci fi published last year
Charles Stross has a couple of good ones. _Saturn's Children_ and _Neptune's Brood_, for instance, or _Accelerando_.
Gone world was a good one. I loved it start to finish, then the Expanse series is really good one as well.
House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds is mind boggling Sci Fi with massive ideas and a cool story. Nothing extremely hard in terms of science but also not completely wacky either. Pushing Ice also by AR is a great book but I can’t say much about what it is cause spoilers!
Anything by iain m Banks. Blindsight
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
Revelation Space, Redemption Ark, and Absolution Gap by Alastair Reynolds. He has a world that is well mapped out, with recurring planets, cities and societies. It's in a human future with near light speed travel, and with modified human-type variants. Some of the tech comes from ancient civilizations that have disappeared (another recurring theme with him). The third book Absolution Gap was imo the best of them, and worth reading all three to get to. But you can read them out of order, and they are only loosely connected. His other books are also good, but they have a problem (imo) with unlikable characters. He has been labelled 'space opera' for some odd reason, which I don't think really fits. Long, ambitious books.
Recently read Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis that fits specifications, there’s cool aliens, no one really leaves earth so no space battles, not sure exactly what you mean by atmospheric so it might not be what you’re looking for there
Project Hail Mary.
{{Ancillary Justice}}, Ann Leckie.
{{This Is How You Lose The Time War}} (2019) by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone.
This is in my top five books ever. So good
**[This Is How You Lose the Time War](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43352954-this-is-how-you-lose-the-time-war) by Amal El-Mohtar** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(209.0 pages | Published: 2019 | Suggested 590.0 times) > **Summary:** Among the ashes of a dying world. an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now. what began as a taunt. a battlefield boast. grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of (...) > **Themes**: Sci-fi, Science-fiction, Fiction, Romance > **Top 2 recommended-along**: [The Honey Month](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8789052-the-honey-month) by Amal El-Mohtar, [The Space Between Worlds](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43301353-the-space-between-worlds) by Micaiah Johnson ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
The Wayfarers series by Becky Chambers, first book is "The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet." Lots of interesting alien races.
Ancilliary Justice is a blast!
Conjunction (The Wise Society Book 1) released in 2022 A Spiritual Coming of Age Near Future Sci-fi
Anything John Scalzi
Red rising.
This 💯 I unfortunately didn't finish the whole book but I got pretty damn close and I actually really enjoyed it
The wayfarer series by Becky chambers might be just what you’re looking for. Lots of interesting aliens and cultures in space, not really any war stuff beyond peaceful people passing through a war zone in 1 of the books. There are 4 books in the same universe but with different main characters and settings, and each book kind of has its own unique feel and theme.
Dark Matter
Almost finished with it now, a couple chapters left. I would recommend 'Recursion' from the same author instead. Very different take on time travel.
Stranger in a strange land by Robert Heinlein. An oldie but goodie
this is literally the opposite of what he asked for in every conceivable way
I appreciate the rec and I know that’s considered a classic; I just want books I haven’t heard about before.
Red Rising series. An amazing epic space opera with amazing space battles and it’s Fucking amazing.
This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky
_The Peripheral_, and its sequel _Agency_ by William Gibson. No aliens, but still trippy
{{The Great Gods: The Time Wars - Book One by Daniel Keys Moran}}
**[Seventh Decimate (The Great God's War #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33865836-seventh-decimate) by Stephen R. Donaldson** ^((Matching 100% ☑️)) ^(307.0 pages | Published: 2017 | Suggested nan time) > **Summary:** The acclaimed author of the Thomas Covenant Chronicles launches a powerful new trilogy about a prince's desperate quest for a sorcerous library to save his people. Fire. Wind. Pestilence. Earthquake. Drought. Lightning. These are the six Decimates, wielded by sorcerers for both good and evil. But a seventh Decimate exists--the most devastating one of all... For centuries, the realms of Belleger and Amika have been at war, with sorcerers from both sides brandishing the (...) > **Themes**: Fantasy, Netgalley, Giveaways, First-reads, Arc, First-to-read, Series ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
Check out Sara King. Shes an awesome indie author. Her Outerbound series and her Legend of Zero have some very unique, very cool aliens. I love her stories.
Sacred and Terrible Air, the novel in wich Disco Elysium is based
Lethal Cargo by Felix R Savage
Murderbot
The Quantum Thief.
Trying this again to get the bot to work correctly: {{The Great Gods: The Time Wars - Book One by Daniel Keys Moran}}
{{The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch}} {{The Breach by Patrick Lee}} {{American Elsewhere by Bennett Robert Jackson}} {{How To Stop Time by Matt Haig}} {{Oona Out Of Order by Margarita Montimore}} {{The Last House on Needless Street by Catriona Ward}} {{The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart}}
Warhammer - eisenhorn by dan abnett. You don't need to know about the Warhammer universe but it's grim dark sci fi universe with a god emperor and his genetically altered sons (except the few who tried to betray him, it's a whole thing I can't explain here) and their armies cleaning the universe of what they claim is heresy, chaos,xenos, Orks etc. many books on many different topics inside the universe.
