7 Best Sci-Fi Books For Teens

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“You don’t forget the face of the person who was your last hope.”

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Have you ever noticed how science fiction and young adult literature go hand in hand? These books offer a perfect escape from the dramas of being a teenager, while also exploring real-world themes that readers can relate to. That’s why we at What We Reading love dystopian and Sci-Fi books for teens so much! Whether you’re into movies, TV shows, or good old-fashioned page-turners, there’s something for everyone in this genre. So, without further ado, here are some of our absolute favourites. Get ready to be transported to incredible new worlds!

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The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

If you’re a fan of teen sci-fi, then you can’t miss Suzanne Collins’ iconic Hunger Games franchise. First published in 2008, the original book is still as timeless as ever. Set in the ruins of what was once North America, The Hunger Games takes place in the nation of Panem, where law and order are maintained through an annual televised fight to the death. One boy and one girl aged twelve to eighteen are selected from each of the twelve districts to participate.

The story follows sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen as she volunteers to take her sister’s place in the games. As she fights to survive, Katniss is pushed to unimaginable limits, testing the very essence of her humanity.

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Check Out The Best Books Like The Hunger Games

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Divergent – Veronica Roth

In Veronica Roth’s Divergent, readers are transported to a dystopian Chicago where society is divided into five factions based on personality traits: Candor (honesty), Abnegation (selflessness), Dauntless (bravery), Amity (peacefulness), and Erudite (intelligence). As the story goes, every year sixteen-year-olds must choose which faction they will spend the rest of their lives in.

We follow Beatrice Prior, who struggles with the decision of staying with her family or embracing her true self. Along the way, she navigates unexpected romance and the physical and mental challenges of the initiation ceremony. But as she learns to embrace her identity, her lifelong secrets come to light, and the fragile peace of the world around her threatens to collapse.

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Check Out The Best Books Like Divergent

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The 5th Wave – Rick Yancey

Rick Yancey’s The 5th Wave is a gripping young adult fantasy and sci-fi novel that has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Awards. The story follows Cassie, a lone survivor on a dangerous road, running from brutal beings called ‘Them’ that resemble humans but are determined to kill anyone they come across in the countryside.

For Cassie, staying alone is the key to staying alive. But everything changes when she meets the mysterious and alluring Evan Walker, who represents her best chance of saving her brother. Caught between trust and despair, Cassie must confront everything she knows about survival and risk everything to save her loved ones.

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Check out our interview with dystopian author Kayla Hicks

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Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

In Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, readers are introduced to six-year-old Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, who is trained in what he thinks are computer-simulated war games. However, he soon discovers that he is the result of genetic experimentation and his purpose is much more real and urgent than he could have ever imagined.

Without knowing it, he is enlisted in Earth’s war against an alien race determined to annihilate humanity. As a coming-of-age story, readers follow Ender’s journey as he is forced to mature quickly to become humanity’s perfect wartime general.

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Looking for more great young adult books? Check out these great Teen Horror Books!

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The Maze Runner – James Dashner

James Dashner’s The Maze Runner is the first book in an acclaimed trilogy that is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games. The story follows sixteen-year-old Thomas, who wakes up with no memory of his past besides his name. Along with fifty other boys, he lives in a clearing called The Glade, controlled by a mysterious Corporation.

The group is trapped in a sprawling maze, and readers follow their journey as they search for a way to escape. But when the first-ever girl arrives at the Glade, tensions rise, and the group is faced with a desperate race to survive and escape.

The Knife Of Never Letting Go – Patrick Ness

In The Knife of Never Letting Go, Patrick Ness tells the story of twelve-year-old Todd Hewitt, the last boy in Prentisstown, a place where everyone can hear each other’s thoughts. But as Todd nears the age of becoming a man, he realizes that the town is hiding a sinister secret from him. With only his loyal dog as a companion, he must flee everything he’s ever known.

Along the way, Todd meets a girl who he cannot hear, and his entire worldview is turned upside down. As hostile men from Prentisstown chase him, Todd must discover who he truly is and where he fits into the world around him.

Gone – Michael Grant

In Michael Grant’s Gone, all the adults in the world suddenly disappear, leaving the children to fend for themselves without any way of understanding what has happened or getting help. In this dystopian novel, hunger and fear take hold, and bullies rise to power.

The story centres around Perdido Beach, in Southern California, which is mysteriously sealed off by a force field, causing the teenagers inside to develop supernatural abilities. Sam Temple, the protagonist, is forced to confront real-world enemies as well as a malevolent creature known as the Gaiaphage.