There are several excellentsci-fibooks that were published in the last 10 years that belong among the best sci-fi stories. Generally, it can be difficult to narrow down the best science fiction stories—the genre has a rich history of compelling stories, from books to movies to TV shows. Some ofthe best sci-fi TV shows are based on books, while there are science fiction films that rightfully dominate award shows, such asEverything Everywhere All At Once. There is always a wide selection to choose from, regardless of the decade’s selection.
Science fiction is also a broad topic containing several subgenres, including dystopia, space operas, aliens, and time travel. Furthermore, there are excellent stories that blend science fiction with other genres, includingbooks that perfectly blend sci-fi and romance. Somesci-fi books contain more science than fiction, but it does not make the narrative less compelling. Over the last decade, there have been many amazing science fiction stories, butthere are 10 books that stand out as the best in sci-fi, more so than any other.
10Red Rising By Pierce Brown (2014)
The First Book In The Red Rising Saga
Red Risingis the first installment in theRed Rising Sagaby Pierce Brown. Thisambitious sci-fi book seriestakes place in a dystopian future where humanity has effectively colonized the Solar System. While all the books are excellent, the first installment is exceptional. The protagonist, Darrow, infiltrates the upper-class Gold society to free his fellow Reds and other low-ranked Colors.The scientific system in theRed Rising Sagais a creative imagining of what the Solar System would look like if the worst of humanity took over.
Book events take place over the course of a year
Golden Son
July 06, 2025
Begins two years afterRed Rising; book events take place in several months
Morning Star
July 23, 2025
Begins one year afterGolden Son; book events take place over two years
Iron Gold
June 17, 2025
Begins ten years afterMorning Star; book events take place over two months
Dark Age
June 21, 2025
Begins six weeks afterIron Gold; book events take place over a few months
Light Bringer
July 20, 2025
Begins the same year asDark Age; book events take place over a few months
TBA
N/A
Red Risingis an incredible book. The narrative covers several themes, including love, loss, freedom, oppression, resistance, caste systems, and betrayal against the backdrop of a colonized Solar System. Darrow represents millions of disenfranchised people who struggle every day under the thumb of the oppressive in power—in this case, the Society. There are many fantasy and sci-fi books that tell similar stories of oppression. However,Pierce Brown brings something new by using a colonized Solar System and having Darrow infiltrate the oppressive class in order to defeat them.
9The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet By Becky Chambers (2014)
The First Book In The WayfarersSeries
TheWayfarersseries by Becky Chambers is impressive on its own—four books that can be read as standalone novels, but all interconnect in Chambers' universe, the Galactic Commons. Each novel explores themes of found family, interspecies dynamics, inner conflicts, multiculturalism, and trials and tribulations. While each book in theWayfarersseries is unique and well-written in its own way,The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planetis the original story that has the biggest impact, as the crew of theWayfarerendure many unexpected twists and turns throughout their journey.
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The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planetis one of the best novels of the last 10 years because, unlike most sci-fi and fantasy novels,this book prioritizes character interiority and complex relationships over a plot-driven narrative. It is difficult to write a compelling sci-fi story where the primary driving factor is the characters, but Becky Chambers is exceptionally talented. Of course, exciting events occur in the book, but the narrative is riveting because of how the characters deal with them.The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planetis the quintessential space opera novel of the last decade.
8Station Eleven By Emily St. John Mandel (2014)
A Standalone Novel
Station Elevenis a standalone novel by Emily St. John Mandel, revolving around a group of ordinary people whose lives become intertwined due to the deadly pandemic, the Georgia Flu. The novel was wildly successful and even became a miniseries on MAX in December 2021. However,Station Elevenis not among the best sci-fi novels of the last 10 years because of its popularity.Station Elevenexplores themes such as family, faith, and survival as humanity endures a life-altering, catastrophic pandemic.Station Elevenwas also a finalist for the National Book Award, a testament to this ingenious book.
7Children of Time By Adrian Tchaikovsky (2015)
The First Book In The Children Of Time Trilogy
Children of Timeis a science fiction space opera by Adrian Tchaikovsky revolving around humanity’s attempt at genetic engineering on other planets. However, the experiment does not go as planned, and humanity’s genetic engineering ends up affecting spiders instead of monkeys, genetically advancing arachnids to humanity’s level throughout millennia. Although two more books followChildren of Time—Children of RuinandChildren of Memory—the first installment is the most powerful,taking space operas to new heights by exploring genetic engineering among spiders.
Although it is a trilogy, eachChildren of Timebook works as a standalone.
In 2016,Children of Timewon the Arthur C. Clarke Award.This prestigious award began with the titular Arthur C. Clarke, an innovative sci-fi writer who revolutionized the genre—something that Tchaikovsky’sChildren of Timeaccomplished. In 2023, theChildren of Timetrilogy won the Hugo Award for Best Series, illustrating the impact the series has as a whole.Children of Timealso depicts a spider society advancing while humanity spirals into corruption, nearly decimating the human race. Science fiction stories that successfully explore the worst of humanity in revolutionary ways certainly belong among the best sci-fi books.
6The Fifth Season By N.K. Jemisin
The First Book In The Broken Earth Trilogy
The Fifth Seasonis the first book in theBroken Earthtrilogy, and the fact that each book in the series won the Hugo Award for Best Novel is a testament to the story.The Fifth Seasonintroduces Earth thousands of years from now, on the cusp of a Fifth Season—the deadliest type of natural disaster.The Broken Earthis a stunning masterpiece, covering themes such as oppression, systemic regimes, motherhood, family, and redemption. The trilogy is certainly one of the best sci-fi series of all time, butThe Fifth Seasonis undoubtedly the best novel in the trilogy.
