The upcoming year insci-fiwill have many exciting releases, including at least 10 science fiction books coming out in 2025. While there have been prolificsci-fi books in the last 10 years, including an excellent year forsci-fi books in 2024,2025 will be an exciting year for the genre. Suzanne Collins' long-awaitedThe Hunger Gamesprequel will hit bookshelves in March, whileThe Hunger Games: Sunriseon the Reapinghas a release dateof July 20, 2025. Science fiction will mix with other genres since severalsci-fi books will blend with romance, horror, and fantasy.
This year will have plenty in store for science fiction, including some highly anticipatedupcoming sci-fi moviesand the return of belovedbingeworthy sci-fi showssuch asStranger Things. While sci-fi has a lot to look forward to in 2025, literature will certainly be the most exciting, given all the diverse book releases. In fact,10 upcoming exceptional science fiction books will be released in 2025. Some of these books are standalone novels, while others are a new installment of a popular series. Regardless, these 10 books will come out in the next 12 months, making 2025 an epic year.
10Death Of The Author By Nnedi Okorafor
Expected Release: June 10, 2025
Renowned sci-fi fantasy author Nnedi Okorafor is back with a new science fiction novel,Death of the Author. The book is about the protagonist, Zelu, who writes a book about life for technology bots after humanity has become extinct. However, writing this book fundamentally alters Zelu’s life because the narrative changes as she skyrockets to fame overnight, and Zelu ultimately loses control of it.Death of the Authorexplores challenging themes such as loss, infamy, fiction, and reality in a sci-fi setting, complicating the narrative while providing a compelling story.
Nnedi Okorafor is known for writing science fiction and fantasy stories centered on Africanfuturism, a term she created herself. She has pushed boundaries in science fiction and has gone to lengths many writers have not before. Nnedi Okorafor is a critically acclaimed author, having received Hugo Awards, Nebula Awards, Locus Awards, and many other honors.She has revolutionized the sci-fi genre, andDeath of the Authorwill continue to illustrate this fact.
9Hammajang Luck By Makana Yamamoto
Hammajang Luckby Makana Yamamoto is a widely anticipated debut novel about two ex-lovers about to embark on their biggest space heist yet.However, the stakes are relatively high since Edie has just been paroled after being in prison for the last eight years, and this heist involves trusting their ex, Angel, who is why Edie got arrested last time. It especially does not help that Angel needs Edie’s help to take down the same tech god they attempted to dethrone last time.
The tensions will run high inHammajang Luck, but Makana Yamamoto has written a strong debut novel covering themes such as home, technology, and circumstance.Hammajang Luckis already so loved that it became the number one bestselling new release on Amazon as a preorder.Makana Yamamoto’s book will surely captivate with its complex dynamics and thrilling plot.
8The Dark Mirror By Samantha Shannon
Expected Release: June 19, 2025
The Dark Mirrorby Samantha Shannon is the fifth installment of Shannon’s acclaimed book series,The Bone Season.The series revolves around the concept of a futuristic world where humanity must deal with the supernatural under the idea of another Salem Witch Trial.The Bone Seasonis expected to have seven books, butThe Dark Mirroris the fifth. However, there is also a prequel,The Pale Dreamer.The Dark Mirrorcontinues Paige Mahoney’s story as she leaves Scion for the first time in over 10 years without her memories of the last six months.
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The Dark Mirrorwill follow Paige’s journey to Venice as the stakes between humans and immortals are significantly higher, and the danger Paige is in is imminent. Although there are two more books afterThe Dark Mirror, this installment will surely continue the compelling fantasy sci-fi series that began over ten years ago. It has been almost four years sinceThe Mask Falling, soThe Dark Mirrorhas been highly anticipated for quite some time.
7The Dream Hotel By Laila Lalami
Expected Release: July 16, 2025
Laila Lalami has written historical fiction, mystery, literary fiction, and nonfiction, butThe Dream Hotelwill be her first science fiction novel.The Dream Hotelrevolves around a character named Sara, whom the Risk Assessment Administration has arrested because she will likely commit a crime in the coming days.The Risk Assessment Administration has concluded that because of the data they received from Sara’s dreams.The Dream Hotelraises the stakes when Sara becomes permanently detained with other dreamers.
Lalami has received several acclaims for her books, including the American Book Award, the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and the Arab American Book Award. She has also been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and National Book Award for Fiction, suggesting thatThe Dream Hotelwill be another terrific work.It will be thrilling to see Lalami tackle science fiction for the first time, especially in a story that explores the negative aspects of technology, privacy, and surveillance.
6Sunrise On The Reaping By Suzanne Collins
Expected Release: July 04, 2025
Suzanne Collins' worldwide phenomenonThe Hunger Gamesis coming back with a long-awaited story—the 50th Hunger Games, which contains Haymitch Abernathy’s story.The Hunger Gamesbooksare widely popular, with over 100 million copies of the books worldwide, according toScholastic, its publisher.Now, Collins is back with a Haymitch Abernathy prequel, documenting the 50th Hunger Games inSunrise on the Reaping.AlthoughCatching Fireprovides information aboutSunrise on the Reaping’s events, the new book will dive deeper into Haymitch’s Hunger Games.
