25 Science Fiction Books to Read in 2025

It’s my favorite post of #SciFiMonth, when I get to look ahead to some exciting 2025 science fiction releases! There’s something for everyone, no matter what type of SF you enjoy. You can click on the titles to add the books to your Goodreads TBR, and I’m adding a short blurb for each one to whet your appetite. Books are listed in order of release date (subject to change), so let’s get started!

All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall. January 7th, St. Martin’s Press. “In the tradition of Station Eleven, a literary thriller set partly on the roof of New York’s Museum of Natural History in a flooded future.”

We Lived On the Horizon by Erika Swyler. January 14th, Atria Books. “A novel about a bio-prosthetic surgeon and her personal AI as they are drawn into a catastrophic war.”

Symbiote by Michael Nayak. February 11, Angry Robot. “From an exciting new voice comes this propulsive SF-thriller, infused with authentic details about life in one of the world’s harshest, most mysterious landscapes, Antarctica.”

The Fourth Consort by Edward Ashton. February 25, St. Martin’s Press. “A new standalone sci-fi novel from Edward Ashton, author of Mickey7, the Fourth Consort asks an important how far would you go to survive? And more importantly, how many drinks would you need to go there?”

Future’s Edge by Gareth L. Powell. February 25th, Titan Books. “A gripping and heartfelt horror-tinged space adventure from the BSFA award-winning author of Stars and Bones and Embers of War. Readers of James S.A. Corey and Becky Chambers will love this fast-paced story of space piracy, deadly alien artifacts and a race to save what is left of humanity.”

Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky. February 27, Tor UK. “An utterly gripping story of alien encounter and survival from Adrian Tchaikovsky, author of the Arthur C. Clarke Award-winning Children of Time.”

The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami. March 4th, Pantheon. “From Laila Lalami—the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist and a “maestra of literary fiction” (NPR)—comes a riveting and utterly original novel about one woman’s fight for freedom, set in a near future where even dreams are under surveillance.”

The Third Rule of Time Travel by Philip Fracassi. March 18, Orbit. “In this riveting science fiction novel from acclaimed author Philip Fracassi, a scientist has unlocked the mysteries of time travel. This is not the story you think you know. And the rules are only the beginning.”

Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite. March 18, Tordotcom. “A Memory Called Empire meets Miss Marple in this cozy, spaceborne mystery, helmed by a no-nonsense formidable auntie of a detective.”

Splinter Effect by Andrew Ludington. March 18, Minotaur. “In this action-packed debut, time traveling archaeologist Rabbit Ward maneuvers through the past to recover a long-lost, precious menorah hiding out in ancient Rome.”

Space Brooms! by A.G. Rodriguez. March 25, Angry Robot. “A fun, sci-fi romp where custodian – or space broom – Johnny Gomez teams up with smugglers and is thrust into an unforgettable adventure. Great read for fans of Stringers by Chris Panatier.”

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi. March 25, Tor Books. “From the New York Times bestselling author of Starter Villain comes an entirely serious take on a distinctly unserious subject: what would really happen if suddenly the moon were replaced by a giant wheel of cheese.”

When We Were Real by Darryl Gregory. April 1, Saga Press. “From multiple award-winning author Daryl Gregory comes a madcap adventure following two friends on a cross-country bus tour through the mind-boggling glitches in their simulated world as they grapple with love, family, secrets, and the very nature of reality in a simulation.”

Gifted & Talented by Olivie Blake. April 1, Tor Books. “From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes the story of three siblings who, upon the death of their father, are forced to reckon with their long-festering rivalries, dangerous abilities, and the crushing weight of all their unrealized adolescent potential.”

Where the Axe is Buried by Ray Nayler. April 1, MCD. “Following the success of his debut novel, The Mountain in the Sea, Ray Nayler launches readers into a thrilling near-future world of geopolitical espionage. A cybernetic novel of political intrigue, Where the Axe is Buried combines the story of a near-impossible revolutionary operation with a blistering indictment of the many forms of authoritarianism that suffocate human freedom.”

Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes. April 8, Tor Nightfire. “Cold Eternity, the newest space horror novel from the author of Dead Silence and Ghost Station, blends the dystopian dread of Severance with the catastrophic approach to AI from M3gan.”

Scales by Christopher Hinz. April 8, Angry Robot. “An electrifying thriller about species re-engineering run amok, Scales is a great, fast-paced read perfect for fans of Jurassic Park.“

Rose/House by Arkady Martine. March 11, Tordotcom. “A house embedded with an artificial intelligence is a common thing: a house that is an artificial intelligence, infused in every load-bearing beam and fine marble tile with a thinking creature that is not human? That is something else altogether. But now Deniau’s been dead a year, and Rose House is locked up tight, as commanded by the architect’s will: all his possessions and files and sketches are confined in its archives, and their only keeper is Rose House itself. Rose House, and one other.”

Down in the Sea of Angels by Khan Wong. April 22, Angry Robot. “An intense and thoughtful time-travelling dystopian fantasy where three individuals, psychically linked through time, fight enslavement, exploitation, and environmental collapse. A great read for fans of Emily St. John Mandel.”

Awakened by A.E. Osworth. April 29, Grand Central. “A coven of trans witches battles an evil AI in the magical coming-of-middle-age romp about love, loss, drag shows, and late capitalism.”

Overgrowth by Mira Grant. May 6th, Tor Nightfire. “Annihilation meets Day of the Triffids in this full-on body horror/alien invasion apocalypse.”

Portalmania: Stories by Debbie Urbanski. May 13, Simon & Schuster. “For fans of Kelly Link and Carmen Maria Machado, a genre-busting collection of stories that transgresses taboos and reveals our lives in a startling new light.”

Terms of Service by Ciel Pierlot. June 10, Angry Robot. “When her cousin gets kidnapped by a dastardly trickster, Luzia is forced to sell herself in servitude to the Eoi in exchange for his life. But the terms of the deal turn out to be much more complicated than she ever imagined…”

Volatile Memory by Seth Haddon. July 22, Tordotcom. “Ex Machina meets This is How You Lose the Time War: Seth Haddon’s science fiction debut, Volatile Memory, is a heart-filled, vengeful sapphic sci-fi action adventure novella.”

The Once and Future Me by Melissa Pace. August 19, Henry Holt & Co. “Dark Matter meets Girl, Interrupted with a feminist twist in this gripping psychological thriller perfect for fans of dystopian fiction, time travel, and shows like Black Mirror and Russian Doll.”

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Are you excited for these too?