7 of the Most Epic Science Fiction Books

The Stone came from space. It came from the future. Just not our space or even our future. And hidden inside a hollowed out asteroid, a lost human civilization hangs on. NASA, NATO, and the UN sent explorers to explore the asteroid and discover the secrets held within. Only, what they found was homage to something called the Death, a catastrophic war and the horror that would follow. As Earth’s leaders fight over how to avoid the Death, the Stone reveals a secret. Suddenly, Earth’s problems might not be as important as humanity once believed.

In 2088, humanity is ready to go beyond our own Solar System. The only question is where will we go? Astrophysicist Reggie Straifer discovered a star that appears to defy the laws of physics. But the journey will eons, so to preserve the genetic talent of the crew, the maintenance of the journey will be handled by clones. Only, each clone is slightly flawed, creating altered version each time until after centuries, they are wholly evolved. They are different, but their mission remains the same: explore the star no matter the consequences.

The spacecraft Leonora Christine and her crew of fifty are on an epic voyage to a distant planet thirty light years away. Even though the voyage will take years, thanks to time dilation, the crew will only age a few years. But when the ship is hit by an interstellar dustcloud, the ship’s deceleration system is damaged. As they speed up, they hit light speed, tau zero, and time loses all meaning. Eons pass with galaxies and the crew sails into a terrifying unknown.

Darrow was a Red, a miner toiling beneath the surface of Mars. His people were promised a glorious future when enough of the substance they’re mining can finally terraform the surface of the planet. But Darrow and his people have been lied to. Mars, and the rest of the Solar System, are already thriving planets. 

When his world is torn from him and the lie exposed, Darrow will sacrifice everything for a chance a justice. He infiltrates their elite institute, competing for his life. To defeat his enemy, he must become his enemy—even if it changes him forever.

Jim Holden works to transport ice from the rings of Saturn to the Belt. On a run, he and his crew accidentally stumble on a derelict ship that hides a secret worth killing for. 

In the Belt, Detective Miller is searching for a missing daughter of a wealthy businessman. It’s an impossible task, but one that pays. When his search crosses paths with Holden, he realizes the girl might be the key to stopping a war between Earth and Mars. But knowing the truth and getting it past warring politicians, Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations are two different things. 

Breq was once the Justice of Toren. She ran a colossal starship, not as commander, but the powerful AI. She linked the thousands of soldiers who served the Radch. But she was betrayed. And though she survived, she’s left inside a fragile human body. Driven by unanswered questions, she relentlessly pursues her need for revenge. Now, on an icy planet in a remote part of space, she’s getting close.

It all happens on a single day. Essun’s husband brutally murders their son and kidnaps their daughter. Sanze, a mighty empire, collapses when a madman murders most of its citizens. And worst of all, a great rift has been torn in the heart of the Stillness, spewing enough ash to darken the sky for years. The land is dying without sunlight and war is brewing over the limited supplies. But none of that matters for Essun. She’ll trek the dying Earth, break the world itself, and do whatever it takes to find her daughter.