The Hunger Games
The Hunger Games is a multi-movie franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. The films are based on the young adult dystopian book series by author Suzanne Collins. The first film was released in 2012, followed by Catching Fire in 2013, Mockingjay Part 1 in 2014, and Mockingjay Part 2 in 2015. In 2023, the fifth film in the series was released, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
There are many unknown factors and questions regarding Haymitch’s story thatSunrise on the Reapingwill answer.Haymitch is also one ofthe best characters inThe Hunger Games, so a full-length novel with his story is long overdue. There is a lot to look forward to, from Haymitch and Maysilee’s unexpected allyship to Haymitch’s life before the Games to how the event changes him.Sunrise on the Reapingwill be an excellent book and one of the best reads in 2025.
5Dissolution By Nicholas Binge
Expected Release: August 07, 2025
Nicholas Binge is best known for hissci-fi horror bookAscension, which was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Science Fiction in 2023. Now, Binge is back with a new sci-fi book,Dissolution. The novel revolves around the protagonist, Maggie Webb, who shockingly discovers her husband’s decade-long memory loss is not a natural occurrence, buta greater power removing her husband’s memories to avoid a dark secret. However, as Maggie gets more twisted inside her husband’s memories, the more she learns that the dark secret is much bigger than she could imagine.
Nicholas Binge has a talent for weaving multiple genres together, soDissolutionwill include fantasy and mystery.
Dissolutionappears to have plot twist after plot twist, given that nothing is as it seems. Nicholas Binge has a talent for weaving multiple genres together, soDissolutionwill include fantasy and mystery.Dissolutionwill be an exciting ride from start to finish, andthe book questions various themes, including reality, humanity, and history.
4Watch Me By Tahereh Mafi
Expected Release: August 12, 2025
Tahereh Mafi’s bestsellingShatter Meseries is back with a surprise spinoff series,Shatter Me: The New Republic. The first installment isWatch Me, set for release on August 22, 2025. Although Juliette Ferrars and Aaron Warner are expected to appear,this series will focus on Warner’s younger brother, James Anderson—formerly James Kent—who was just 10 years old duringShatter Me. Now, James is 21, and one of the two new protagonists.Watch Mebegins 10 years after the lastShatter Meinstallment, focusing on James, who has now infiltrated Ark Island, the last stronghold of the oppressive Reestablishment.
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The other protagonist is a new character from Ark Island—Rosabelle Wolff. Rosabelle is a trained assassin who works for the Reestablishment. According toWatch Me’s blurb,this new series will include anenemies-to-loversromance while exploring the question, “Who are we when no one is watching?“It is an intriguing concept with a lot of potential.Watch Meis an excellent place for new readers to start, while drawing in older readers.
3The Memory Collectors By Dete Meserve
Expected Release: August 14, 2025
The Memory Collectorsis Dete Meserve’s first science fiction novel, having written romance and mystery-thrillers beforehand. It revolves around four complete strangers desperate to relive a moment in their past. Aeon Expeditions is a time travel machine that allows the protagonists to spend one hour in their pasts before returning to their presents—but this hour would not change anything about their fate. Unfortunately, the four people get stuck in their past, unable to return to the present day, and they inexplicably become intertwined as a result.
Dete Meserve is the author of theKate Bradley Mysteryseries (Good Sam,Perfectly Good Crime, &The Good Stranger),The Space Between, andRandom Acts of Kindness.
The Memory Collectorsis a speculative fiction story that explores themes such as hope, grief, and second chances.The novel will have several twists and turns once the protagonists are stuck in the past because they do not know Aeon Expeditions' true intentions.The Memory Collectorsappears to be anambitious sci-fi book, especially for a first sci-fi novel. Meserve’s book has high expectations, but it will surely exceed them all.
2The Last Contract Of Isako By Fonda Lee
Expected Release: August 11, 2025
Fonda Lee is coming out with a new sci-fi book,The Last Contract of Isako. The book was initially set for publication in early 2025, but Orbit Books pushed the release date to July 13, 2025. Fonda Lee is best known for her fantasy series,The Green Bone Saga, theExoduology, and her novella,Untethered Sky. Fonda Lee is diving back into sci-fi withThe Last Contract of Isako. There is little information on what the book will be about, other thanOrbit Booksteasing,“a searing space opera like no other that takes aim squarely at late-stage capitalism.”
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The protagonist ofThe Last Contract of Isako, Ithmus Isako,has a final assignment that forces her into"espionage and sword fights on an isolated colony planet.” Fonda Lee calls the book “the cyberpunk samurai space opera,” insisting thatThe Last Contract of IsakohasBladeRunnerandJohn Wickvibes. It sounds likeThe Last Contract of Isakois set up to be a compelling science fiction novel. As the release date approaches, more information will come to light.
1Wolfskin By Jeremy Szal
Expected Release: August 20, 2025
Wolfskinis the long-awaited final installment of Jeremy Szal’sThe Commontrilogy. The first two books,StormbloodandBlindspace, were published within a year and a half of each other. However, the wait betweenBlindspaceandWolfskinis three years, makingWolfskinone of severalnew books many have waited years for.The Commonis a cyberpunk sci-fi series about Vakov Fukasawa, a Reaper—a biosoldier with forcefully injected DNA of the Shenoi, a genocidal extinct alien race. The House of Suns is determined to weaponize Reapers into unlocking their full Shenoi abilities, inflicting the galaxy into violent pandemonium.
Wolfskinis set to conclude the battle between Vakov and the House of Suns.Jeremy Szalhas stated thatWolfskinis the “most epic, ferocious, and intense entry yet” and the “darkest and most action-packed book” of the trilogy. He also states thatWolfskinis the most “heroic” book inThe Common, and has undertones ofGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragonbecause of the political conflict.Wolfskinis setting up to be an epic conclusion, even though it will be published at the end of the year. However, thesci-fibook will be well worth the wait.
