Both break out novelists and well established writers alike will agree that the books below stand apart from the crowd in the best way possible! While not being a huge Sci Fi fan myself, I must say that these five novels have caught and kept my attention. Not every title is newly published, so you may be surprised to find a previously undiscovered gem.
Corrosion: The Corroding Empire: Book 1 by Johan Kalsi
Johan Kalsi is Finland's hottest science fiction author. An accomplished geneticist as well as a 6'3″ ex-Finnish Marine, in CORROSION, Kalsi shows himself to be more Asimovian than Asimov himself. CORROSION marks his English-language debut.
Galactic society is ruled by algorithms. From interstellar travel and planetary terraforming to artificial intelligence and agriculture, every human endeavor has become completely dependent upon the hypercomplex equations that optimize the activities making life possible across hundreds of inhabited worlds. Throughout the galaxy, Man has become dependent upon the reliable operation of ten million different automated systems.
And when things begin to go wrong and mysterious accidents begin to happen no one has any idea what is happening, except for a sentient medical drone and the First Technocrat of Continox. But their ability to even begin to try fixing the unthinkably complicated problem of galaxy-wide algorithmic decay is made considerably more difficult by the fact the former is an outlaw and the latter is facing a death sentence.
“Scalzi is one of the slickest writers that SF has ever produced.” ―The Wall Street Journal on The Human Division
“Fans of Game of Thrones and Dune will enjoy this bawdy, brutal, and brilliant political adventure” ―Booklist on The Collapsing Empire
The Enemy Within by Scott Burn
Scott Burn, a former lawyer turned writer, creator of the science fiction comic book series AGON, and writer of several successful feature screenplays is now dominating the Sci Fi writing scene with his debut novel, THE ENEMY WITHIN.
Seventeen-year-old Max has always felt like an outsider. When the agonizing apocalyptic visions begin, he decides suicide is his only escape. Instead, he soon finds himself in an institution under the guidance of a therapist who sees something exceptional in him. Just as he begins to leave the hallucinations behind, Max discovers the visions aren't just in his head.
There are three others who have shared those same thoughts, and they've been searching for Max. Like him, they are something more than human. Each of them possesses certain abilities, which they're going to need as a covert military group begins hunting them down. As the danger escalates, Max doesn’t know which side to trust. In the end, his choice will decide the fate of both species.
“This is a fine Sci-Fi story anchored to firm thematic material… A great combination of suspenseful action and empathetic characterization based on relevant ideas, which can be enjoyed on several levels. Highly recommended for all Sci-Fi and general novel fans.” ―Airborn Press
“A riveting read that will keep you on the edge of your seat even after you've finished it. I was extremely impressed with this author's debut novel and cannot wait to see what else is in store for us from him!” ―Urban Book Reviews
Binti: Home by Nnedi Okorafor
The thrilling sequel to the Hugo and Nebula-winning Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
It’s been a year since Binti and Okwu enrolled at Oomza University. A year since Binti was declared a hero for uniting two warring planets. A year since she found friendship in the unlikeliest of places.
And now she must return home to her people, with her friend Okwu by her side, to face her family and face her elders.
But Okwu will be the first of his race to set foot on Earth in over a hundred years, and the first ever to come in peace.
After generations of conflict can human and Meduse ever learn to truly live in harmony?
“There's more vivid imagination in a page of Nnedi Okorafor's work than in whole volumes of ordinary fantasy epics.” ―Ursula Le Guin
“A perfect dove-tailing of tribal and futuristic, of sentient space ships and ancient cultural traditions, Binti was a beautiful story to read.” ―Little Red Reviewer
Liquid Gambit by Bonnie Milani
Bonnie Milani is soon to be a household name. Her short story ‘A Hot Day on Titan' has been nominated for the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award, her novel ‘Home World' won the 2016 EVVY awards' 1st place in the science fiction category, and most recently, her novel ‘Home World' has been awarded the BooksGoSocial Gold Quality Mark.
Death is never more than an airlock away for the denizens of Hell, the last deck before the Void on the last station in human space.
It’s a place where justice is for sale and slavers hawk their human merchandise to the highest bidder. But to Rick, a scarred, bitter Lupan warrior, it’s home – or at least the one place in the known universe where he can ignore all the death warrants on him throughout the rest of the Commonwealth. It’s also the place where a few drops of the most precious liquid in all of human space can buy him a berth on the last ship back to his birth world. Until a mysterious, vaguely familiar woman walks into the dive Rick runs. And brings his deadly, ugly past in with her.
Somehow Rick must unlock the secrets she carries. Because if he fails, he will lose far more than just his life.
“Liquid Gambit is a futuristic thrilling adventure; with suspense so strong, I wasn’t sure what was coming next.” ―Boundless Book Reviews.
“I Want more. Milani is the next powerhouse of sci-fi.” ―Marion Pagano.
Smartbrain (Penchant Series Book 1) by G. F. Smith
Smartbrain, a two-part novel and the first in the Penchant Series, introduces the Reader to a burgeoning, future universe where new, uber-immersive consumer technology creates the potential for worlds of augmented realism that exceeds ordinary, high-definition reality by inestimable measures. A 2016 Next Generation Indie Book Awards “Finalist”
New Consumer Tech: SMARTPHONE STREAMS DIRECTLY INTO HUMAN BRAIN
Part 1: Mind
Sarah Whiting, young, attractive, tech-savvy homebody, accepts a potentially lucrative offer to join a product/market analysis team that is performing the final evaluation of the believed technological breakthrough of the century before its release to the public. As the incredible opportunity unfolds, Sarah finds herself smitten with the technology, as well as with the project’s lead engineer. Even with the contrast of taking care of her Alzheimer’s-ridden father, it all seems like a dream-come-true for Sarah. That is, until she abruptly learns that she may now be unwittingly mired in a dangerous ruse of international deception, and that the man she’s fallen for, as well as this new, highly transformative technology may originate from somewhere else, other than Earth.
Part 2: Matter
Sarah’s world is further thrown into chaos and confusion when she wakes up with little memory of her recent past and is told that she is a victim of severe brain injury brought on by the very technology she had been working with. Sarah is lost in the revelation, loath to accept the reality being told her, and soon falls into a downward spiral fueled by a husband she doesn’t remember, along with the abysmal fear that she may actually be losing her mind. What Sarah doesn’t realize is that as she fights to gain a hold on what is real, others are in the process of risking their lives in a desperate attempt to free her from her perceptual prison. Filled with guilt, the very man who blames himself for Sarah’s cerebral incarceration begins to work with a group of highly trained professionals who might just be Sarah’s only hope of ever returning to her real life.
“G. F. Smith's “Smartbrain” novel is a well written, intriguing look at our own civilization and our technology, from the viewpoint of our own society, and from the viewpoint of envious aliens…I was fascinated by the new technology, and drawn-into the story by the likeable characters and the fully-engaging plot…I look forward to the next book in the series.” ―John C. Meyer
Make it a year of curiosity! ―G. F. Smith