The Fifth Seasonaccomplishes what many science fiction stories cannot—it is one of the few books that perfectly blends fantasy and sci-fi.
The Fifth Seasonaccomplishes what many science fiction stories cannot—it is one of the fewbooks that perfectly blends fantasy and sci-fi. Both genres are dense and often require total focus on one rather than using both to create a story. However,The Fifth Seasoneffortlessly establishes a sci-fi dystopian future entrenched in fantastical elements. N.K. Jemisin successfully completes this task while providing a compelling narrative with complex characters and dynamics.The Fifth Seasonis not just among the best sci-fi books of the last 10 years; it is one of the best sci-fi books of all time.
5Scythe By Neal Shusterman (2016)
The First Book In TheArc of A ScytheSeries
TheArc of a Scythetrilogy explores a futuristic world where humanity has defeated all forms of death and destruction and enlisted artificial intelligence—the Thunderhead—to track population growth and eliminate lives when necessary. Now, humans can only die at the hands of the Scythedom, a group of specially trained people who kill—also known as “glean”—other humans when it is their time. The two protagonists, Citra and Rowan, train under Scythe Faraday aseverything they believe in regarding life, death, morality, and humanity, is put to the ultimate test.
Scytheis not only part ofTime’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time, but it has also received numerous other accolades. There is a lot of potential in a sci-fi story that explores the boundaries of human life and artificial intelligence, and Neal Shusterman successfully capitalizes on the potential.Scytheis the ideal science fiction novel that grapples with the contrasting themes of life and death.This book explores these concepts more than any other science fiction narrative and is an essential read in the genre.
4This Is How You Lose The Time War By Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone (2019)
A Standalone Novella
This Is How You Lose the Time Warby Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone may be a short novella, but it does not lessen the impact of this story. Mohtar and Gladstone wrote the book in epistolary format, telling a beautifully romantic story about two agents of separate enemy time organizations, Red and Blue, who unexpectedly fall in love after sending messages to each other, initially motivated by competition and rivalry. The authors wrote Red and Blue’s letters separately—Max Gladstone wrote Red’s while Amal El-Mothar wrote Blue’s—which keeps a creative level of authenticity in the story.
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This Is How You Lose the Time Warhas won a Nebula Award, a Locus Award, and a Hugo Award, some of the most prestigious award organizations for science fiction and fantasy. ReadingThis Is How You Lose the Time Warmultiple times is a must because the narrative almost tells a different perspective during each read, making it a unique experience.This Is How You Lose the Time Warhighlights how governments and organizations at war often use their soldiers and civilians as collateral damage, a critical subject gleaned through a sci-fi lens.
3Exhalation: Stories By Ted Chiang
A Collection Of Short Stories
Ted Chiang is renowned for his sci-fi stories—one of his most popular narratives, “Story of Your Life,” was adapted into the 2015 filmArrival, starring Amy Adams. Similarly to “Story of Your Life,“Arrivalfeatures a complex timelinethat involves humans altering their perspective of time due to contact with aliens. However, “Story of Your Life” is part of Chiang’s first collection, andExhalationis his second collection.Exhalationhas several poignant narratives that study humanity and its place within the universe, especially as technology advances.
Exhalationdoes have a splash of fantasy with narratives such as “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate” and “Omphalos.” Otherwise, the short stories are entrenched within science fiction, particularly focusing on artificial intelligence and developing scientific technology.Exhalationis another masterpiece by Ted Chiang thatillustrates the depths of his creative mind as he puts humanity in various precarious positions in his stories. AlthoughExhalationis not a novel, Ted Chiang’s incredible work needs to be among the best sci-fi books of the last 10 years.
2Klara And The Sun By Kazuo Ishiguro (2021)
Kazuo Ishiguro has written across multiple genres, but he is a master of science fiction, as illustrated by his bookNever Let Me Go. Therefore, it is no surprise that his most recent novel,Klara & the Sun, another science fiction narrative, is one of the best sci-fi books of the last decade. Similarly toNever Let Me Go,Klara & the Sunstudies artificial intelligence and its place within society. The book’s narrator is Klara, an AF (Artificial Friend) who faithfully believes in the Sun’s ability to heal and nourish life, especially since AFs are solar-powered.
Never Let Me Go
Cast
Friends Kathy, Tommy and Ruth grow up together in what appears to be an idyllic boarding school in the English countryside. When they leave school and the horrible truth about the purpose of their lives is revealed, they must simultaneously confront their feelings of love, jealousy and betrayal, which threaten to end their friendship.
Klara & the Sunwas long-listed for the Booker Prize in 2021, a prestigious literary award. Kazuo Ishiguro utilizesKlara & the Sunto comment insightfully about how humans use and interact with AI. Although many books andmovies portray artificial intelligence as AI horror stories, Kazuo Ishiguro constantly defies this expectation withKlara & the Sun,opting to tell a moving story depicting artificial intelligence as more human and compassionatethan some real people.Klara & the Sunis a notable book and serves as a reminder of what AI can look like if humans utilize it for good.
1Project Hail Mary By Andy Weir (2021)
Project Hail Maryis a novel by Andy Weir that follows the protagonist, Ryland Grace, during two different timelines—his last days on Earth and his new life on the spaceship Hail Mary. Ryland is traveling toward a star, Tau Ceti, searching for a cure for the microbes—known as Astrophage—devouring the Sun and other stars. However, Rylands ends up on an unexpected journey with a new species, an Eridian named Rocky, as they both search for a solution to the Astrophage.Project Hail Marydepicts a compelling, character-driven narrative thatpropels critical questions involving human supremacy, scientific knowledge, home, and morality.
