Do you like planning ahead? Are you already making your TBR for 2026? If so, and if you are looking for upcoming science fiction books, then look no future. Here is a list of 26 books that I’m very excited to read. These are listed in order of U.S. release date and linked to Goodreads, but do remember that dates are subject to change. Also, this is only a fraction of what’s coming out next year! In keeping with my “26 in 26” theme, I had to make some cuts, unfortunately. And as usual, I am only sharing books that already have covers. Here we go!
Detour by Jeff Rake & Rob Hart. January 13th, Random House Worlds. “A space shuttle flight crew discovers that the Earth they’ve returned to is not the home they left behind in this emotional, mind-bending thriller from the creator of the hit Netflix series Manifest and the bestselling author of The Warehouse.”
Halcyon Years by Alastair Reynolds. January 27th, Orbit Books. “A superb new noir/science fiction fusion from the ‘mastersinger of space opera’ (The Times) and the creator of the beloved Revelation Space universe, strap in for a gripping murder mystery.”
The Forest On the Edge of Time by Jasmin Kirkbride. February 3rd, Tor Books. “The Future of Another Timeline meets The Bone Clocks in this dazzling piece of time-travel climate fiction.”
The Rainseekers by Matthew Kressel. February 17th, Tordotcom. “Burned out and looking to put her past behind her, a former addict and recovering influencer interviews her fellow travelers en route to witness the first rain on Mars.”
After the Fall by Edward Ashton. February 24th, St. Martin’s Press. “Part alien invasion story, part buddy comedy, and part workplace satire, After The Fall by Edward Ashton, author of Mickey7 (inspiration for the film Mickey 17), asks an important question: would humans really make great pets?”
Jitterbug by Gareth L. Powell. March 3rd, Titan Books. “In this twisty and action-packed adventure from the BSFA award-winning author of Descendant Machine and Future’s Edge, a crew of bounty hunters find themselves ensnared in a conspiracy on the very fringes of the devastated solar system. Perfect for fans of James S. A. Corey and Adrian Tchaikovsky.”
Hell’s Heart by Alexis Hall. March 10th, Tor Books. “Gideon the Ninth meets Moby Dick in USA Today bestselling author Alexis Hall’s science fiction debut, Hell’s Heart!”
The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu. April 7th, Tor Books. “The Subtle Art of Folding Space , is the exhilarating debut science fiction novel from Nebula and Hugo-winning author John Chu channels unhinged physics, generational trauma, and the comfort of really good dim sum. This isn’t your usual jaunt through quantum physics.”
What We Are Seeking by Cameron Reed. April 7th, Tor Books. “From Cameron Reed, the acclaimed author of The Fortunate Fall, comes a soaring novel of queer hope and transformation, perfect for readers of Ann Leckie and Amal El-Mohtar.”
First Mage on the Moon by Cameron Johnston. April 14th, Angry Robot. “Cameron Johnston returns in this innovative space fantasy, where wizards race to be the first on the moon – also known as the land of the gods. A fast paced read perfect for fans of Adrian Tchaikovsky.”
The Photonic Effect by Mike Chen. April 21st, Saga Press. “From New York Times bestselling author Mike Chen comes a page-turning space opera in which a starship captain and her crew receive a distress signal and find themselves at odds with various factions of a galactic civil war—for fans of Alastair Reynolds and Adrian Tchaikovsky.”
The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang. April 21st, Tordotcom. April 21st, Tordotcom. “Pitch-perfect science fiction about linguistics and consequences. This book destroyed me.”—Yoon Ha Lee, New York Times bestselling author of Ninefox Gambit.”
The Radiant Dark by Alexandra Oliva. April 28th, SJP Lit. “Arrival meets Wild Dark Shore in this captivating novel that follows a family for over fifty years—a bold and compassionate exploration of the universe around us and what it truly means to be human.”
Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer. April 28th, DAW Books. “In the abandoned New York Botanical Gardens, forty years after the world nearly ended, a worn-out robot is attacked, and realizes old evils are stirring. Wrestling with themes of loneliness, connection, and purpose, this hope-punk sci-fi is for fans of Becky Chambers’s Monk & Robot duology—featuring a cyborg dog!”
We Burned So Bright by T.J Klune. April 28th, Tor Books. “A heart-wrenching standalone novel by #1 New York Times bestselling author TJ Klune, We Burned So Bright follows an elder gay couple on an end-of-the-world road-trip.”
The Republic of Memory by Mahmud El Sayed. May 5th, Saga Press. “A science fiction odyssey of breathtaking scope, The Republic of Memory is a gripping examination of what divides us, and what brings us together. This is a modern and ambitious work of Arabfuturism, and is perfect for fans of The Expanse, A Memory Called Empire or Children of Time.”
Not With a Bang by Temi Oh. July 14, Saga Press (updated with US cover/publisher). “‘Our father had imagined the end of the world so often that, for a while, he believed that he summoned it…’ A family drama perfect for fans of Station Eleven and The Leftovers .”
Nobody’s Baby by Olivia Waite. March 10th, Tordotcom. “Becky Chambers meets Miss Marple in the second entry of this cozy sci-fi mystery series, helmed by a formidable no-nonsense auntie of a detective.”
Love Galaxy by Sierra Branham. May 5th, DAW Books. “A romantic science fiction thriller in which a young woman from a dead-end planet gets cast on a reality TV show to compete for the hand of the prince—or princess. But not everyone is there for the right reasons…”
The Redemption Center is Closed On Sundays by Andrea Hairston. May 26th, Tor Books. “An extra-dimensional murder mystery with conundrums, alien tricksters, and a dog detective who just doesn’t know the meaning of “stay.”
Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim. June 2nd, Tor Books. “Sublimation is a literary speculative fiction novel that pits the lives we choose against the lives we leave behind. It’s an immigrant story like no other, capturing the longing for another life and twisting it into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse.”
The Traveler by Joseph Eckert. June 9th, Tor Books. “The Traveler is the story of a reluctant time-traveler and his son, and the bond between them that even millennia cannot break. An adventure full of heartbreak, hope, and futures beyond imagination.”
Dead But Dreaming of Electric Sheep by Paul Tremblay. June 30th, William Morrow. “Philip K. Dick meets the Coen Brothers in this genre-bending near-future tech nightmare that is as bitingly funny as it is horrifically believable from the New York Times bestselling author of Horror Movie.”
Moss’d In Space by Rebecca Thorne. July 7th, Bramble Romance. “USA Today Bestselling author Rebecca Thorne delights in a brand new cozy science-fiction series…for fans of Martha Wells and Olivia Waite.”
The Demon Star by Jesse Aragon. July 28th, DAW Books. “Gods rule this planet. Demons stalk its canyons while Kings beg for mercy. Can three mere humans rewrite its destiny? In this cinematic thrill ride, Jesse Aragon plunges us into a world as intricate and inventive as it is brutal.”
The Infinite State by Richard Swan. August 4th, Tor Books. “In this blistering science fiction epic, international bestselling author Richard Swan presents a thrilling tale of survival and an eviscerating examination of totalitarianism.”
Dead but Dreaming…and The Subtle Art…are CRAZY ;D. The sheer creativity!
There’s quite a range on this list, of both subgenres and authors. It should be a fun year!
I don’t have anything to add to the list, but I’ll choose 3 picks from your list. For most anticipated release I’ll choose Halcyon Years by Alastair Reynolds because I’ve loved just about everything I’ve read by the author and it’s been far too long since I last read one of his books. For favorite title I’ll choose The Subtle Art of Folding Space by John Chu because that’s just such a cool title. I’d pick it as a read based on title alone. And for favorite cover art I’ll choose Ode to the Half-Broken by Suzanne Palmer. There’s something quiet and yet powerful about a large robot walking with a dog through a seemingly abandoned and decrepit old city street with buildings towering over them both. And that is a pretty cool title, too. Thanks for bringing them all to my attention, adding to my TBR.