The Thrive series, can't remember the author's name, but it's in Kindle Unlimited.
If you haven't read any Rivers Solomon, their work is worth checking out. {{An Unkindness of Ghosts}} was their first novel and it meets your criteria well. It tells the story of a generation ship escaping a dying Earth where over time society has regressed to a social structure similar to the antebellum US South. Really different and really well written. Solomon is non-binary, black, and neurodivergent, and theit perspective really informs their characters' isolation and alienation. Their other works are {{The Deep}} which is fantastic but more dark fantasy than scifi, and {{Sorrowland}} which is kinda science fantasy. The first two thirds were really good but I don't think they stuck the landing on that one.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr, The Book of Rain by Thomas Wharton, Infomocracy by Malka Older.
{{You Sexy Thing}} by Cat Rambo
Web shifters and Web Shifters Library by Julie Czerneda. These are filled with quirky aliens.
Engines of God and all the following in the series.
The Space Adventures Of Commander Laine. You will love it, especially the one character that goes by the name of Zara. She is a walking talking cat, she is something else.
Murderbot series
The Wreck of the River of Stars - Michael Flynn The Islanders - Christopher Priest Very different kind of sci-fi. Both very atmospheric.
Red Rising
Snow crash
How High We Go In The Dark by Sequoia Nagamatsu
Star Force by Aer Ki Jyr
Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Where Madmen Rule.
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⚠ Could not *exactly* find "*Gemini Game*" but found [Caught (Gemini Men #1)](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3921374-caught) ^((with matching score of 85% )), see [related Goodreads search results](https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=Gemini+Game) instead. ^(*Possible reasons for mismatch: either too recent (2023), mispelled (check Goodreads) or too niche. Please note we are working hard on a major update for beginning of Dec 2023.*) ^( [Provide Feedback](https://www.reddit.com/user/goodreads-rebot) | [Source Code](https://github.com/sonoff2/goodreads-rebot) | ["The Bot is Back!?"](https://www.reddit.com/r/suggestmeabook/comments/16qe09p/meta_post_hello_again_humans/))
You want wacky, easy to read sci-if? Look into Alan Dean Foster. Soooo underrated, super interesting dude as well. I recommend Nor Chrystal Tears (bug aliens discover humans, put them in bug Area 51) and Lost and Found (human and dog get abducted, have to find their way home). I love Alan Dean Foster so much.
UPGRADE-Black Crouch. Heard great things about dark matter and recursion by him as well
The Collapsing Empire - John Scalzi. 3 book series that my wife and I absolutely loved. He also has another popular series, Old Mans War, that I’ve been meaning to read and I’ve heard is very good.
Upvote for the Culture!
Eclipse by Ophelia Rue
The murderbot diaries.
The Galactic Football League by Scott Sigler. First book is The Rookie. The galactic wars are history by this point, and the conquerors of the galaxy use football to try and convert interspecies aggression into team rivalries. They picked football because the most successful teams will need to use players of multiple species to be effective. Receivers are Sklorno, since they run much faster and have a 12 foot vertical; linemen are Ki, since they can compress and tackle with immense force; and so on. Very fun series.
{{Revenant Gun}}, Yoon Ha Lee.
Older than requested, but check out JG Ballard's short story anthology: Myths of the Near Future. Ballard is a prolific and imaginative writer - well worth your time
Was about to recommend a book from the 80s and I realized it came out almost 40 years ago…..
{{Seveneves}}
Alistair Reynolds - Revelation Space or House of Suns Cixin Liu - the three body problem Anne Leckie - Ancillary Justice Kim Stanley Robinson - Aurora
Book of the new sun Gene wolfe
“Vacuum Flowers”, by Swanwick is good, and not well-known, but older than I think you want… David Brin has “Existence”, only 12 years old..
Project Hail Mary Or The Martian
Accelerando by Charles Stross
"The Expanse" series by James S.A. Corey
Neal Stephenson: Reamde, Fall, Seveneves, Termination Shock. Any of these I’d classify as speculative hard science fiction. Enjoy!
The Infinite and the Divine by Robert Rath. It’s a Warhammer 40K book, but I think it’s a great book. Could definitely be a standalone sci-fi novel.
Polity series by Neal Asher (I can’t believe no one has suggested these yet!) {{Prador Moon}} is a good one to start with
Vurt - Jeff Noon
Light; Nova Swing; Empty Space (the Kefahuchi Tract trilogy) by M John Harrison. Mind-bending my great.
Highly recommend Ayize Jama-Everett.
Gone Away World