“Things just happen. And then they’re happening.”
With technology continuing to evolve at a rapid rate, inspiration for sci-fi writers has never been more abundant. 2023 Has had a number of stellar reads that have showcased just how unleashed an author’s imagination can be, with the best stories ranging from dystopian environmental tales to deep exploratory tales centred around identity and belonging set in the furthest reaches of the universe. Join us at What We Reading as we pay homage to the genre with the best sci-fi books from 2023!
The Surviving Sky (Rages #1) – Kritika H. Rao
Inspired by Hindu philosophy, The Surviving Sky is the science-fiction debut novel by Kritika H. Rao. In it, she introduces a universe where humans live in plant-made living civilisations floating above a jungle planet. Held together by technology, tradition and arcane science, the architects of these cities are revered more than anyone.
Charismatic and powerful, Iravan is one of these architects. He endures a thorny relationship with his wife, Ahilya, however, when he is accused of pushing his abilities to forbidden limits, they find themselves increasingly reliant on one another. Deadly truths are revealed, challenging every belief they have ever held. And as their floating city begins to plummet, these revelations may end up destroying their marriage, their lives and their civilisation.
Antimatter Blues (Mickey7 #2) – Edward Ashton
The follow-up to his story that received an acclaimed movie adaptation, Edward Ashton’s Antimatter Blues follows colonist Mickey after his brazen bluff ensured his survival. Only allowed to exist because Commander Marshall believes he is the only reason the colony’s creeper neighbours aren’t dropping an antimatter bomb on them, Mickey’s uneasy idyllic life is about to be brought to an end when he finds himself once again caught in the middle of the survival of two species.
Once again, Ashton showcases himself as one of the best sci-fi writers whose high-stakes premise not only delivers a breathless read but also one of the most thought-provoking themes centred around the ethics of preservation and survival.
Check Out The Best Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Novels From 2022
My Murder – Katie Williams
Lou is a happily married mother with a toddler. She’s also the victim of a local serial killer. She is brought back to life as a part of a secret government programme, she bonds with other female victims, rejoins her family and is naturally grateful for her second chance at life. However, as she re-adapts to her old routines and habits, questions surrounding the lead-up to her grim fate remain. Intent on working out the secrets behind her murder, Lou is soon forced to ponder how much she can trust those around her.
My Murder is one of the best 2023 sci-fi books, blending mystery-thriller tropes with countless twists and turns that are sure to keep readers hooked throughout.
Translation State (Imperial Radch) – Ann Leckie
Ann Leckie’s Translation State is another one of the best sci-fi books from 2023, following the lives of three characters in a sweeping space adventure. Set in the same universe as her Imperial Radch trilogy, the book introduces readers to Enae, Reet, and Qven. The trio are all unknowingly brought together by the mystery surrounding a missing translator, with their efforts and escapades leading to their own unique personal explorations.
A perfect sci-fi read for hardcore fans of Leckie and newcomers alike, it is one of the most heartwarming explorations of identity in the genre in 2023, exploring how even the smallest of moments can have planetary-sized consequences.
The Ferryman – Justin Cronin
Founded by a mysterious genius, Justin Cronin introduces the paradise archipelago of Prospera in The Ferryman. Hidden away from the chaos of the deteriorating world around it, Prospera’s citizens enjoy happy and fulfilling lives. However, when the monitor embedded in their forearms clocks their physical and psychological health at less than 10%, they are led to an island known as the Nursery. There, their bodies are retired, their memories reset and their lives begin anew.
Proctor Bennett has a satisfying career as one of these Ferrymen. Until he is forced to retire his father, begins to notice ordinary men and women beginning to question the hierarchy of the world and is alerted to his health monitor rapidly deteriorating. With rumours of the unrest threatening to boil over into a full-blown revolution, Proctor is forced to grapple with everything he has ever known, becoming embroiled in a cause much bigger than his own to uncover the truth behind Prospera.
The Strange – Nathan Ballingrud
Nathan Ballingrud’s debut novel is the perfect Ray Bradbury homage with The Strange having some serious comparisons to The Martian Chronicles. In an alternate timeline where humanity colonised Mars in the 1900s, readers follow fourteen-year-old Anabelle Crisp on the plains of the Red Planet in 2013.
When Silas Mundt’s gang attacks, stealing the only voice recording she has of her mother, Annabelle embarks on a vicious pursuit to reclaim what is hers. Blending important themes around justice and empathy, The Strange is a thrillingly inventive sci-fi book from 2023.
System Collapse (The Murderbot Diaries #7) – Martha Wells
Picking up after the events of 2020’s Network Effect, System Collapse is a 2023 sci-fi book by Martha Wells. The Barish-Estranza Corporation has sent reinforcements to a recently colonised planet that is teetering on the verge of collapse. However, Murderbot knows that this shady organisation doesn’t do anything for charity and a colony of free human colonists as a free workforce could represent a nice compensation package for second place.
As the Preservation on the planet’s surface attempts to keep the colonists safe, Murderbot begins to realise there may be something very wrong with it. And not working out what that something is could soon spell danger for everyone on the planet.
Mister Magic – Kiersten White
Blending sci-fi horror with the latest pop culture phenomena, Kiersten White unveils the mysterious tragedy behind a cancelled children’s TV show in Mister Magic. Thirty years on from the tragic accident that ended their show, the five surviving cast members, known as the Circle of Friendship, are struggling to fill the void left behind by their host and mentor, Mister Magic.
But, thanks to a twist of fate, all five find themselves reuniting in the desert filming location compound again. There, they begin to reclaim the memories from their time on the show, piecing together the truth behind Mister Magic’s infinitely black cape and that fateful final day on set. But, magic never forgets the taste of friendship, and it isn’t long until the Circle of Friendship begin to question whether they are here by choice, or whether they’ve been lured into a trap.
Lords Of Uncreation (The Final Architecture #3) – Adrian Tchaikovsky
The final entry in the The Final Architecture trilogy, Lords of Uncreation is one of the best sci-fi books from 2023 for those looking for a truly mind-bending read. Even the characters in the book can’t grasp the concepts that author Adrian Tchaikovsky is burrowing deep in the pages. Readers follow Idris Telemmier as he finally unearths the secret that is the Architects’ greatest weakness. But, as a shadowy cartel scrambles to turn this secret into a weapon, the galaxy’s powers’ unwillingness to stand together leads to an eruption of a deadly self-defeating war.
To make things worse, the Architects’ own Masters, existing in deep unspace where time moves differently and the laws of reality aren’t the same, have begun to take note of humanity’s boldness – and are preparing to stamp it out forever.
The Terraformers – Annalee Newitz
Working for an ancient organisation known as the Environmental Rescue Team, Destry is tasked with terraforming the planet of Sask-E into an Earth-like world. However, when she stumbles across a hidden city buried inside a massive volcano, she is forced into a decision that reverberates for generations.
Centuries later, Destry’s protege, Misha, is working on a planetary transit network across Sask-E when a brilliant engineer from the volcano city, Sulfur, flips his whole worldview on its head. Delving into the truth behind the Environmental Rescue Team and their purchases of huge sways of Sask-E, the secrets the pair soon unearth put them in the crosshairs of a conspiracy that could spell the end for any creature that isn’t a human. Sometimes absurdly imaginative and sometimes alarmingly accurate, The Terraformers is a unique take on the roles and responsibilities of technology on the planet and governments on its people.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