I agree, The Subtle Art of Folding Space is a great title, and the cover is pretty great too:-)
Wow, I feel like I’m still catching up on 2025! (And earlier…) Of these, I plan to read Detour and the TJ Klune book for sure, but there are so many that look great. I just finally read Children of Time (and loved it), and plan to continue the series (slowly), which has a new book coming out in 2026 as well.
I can’t believe i haven’t read Children of Time yet!
The Klune, Hall, and Waite books were all on my TBR already, but I’ll be adding The Redemption Center is Closed On Sundays too!
I love that title so much!
I don’t read a lot of scifi but you bet that I will read We Burned So Bright!
I’ll read any TJ Klune at this point too:-)
Aaah, lots of good looking ones here. I’m enthusiastic for the new Olivia Waite, particularly!
It sounds like fun, right?
I have Nobody’s Baby and I’ll have to look at the others. I always enjoy Scifi but I don’t always get offered or knowledgeable about as much scifi as other genres. Thanks for sharing Tammy!
Nobody’s Baby sounds like fun, I hope we both love it.
Very impressive, as usual.
BUT I’m shocked that I have one 2026 title on my TBR, it happens to be scifi, and it’s not on your list!!
drum roll drum roll:
Platform Decay, by Martha Wells: The Murderbot Diaries #8!
Expected publication May 5, 2026
I didn’t really add series to my list, and I’m not reading the Murderbot books, so it’s more of a personal preference. But I know a lot of readers are looking forward to it!
This is a great list!! I don’t really read sci-fi, but there are actually some in here I might seriously consider.
SF has so much variety and sub genres to choose from, so hopefully there’s something for everyone.
I loved Mickey7, so I very much want to read After the Fall. And I’ve read and enjoyed several of S.L. Huang’s books, too, so I definitely want to check out her new one. Now I’m off to look up some of these other titles. I can already feel my TBR list growing. ;D
I still haven’t read or watched Mickey7, hopefully next year will be the year I read an Edward Ashton book:-)
So many amazing sounding books are coming out!
I found way more SF than I was expecting!
This is a fabulous list! I’ve looking forward to a few of them already, but especially The Subtle Art of Folding Space.
Thanks Nicole! I can’t wait for The Subtle Art of Folding Space as well.
Okay this genuinely just looks like my 2026 TBR copied and pasted bwhaha. Seriously though great minds think alike heh. A couple actually are new to me, and obviously I have immediately added them to my list too! The Republic of Memory and The Traveler, okay I NEED those! Wonderful list!
Fantastic list – I do need to read more sci fi – I do have a MR Carey book coming up and I like the sound of the dog detective.
Lynn 😀
Wow! So many interesting books!! My TBR is not thanking you at the moment because I want to read so many of the books you mentioned!! They all sound interesting or fascinating or compelling (mostly, all three combined!). I have a couple of them already waiting because I received ARCs (and I am soooooo excited!), but I want to read so many of them!!
Fabulous list!! I’ve requested Ode to the Half-Broken and Detour – but there’s another four books on the list that I’ve noted and want to get hold of:)). Thank you for the heads-up, Tammy. As usual – you’re the blogger who knows of the coolest upcoming books! We’re in for a cracking year of reading – yippee!!!
I am hoping 2026 will be a bigger, better year for sci-fi and thank you for this list to get me started on building my TBR!
*drools*
*checks bank account*
*sobs*
*starts investigating organ donation*
So. Many. Beautiful. Books!
Amazing list, can’t wait to get reading!
I would add Singularity & Loneliness by D.B.Singer. It’s a speculative fiction novel that came out in January. It explores the shrinking space between human and artificial intelligence, and the emotional and social consequences that are only just beginning to emerge.
I just finished it – the ending blew me away.
Viiem the harvest & Donor 1405