We’re nearing the end of SciFi Month—how did November fly by so fast?? So it’s time to share my favorite science fiction books of the year so far. To be honest, I have not read a lot of SF this year, so this list includes some four star rated books (unusual for my Best Of lists). But I enjoyed all of these and recommend them! Here they are in order of ratings, and you can click on the titles to read my reviews:
The Afterlife Project by Tim Weed. “The nitty-gritty: A thrilling and immersive adventure story, The Afterlife Project combines complex, thoughtful themes with relatable characters and bittersweet emotion.”
Outlaw Planet by M.R. Carey. “The nitty-gritty: Stellar writing and characterization, imaginative world-building and unexpected emotional gut-punches make Outlaw Planet an unforgettable epic sci-fi adventure.”
Future’s Edge by Gareth L. Powell. “The nitty-gritty: Epic in scope but somehow intimate as well, Future’s Edge is an end-of-the-world tale with heart and hope.”
All the Water in the World by Eiren Caffall. “The nitty-gritty: Full of vivid imagery, thrilling action scenes and plenty of emotion, All the Water in the World is this year’s “don’t miss” post-apocalyptic story.”
The Bones Beneath My Skin by T.J. Klune. “The nitty-gritty: Found family, tense action and otherworldly elements combine in this engaging and funny story with big ideas.”
Chaos by Constance Fay. “The nitty-gritty: Humor, action and romance combine in this latest entry in Constance Fay’s absurdly fun sci-fi series.”
Rose/House by Arkady Martine. “The nitty-gritty: A surreal, locked room murder mystery set in an impossible house, Rose/House is a beautifully written puzzle of a story.”
When We Were Real by Daryl Gregory. “The nitty-gritty: A kooky, feel-good road trip story set in a Matrix-like world, When We Were Real explores the meaning of life in a humorous, heartfelt way.”
Extremity by Nicholas Binge. “The nitty-gritty: A tense murder mystery/time travel story with a twist, Extremity is the perfect mash-up of noir vibes and futuristic elements.”
Sunward by William Alexander. “The nitty-gritty: A bite-sized story with huge heart, Sunward will satisfy readers who love cozy sci-fi.”
I loved the Bones Beneath My Skin too
You know I did enjoy Rose/House, and When We Were Real is on my list, though I’m a bit afraid of its absurdist feel…I think I’ll cave and try Extremity too, because reading your review and Shannon’s, I got the impression it’s a tad like the TARDIS…a small book, but bigger on the inside ;D.
Alas, haven’t read any of these. But your 1st is on my TBR.
As you know, I published my list early in the month: https://wordsandpeace.com/2025/11/04/top-ten-scifi-books-my-year-2025-in-science-fiction/
Only two were published this year: Cyborg Fever and Artificial Wisdom. Both fabulous and must for you!
Today, I focused on my scifi TBR
I also loved The Bones Beneath My Skin! I really enjoyed Children of Time this year, and Overgrowth too — and I’m still looking forward to reading a couple from your list a well.
I’ve read Future’s Edge and have Extremity on my TBR pile – which I’ll now bump further to the top, given that it sounds as if it covers all my favourite sub-genres:)).
I’m still hoping to read a few of these in the next month when review ARCs are slowing down.
It’s been so long since I read The Bones Beneath My Skin, I’d like to reread know it’s being rereleased.
Even if you haven’t read a lot of SF it does appear to be a great selection of favorites for the year. My favorite so far is Contact by Carl Sagan. It’s taken me far too long to finally get around to reading it.
You may not have read a huge amount of sci fi this year but all of them being good is a nice trade-off honestly! These all sound amazing! 😀
I’m still waiting for my hold on Extremity… Hopefully it comes soon!
I haven’t read any of these books, but a lot of them are on my TBR, so sooner or later they will be mine!!
I recently re-read Illuminae and loved it!
I also really enjoyed Sunward and Rose/House! Though I’m sad that SciFiMonth is almost over. 🙁
I haven’t read these but the Carey is my next book and hoping for much goodness.
Lynn 😀