Space opera. Parallel universes. Cryonics. Time travel. Artificial intelligence. Technology. Extraterrestrials. Military adventures. Cyberpunk. Social commentary?
Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
Lilith's Brood by Octavia Butler
Lilith Iyapo is in the Andes, mourning the death of her family, when war destroys Earth. Centuries later, she is resurrected - by the alien Oankali. The Oankali are rescuing our dying planet by merging genetically (you know what that means!) with mankind. They are intergalactic gene traders, and extremely seductive. But now Lilith and all humanity must share the world with unimaginably alien creatures - their own children. Also known as the Xenogenesis trilogy.
On the Edge of Gone by Corinne Duyvis
Man the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
In this grim alternate history, the United States came out on the losing side in World War II, and is occupied by Nazi Germany and Japan. Now an Amazon Original series.
All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders
"Reunited as adults in the hipster mecca San Francisco as the planet falls apart around them, childhood friends Patricia Delfine, who is magically gifted, and Laurence Armstead, an engineering genius, discover that something bigger than either of them has brought them together to either save the world, or plunge it into a new dark ages."
Earth Girl by Janet Edwards
2788. In a quirky twist of fate, a very small percentarge of space-faring humanity turns out to have an immune deficiency that prohibits them from leaving earth. Once a "handicapped" person pops out of the wormhole, they're dead in about 2 minutes. Our hero tried it, just to make sure it was true. They had to toss her back into the wormhole pronto! This has lead to prejudice of the most revolting kind. But Jarra has a plan to show those "normals" what an earth girl can do. Followed by Earth Star.
Adaptation by Malinda Lo
For Reese and David, it starts with birds. Birds crashing into airplanes. Airplanes crashing to the ground. Next comes medical treatment at a secret government facility and, according to their conspiracy-theorist friend, UFOs and aliens. Followed by Inheritance.
Planesrunner by Ian McDonald
When Everett Singh’s scientist father (inventor of the Heisenberg Gate) is kidnapped from the streets of London, he leaves Everett a mysterious app on his computer. Suddenly, this teenager has become the owner of the most valuable object in the multiverse—the Infundibulum—the map of all the parallel earths. Don't miss the fantabulosa Palari glossary at the end of the story. This is book 1 of the Everness series.
Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix
The insufferably over-privileged and egotistic Prince Khemri learns a thing or two about the real world in this fast-paced and entertaining space opera. Psitek. Mektek. Bitek. Ultra-bioengineered humans. Gadgets galore. What's not to like?
Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Amy is a cryogenically frozen passenger aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed. She expects to wake up on a new planet, 300 years in the future. But fifty years before Godspeed's scheduled landing, Amy's cryo chamber is unplugged, and she is nearly killed. Read chapter one for a breathtaking description of what it's like to be cryogenically frozen. Followed by A Million Suns and Shades of Earth.
Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
The book opens with Robby and Austin getting beaten up by three kids from Hoover High while the fourth films it. This is a disturbing, but funny (!) story about love, sex, lust—and the end of the world. Watch out for the 6-foot tall praying mantises.
Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka by Naoki Urasawa
In a distant future where sentient humanoid robots pass for human, someone or some thing is out to destroy the seven great robots of the world. Europol’s top detective Gesicht is assigned to investigate these mysterious robot serial murders—the only catch is that he himself is one of the seven targets. A manga series.
Noggin by John Corey Whaley
Travis Coates is dying of cancer. So of course he agrees to have his head cryogenically frozen. Fast forward 5 years. Now his thawed head sits atop a new body. Only problem is - everyone and everything from his old life has changed. A lot.
The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey
After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one. Alien invasion! Movie version currently in production.
More science fiction authors
Robert Charles Wilson | Nancy Kress | Orson Scott Card | Connie Willis | Douglas Adams | Isaac Asimov | Lois McMaster Bujold | Scott Westerfeld | Ursula K. Le Guin