Recently arrived science fiction
Escape Velocity by Victor Manibo
Dark academic meets Parasitein this thriller set on a space station in low-Earth orbit. Hosting a reunion for one of the dying planet's most prestigious high schools, Habitat Altaire offers space walks and unparalleled luxury, but also a crucial chance for its guests to compete for a place on the new Martian colony. With dark secrets, love interests and agendas at play, both the guests and staff have much to play for.
The Greatships, the life blood of human-occupied space, traversing great distances, their holds filled with vital cargo and crew, headed to the outer reaches of space to meet and trade with alien species. For Marca Nbaro, a midshipman on the Athens, crewing under false papers, this is a dream come true. The second book in Cameron's Arcana Imperii duology is full of intrigue, unique alien species, romance, space battles and AI. In short, this has everything you need from a high concept space opera.
The Family Experiment by John Marrs
Marrs is writing some of the most intriguing tech-heavy, speculative fiction around at the moment, taking ideas that are already features of our news cycle, and creating an alternate future British metaverse. In The Family Experiment he takes on the topic of exploded population growth. To counter this, wannabe parents can subscribe to a virtual, AI child, a 'Metababy' who they can parent in the metaverse via a VR headset. Is this a parenting dream, or a parenting nightmare? If fast paced AI theory is your thing, then this is the book for you.
Set in a post-climate change London, this beautifully illustrated fantasy/sci-fi mixes utopian speculative fiction with an intriguing element based magic system. A social commentary with queer romance/family drama and plenty of intrigue and suspense, Wren also tackles questions the big topics of water rights, big pharma and the future of the class system.
This Great Hemipshere by Mateo Askaripour
Modern day New York, a young, Black, unhoused woman gives birth to a baby that is literally invisible. Fast forward to 500 years and the world is divided into those who are visible, and those who aren't. A strict religious and cultural apartheid system exists, with humanity living in tightly controlled habitats, a full half of them Invisible. When the brother of a young Invisible woman is accused of murdering a powerful politician, she must battle with generations of societal conditioning to clear his name. For fans of complex, socially explorative scifi.
Several People are Typing by Calvin Kasulke
Gerald, a mid-level PR employee, becomes trapped in his company's Slack channel after a bizarre incident. As his colleagues mistake his messages for jokes, he navigates a surreal existence, exploring themes of identity, connection, and the absurdity of remote work. The Office, but make it WFH horror.
Thirteen thousand years in our future, Ariel, a young boy living in a remote village ruled by a wizard, encounters a sentient AI, launching him on a quest to restore humanity's connection to the stars and challenge the oppressive regime.Fairytale, quest, myth and legend combine with the best elements of classic 1980s fantasy movies, to make a wildly imaginative science fiction novel masquerading as a fantasy epic. Or is it the other way around?
A Fire Born of Exile by Aliette de Bodard
In the world of the Scattered Pearls Belt, where elites rule under tight military command, the lives of three very different women- a powerful politician's teenage daughter, an alchemist, and a destitute engineer are set to collide. Secrets, love, revenge and corruption are on the cards. Inspired by Chinese and Vietnamese culture and populated by sentient mindships, de Bodard's Xuya universe is rich in detail, and ripe for exploration.
